- Home windows 11 24H2 has a bug that may break safety updates utterly
- This solely applies to those that’ve put in utilizing media comparable to a USB stick
- It impacts sure variations of Home windows 11 24H2 from late final 12 months, and the repair is a reinstallation utilizing a more recent model
This can be a very odd one: some of us who’ve put in Home windows 11 24H2 (which is now extra broadly rolling out) have been left unable to obtain safety updates for the desktop working system as a result of explicit set up bundle they used.
Confused? I wouldn’t blame you, as when this primary caught my eye, it induced me to marvel what on Earth might need been occurring right here.
And certainly, I can’t offer you a solution to that, however the issue right here is definitely fairly easy to elucidate, and form of simple to repair (if a little bit of a problem when it comes to being time-consuming, and I’ll come again to that later).
Home windows 11 24H2 set up drawback – what’s occurred
So, what’s occurred right here is that Microsoft has by some means made a multitude of the Home windows 11 24H2 media set up packages that had been created primarily based on the October 2024, or November 2024, safety updates.
These would have been utilized by many of us putting in Home windows 11 24H2 from scratch in these months, as they had been (on the time) essentially the most up-to-date copies of the working system.
As to the precise drawback right here, Microsoft explains: “When utilizing media to put in Home windows 11, model 24H2, the system may stay in a state the place it can’t settle for additional Home windows safety updates.”
The opposite key bit right here is that point out of ‘when utilizing media’, which signifies that this bug impacts those that used a drive – comparable to a USB stick, or different media like a DVD – and the media creation software to put in Home windows 11.
Different customers usually are not affected right here, so if you happen to didn’t use the media creation software, this isn’t an issue it is advisable to fear about. Which means that if you happen to put in Home windows 11 24H2 through Home windows Replace contained in the OS, you then’re within the clear.
What to do if safety updates are damaged in your PC
What’s relatively unusual right here is that this subject was acknowledged by Microsoft on December 24, 2024, however has solely simply been addressed and marked as ‘resolved’ within the Home windows 11 launch heath standing dashboard a number of days in the past.
And Microsoft’s recommendation for that decision is, frankly, stating the very apparent. Don’t need this drawback brought on by the Home windows 11, model 24H2, October 2024 or November 2024 safety replace variations? Then don’t use the October 2024 or November 2024 safety replace variations for putting in Home windows 11.
Thanks for that. I’d by no means have guessed in any other case.
Anyway, going ahead, if you happen to’re putting in Home windows 11 24H2 through media, merely just be sure you are utilizing the most recent model (and positively not one you might need kicking round from the tip of final 12 months).
You probably have already put in Home windows 11 24H2 on this means, and have encountered the issue whereby you may not get safety updates put in – which is clearly a nasty factor, leaving you open to exploits doubtlessly – you then’ll have to take motion.
On this case, you will have to reinstall Home windows 11 24H2, and be sure you use the December 2024 model (or later). That entails working the identical set up course of that you simply carried out when grabbing 24H2 late final 12 months – simply make sure to elect to maintain your private knowledge and apps when working the set up course of, and all it is best to lose is a while ready for the reinstall to finish.
I say ought to, since you by no means fairly know what may occur when enterprise any main OS operation, which a reinstallation definitely is. So, it is best to again up your recordsdata earlier than continuing, all the time.
It’s value noting that Microsoft observes that this bug the place updates can not be put in on the Home windows 11 PC “may” occur, in order that gained’t essentially be the case. Which means you could possibly be superb, even if you happen to did use set up media and the October or November 2024 flavors of Home windows 11 24H2.
That mentioned, this subject may nonetheless pop up later, down the road – who is aware of – so be ready to carry out a reinstall at that time if it does.
Through PC Gamer