Solved Stuck on 21H2 and can't seem to update to 23H2

cheaterslick · Jul 22, 2024

Hello, as the title says, I can't seem to get the update for 23H2. I tried the Enablement Package and it says my system isn't compatible with this package.

KB5027397 Enablement Package for Windows 11 version 23H2 Feature Update

UPDATE 7/18: https://www.elevenforum.com/t/windows-11-2023-update-version-23h2-is-now-broadly-available-to-all.26877/#post-481661 Microsoft Support: Summary Windows 11, versions 22H2 and 23H2 share a common core operating system with an identical set of system files. Therefore, the new features...

www.elevenforum.com

I guess that means I need to go from 21H2 to 22H2 and then 23H2

What's the best way to do this without re-imaging my machine and losing all my settings?

I already have backups, so...

Thanks

Berton · Jul 22, 2024

If Win11 21H2 was Activated, one way I'd try is to use the MCT [Microsoft's Media Creation Tool] and get the download/USB creation for a different computer and specify the 22H2 then do an in-place Upgrade. Or get the .iso file, Mount it in File Explorer and run the setup.exe file.

cheaterslick · Jul 22, 2024

So there's no Enablement Package going from 21H2 to 22H2?

I know it would be kinda old but I thought there might be one floating around somewhere...

Ghot · Jul 23, 2024

cheaterslick said:
So there's no Enablement Package going from 21H2 to 22H2?

I know it would be kinda old but I thought there might be one floating around somewhere...

Get the 22H2 ISO here, and save it to your desktop.

Select language for Windows 11, version 22H2 (22621.3951) amd64

Select language for Windows 11, version 22H2 (22621.3951) amd64 on UUP dump. UUP dump lets you download Unified Update Platform files, like Windows Insider updates, directly from Windows Update.

uupdump.net

The file you download will look like this. Extract all this to a "new" folder on your desktop, and then double click the command in the RED box, to build the ISO image.

When it's finished building the ISO, the command prompt window will say something like... "Press 0 to Exit"
Also, there will be a new ISO image in the folder you created earlier.

Then "mount" the ISO and run it's setup.exe to to do an In-Place upgrade to 22H2.

Repair Install Windows 11 with an In-place Upgrade

This tutorial will show you how to do a repair install of Windows 11 by performing an in-place upgrade without losing anything. If you need to repair or create a new recovery partition or having problems with the Windows 11 operating system on your PC, and the usual solutions will not fix it...

www.elevenforum.com

==============================================================================

THEN, you can use the Enablement Package to upgrade to 23H2...

KB5027397 Enablement Package for Windows 11 version 23H2 Feature Update

UPDATE 7/18: https://www.elevenforum.com/t/windows-11-2023-update-version-23h2-is-now-broadly-available-to-all.26877/#post-481661 Microsoft Support: Summary Windows 11, versions 22H2 and 23H2 share a common core operating system with an identical set of system files. Therefore, the new features...

www.elevenforum.com

Ghot · Jul 23, 2024

Microsoft has been getting pretty crazy with rapid End of Life (EOL), dates on various versions of Windows.
It's not really a good idea to wait too long to do a feature update, like 22H2, for example.

If you do wait too long... you run into problems like this.

cheaterslick · Jul 23, 2024

Well I did get 23H2 installed using the method mentioned in post #2, skipping 22H2 (there was no 22H2 option to pick from)...

Download Windows 11

... but now I have other problems. Is that because I skipped 22H2?

Any way to revert back and do it again?

antspants · Jul 23, 2024

cheaterslick said:
but now I have other problems.

Is that a technical term? What other problems do you have now, cheaterslick? there may be help for you?

cheaterslick · Jul 23, 2024

antspants said:
Is that a technical term? What other problems do you have now, cheaterslick? there may be help for you?

Well should I create a new thread for them? Or go into detail here?

antspants · Jul 23, 2024

cheaterslick said:
Well should I create a new thread for them? Or go into detail here?

Your choice, I suppose it depends how far out of the way the issues are from this one?

Can you maybe give us a hint in here? Members will know if you should start a new thread. Are they extensive?

cheaterslick · Jul 23, 2024

antspants said:
Your choice, I suppose it depends how far out of the way the issues are from this one?

Can you maybe give us a hint in here? Members will know if you should start a new thread. Are they extensive?

No ethernet network connection.

No WiFi connection, although it sees the WiFi router.

~

There might be other things although I haven't run into them yet...

antspants · Jul 23, 2024

cheaterslick said:
No ethernet network connection.

No WiFi connection, although it sees the WiFi router.

~

There might be other things although I haven't run into them yet...

Have a look at Windows Update>Advanced Options>Optional Updates and check to see if you have any Network Updates.

