How To Resolve the “This PC Can’t Be Upgraded to This Version of Windows” Error

The Windows 24H2 update error “This PC can’t be upgraded to this version of Windows” is more common than it should be and can be super frustrating. Basically, something in your system isn’t quite meeting the requirements or there’s some internal hiccup messing with the update process. It’d be great if Windows just told you exactly what’s wrong, but alas, it often just throws this vague message. So, the goal here is to fix whatever is blocking the upgrade—whether it’s disk space, system settings, or outdated components—so you can finally get that shiny new version running.

Knowing what can cause this helps narrow down the fixes. Sometimes, it’s because of unsupported hardware or bypassed requirements, especially if you managed to install 23H2 earlier through hacks. Other times, stuff like low disk space, disabled features, or corrupted update files are to blame. Don’t worry, though—there are a few tried-and-true ways to tackle this. These fixes range from freeing up space to deep system repairs, and the best part? Most don’t require a complete reinstall…yet.

How to Fix the “Can’t Upgrade” Error During Windows 11 24H2 Update

Fix 1: Free Up Disk Space — Just clear some room

Insufficient disk space is pretty much the most common reason this pops up. It’s like trying to fill a jar with a lid on—eventually, you hit a wall. If your drive is nearly full, Windows won’t let the update install. So, go through your drive and delete those unnecessary files, gigs of old downloads, or junk you forgot about. Use the built-in Storage Sense feature (found in Settings > Storage) to automatically clean temp files and cache, which can free up a lot without much fuss.

• Open Settings from the Start menu or press Windows + I.
• Navigate to System > Storage and turn on Storage Sense. You can configure it to run automatically and remove temporary files, old downloads, etc.
• Review each storage category to delete large files or unnecessary data. This often makes a difference.

Fix 2: Disable Hibernation & Fast Startup — Clear out any weird system states

Hibernation and Fast Startup can be handy, but they sometimes interfere with major updates. Hibernation saves your session to disk, and Fast Startup kind of shortcuts the shutdown process, but both can cause conflicts. Disabling them can help Windows do a clean update without weird boot loops or errors.

To turn off Hibernation, use Command Prompt as administrator:

1. Search for cmd, right-click, and choose Run as administrator.
2. Type Powercfg.exe /hibernate off and press Enter.
3. When done, type exit and press Enter to close.

And to disable Fast Startup:

1. Open Control Panel (search it from the Start menu).
2. Go to Power Options > Choose what the power buttons do.
3. Click on Change settings that are currently unavailable.
4. Uncheck Turn on fast startup (recommended).
5. Hit Save changes and restart your PC.

Fix 3: Repair Windows Update Components

This one’s the “deep clean” of Windows. Sometimes, update files get corrupted or stuck, causing that pesky error. Using the built-in troubleshooter or a batch script can fix the core issues without much hassle.

Go to Settings > Windows Update > Recovery and click on “Fix problems using Windows Update”. It’s a simple wizard that refreshes your update components.

If this option isn’t available or it didn’t do the trick, you can try a manual repair with a batch file:

1. Open Notepad and paste this script:

net stop wuauserv net stop cryptSvc net stop bits net stop msiserver Ren C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution SoftwareDistribution.old Ren C:\Windows\System32\catroot2 Catroot2.old net start wuauserv net start cryptSvc net start bits net start msiserver netsh winsock reset netsh winsock reset proxy ipconfig /release ipconfig /renew ipconfig /flushdns ipconfig /registerdns sfc /scannow DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth chkdsk /f /r /x 

2. Save it as reset_windows_update.bat somewhere like Desktop.
3. Right-click it, choose Run as administrator.
4. Follow on-screen prompts, grab a coffee if needed — some commands, especially DISM and sfc, can take a while.
5. Reboot once done, and see if the update goes through.

Fix 4: Lock in a Specific Windows Version

Rather than letting Windows sneakily upgrade to the latest supported version, you can tell it to stay put. Especially handy if you want to wait for a stable release or avoid bugs. This involves editing the registry, so be careful—but it works.

Open Registry Editor (regedit.exe) and navigate to:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsUpdate

Create a DWORD (32-bit) value called TargetReleaseVersion and set it to 1. Then, create a String Value named TargetReleaseVersionInfo and enter the desired version, like 21H2 or 24H2. This keeps your PC on that version until you change it again.

Fix 5: Last Resort — Factory Reset

If nothing else works and the system’s just being stubborn, resetting Windows completely can clear out whatever’s blocking the upgrade. This isn’t fun but sometimes the only reliable fix.

Go to Settings > Windows Update > Recovery > Reset this PC. Decide whether to Keep my files (safer, but still resets apps and settings) or Remove everything for a clean slate. Follow the prompts, back up your data first — because, of course, a reset wipes a lot.

Fix 6: Full Clean Install (if all else fails)

If upgrades keep failing and system repairs seem futile, reinstalling Windows from scratch might be the best route. Just remember: backup everything vital first, because this erases your current system. Then, follow instructions on how to do a clean install via Microsoft’s official tools or a bootable USB.

Check out this guide for the full process. It’s more work, but it sure does fix most stubborn issues.

Summary

• Free up disk space — delete unneeded files or use Storage Sense.
• Disable hibernation & Fast Startup to prevent conflicts.
• Repair Windows Update with built-in tools or scripts.
• Lock your Windows version until ready.
• Reset or reinstall Windows if nothing else works.

Wrap-up

Dealing with upgrade errors can be a pain, but these methods have helped quite a few users get back on track. Not every fix is a 10-minute job, but most of the time, it’s just about clearing out whatever’s bogging things down or repairing corrupted files. Hopefully, one of these gets you to that good ol’ 24H2 version without too much fuss. Just something that worked on multiple setups, fingers crossed this helps someone out there.