Microsoft says the Windows 11 24H2 is ready for everyone... except for those that it's not


The rollout of Windows 24H2 has been a slow and bumpy road. We’re not far from entering 25H2 and Microsoft has just announced that the Windows 11 2024 Update is now “broadly available”.
The shift to broad availability means that anyone with a compatible system will now be able to download the update, but many people are likely to find that they are automatically upgraded without having to do anything. Despite entering the final stage of rollout and availability, Microsoft says there are still compatibility holds in place that will block access to the upgrade for some users.
Microsoft says that Windows 11 24H2 now plays nicely with wallpaper customization applications


Microsoft is starting the process of lifting a compatibility hold that was preventing some Windows 11 users from updating to Windows 11 24H2.
The block has been in place since September, stopping users with certain unnamed wallpaper customization applications from installing the latest version of the operating system. Microsoft has still not provided a list of the apps that it has, until now, considered troublesome, but says that it will “gradually remove this safeguard hold”.
Microsoft is turning to forced updates to increase the number of Windows 11 24H2 users


The most recent big update to Windows 11 has been available for more than three months now, and if you have not yet opted to make the leap, Microsoft may be about to do it for you.
The Windows 11 2024 Update is now, in Microsoft’s words, “broadly available”. While there is a lot of focus on getting Windows 10 users to upgrade before their operating system reaches end of life, fans of older editions of Windows 11 need to be aware that forced updates could see Windows 11 24H2 installed whether you are ready or not.
Microsoft warns of Windows 11 24H2 installation issue that blocks all future security updates


Microsoft is vocal about the importance of ensuring that Windows users have all of the latest security updates installed, and rightly so. Now the company has warned that using certain installation media to install Windows 11 24H2 could result in not being able to receive any further security updates.
The root cause of the problem has not been revealed as Microsoft is still investigating, but the issue can occur when using media such as CDs or USB drives to install the latest version of Windows 11. While the cause is not known, and there is no specific fix, there is a workaround.
The latest obstacles to updating to Windows 11 24H2 are an audio bug and an Auto HDR glitch


The number of issues standing in the way of people hoping to update their computers to Windows 11 24H2 just seems to keep on growing. The latest problems confirmed by Microsoft are an issue with Auto HDR, and another relating to Dirac Audio.
In both cases, Microsoft has implemented a compatibility safeguard hold that prevents automatic upgrades to Windows 11 24H2; the company also strongly recommends against forcing a manual upgrade because of the severity of the issues. So, what are the details?
Microsoft releases KB5048667 update, removing another Windows 11 24H2 block and introducing a questionable change


There are still various obstacles in the way of updating to Windows 11 24H2, but Microsoft has just removed one of them. Until now, systems with a USB scanner that used the eSCL scan protocol were blocked from installing the update, but this block has now been lifted.
This is not all that is to be found in the update, of course. There is a somewhat controversial switch to a shortened date format in the taskbar as well as a batch of important security fixes.
Microsoft blocks Windows 11 24H2 upgrades for some Google Workspace and Outlook users


The number of roadblocks standing in the way of updating to the latest version of Windows 11 seems never-ending. The latest issue affects people using certain versions of Google Workspace Sync.
Following the appearance of error messages and problems between Outlook and Google Workspace Sync, Microsoft has taken the decision to block the availability of the Windows 11 2024 Update. There is good news, however. The fix is easy to implement, so updating to Windows 11 24H2 is far from being an impossibility.
More gamers can install Windows 11 24H2 after Microsoft semi-lifts update block


There are many barriers to running Windows 11, and even if you are using the operating system, you may find that you’re not able to run the very latest version. A variety of problems means that Microsoft has put update blocks in place for systems that meet certain criteria, but is gradually easing up on some of them.
Gamers are among those who have found themselves unable to update to Windows 11 24H2, especially fans of Ubisoft titles. With some of the issues having been resolved, Microsoft has now partially lifted the block on updating.
Windows 11 24H2 enters ‘a new stage of availability’ as Microsoft releases the update to more people


If you’ve been waiting for Windows 11 24H2 (also known as the Windows 11 2024 Update) to roll out to your computer, you might be in luck.
For anyone who doesn’t want to go to the hassle of forcing the update, there is the option of sitting back until Microsoft takes care of things for you. And there is good news on this front. The company has announced that Windows 11 24H2 has “entered a new stage of availability” and is now more widely available.
Windows 11 24H2 update is a nightmare for many gamers


A Windows update without problems is a rare thing indeed, and the bigger the update, the bigger the problems. This is certainly true of the most recent major update to Windows 11, the Windows 11 24H2 update.
The release has been plagued with issues, and the most recent to be confirmed by Microsoft affects gamers. Windows 11 24H2 has been found to be so problematic with various Ubisoft titles that the update has been blocked on devices that have these games installed.
Microsoft brings hotpatch updates to Windows 11


Having already tested the waters with Windows Server for the last couple of years, Microsoft is bringing hotpatch updates to Windows 11 24H2.
The key advantage to hotpatching is that it allows for security updates to be installed without the need for a restart. This is something which is important for businesses, so it is perhaps not surprising that Microsoft is previewing hotpatch updates in Windows 11 Enterprise.
Tiny11core maker updated to support Windows 11 24H2


For fans of debloating Windows, Tiny11 has been a godsend. The free utility has made it possible to debloat Windows 11 and shrink the installation footprint of the operating system far beyond what many people thought possible.
Now there is a new version of the decrapifier available, updated with full support for the recently released Windows 11 24H2.
Windows 11 24H2 is breaking things left, right and center [Updated]


Windows 11 24H2 (or Windows 11 2024 Update) underwent an incredibly long period of testing with users before it was finally unleashed on the general public earlier this month. Despite the prolonged beta test, the update remains incredibly problematic -- to extent that Microsoft has blocked it from being installed on some systems.
While not all of the problems can be blamed on Microsoft, the company must bear some responsibility for failing to catch significant bugs that have gone on to affect larger numbers of people. Among those experiencing issues are owners of ASUS systems, people running the Voicemeeter app, users of Microsoft Office, and people with certain Western Digital SSDs.
Microsoft blames Disk Cleanup for Windows 11 24H2’s apparent gigabyte gobbling


While hard drive capacities are now large enough that most people will have no problems if they were to suddenly lose nearly 9 GB of space, that’s not to say that such a loss would not lead to questions. Indeed, questions have been raised by people installing the Windows 11 2003 Update (Windows 11 24H2) only to find 8.63 GB of undeletable data.
Microsoft has acknowledged what users have discovered for themselves, confirming that there is an issue. But the issue is not that there is a hefty chunk of data drive space that can’t be recovered. Rather, Microsoft points the finger of blame at Windows’ Disk Cleanup tool, saying that a bug is a causing a “reporting error”.
Upgrading to Windows 11 24H2 fails to clean up 8.63 GB of its own crap


Upgrading Windows can be fraught with problems, annoyances and niggles, some more serious than others. Given Microsoft’s track record, it should come as news to no one that the recently released Windows 11 24H2 update has a selection of issues.
One of the more curious quirks is the discovery by many people that the update fails to clean up after itself properly. An astonishing 8.63 GB is the amount of undeletable data many who have installed the Windows 11 2024 Update find is left behind. So what to do?
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