Ghot · Jul 23, 2024

@cheaterslick

You've just done a lot of updates... so to speak.
You probably had a network driver update from Microsoft, that corrupted your already installed network driver(s).

Do this first, for future reference...

Enable or Disable Include Drivers with Windows Updates in Windows 11

This tutorial will show you how to enable or disable including drivers with Windows Updates in Windows 10 and Windows 11. Windows Update will include drivers when available in Windows 11 by default. You can enable the Do not include drivers with Windows Updates policy to not include drivers...

www.elevenforum.com

Then re-install the network drivers from the manufacturer of your device.

cheaterslick · Jul 23, 2024

Yeah., no optional updates.

It is a Microsoft Surface Pro laptop (with a detachable tablet) that came with Windows 11 Pro already installed on it, so it's Microsoft's own branded machine. Where would I go for drivers?

It's easy enough to find them if it were a Dell or Lenovo or HP, but this is Microsoft.

bobkn · Jul 24, 2024

cheaterslick said:
Yeah., no optional updates.

It is a Microsoft Surface Pro laptop (with a detachable tablet) that came with Windows 11 Pro already installed on it, so it's Microsoft's own branded machine. Where would I go for drivers?

It's easy enough to find them if it were a Dell or Lenovo or HP, but this is Microsoft.

I don't own a Surface.

Microsoft seems to not want you to do the downloads manually.

Download drivers and firmware for Surface - Microsoft Support

Update Surface devices and Windows. Download the latest drivers and firmware updates to keep your Surface devices performing their best.

support.microsoft.com

cheaterslick · Jul 24, 2024

bobkn said:
I don't own a Surface.

Microsoft seems to not want you to do the downloads manually.

Download drivers and firmware for Surface - Microsoft Support

Update Surface devices and Windows. Download the latest drivers and firmware updates to keep your Surface devices performing their best.

support.microsoft.com

Well that royally sucks. It's a "Surface Laptop Studio Model 1964 i5" and I don't see a dropdown selection for that specific model.

And there's no place to enter a serial number (which I have), either.

And since I need to install them offline, I can't rely on Update to do this.

I don't know what I'm gonna do...

Theo54au · Sep 2, 2024

It's an older topic, but maybe still useful for those who still have 21h2 or 22h2.
I don't believe that you have to install 22h2 in order to install 23h2. I think that you can go straight to the latest version.
IF your system tells you that your laptop/PC doesn't have the minimum requirement for 23h2 do the following:

1. Download the latest Win11 iso version from the Microsoft website
2. Unpack this ISO into another folder. (I use Total Commander for this, an EXCELLENT file manager)
3. go to the folder "Resources"
4. Find the file "appraiserres.dll"
5. Open it in a text editor, like "Notepad"
6. Select "ALL" text and delete it.
7. Save it. (It should have a file size of "0"

Now you can run Setup from a windows partition and it will ignore the "Minimum Requirements" message.
I hope it works for you. (It did it for me)

spapakons · Sep 5, 2024

You either download the 22H2 ISO to upgrade to 22H2 first and then use the 23H2 Enablement Package to switch to 23H2 or you download the 23H2 (in a couple of months the 24H2 ISO) to upgrade from 21H2 to 23H2 (or 24H2) directly. This makes more sense. If your computer is unsupported use Rufus to create a patched USB flash drive that bypasses compatibility check and run Setup from there. Make sure you also disconnect from the internet until you have successfully upgraded to 23H2 (24H2).

WAI · Sep 5, 2024

Heck DL the image in my SIG it safe I just created with Rufus unsupported then I extract the files and used IMGBURN to create the ISO

spapakons · Sep 6, 2024

For 24H2 we may need to create a hybrid 23H2/24H2 USB flash drive in order to install in Legacy BIOS (MBR) since I have read elsewhere the 24H2 bootloader doesn't support Legacy BIOS boot, only UEFI. So we use a hybrid 23H2/24H2 USB to install and then replace the bootloader with the 23H2 in order to boot in Legacy BIOS mode. While it might seem a little weird to install in Legacy BIOS mode on a computer that supports UEFI boot, what if your current installation is already Legacy? The only way to avoid clean installation in UEFI mode is either convert it or use the hybrid USB to install the 23H2 bootloader after upgrading to 24H2. To create one, just use the 23H2 ISO to create a 23H2 USB and then replace install.wim (or install.esd) file in sources folder with the respective file from 24H2 ISO.

cheaterslick · Sep 6, 2024

I'm in no rush to get to 24H2. No offense, but I'll let all the other guinea pigs out there beta-test it for me. I can wait.

As far as skipping from 21H2 to 23H2, I managed to do that in post #6 with no problem. It can be done that way. No enablement package, necessary. Or if it was slipped in there, I didn't notice it.

The driver issue was another thing and I created a separate thread for that.

Solved Stuck on 21H2 and can't seem to update to 23H2

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