5mo ago

Microsoft gives up on users experiencing problems updating their Windows 11 machines. Now recommends a "manual correction"

Windows 11-24H2 installations with certain update statuses can no longer install further updates. Only a manual correction will help.

Last Christmas, a problem with Windows 11 24H2 installations became known that they cannot install further updates if they were installed from an installation medium with certain update statuses. Microsoft has now given up looking for an automated solution to this problem or developing a fix-it tool – The only option available to those affected is manual correction.

Microsoft has confirmed this decision by setting the entry in the Windows Release Health announcements to "resolved". Specifically, the problem description is that a Windows 11 installation on version 24H2, which was installed from a CD (sic) or USB drive with integrated October or November updates from 2024, can no longer install any further security updates. This also includes media created with the Windows Media Creation Tool at those times. However, installations that have downloaded the updates via Windows Update and applied them do not have this problem.

Windows update dropouts: only manual solution available

The entry on the problem from Microsoft has had the status "resolved" since the end of last week. However, it still only contains the previous workaround as a solution: The problem can be solved by overinstalling with an installation medium that contains at least the security updates from December 2024 – i.e. was created from December 10, 2024 –. Microsoft does not mention a fix-it tool, script or other options, such as registry changes.

Such an updated medium can be created with the Windows Media Creation Tool, which is available on Microsoft's Windows 11 download website. This either downloads an ISO file that can be transferred to DVD or creates a bootable USB stick with the Windows installation; this should have at least 8 GB of space.

cross-posted from: https://lemm.ee/post/55122353

https://www.heise.de/en/news/Windows-11-24H2-update-problems-Microsoft-gives-up-on-finding-a-solution-10275962.html

77 comments

I'm frequently told that Linux is hard and you need to be a tech guru to use it, yet every week I see 1-2 articles of issues in windows you need to do some bullshit to fix, and in my own use of it I've ran into issues (especially after doing an update) that I just don't run into on Linux or MacOS.
- Windows is easy, bro, you just need to run this shady PowerShell script to get rid of ads, run this random EXE from github.ru to disable telemetry, install ClassicShell to make the UI actually usable, install a million utilities for basic features (each from a separate site, of course ; the centralized Windows Store is full of malwarei), then pray sfc /scannow fixes your system after every update.
  BTW, don't bother searching for a solution to your problems other than "retry, reboot, reinstall" ; even certified MS professionals don't know how anything works.
- I've been on Win10 for years, never had a single problem with any update whatsoever.
  Still not subjecting myself to W11 though. As soon as Win10 support ends, I'll make the switch.
  
  I recommend setting up whatever your alternative is a little before committing to ease the transition a bit. It's different, and it's good to fall back to something else for a bit if you get frustrated.
  
  Windows 10 had an update that notoriously broke a lot of games a while back and the only solution was to manually roll it back.
  
  It's been the same on win 11. The only experience i have had was at work. I work closely with the updating team, and there have been a few times where things would break like printers, and we would revert the updates to stop it from going to everyone and uninstall. Sometimes, that meant a help desk guy had to go to the pc or remote in to do it manually. I've been there 19 years now, and it's happened twice?
  
  Same boat here.
  The only issues I’ve ever personally run into with Windows are a missing driver for a software I was installing, like twice, and compatibility for gaming which was solved with admin mode and selecting a different compatibility. I’ve used Windows since 3.1
- I’ve ran
  I've run
  
  You are wrong. Ran is past tense of run.
  https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/run-into
  run into something
  present participle: running | past tense: ran | past participle: run
  If you run into problems, you begin to experience them:
  example: We ran into bad weather/debt/trouble.
  If you're going to try to correct people, please make sure you're actually right first.
  It's ran. Because I'm talking about past events.
- At least that shit is somewhat documented.
  If you are so sure about the way Linux is fully usable and understandable: Please tell me the proper way to set a static IP via terminal on Raspberry Pi OS and/or Debian bookworm.
  Because last I checked (about 4 weeks ago) it was basically impossible.
  
  Debian https://www.cyberciti.biz/faq/add-configure-set-up-static-ip-address-on-debianlinux/
  Pi https://forums.raspberrypi.com/viewtopic.php?t=366025
  
  At least that shit is somewhat documented.
  Uhm, Windows? No.
  
