Windows 11 known issues blocking upgrade

Microsoft publishes the known issues found in the initial rollout of Windows 11, and it's placing a temporary block to affected devices.

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@Pureinfotech
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Windows 11 21H2 known issues
Windows 11 21H2 known issues
  • Microsoft publishes the Windows 11 known issues.
  • The initial release includes three compatibility issues blocking the upgrade.
  • You shouldn’t try to upgrade if your PC has one of these problems.

UPDATED 3/15/2023: On October 5, Microsoft began the slow and controlled rollout of Windows 11 (version 21H2), the next version of the OS that brings an overhauled interface and a lot of new features. Along with the initial release, the company also published a list of the current known issues that may negatively affect some computers.

The complete list of Windows 11 known issues was released on the health dashboard page, and at the time of this writing, it only includes three problems that have been confirmed. As a result of these issues, the affected computers currently have an upgrade hold until the problem has been resolved.

If you have Windows 11 22H2, check here for the known issues of that particular version.

Known issues affecting Windows 11

Here’s the list of confirmed known issues blocking the Windows 11 upgrade:

  • (Confirmed) Devices with locale set to Croatia might not utilize the expected currency: This can affect applications that retrieve the device’s currency for purchases or other transactions.
  • (Investigating) Start menu, Windows Search, and UWP apps might have issues opening: Affected devices have apps installed that integrates with Windows, Microsoft Office, or Microsoft Outlook.
  • (Confirmed) KB5012170 might fail to install, and you might receive a 0x800f0922 error: Security update for Secure Boot DBX might fail to install. This problem originated on build 22621.372 KB5012170.
  • (Confirmed) Domain join processes may fail with the error “0xaac (2732)”: This might be encountered when an account was created by a different identity than the one used to join the domain. This problem originated on Build 22621.674 KB5018427.
  • (Confirmed) Some devices might start-up into BitLocker Recovery: Some devices might require a BitLocker Recovery key to start up after installing the Security update for Secure Boot DBX.

Issues resolved or mitigated:

  • Windows 11 upgrades were offered to ineligible devices: Affected devices were not able to complete the installation process.
  • You might receive an error with apphelp.dll from apps using DirectX: After installing KB5019980 or later updates, devices with older Intel graphics drivers might encounter issues.
  • Compatibility issues between Oracle VirtualBox and Windows 11. This issue prevents VirtualBox virtual machines from starting if the computer also has Hyper-V installed. (Resolved)
  • The text cursor in some apps might move unexpectedly when using a Japanese IME: Text input using a Japanese IME might be entered out of order, or the text cursor might move unexpectedly. (Resolved)
  • Files might persist after resetting a Windows device: Synced OneDrive files might not be deleted when selecting the Remove everything option when the device is reset.
  • Outlook search might not locate recent emails: Searches on Outlook desktop app might fail when emails are stored locally in PST or OST files. (Resolved)
  • Applications using Win32 APIs to render colors might not work as expected: This issue could occur for one of several possible reasons on your device. (Resolved)
  • Certain IPSEC connections might fail: Some VPN clients using IPSEC or Layer 2 Tunneling Protocol (L2TP) might have issues connecting. (Resolved)
  • Compatibility issues with Intel Smart Sound Technology drivers and Windows 11: Windows devices with the affected Intel SST driver might receive an error with a blue screen. This issue is resolved by updating the Intel Smart Sound Technology drivers to a version 10.30.00.5714 and later or 10.29.00.5714 and later. (Mitigated externally)
  • Snipping Tool and some built-in applications might not open or work as expected: An issue with a Microsoft digital certificate, which expired October 31, 2021, is causing certain apps to stop working correctly. Update KB5008295 fixes the problem, but it’s currently in preview. (Resolved)
  • Connections to printers shared via print server might encounter errors: After installing update KB5006674, Windows print clients might encounter errors when connecting to a remote printer shared on a Windows print server. (Resolved)
  • Some applications on devices that have AMD Ryzen processors might drop performance: Computers with AMD Ryzen processors might experience latency in the L3 cache after upgrading to Windows 11. Some applications sensitive to the memory subsystem’s performance access time might be affected. (Resolved)
  • Receiving a prompt for administrative credentials every time you attempt to print: After installing or later updates, you might receive a prompt for administrative credentials every time you attempt to print in environments in which the print server and print client are in different times zones. (Resolved)
  • Installation of printers might fail when attempted over some network connections: This issue has been observed in devices that access printers via a print server using HTTP connections. This problem is affecting Windows 11 and Windows 10. (Resolved)
  • Custom printing properties might not be correctly provided to print server clients: This issue will not cause printing operations to fail, but clients might print with default settings only. This problem is affecting Windows 11 and Windows 10. (Resolved)
  • Installation of printers via Internet Printing Protocol (IPP) might not succeed: IPP is not commonly used by devices designed for home use. Microsoft is working on a resolution and targeting its release in a future update. This problem is affecting Windows 11 and Windows 10. (Resolved)
  • Compatibility issues with apps using some non-ASCII characters in their registry keys. Some applications using non-ASCII characters in the Registry won’t be able to run correctly. Also, affected keys may not be repairable. (Resolved)
  • Compatibility issues with Intel “Killer” and “SmartByte” networking software. This problem may cause the internet to be slower on affected computers. (Resolved)

Windows 11 seems to be off to a good start, but it doesn’t mean that more issues will appear. As more computers install version 21H2, the company will update the dashboard page with more information and possible workarounds where applicable.

If a problem is found at any time, Microsoft will place a safeguard hold to prevent the affected device from receiving the upgrade until the problem has been resolved.

Update March 18, 2022: This post has been updated to reflect the new issues and ones that were resolved.

About the author
Avatar for Mauro Huculak

Mauro Huculak is a Windows How-To Expert who started Pureinfotech in 2010 as an independent online publication. He has also been a Windows Central contributor for nearly a decade. Mauro has over 14 years of experience writing comprehensive guides and creating professional videos about Windows and software, including Android and Linux. Before becoming a technology writer, he was an IT administrator for seven years. In total, Mauro has over 20 years of combined experience in technology. Throughout his career, he achieved different professional certifications from Microsoft (MSCA), Cisco (CCNP), VMware (VCP), and CompTIA (A+ and Network+), and he has been recognized as a Microsoft MVP for many years. You can follow him on X (Twitter), YouTube, LinkedIn and About.me. Email him at [email protected].