Enhanced Metafile (EMF) Rendering regression during Windows 10 April 2021 Update

Andrew Brock 21

We have an EMF file that consists of some black lines/dots and coloured lines.

In build 10.0.18363.1440 this views fine in MS Paint.

In build 10.0.18363.1500 this file has no coloured lines or any element that isn't coloured black.

I can't help but think that there's some kind of regression between these two builds that has caused a regression in this rendering behaviour (i.e the April 2021 update broke something).

I've uploaded the EMF file to https://sahmri.blob.core.windows.net/ict/microsoft-support/lines_and_dots.emf

...so you can try for yourself.

Accepted answer

Marlon Marin 81 Reputation points Microsoft Employee

2021-07-16T22:11:29.827+00:00

I built a new VM using Windows 10 March Update ISO and opened an EMF file without issues.

I downloaded the April update and installed manually.
https://www.catalog.update.microsoft.com/Search.aspx?q=KB5001330
I confirmed as stated the EMF opened but the color lines were missing.

I downloaded and installed the June update KB5003690, and the issue was resolved.
https://www.catalog.update.microsoft.com/Search.aspx?q=KB5003690

Updating the systems with the latest monthly updated should take care of the problem.
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1 person found this answer helpful.
Andrew Brock 21 Reputation points

2021-07-18T22:44:37.59+00:00

Yes, this is now fixed for me too. Thanks.
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3 additional answers

Song Zhu - MSFT 906 Reputation points

2021-05-05T02:00:56.013+00:00

I think this update caused the emf file to display abnormally.

You can try to continue to update the subsequent repair patches to solve the problem.

If the answer is helpful, please click "Accept Answer" and upvote it.

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Andrew Brock 21 Reputation points

2021-05-05T02:18:08.627+00:00

I've downloaded KB5001648 from the Microsoft Update Catalog and when I run it against my test VM I get:

Given I'm running 10.0.18363.1500, wouldn't this KB already be applied?

Song Zhu - MSFT 906 Reputation points

2021-05-05T02:20:34.943+00:00

You can check it in Control Panel->Programs->View Installed Updates

Andrew Brock 21 Reputation points

2021-05-05T02:22:28.63+00:00

This VM is a clean image (installed from en-gb_windows_10_business_editions_version_1909_updated_april_2021_x64_dvd_351da9eb) so there's no update history

Song Zhu - MSFT 906 Reputation points

2021-05-05T02:24:47.693+00:00

This is an update patch and has nothing to do with your version information.If the patch is not updated, it means that it has not been applied.

Andrew Brock 21 Reputation points

2021-05-05T04:07:05.87+00:00

Ran windows update multiple times (feature version locked to 1909 via Group Policy)

How can I force KB5001648 to come up in Windows Update?

Andrew Brock 21 Reputation points

2021-05-05T04:47:43.957+00:00

Ok, so I can answer my own question. KB5001648 has been superseded by KB5001337 - which I do have installed, per the previous screenshot. But it's still not working.

Song Zhu - MSFT 906 Reputation points

2021-05-05T05:40:55.003+00:00

I think you are experiencing the same problem as this thread. Consistent with your version, this graphics problem will occur after Windows 10 1909 update KB5000808. According to New Windows 10 emergency updates fix remaining printing issues, you need to update KB5001648, and the document does not seem to indicate that the patch is replaced by KB5001337, can you provide that description?

Andrew Brock 21 Reputation points

2021-05-05T05:59:24.77+00:00

The screenshot I posted showing KB5001648 is outdated by KB5001337 comes straight from the Microsoft Update Catalog:
https://www.catalog.update.microsoft.com/ScopedViewInline.aspx?updateid=a9a88668-c906-409d-a295-b3b4b0d77538#PackageDetails

There's also other articles showing it, like:
https://knowledge.autodesk.com/support/revit-products/troubleshooting/caas/sfdcarticles/sfdcarticles/Printing-to-PDF-causes-text-to-distort-and-be-off-center-in-Revit.html

Song Zhu - MSFT 906 Reputation points

2021-05-05T06:44:20.807+00:00

I tested it in the 10.0.18363.1500 environment and it was indeed able to reproduce your problem. After my confirmation, it was caused by the KB5001337 patch. You can refer to this thread, and you can delete the patch to solve the problem.

Andrew Brock 21 Reputation points

2021-05-05T22:44:52.423+00:00

Any ideas why KB5001337 shows as installed in Windows Update but isn't available to uninstall?

Song Zhu - MSFT 906 Reputation points

2021-05-06T01:46:03.747+00:00

Try to use wmic qfe list brief in the command line to view the updated patches you have. Then use wusa /uninstall /kb:5001337 to uninstall the patch.

Song Zhu - MSFT 906 Reputation points

2021-05-10T07:45:03.313+00:00

Hi, does the answer solve your issue? Please feel free to let me know if you have any issue and also accept it if it does help.

Andrew Brock 21 Reputation points

2021-05-10T22:39:52.697+00:00

Hi @Song Zhu - MSFT ,

Thanks for your help. It does answer my question, but as my screenshot in the other answer shows (that I posted accidentally as an aswer when it should have been a comment), we can't roll back the KB that broke this and even if we did we can't just stop patching these machines.

It would be good to see this acknowledged as a known issue with the relevant KB at a minimum, but currently it is not: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/topic/april-13-2021-kb5001337-os-build-18363-1500-e7336837-2aaa-4f73-995c-ab2ba5013727
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Andrew Brock 21 Reputation points

2021-05-06T01:51:46.163+00:00

It's not listed via wmic and uninstall via wusa fails as it does exist - except it does appear in the Windows Update history - as you can see from the below screenshot.
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Song Zhu - MSFT 906 Reputation points

2021-05-06T02:24:14.143+00:00

Maybe you can try to use dism to uninstall the patch. If you still cannot remove the patch, you can only repair/reinstall the system or wait for the subsequent repair of the problem.

Andrew Brock 21 Reputation points

2021-05-06T02:56:57.35+00:00

Ok, thanks for your help.

Is there a timeframe or future release identified where the bug is scheduled to be resolved in?

Song Zhu - MSFT 906 Reputation points

2021-05-06T03:03:41.62+00:00

There is currently no document stating the specific repair time, and it will usually be fixed in the next update. You can roll back this version or upgrade to the latest version to solve the problem.
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Ramon Teixidó 1 Reputation point

2021-06-15T15:15:32.283+00:00

Same problem here. We've thousand of emf files where suddenly dissapeared some coloured lines.
If you edit the file (i.e. with adobe illustrator) select the lines, "outline the path" and save it as an EMF again it is shown in the right way, but obviously it's not a useful solution if you have thousands of files to check, and you don't know which lines are showing in a wrong way.

EMF files suddenly became useless, if Microsoft doesn't solve it this will be the end of this file format.
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Enhanced Metafile (EMF) Rendering regression during Windows 10 April 2021 Update

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