Microsoft has recently made a significant move by lifting an upgrade block that had previously hindered players of Asphalt 8: Airborne from transitioning to Windows 11 24H2. This decision comes in response to compatibility challenges that were identified shortly after the latest Windows update was released.
As noted in the Microsoft Store, Asphalt 8: Airborne boasts an impressive tally of over 322,000 ratings and has captivated around 470 million players across various platforms. However, the joy of gaming was momentarily interrupted when users encountered freezing issues accompanied by error messages, necessitating a restart to continue playing.
In October, Microsoft acknowledged the problem, stating, “After installing Windows 11, version 24H2, you might face issues with Asphalt 8 (Airborne). The game might stop responding with an exception while you are using or exiting it, and you will have to restart the game to recover from the exception.” To mitigate these issues, a compatibility hold was implemented, identified by safeguard ID 52796746, which prevented the Windows 11 2024 Update from being offered to affected devices running versions 22H2 and 23H2.
Players were advised against manually upgrading their systems using the Windows 11 Installation Assistant or the Media Creation Tool until the issues were resolved. Microsoft cautioned, “If you are trying to install Windows 11, version 24H2 through the media creation tool and your device has incompatible drivers, you will receive a pop-up message alerting that your device is not ready for this new version of Windows.”
Upgrade block removed
In a recent update to the Windows release health dashboard, Microsoft announced that the known issue has been addressed, and the safeguard hold has been lifted. The company stated, “It may take up to 48 hours for the Windows 11, version 24H2 update to be offered in the Windows Update in Settings. Restarting your device might expedite the process.”
Additionally, Microsoft had previously imposed another block related to the Easy Anti-Cheat app, which is automatically installed with certain games. This issue primarily affects systems equipped with Intel Alder Lake+ processors and the vPro platform, potentially leading to blue screens displaying the “MEMORY_MANAGEMENT” error when launching or playing games with outdated Easy Anti-Cheat drivers released prior to April 2024.
In recent weeks, Microsoft has also removed a safeguard hold that was preventing AutoCAD users from upgrading to Windows 11 2024 due to launch and crash problems. Furthermore, a BIOS update was released to resolve blue screen issues affecting some ASUS devices that were blocking Windows 11 24H2 upgrades. The company has also lifted restrictions for PCs with Auto HDR enabled, which were previously unable to install the latest update due to gaming-related issues.
Microsoft continues to address other compatibility concerns, working diligently to lift additional safeguard holds that affect devices utilizing Dirac audio improvement software, integrated cameras, or applications related to Safe Exam Browser and wallpaper customization.
