Stuck on the Dev channel

NavyLCDR · Sep 12, 2021

I can't change anything on the below settings screen. When Windows 11 goes RTM, I would like out of the insider program. I see the queued for unenrollment is turned on, but it is also stuck there and that option says it is only for the Beta and Release Preview Channels. Anybody else have all these settings locked on their builds?

Fabler2 · Sep 12, 2021

NavyLCDR said:
I can't change anything on the below settings screen. When Windows 11 goes RTM, I would like out of the insider program. I see the queued for unenrollment is turned on, but it is also stuck there and that option says it is only for the Beta and Release Preview Channels. Anybody else have all these settings locked on their builds?

View attachment 7760

Yes, as the option to change has gone.

Edit, it's for the next release after Oct 5 and we were notified that the Dev flight was changing and the date you could change has gone.

NavyLCDR · Sep 12, 2021

Well, I did change it! I went into Group Policy Editor and changed the Manage preview builds setting to Release Preview Channel. Signed out and back in, and Windows Update Settings showed I was on Release Preview Channel, but then the setting for Unenrolling the device when the next major version is launched to the public had moved to OFF and it was greyed out. So I went back to group policy editor and changed the manage preview builds setting to not configured. And this is where I am at now:

SlicEnDicE · Sep 12, 2021

It makes sense you are stuck on Dev Channel as this is a Dev build.

Fabler2 · Sep 12, 2021

I don't know if GP Edit works, not tried it, as you are already in the Dev channel that has already split from Beta.

NavyLCDR · Sep 12, 2021

So it looks like it's possibly going to be 22000 that is released on October 5th and now we have no option to get off the beta for six months, because we are already on 22454? That sucks...

Oh well, I should have paid more attention....

Fabler2 · Sep 12, 2021

I'll be upgrading Win 10 to Win 11 official build around Oct 5 anyway so that's why I'm staying on the Dev channel.

CornishRattler · Sep 12, 2021

NavyLCDR said:
So it looks like it's possibly going to be 22000 that is released on October 5th and now we have no option to get off the beta for six months, because we are already on 22454? That sucks...

Oh well, I should have paid more attention....

Clean install for you then

Slavic · Sep 12, 2021

NavyLCDR said:
So it looks like it's possibly going to be 22000 that is released on October 5th and now we have no option to get off the beta for six months, because we are already on 22454? That sucks...

Yes, the Dev channel went forward and left current Beta far behind. In theory, you can change the channel to Beta using the Registry modification in this tutorial, but then you should wait too long until current Beta reached the same version. Maybe several months, and all this time you will not receive any system update. So, much better would be to install the last Beta anew, and I doubt that installer would allow to use the "upgrade" option with saving current settings.

The-Hive · Sep 12, 2021

I have ask this before and never got a reply, I have moved from Dev to Beta and can unenroll but is it best to do it before or after Oct.5th as I want to get the regular post release builds. Anyway, back to the question, it is all down to timing as you guys correctly said. I was lucky and by chance managed to change from Dev to Beta at the right time. It seems easier to leave the program from the Beta or pre release channels.

barman58 · Sep 12, 2021

I come from a time when dev and Beta builds were more private than public, in the old systems the prerelease versions of software were full of additional code, temporary bypasses, and other debug code. this would make it best practice to always install a fresh copy of the release build to ensure you remove all the code.

Things these days should be better in that an update to the release version would do the work of removing all of the orphaned check and debug code this may or may not be the case

The ideal would be to go back to a totally untouched copy of the latest released version of the software before the start of the Dev/Beta builds and update that to the release version.

In the current system this would be where you retained a version of Windows 10 and kept this current - and when w11 is released updating this to 11 through windows update - this would produce a Windows 11 install retaining all your software and no orphaned development code.

If this is not possible I would suggest you wait until release and install a fresh copy of Windows 11 and then reinstall your apps fresh, and your data from your backups

Kari · Sep 12, 2021

NavyLCDR said:
That sucks...

Your only options are clean install, or restore an image of build 22000.168, which was the last Insider build before first pre-release build 22449 for October 2022 release. Build 22000.168 (or any other 22000.xxx) would allow you to change channel.

Extract from 22000.168 release notes:

IMPORTANT REMINDER: If you are in the Dev Channel, now would be the right time to consider switching to the Beta Channel if you want to stay on more stabilized builds of Windows 11. For those of you who are new to the Windows Insider Program and flighting of OS updates – check out this article for how flighting works: Deeper look at flighting - Windows Insider Program

KB5005191 Windows 11 Insider Preview Dev and Beta Build 10.0.22000.168 - August 27

UPDATE 9/2: Windows 11 Insider Preview Dev Build 22449 (RS_PRERELEASE) - Sept. 2 KB5006050 Windows 11 Insider Preview Beta Build 22000.176 - Sept. 2 Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22000.168 to everyone in the Dev and Beta Channels! IMPORTANT...

www.elevenforum.com

Of course, you can also remain in Dev channel.