  Something like this? https://devtutorial.io/how-to-configure-static-ip-address-on-debian-12-p3121.html
I manually corrected mine with Mint, 10/10, do recommend.
That manual correction: installing Linux.
I REALLY want to see normies "manually correct" their machines after bragging with Windows supremacy for so long
- normies
  bragging with Windows supremacy
  I don't think that's as common as you think it is. Most Windows users see Windows as part of the computer, a tool to get the job done. As a DIY'er (basically a tool normie) I don't brag about the supremacy of my Kobalt tools, I just drill the damn hole
  
  As far as I know a lot of Windows users are unhappy with Windows itself but can't/won't make the switch for various reasons. I don't mean them, they are usually very nice.
  I mean those people who judge you for not using Windows because "Linux is crap because of drivers and updates" (as if those were uncomplicated/unproblematic on Windows) and then blame every tiny inconvenience on Linux. One dude I used to play games with topped it when they blamed my Linux distro for him experiencing lags claiming Linux was "messing with the game server" (before that they used to say "switch back to Windows" every time I encountered lags or similar).
- It's more of a prison for me. I just had to buy a new Win11 machine cause the software I depend on is cutting Win10 operation this year. Sucks
- Normies don't tend to perform OS installs from slipstreamed update media.
Manually insert USB drive with bootable Linux ISO of choice
…
Profit!
- 2 is usually install, using a live version of Linux kinda sucks.
What a hot mess Windows has become. It's over, Microsoft. Give it up. Your precious hacks on top of hacks on top of half-ass fixes on top of even more hacks of half-ass fixes has finally become unfixable.
It's time to move on.
- Are you suggesting the build a new OS from the ground up? It'd certainly be interesting
"Consent required for free use" I doubt this is legal in the EU.
- I just copy pasted the article into the post so people can read it without having to consent
- https://archive.ph/5tQGd
- It sadly is, or at least the data protection agencies don't act against it. They only declared it illegal under the digital services act for big gatekeepers like facebook.
- That could mean 2 things ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)
Microsoftatemyface
I made the switch too! I bought a MacBook! After 40 years of MS OSes, Outlook-online and Windows 11 made me quit. And so far so good!
Welp, guess I won't be able to fix my Windows install
That's just what I like to see from an OS developer. "We fucked it up, but dunno how to fix it..."
IMO, to keep Windows competitive with Linux they need a complete rewrite from absolute scratch. It's realistically the only way that's going to keep Microsoft on top in the long term. And they'll never do it because of how expensive it'll be.
- the only way that’s going to keep Microsoft on top in the long term.
  You underestimate the complacency of the masses.
  
  I rather think you do.
  There will come a point where working around Windows quirks takes up more time than it does to simply seek and learn something else. This is organically how most people seek to find alternatives to software and begin to jump ship.
  This is why PHP, as a programming language was replaced. Despite its popularity it became increasingly inconvenient to use. As such, they created other languages to replace it. They took the time to create an entirely new development language to sidestep the inconvenience of using PHP...
  The same will eventually happen to Windows. Unquestionably.
  
  This. 😄
- They rewrote the taskbar and Start menu for Windows 11, and left out stuff like being able to move the taskbar or even have separate taskbar items for each instance of an application. Rewriting the whole OS would be a disaster.
  
  It's the only possible solution. The issue with Windows version to version is they merge shit into the base without worrying about how it affects the codebase as a whole. That's why we have 2-3 different ways to access different menus.
- My guess is that they’ll keep adding to WSL until Windows is just a legally ambiguous closed-source wrapper around Linux. They’ll make the GPL’d part so convoluted that they’re the only organization able to maintain it, which will force people to continue using their proprietary wrapper. Basically Android but for PCs.
  
  It's entirely possible.
- You should never rewrite a large program:
  https://www.joelonsoftware.com/2000/04/06/things-you-should-never-do-part-i/
  
  I've been developing software for likely longer than you've been alive.
  That article you posted makes a supposition; that the developer is just misreading existing code to be poor when it's actually really good--which is absolutely not the case with Windows...
- I think they're more likely to just ditch consumer OS' entirely. Its not their moneymaker anymore, that'd be cloud service subscriptions (O365 and Azure) and enterprise licensing. Hell, they'd probably have huge success with VDIs if they could market it right (until an internet outage hits the wrong person)
And yet again: install Linux. I've been a happy lojix desktop user forever 2 decades now. Linux was ready for normal users 10 years ago, it was more than ready 5 years ago, and it is definitely beyond ready today

77 comments