Windows 11 22H2 in Release Preview channel, bug shows update on unsupported hardware

[German]Microsoft has released Windows 10 22H2 for Insiders in the Release Preview channel. This brings the first major feature update closer. Since this version was suddenly offered to people working with unsupported hardware, the assumption arose that Microsoft is changing its policy regarding the rollout. Right away: This is simply a bug.

Windows 11 22H2 in the Release Preview Channel

The announcement that build 22621 of Windows 11 22H2 is available in the Release Preview Channel was made on the Windows Blog on June 7, 2022. This is to give users the opportunity to evaluate it in their organizations. Microsoft writes in this regard: 2022

Commercial devices configured for the Release Preview Channel through the Windows Insider Program settings page, or through the Windows Update for Business policy, whether through Microsoft Intune or Group Policy, will automatically be offered Windows 11, version 22H2 as an optional update, provided the devices meet the hardware requirements. Windows 11, version 22H2 is also now available through the Windows Server Update Service and Azure Marketplace.

Regarding build 22621, it is important to know that it has been officially declared as something like RTM for the first feature update of Windows 11 (code-named Sunvalley 2). Colleagues at Bleeping Computer and other sites have reported this as late May 2022 – I had let it slip under the radar here on the blog. And there is speculation as to when this feature update would be released. In this tech community post, Microsoft is giving partners until September 5, 2022 to submit drivers to be rolled out with this build. This means Microsoft won't be releasing Windows 11 22H2 in general before that date. This means that this release can probably be expected for October 2022. 

If you want to know what's new in Windows 11 22H2, you can read this article from Bleeping Computer.

Build was offered on unsupported hardware

There have been several posts on the internet since yesterday rejoicing that this Windows 11 22H2 build 22621 has been offered even on machines that don't meet Microsoft's defined compatibility requirements. The following tweet just came to my attention in this regard.

However, the whole thing is nothing but a bug of Microsoft's, and not a change in policy as to which systems should receive the upgrade. Barb Bowman also asked the night this question.

The response from the Windows Insider team is that the requirements have not changed, we are looking at why this build is being offered on the machines in question.

So nothing new in this matter. It is simply a bug, which ensures that some people with the corresponding hardware have rejoiced too early.