Windows PCs will get a free upgrade to Windows 11
By ForGeeks Since November 2021, Microsoft has banned certain Windows 10 computers from upgrading to Windows 11 for free. Now Microsoft is lifting that ban. Those computers will now get Windows 11 for free. If you have a Windows 10 computer, Microsoft will offer you a free upgrade to Windows 11. Provided the hardware of your Windows 10 computer is compatible, otherwise Windows 11 will refuse to install. Microsoft has now freed up a large number of Windows 10 computers that were previously not allowed to have the Windows 11 upgrade installed on them.
Microsoft has now freed up a large number of Windows 10 computers that were previously not allowed to have the Windows 11 upgrade installed on them.
Since November 2021, Microsoft has been denying Windows 10 computers with an 11th-generation Intel Core processor and Intel SST driver version 10.29.0.5152 or 10.30.0.5152 (SST stands for «Smart Sound Technology») from upgrading to Windows 11. This combination of hardware drivers can cause repeated «blue screens of death» after Windows 11 is installed. Resourceful Windows users could only solve this problem by updating the Intel SST drivers themselves. Those who did this on their own were able to upgrade to Windows 11 for free. But all other owners of computers with the processor-driver combination described above were denied the update by Microsoft.
As of today, however, the issue has been largely resolved. All affected Windows 10 users with the chip and driver combination described above can now download and install the latest Intel SST drivers via Windows Update. Once Windows 10 installs the driver update, you’ll be able to upgrade to Windows 11. However, Microsoft emphasizes that it may take another two days before Windows 10 offers the upgrade to Windows 11. Official information about Windows 10 PCs previously blocked from upgrading can be found on this status page from Microsoft.
Official information about Windows 10 PCs previously blocked from upgrading can be found on this status page from Microsoft.
It’s unclear why it took Microsoft until April 12, 2024, to finally make drivers that have long been adapted by Intel available through Windows Update and lift the update lockout. However, if Windows 10 still doesn’t offer a driver update, computer owners should contact their PC maker to get a driver update.
It’s unclear why it took Microsoft until April 2024 to finally make the drivers available through Windows Update and remove the driver update lock.
Windows 10 is clearly in the lead
It’s still unclear whether Windows 11’s market share will increase significantly. According to Statcounter, Windows 10 is still the most popular desktop operating system (March 2024: 69.05% market share among all Windows systems). In March 2024, Windows 10 even managed to slightly increase its market share, while Windows 11 lost a bit of market share (March 2024: 26.68 % market share among all Windows systems). According to Statcounter, the market share of all Windows systems combined will be 72.47 % in March 2024. MacOS lags far behind —14.68 %.
