Summary
We’ve posted a lot about all the stuff that’s coming as part ofWindows 11 25H2, but there’s still a surprising number of people who are not even using 24H2. For some, the update hasn’t even been offered to them. This should now change, though, as a significant subset of people are having an update block lifted.
Microsoft has lifted a compatibility block that prevented a few users, particularly those with specific games installed on their computer, from installing the Windows 11 24H2 update. The issue, which Microsoft first acknowledged last month, was causing “Blue Screen of Death” (BSOD) errors and unexpected system reboots for users attempting to play a wide array of popular multiplayer games that were using the popular Easy Anti-Cheat (EAC) service. This is used by hundreds of online titles, including major games likeApex Legends,Elden Ring,Fortnite,Dead by Daylight, andNBA 2K25,to, well, prevent cheating—it can detect unauthorized third-party programs and the actions they perform to then block those players.
Reports from users in early June detailed system crashes that pointed to conflicts involving core Windows files, like ntoskrnl.exe or the anti-cheat service itself, EasyAntiCheat_EOS.exe. In response, Microsoft placed an update block on affected devices—if they’re still on 23H2, they would not be offered 24H2 until this is fixed—while its engineers worked on a solution. On June 11, the company deployed an emergency out-of-band update (KB5063060) specifically to address the incompatibility. So technically, this issue has been fixed for a while, but Microsoft was still monitoring whether it was an effective fix before actually removing the update block. Now, the update block is lifted, and version 24H2 is finally rolling out to these users.
Some users might still have issues if they attempt to run an outdated version of Easy Anti-Cheat on 24H2, particularly if they attempt to run a game right after updating. To ensure things work smoothly, update the games you want to play before running them, so you don’t run into any issues.
These holds are a standard, if sometimes frustrating, procedure used to protect users from known issues that could negatively impact their experience. Just last March, we reported on Microsoftlifting a different blockfor users with AutoCAD 2022 installed. When Microsoft detects a deal-breaking bug with a major update rollout, it might sometimes restrict those updates to ensure it’s not messing up the experience for anyone. This is also why it’s always good practice to wait until an update has been out for a few days or weeks before installing it to your computer.
