Summary
In early February,Microsoftwarned some Windows 11 users who installed the 24H2 version update via a bootable USB drive or a disc would not receive future security updates.Microsoftstated that affected users could fix the problem by reinstalling Windows 11 version 24H2 and ensuring it includes the December 2024 security updates, not the October or November 2024 update files.
Initially launched in October 2021, Windows 11 is the latest iteration of Microsoft’s PC operating system, and the successor to Windows 10. Since Windows 10 will no longer be officially supported starting in October 2025, some users have upgraded to Windows 11 to ensure continued support for new features and security updates. However, Windows 11 has been a mixed bag for some PC gamers, as titles fromtheAssassin’s Creedfranchise recently overcame performance issuesassociated with Windows 11 version 24H2. The 24H2 update was released in October 2024, three years after Windows 11’s global public release.
Although Windows 11 continues to gain new users, some methods of installing Microsoft’s latest OS have proven shaky. According tothe Windows Release Health website, Microsoft has warned users who installed Windows 11 version 24H2 using the Media Creation Tool alongside a bootableUSB flash driveor a CD would not receive further Windows security updates. However, this problem only affected installation media which included either the October 2024 or November 2024 Windows security updates. Users who install Windows 11 24H2 in this manner with any updates from December 2024 or later are not affected by this problem. Microsoft stated that the remedy for this particular issue is to reinstall Windows 11 24H2 on a media drive that includes the December 2024 security update or later, and not the October or November updates. Reinstalling Windows 11 gives users the option to either keep their files intact or do a fully clean installation of the OS.
Windows 11 24H2 Security Updates May Not Work for Specific Users
This is not the first time that Microsoft has hit a sour note with users, as a pastWindows 11 major update was shown to slow the performance of gamesacross the board. However, this latest issue does not affect users who install Windows 11 system updates via the Settings app or Microsoft Update Catalog website, including users who downloaded the problematic October and November 2024 security patches.
With Windows 11 now passing three years on the market, devices likethe Meta Quest 3 VR headsethave confirmed support for Microsoft’s current OS. As the development of Windows 11 continues, only time will tell what features will be added in 2025.
