This week’s incident, where some Samsung PCs are no longer able to access the C: drive and all apps are crashing, is the perfect example of OEM bloat causing trouble. If you buy a new PC, especially one that comes with OEM bloat, you should consider reinstalling Windows 11 using the Microsoft image.The general consensus is that Microsoft is at fault when something goes wrong with Windows 11, and it’s a fair assumption. Microsoft’s reputation is at an all-time low, so if something breaks on Windows 11 installations, it’s easy to assume it’s the Windows giant’s fault. However, that’s not always the case.On March 10, 2026, Microsoft began rolling out Patch Tuesday updates for all supported versions of Windows. Windows 11 25H2 PCs received KB5079473, which added several new features, including Emoji 16 support in the Emoji panel, a Bing-powered Internet speed test tool, and improvements to the File Explorer search bar.Build 26200.8037 installed on Samsung PCsAround the same time, Samsung desktop and Galaxy Book owners started reporting that they were no longer able to access the C: drive, which appeared to be blocked. As a result, apps installed on the drive could not be opened. Moreover, some basic Windows operations, including fingerprint login, also stopped working due to the issue.In our research, Windows Latest found that the first complaints date back to the second half of February, when no Windows updates had been released. The issue may be related to Samsung Storage Share, the Samsung Connect app, or a conflict between multiple Samsung services.On February 14, 2026, users on Reddit reported that their Galaxy Book had been hit with an annoying issue where they could not open the system drive and instead saw a vague error: “C:\ is not accessible – Access is denied.”One user tried to investigate the problem and traced it to Samsung Connect. These apps are mostly preinstalled on Samsung PCs or downloaded through Samsung software. In this case, the Galaxy Book Experience app also installs the Connect app, which allows you to share your screen with an external display.We’ve also seen references to the Samsung Storage Share app as the root cause, but the problem appears to be more complicated than initially expected.Microsoft confirms Samsung broke its own PCs, and it has nothing to do with Windows UpdatesIn a support document, Microsoft confirmed that it worked with Samsung and found that the issue was caused by the Galaxy Connect app, not the March 2026 Windows update.“Affected devices encounter the issue when users execute common actions, such as accessing files, launching applications, or performing administrative tasks, and do not require any specific user action beyond routine operations. In some cases, users are also unable to elevate privileges, uninstall updates, or collect logs due to permission failures,” Microsoft noted in an updated support document.Some users have suggested that Galaxy Connect itself may not be the only problem, as the issue could also be linked to firmware or Samsung’s factory image.Windows Latest understands that some Samsung firmware images may contain broken drive permission data in the background.The system may appear to work normally for a while, but when Galaxy Connect or related Samsung sharing services interact with those permissions at the root of the C: drive, Windows may encounter a bad configuration and lock the drive.This also explains why earlier reports pointed to Storage Share, Shared Folder, or similar Samsung tools. They may all be part of the same Samsung ecosystem around device sharing and folder access, so users likely noticed different names depending on what was installed, updated, or visible on their PC.Microsoft believes the issue is linked to the Galaxy Connect app and has already pulled the app from the Windows Store.While the issue affects only Samsung apps or devices, it’s a reminder for all users that OEM software can cause problems, and you should always consider reinstalling Windows 11 from Microsoft’s official ISO. Most enterprises follow the same strategy, as it’s also recommended by IT admins.In addition, some reports suggested Windows 11’s March 2026 Update is causing BSODs or reboot loops, but Windows Latest’s investigation found it to be an AI slop pushed by certain publications. The March 2026 update is relatively stable, and you shouldn’t skip it as it contains important security fixes.The post Microsoft says buggy Samsung update trashes some Windows 11 PCs, and it’s a reminder to clean up OEM bloat appeared first on Windows Latest