Stuck on build 23493.1000 ni_prerelease since July

itsViney · Nov 1, 2023

My PC has been stuck on the 23493.1000 (22H2) ni_prerelease update since July. I'm on the Insider Release Preview channel and every time I manually check for updates it says I'm already up to date. I've tried:

Unenrolling from the Insider program via Windows Update (just stays on "queued for unenrollment")
Unenrolling using the offline tool
Re-enrolling after the above
Un-checking/re-checking "Get the latest updates as soon as they're available"
Downloaded these two enablement packages but both say they're not applicable
Resetting Windows Updates

...but no luck with any of them. Here's my system info:

Processor Intel(R) Core(TM) i9-10900K CPU @ 3.70GHz 3.70 GHz
Installed RAM 64.0 GB
System type 64-bit operating system, x64-based processor

Edition Windows 11 Pro Insider Preview
Version 22H2
Installed on ‎16/‎07/‎2023
OS build 23493.1000
Experience Windows Feature Experience Pack 1000.23493.1000.0

OAT · Nov 1, 2023

itsViney said:
My PC has been stuck on the 23493.1000 (22H2) ni_prerelease update since July. I'm on the Insider Release Preview channel and every time I manually check for updates it says I'm already up to date. I've tried:

Unenrolling from the Insider program via Windows Update (just stays on "queued for unenrollment")

Unenrolling using the offline tool

Re-enrolling after the above

Un-checking/re-checking "Get the latest updates as soon as they're available"

Downloaded these two enablement packages but both say they're not applicable

Resetting Windows Updates

...but no luck with any of them. Here's my system info:

Processor Intel(R) Core(TM) i9-10900K CPU @ 3.70GHz 3.70 GHz
Installed RAM 64.0 GB
System type 64-bit operating system, x64-based processor

Edition Windows 11 Pro Insider Preview
Version 22H2
Installed on ‎16/‎07/‎2023
OS build 23493.1000
Experience Windows Feature Experience Pack 1000.23493.1000.0

Hi @itsViney,
Please complete your system specs in your profile when you get a chance.
Welcome and sorry about your issue.

Have you checked for errors using DISM & SFC ?
When you were unenrolled, did you try to update?
Have you tried the Repair install option?

itsViney · Nov 1, 2023

Hi @OAT. Thanks for your reply.

I've added more of my system specs to my profile now.
I ran SFC and it did find errors that it couldn't repair, so I ran it again in safe mode and it still wasn't able to repair them.
Yes, I did try checking multiple times after unenrolment but it never found any updates. I left it like that for several weeks hoping it would complete once 23H2 was available, but no
I've just now downloaded the Windows 11 ISO from the MS site and am currently creating a bootable USB drive from it. Is that what you mean when you mentioned the "Repair install" option? If I boot to that USB drive should it give me the option to repair my current installation? I initially tried just mounting the ISO directly but the only option it gave me then was to do a clean install (the other two were greyed-out)

OAT · Nov 1, 2023

itsViney said:
Hi @OAT. Thanks for your reply.

I've just now downloaded the Windows 11 ISO from the MS site and am currently creating a bootable USB drive from it. Is that what you mean when you mentioned the "Repair install" option? If I boot to that USB drive should it give me the option to repair my current installation? I initially tried just mounting the ISO directly but the only option it gave me then was to do a clean install (the other two were greyed-out)

The.iso has to be from the insider branch, in your case, it was Dev. That is why it only offers you a clean installation as you probably downloaded a release version.
Your current install:

Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 23493

Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 23493 to the Dev Channel.

blogs.windows.com

You should get a new Dev build.

Download Windows Insider Preview ISO

You do not need to create a boot media as you can click directly on the.iso file, it will mount it as a drive, then just run setup.exe.

itsViney · Nov 1, 2023

Ah, ok, thanks. I'm downloading the preview ISO now and will let you know how I get on.

OAT · Nov 1, 2023

itsViney said:
Ah, ok, thanks. I'm downloading the preview ISO now and will let you know how I get on.

View attachment 76155

No, wrong build.
Please refresh my post. You need 23565.
23xxxx represents your branch and those digits need to stay the same in order to do an in-place installation.

itsViney · Nov 1, 2023

OAT said:
No, wrong build.
Please refresh my post. You need 23565.
23xxxx represents your branch and those digits need to stay the same in order to do an in-place installation.

