Solved Can my error be fixed at all? (Been running 23H2, tonight's restart prompted new version update, but it's not finished setting up yet)

Hi everyone. Been a long time since I last had a chance to poke my head in here. Hope you've all been well.

Tonight I happened to suddenly notice a red icon for our antivirus program -it said it was out of date and the update button was frozen. I couldn't get it working right, so I thought maybe I'd better just do a restart to see if that would fix the situation. Stupid of me, since our 23H2 computer seems to be trying to install 24H2 or newer on itself now.

I've otherwise been running 23H2 for a long time. I used what I learned from the forum (early last year, maybe, or the year before) to make the system hold to that and not update to a newer version. Just because there had been quite a few people having problems with 24H2 back then and I haven't had any time to deal with trying to research newer versions since then, due to deaths and heavy caregiving responsibilities in our family. I didn't realize how long since I had last restarted it, as I usually just tend to hibernate it when not in use.

I should add that around the start of this month (Oct 2026), the time delay I had set on the computer had run out and I didn't remember to reset it to a longer period before it had downloaded 1 or more updates (which I guess were version updates). I reset the time delay before it started to install anything, so I thought I had prevented that from being able to happen before I was ready. But now tonight, with this restart, I've gotten a blue screen saying 'You're almost done setting up your PC' (the screen where it wants me to connect with cloud stuff, etc.) and the options at bottom are 'remind me later' or 'continue'. So I messed up somehow in preventing it from installing upon restart. :\

Is there any way at all that I can stop this version update from completing, or is it too late now?

Both are EOL (End of Life)...

23H2 has been out of support since November 2025, and 24H2 since October 13th...which means no security updates.

You'll get another year with 25H2.

I would suggest letting 24H2 install, and then get the small enablement package to upgrade to 25H2.

We're running 26H2 currently with no issues so far.

Oh dear. I'm so terribly out of the loop on all this due to all the family stuff that has happened. I stupidly (due to exhaustion) forgot to do my backups this month too. Do you think my personal files will be okay through such a big change? I've never been in such a position before.

Your personal files are not touched when Windows is upgraded to a new version.

I'm remembering now that another reason I was sticking with 23H2 was because I was trying to avoid Bitlocker issues. Have they given people back any more control with that in the latest versions? Or are they still trying to force it even for those who don't use cloud services?

It has never been forced on us...we do version upgrades.

If you did a clean install (from scratch) Bitlocker would be turned on as the default.

Just seeing that there's more AI in the newer versions? Is there any way to block that stuff since I don't need or want AI?

And can I still use my local account or has microsoft completely blocked people from using local accounts now?

Banjoman301 said:

It has never been forced on us...we do version upgrades.

If you did a clean install (from scratch) Bitlocker would be turned on as the default.

Click to expand...

We bought the Acer desktop from a local store, in Mar 2024 maybe. I set it up with a local account back then. Bitlocker was never activated by default. Never used any microsoft account or cloud services on it.

I uninstall Copilot on our systems.

Since you're upgrading, you will still have your local account.

Well, well... don't I feel like a dummy now, lol... I thought I don't have time for all this and I guess I can't prevent it from going further, so I'll just have to let it do what it wants and try to figure things out later.... So I clicked on that 'remind me later' button at the bottom of the blue screen, thinking it would take me further in a version update process. But instead it showed me the desktop like normal. I checked the version and it's still running 23h2!

I have never seen it give a blue screen like I described in the OP except when I was first getting Windows going after buying the computer in 2024. That's what made me think it was upgrading the version on me. But it looks like it wound up just being a sneaky sort of ad/'billboard' trick to try to get me more connected with cloud services, etc. I went into system notifications and saw that, under 'additional settings', the 'suggest ways to get the most out of Windows and finish setting up this device' option was checked, though I'm certain I myself had unchecked that when first setting the computer up over 2 years ago and I have restarted a number of times in the last 2 years without that blue screen showing. So I don't know how that notification option got checked again.

Anyway, I looked at the update history and saw that what happened was actually what looks to be a routine Windows Security platform update (KB5007651). So that's a relief, but also a surprise since you said " Both are EOL (End of Life)... 23H2 has been out of support since November 2025, and 24H2 since October 13th...which means no security updates." I wonder why it has been continuing to give me security updates on my 23h2...

Trying to learn said:

I wonder why it has been continuing to give me security updates on my 23h2...

Click to expand...

Security updates are not the same thing as Defender definition file updates...

"Patch Tuesday" is when scheduled security updates are released.

EOL systems do not get security updates.

Definition file updates for Defender can occur multiple times a day.

EOL system do get Defender updates...as long as Microsoft says it will continue to offer them.

So you should still upgrade to at least 25H2.

Trying to learn said:

I wonder why it has been continuing to give me security updates on my 23h2...

Click to expand...

Banjoman301 said:

Security updates are not the same thing as Defender definition file updates...

"Patch Tuesday" is when scheduled security updates are released.

Definition file updates for Defender can occur multiple times a day.

Click to expand...

Just to add to the confusion, MS now call the definition updates a 'Security Intelligence update'. 23H2 will continue to get these, they're not an OS update, the AV is not considered part of the OS as far as end of support is concerned.



...and this time last year MS dropped the name 'Cumulative Update...' and now calls CUs a 'Security Update'. These are updates that patch the OS (so 23H2 doesn't get those after end of support).

Bree said:

MS now call the definition updates a 'Security Intelligence update'

Click to expand...

At least "for Microsoft Windows Defender Antivirus" is also included in the description.