upgrade challenges

Winsage
December 4, 2025
Windows 10 reached its end of life on October 14, leading to a migration towards Windows 11, which gained 2.02% market share, while Windows 10's share fell below 30%, a decrease of 2.08%. Linux also increased its market share by 0.15% to 3.20%. Approximately 500 million PCs were unable to upgrade to Windows 11 by the end of Windows 10's life, and users face hardware upgrade challenges. Microsoft offers Extended Security Updates as a temporary measure, and Dell's COO indicated that around 500 million additional PCs could transition to Windows 11 without hardware updates.
Winsage
May 26, 2025
Microsoft will officially discontinue support for Windows 10 on October 14, 2025. Users are encouraged to upgrade to Windows 11, which has specific hardware requirements including a modern processor, a minimum of 4 GB of RAM, and a TPM 2.0 security chip. To check compatibility, users can use the PC Health Check app. If a device does not meet the requirements, hardware upgrades or firmware adjustments may be necessary. If the BIOS mode is set to Legacy, users must convert the hard drive from MBR to GPT using the command mbr2gpt /convert /allowfullOS. It is recommended to back up data before upgrading. Microsoft is also offering an Extended Security Updates (ESU) option for approximately €27, extending support for an additional year.
Winsage
May 1, 2025
Business and enterprise users are facing challenges upgrading to Windows 11 24H2 due to an issue stemming from an update released on April 8th, which primarily affects machines using Windows Server Update Services (WSUS). Windows 11 Home users are not impacted by this issue. Microsoft is investigating a fix but has not yet provided a solution, leaving users who installed the April 8th update unable to upgrade. The affected versions of Windows 11 include 23H2 and 22H2.
Winsage
March 18, 2025
Microsoft is set to release Windows Server 2025 in November 2024, featuring several editions: Essentials, Standard, Datacenter, and Datacenter Azure. Windows Server Essentials is limited to servers with a single CPU and fewer than 10 cores and can only be obtained through hardware OEMs. The Standard edition allows Hyper-V licensing for up to two virtual machines, while the Datacenter edition has no such limits and offers more flexibility with disaster recovery features. The Datacenter Azure edition is optimized for the cloud and receives annual updates. The hardware requirements for Windows Server 2025 include a minimum 64-bit CPU at 1.4 GHz, support for various instructions, and the ability to accommodate up to 2,048 logical processors. The minimum memory requirement is 512 MB, with 2 GB recommended for optimal performance. Storage requirements suggest at least 64 GB for better performance, especially with Desktop Experience, and a Gigabit Ethernet adapter is necessary for networking. Several features have been deprecated in Windows Server 2025, including Computer Browser, Failover Clustering Cluster Sets, and NTLM, among others. Completely removed features include IIS 6 Management Console, NTLMv1, and Windows PowerShell 2.0 Engine. Organizations planning to migrate to Windows Server 2025 must ensure their hardware meets the minimum requirements and can perform an in-place upgrade if currently using Windows Server 2012 R2 or newer. Testing in a lab environment and backing up servers before migration are recommended steps.
Winsage
December 27, 2024
Microsoft has issued an advisory for Windows users regarding potential issues when updating to Windows 11 version 24H2 using external media. If users create installation media that includes the October or November 2024 security updates, their devices may end up in a state where they cannot accept further Windows security updates. This problem does not affect devices that receive updates through the standard Windows Update process. The issue is reported to impact only a small number of users, and Microsoft recommends using the Media Creation Tool to create new media and reinstall the operating system if users encounter update problems.
Winsage
November 9, 2024
Microsoft is encouraging Windows 10 users to upgrade to Windows 11 as the end-of-life deadline for Windows 10 approaches on October 14, 2025. Users are receiving messages about the transition, including a warning that after this date, Microsoft will no longer provide free software updates, technical assistance, or security fixes for Windows 10. A 'learn more' option is available for users interested in the benefits of Windows 11 and the upgrade process. However, some users may face challenges if their hardware does not meet Windows 11's requirements, potentially requiring a TPM module or a new processor. Microsoft is also promoting the purchase of new Windows 11 PCs to avoid hardware upgrade issues. Additionally, users can opt for extended support for Windows 10 until October 2026 by purchasing it, which was previously only available for businesses.
Winsage
September 8, 2024
Microsoft has updated the release notes for Windows 11 build 27695 to address a significant issue affecting users upgrading from build 27686, specifically the 0xC1900101 error that causes a rollback to the previous build. This error is accompanied by other issues in build 27695, including disruptions to Windows Hello PIN and biometric authentication, and a glitch in the emoji panel that unexpectedly closes when switching tabs. Windows 11 build 27695 was introduced on August 30, 2024, and includes enhancements such as a repositioned Widgets button, improvements to the Windows Local Administrator Password Solution, a new "timebomb" feature, refinements to the Windows Update experience, and multiple bug fixes.
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