Ah, sorry. I selected the "Release Preview" channel from the drop-down because that's the channel I'd selected to participate in in the Insider Preview. I'm now downloading the Dev one beginning "23" now.

Thanks for your help and patience so far

OAT · Nov 1, 2023

itsViney said:
Ah, sorry. I selected the "Release Preview" channel from the drop-down because that's the channel I'd selected to participate in in the Insider Preview. I'm now downloading the Dev one beginning "23" now.

View attachment 76202

Thanks for your help and patience so far

Thank you for the kind word.

A new Dev build was released 2.5 hours ago taking it to 23580.
Once your current installation is done, you will be able to test the update feature.
Take your time though, make sure all updates are done, MS Store will have quite a few updates as well.

itsViney · Nov 1, 2023

Thanks again @OAT. Downloading the ISO has gotten me to 23565.1000. After waiting a few hours I tried Windows Update again still am not receiving updates.

From your comment about build number prefixes and how they correspond to the release channels, and from the build number that I had installed, it looks like my problems stem from somehow being opted-in to the Release Preview channel but having a Dev release installed. Would I be right in thinking the likely reason I wasn't getting updates is that I was on a Dev built but the system was looking for updates on the RP channel and not finding anything it could install. I (regrettably) just tried selecting the Dev Channel in the WIP panel, then checked for updates and it started downloading 13580 (which I immediately paused). I didn't realise before that it was abnormal, but prior to selecting the Dev channel, my WIP page looked like this:

(Screenshot re-created since I didn't take one earlier)

Release Preview was selected but also greyed-out. Now I've selected Dev it's not possible to choose Release Preview again and from a quick Google it seems like I'm SOL on that front. I don't know if not being able to select Release Preview makes any practical difference since it seems I was on a Dev build anyway, but at least I can now get updates. I guess if I want to switch to something more stable, my only option in a clean install (please correct me if I'm wrong).

OAT · Nov 1, 2023

itsViney said:
Thanks again @OAT. Downloading the ISO has gotten me to 23565.1000. After waiting a few hours I tried Windows Update again still am not receiving updates.

Release Preview was selected but also greyed-out. Now I've selected Dev it's not possible to choose Release Preview again and from a quick Google it seems like I'm SOL on that front. I don't know if not being able to select Release Preview makes any practical difference since it seems I was on a Dev build anyway, but at least I can now get updates. I guess if I want to switch to something more stable, my only option in a clean install (please correct me if I'm wrong).

You are indeed stuck on the DEV channel and you are right, only a clean installation would let you choose the build you want.
MS do let us opt out once in a blue moon, but there is no guarantee.

mecanicogolf · Nov 11, 2023

itsViney said:
Thanks again @OAT. Downloading the ISO has gotten me to 23565.1000. After waiting a few hours I tried Windows Update again still am not receiving updates.

From your comment about build number prefixes and how they correspond to the release channels, and from the build number that I had installed, it looks like my problems stem from somehow being opted-in to the Release Preview channel but having a Dev release installed. Would I be right in thinking the likely reason I wasn't getting updates is that I was on a Dev built but the system was looking for updates on the RP channel and not finding anything it could install. I (regrettably) just tried selecting the Dev Channel in the WIP panel, then checked for updates and it started downloading 13580 (which I immediately paused). I didn't realise before that it was abnormal, but prior to selecting the Dev channel, my WIP page looked like this:

View attachment 76221

(Screenshot re-created since I didn't take one earlier)

Release Preview was selected but also greyed-out. Now I've selected Dev it's not possible to choose Release Preview again and from a quick Google it seems like I'm SOL on that front. I don't know if not being able to select Release Preview makes any practical difference since it seems I was on a Dev build anyway, but at least I can now get updates. I guess if I want to switch to something more stable, my only option in a clean install (please correct me if I'm wrong).

How did it go? Clean install to Preview?

itsViney · Nov 11, 2023

mecanicogolf said:
How did it go? Clean install to Preview?

I'm still running the Dev version at the moment but getting updates, confirming the idea that limbo state I was in was preventing updates. Got too much work on at the moment to do a clean install but will do when I have time.

Thanks again @OAT for your help.