Having dealt with my recent Intel 13th Gen degradation issues and reinstalling Windows 11, I've encountered a very frustrating "feature".
Starting with Windows 11 22H2, on clean installs, a feature called "Smart App Control" is enabled.
Well, technically, it starts off in "evaluation" mode for about a week or so, where it tries to determine whether it should switch itself on or off based on your activity. If it determines that you're a developer or doing corporate/business work, it will switch itself off.
How it makes this determination, I am unsure.
But if it switches it self on, it starts blocking apps and prevents them from either installing or launching.
I had installed qbitorrent during the evaluation mode, and some days later, Smart App Control decided it was time to enable itself.
I tried to launch qbitorrent, and a pop-up appeared. Sadly I don't have a screenshot, but it said something along the lines of
we dunno wot this file is or who made it or nuffin, so ur not allowed to open it soz
Thanks Microsoft. There was no option to whitelist the file. But there was an option to leave Microsoft some feedback, and upload a copy of the file. So I did that.
The next day, qbitorrent could launch!
Next, I needed to install REAPER, which is a digital audio work station. I downloaded the installer and attempted to run it.
Unfortunately, Smart App Control once again blocked this from running. So I submitted feedback as I had done previously, attaching the file for inspection.
The next day REAPER installed perfectly fine.
Later, I needed to launch qbitorrent to download some files.
SMART APP CONTROL BLOCKED QBITORRENT AGAIN !
I didn't want to submit feedback and wait another day just to use an application. That is completely absurd.
I have now disabled Smart App Control.
Unfortunately (or fortunately) you are not able to re-enable Smart App Control once it has been switched off. You have to re-install Windows if you want to switch it back on.
STUPID
So, yeah. If you're doing a clean install of Windows 11 - Disable Smart App Control, it blocks commonly used software from installing or launching.