KB4038792 blocks Microsoft Account sign-ins for some Windows 8.1 users

Some Windows 8.1 users who have installed the September 2017 update KB4038792 report that the installation broke Microsoft Account sign-ins on their devices.
This issue is not the first that KB4038792 caused on machines running Windows 8.1. The connection during the update process was terminated for some users who tried to update the Windows 8.1 machine to the latest roll up update.
The new issue caused by the installation of KB4038792 affects some users who run Windows 8.1 on PCs. KB4038792 combines security updates and other changes. Since it is a cumulative all-in-one type of update, it is impossible to test which part of the update is responsible for the authentication issue.
They receive the following error message when they try to sign in to a Microsoft Account on affected devices:
Sign in to your Microsoft account
Sorry, we couldn’t connect to Microsoft services right now. If this problem persist, search for “network problem†on the Start screen.
A Microsoft support employee confirmed the issue on September 22th, 2017 on Microsoft's Answers forum. A customer reported the issue on September 16th, 2017 and stated that he could not log in to a Microsoft account on a fresh install of a Windows 8.1 HP 2G 250 laptop.
The error message was thrown when the user tried to sign in to an existing Microsoft account, but also during the creation of a new account.
Microsoft's answer to the support request was that the company was aware of the issue, and that it affected a "small subset" of users in "certain areas". Microsoft is working on a fix according to the response; no ETA though.
We're aware of this matter that affected a small subset of our users in certain areas when logging into their Microsoft accounts. Our engineering team is working hard to find and fix the reason for this known bug. We'll provide you with updates as soon as possible.
Another Microsoft employee confirmed the issue in another Microsoft Answers forum thread. This answer linked the issue to the latest September update for Windows 8.1 (which was KB4038792).
Microsoft suggests that affected customers switch to a local account for the time being until the issue is resolved.
As of the moment, affected Windows 8.1 users may use a local account instead of a Microsoft account while our engineers are fixing the bug. We have not yet received any news about when the fix will be released.
Microsoft promised that it will update the thread on the Microsoft Answers website when the update is available.
Günter Born and Woody Leonhard published information on the issue as well. It is unclear how widespread the issue is. Microsoft said that it affects a small subset of users only. Woody was able to find several lengthy threads on various Internet sites similar issues were mentioned in.


What mental age of reader are you targeting with the first sentence? 10?
Why not write an article on how to *avoid* upgrading from W10 to W11. Analogous to those like me who avoided upgrading from 7 to 10 for as long as possible.
If your paymaster Microsoft permits it, of course.
5. Rufus
6. Ventoy
PS. I hate reading these “SEO optimized” articles.
I used Rufus to create an installer for a 6th gen intel i5 that had MBR. It upgraded using Setup. No issues except for Win 11 always prompting me to replace my local account. Still using Win 10 Pro on all my other PCs to avoid the bullying.
bit pointless to upgrade for the sake of upgrading as you never know when you’ll get locked out because ms might suddenly not provide updates to unsupported systems.
ps…. time travelling?
written. Jan 15, 2023
Updated • Jan 13, 2023
This happens when you schedule a post in WordPress and update it before setting the publication date.
Anyone willing to downgrade to this awful OS must like inflicting themselves with harm.
I have become convinced now that anybody who has no qualms with using Windows 11/10 must fit into one of the following brackets:
1) Too young to remember a time before W10 and W11 (doesn’t know better)
2) Wants to play the latest games on their PC above anything else (or deeply needs some software which already dropped W7 support)
3) Doesn’t know too much about how computers work, worried that they’d be absolutely lost and in trouble without the “”latest security””
4) Microsoft apologist that tries to justify that the latest “features” and “changes” are actually a good thing, that improve Windows
5) Uses their computer to do a bare minimum of like 3 different things, browse web, check emails, etc, so really doesn’t fuss
Obviously that doesn’t cover everyone, there’s also the category that:
6) Actually liked W7 more than 10, and held out as long as possible before switching, begrudgingly uses 10 now
Have I missed any group off this list?
You have missed in this group just about any professional user that uses business software like CAD programs or ERP Programs which are 99% of all professional users from this list.
Linux doesn’t help anyone who is not a linux kid and apple is just a fancy facebook machine.
Microsoft has removed KB5029351 update
only from windows update though
KB5029351 is still available from the ms update catalog site
1. This update is labaled as PREVIEW if it causes issues to unintelligent people, then they shouldn’t have allowed Preview updates ot install.
2. I have installed it in a 11 years old computer, and no problems at all.
3. Making a big drama over a bluescreen for an updated labeled as preview is ridiculous.
This is probably another BS internet drama where people ran programs and scripts that modified the registry until they broke Windows, just for removing stuff that they weren’t even using just for the sake of it.
Maybe people should stop playing geeks and actually either use Windows 10 or Windows 11, but don’t try to modify things just for the sake of it.
Sometimes removing or stopping things (like defender is a perfect example) only need intelligence, not scripts or 3rd party programs that might mess with windows.
Windows 11 was a pointless release, it was just created because some of the Windows team wanted to boost sales with some sort of new and improved Windows 10. Instead, Microsoft cannot support one version well let alone two.
Windows 11 is the worst ugly shame by Microsoft ever. They should release with every new W11 version a complete free version of Starallback inside just to make this sh** OS functionally again.
motherboard maker MSI has recently released a statement regarding the “unsupported processor” blue screen error for their boards using Intel 600/700 series chipsets & to avoid the KB5029351 Win11 update:
https://www.msi.com/news/detail/MSI-On–UNSUPPORTED-PROCESSOR–Error-Message-of-Windows-11-Update-KB5029351-Preview-142215
check out the following recent articles:
Neowin – Microsoft puts little blame on its Windows update after UNSUPPORTED PROCESSOR BSOD bug:
https://www.neowin.net/news/microsoft-puts-little-blame-on-its-windows-update-after-unsupported-processor-bsod-bug/
BleepingComputer – Microsoft blames ‘unsupported processor’ blue screens on OEM vendors:
https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/microsoft/microsoft-blames-unsupported-processor-blue-screens-on-oem-vendors/
While there may be changes or updates to the Windows 10 Store for Business and Education in the future, it is premature to conclude that it will be discontinued based solely on rumors.
My advice, I left win 15 years ago. Now I’m a happy linux user (linuxmint) but there is Centos, Fedora, Ubuntu depending on your needs.
motherboard maker MSI has recently released new BIOS/firmware updates for their Intel 600 & 700 series motherboards to fix the “UNSUPPORTED_PROCESSOR” problem (Sept. 6):
https://www.msi.com/news/detail/Updated-BIOS-fixes-Error-Message–UNSUPPORTED-PROCESSOR–caused-BSOD-on-MSI-s-Intel-700-and-600-Series-Motherboards-142277