Overview
- Microsoft and Samsung concluded that a buggy release of the Samsung Galaxy Connect app triggered C:\ drive access denials on select Samsung Windows 11 devices, not a Windows update such as KB5079473.
- To stop further impact, Microsoft removed Galaxy Connect from the Microsoft Store and Samsung republished a prior stable version, preventing new installations of the flawed build.
- Affected users see the error “C:\ is not accessible – Access denied,” which blocks file access, app launches such as Outlook and Office, and administrative actions including privilege elevation and uninstalling updates.
- The issue has been observed on Galaxy Book 4 laptops and certain Samsung desktop models running Windows 11 24H2 and 25H2, including NP750XGJ, NP750XGL, NP754XGJ, NP754XFG, NP754XGK, DM500SGA, DM500TDA, DM500TGA, and DM501SGA.
- Recovery options for already impacted machines remain limited as Microsoft collaborates with Samsung on validated fixes, and users are advised to seek device-specific help from Samsung rather than attempting risky community workarounds.