Video CDs Break Windows Explorer
15 hours ago
- A bug in Windows Explorer occurs when copying Video CD (VCD) files, causing the copy speed to drop to zero, UI glitches, and requiring a hard reboot to fix.
- The bug was introduced in updates KB5023706 for Windows 11 (March 2023) and KB5025221 for Windows 10 (April 2023); earlier versions are unaffected.
- The issue is reproducible with physical or virtual CD drives but not when using third-party copy tools, media players, or dedicated VCD extraction software.
- VCDs are non-standard ISO9660 filesystems; the .dat file is an ISO gateway, and copying via Explorer leads to errors and system instability.
- Microsoft has been notified but has not provided a fix or acknowledgment; the author suggests either restoring old behavior or blocking VCD copying in Explorer.