KB5043939: Microsoft improves Windows 11 24H2 OOBE (initial setup experience)

Microsoft released September 2024 Patch Tuesday updates this past week. The updates were released under KB5043064, KB5043050, KB5043051, KB5043083 for Windows 10; KB5043076, KB5043067 for Windows 11 22H2 and 21H2; and KB5043080 for Windows 11 24H2.

Alongside these, Microsoft also released OOBE (out of box experience) update for the newest Windows 11 version. The update is available under KB5043939 and as is usually the case with such updates, the company has published a general changelog for it without going into any specific details.

Microsoft writes:

KB5043939: Out of Box Experience update for Windows 11, version 24H2: September 10, 2024

Summary

This update improves the Windows 11, version 24H2 out-of-box experience (OOBE). This update applies only to the Windows 11 OOBE process and is available only when OOBE updates are installed.

These OOBE updates will install automatically during setup if the user has an active internet connection.

In a separate document about OOBE, Microsoft explained what these OOBE updates deliver. It also notes that the downloading and installation time of the update depends on the users' hardware and internet connectivity. It writes:

Critical driver updates, and critical Windows zero-day patch (ZDP) updates, will begin downloading automatically during OOBE after the user has connected to a network. The user can't opt-out of these critical updates as they are required for the device to operate properly. Windows will alert the user that the device is checking for, and applying, the updates.

If a newer version of Windows is available than the version that shipped with the device, depending on OS Build, a user may receive latest Windows Updates as one of the last sections of the OOBE. The Windows update will be downloaded and installed during the OOBE.

On the topic of Windows 11 24H2 updates, in case you missed it, Microsoft has a new way to deliver cumulative updates (C.U.) called Checkpoint Cumulative Updates. However, currently, it is leading to MSU install failures with the "Operation is not supported” error message.