- Home windows 11 24H2 has a bug that may break safety updates utterly
- This solely applies to those that’ve put in utilizing media similar to a USB stick
- It impacts sure variations of Home windows 11 24H2 from late final yr, and the repair is a reinstallation utilizing a more recent model
It is 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 because of the specific set up bundle they used.
Confused? I wouldn’t blame you, as when this primary caught my eye, it brought on me to surprise what on Earth may need been happening 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 straightforward to repair (if a little bit of a trouble by way of being time-consuming, and I’ll come again to that later).
Home windows 11 24H2 set up downside – what’s occurred
So, what’s occurred right here is that Microsoft has by some means made a large number 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 downside right here, Microsoft explains: “When utilizing media to put in Home windows 11, model 24H2, the machine may stay in a state the place it can not 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 – similar to a USB stick, or different media like a DVD – and the media creation software to put in Home windows 11.
Different customers are usually not affected right here, so in case you didn’t use the media creation software, this isn’t an issue it’s essential to fear about. Which means that in case you put in Home windows 11 24H2 through Home windows Replace contained in the OS, then you definitely’re within the clear.

What to do if safety updates are damaged in your PC
What’s reasonably unusual right here is that this challenge 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 downside 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, in case you’re putting in Home windows 11 24H2 through media, merely just be sure you are utilizing the newest model (and positively not one you may need kicking round from the top of final yr).
When you have already put in Home windows 11 24H2 on this approach, and have encountered the issue whereby you may now not get safety updates put in – which is clearly a foul factor, leaving you open to exploits doubtlessly – then you definitely’ll must take motion.
On this case, you will want 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 yr – simply you’ll want to elect to maintain your private information 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 endeavor any main OS operation, which a reinstallation actually is. So, it is best to again up your information earlier than continuing, all the time.
It’s price noting that Microsoft observes that this bug the place updates can now not be put in on the Home windows 11 PC “may” occur, in order that received’t essentially be the case. Which means you can be nice, even in case you did use set up media and the October or November 2024 flavors of Home windows 11 24H2.
That mentioned, this challenge 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.
By way of PC Gamer