As you know, you cannot downgrade Windows version. Only exception to that rule is Beta channel: because Beta channel upgrades are all just cumulative updates, (only chancing service pack build, not the main version) those in Beta channel can downgrade to any other 22000.xxx build.

But, in your case, it's impossible. Release channel would need to downgrade from W11 build 22454 to W10 build 19044, Beta channel would need to back to any 22000 build.

The-Hive said:
I have ask this before and never got a reply, I have moved from Dev to Beta and can unenroll but is it best to do it before or after Oct.5th as I want to get the regular post release builds. Anyway, back to the question, it is all down to timing as you guys correctly said. I was lucky and by chance managed to change from Dev to Beta at the right time. It seems easier to leave the program from the Beta or pre release channels.

You should select the following option in Settings (greyed out in screenshot, because I am in Dev channel, and cannot at the moment leave the program):

Kari

barman58 · Sep 12, 2021

@Kari

Do you know what's happening with the Release preview on Windows 10, I'm still showing as enrolled and I've not seen any notes about update to 11 except that my systems are fully compliant with the hardware. I am expecting 21H2 to drop anytime (i'm usually on of the first to get them - I did get a message a year ago to the effect that I was in a sub group the were first to get updates ), and I intend to wait a while before I update my main system to 11 - I'll run the release version as an Windows to go for a while until i'm ready ( I have a few photo editing packages dropping in the near future that I want to test properly with ut the distractions of a new OS)

Kari · Sep 12, 2021

barman58 said:
@Kari

Do you know what's happening with the Release preview on Windows 10, I'm still showing as enrolled and I've not seen any notes about update to 11 except that my systems are fully compliant with the hardware. I am expecting 21H2 to drop anytime (i'm usually on of the first to get them - I did get a message a year ago to the effect that I was in a sub group the were first to get updates ), and I intend to wait a while before I update my main system to 11 - I'll run the release version as an Windows to go for a while until i'm ready.

Please notice, I have no actual facts to support this, below being just my personal (but well educated!) opinion.

I do not believe, that there will be a W10 version 21H2. I believe, that the next release channel upgrade will be the W11 October release build.

Kari

barman58 · Sep 12, 2021

That will be interesting as MS have announced that it is coming on more than one occasion : :think:

LeLibran · Sep 12, 2021

This would certainly suggest that the next feature update for Windows 10 will be 21H2: Announcing Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 19044.1200 (21H2)

Haydon · Sep 12, 2021

LeLibran said:
This would certainly suggest that the next feature update for Windows 10 will be 21H2: Announcing Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 19044.1200 (21H2)

Clicking through the above, I arrived at the following

Windows lifecycle and servicing update

Get an overview of the Windows 11 product lifecycle and details on the servicing approach.

techcommunity.microsoft.com

...which interestingly says: "...slightly longer lifecycle versus Windows 10..."

So, W11 is supposed to live from 2021 to 2032 or 2033, when the oldest W11 machines from 2018 will be 14 or 15 years old, and the W11 machines bought in 2025 (EOL W10) will be 7 or 8 years old.

Perhaps these are the approximate timeframes to keep in mind, if you want to time your machine purchases and minimize churn in your stable.

Kari · Sep 12, 2021

barman58 said:
That will be interesting as MS have announced that it is coming on more than one occasion :

LeLibran said:
This would certainly suggest that the next feature update for Windows 10 will be 21H2: Announcing Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 19044.1200 (21H2)

I admit, I had totally forgotten, that MS has promised an "honorable" way out for those with for W11 unsupported hardware.

My apologies.

Kari

Ghot · Sep 12, 2021

As most know, I have two Samsung 500GB SSDs. I used MR to make a backup of my Win 10 install on one, and restored that backup to the 2nd SSD. THEN I did an In-Place upgrade on the 2nd SSD to Windows 11.
The UUP dump ISO I used was DEV channel (22000.1), and after the In-Place upgrade, I was in DEV channel... even though my Windows 10 was not in the Insider program, and I had NONE of the prerequisites for the Insider program.

My suggestion would be, that come Oct 5th, restore a current up to date Windows 10 to your system drive, or a 2nd drive, then do an In-Place upgrade to Win 11 RTM on that drive.

This will place you in w/e channel the Win 11 ISO you use for the In-Place upgrade, is in. I assume.

@NavyLCDR

/edit

I also think that none of this will matter. I would imagine that "all roads" will lead to Win 11 RTM (or the option to choose that in settings), after Oct 5th.

PerpetualCycle · Sep 12, 2021

NavyLCDR said:
Well, I did change it! I went into Group Policy Editor and changed the Manage preview builds setting to Release Preview Channel. Signed out and back in, and Windows Update Settings showed I was on Release Preview Channel, but then the setting for Unenrolling the device when the next major version is launched to the public had moved to OFF and it was greyed out. So I went back to group policy editor and changed the manage preview builds setting to not configured. And this is where I am at now:

View attachment 7763

You will still need to do fresh install or install from backup to get to the official release.