GPO Options for Optional Component Installation Missing in Windows 11 24H2

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GPO Options for Optional Component Installation Missing in Windows 11 24H2

Justin-6389 0

Hope this is the right spot to ask this. If not, the if you can direct me where I should ask it at I'll take it to them. Please and thank you.

Encountering an issue with Group Policy where the settings for optional component installation are inconsistent across Windows versions. The administrative template can be found under Computer > Policies > Administrative Templates > Specify settings for optional component install and component repair.

While some computers configured with the GPO display two additional options:

"Never attempt to download payload from Windows Update" (to remain unchecked)
"Download repair content and optional features directly from Windows Update instead of Windows Server Update Services" (which should be enabled),

other computers with Windows 11 24H2 OS build 26100.4652 or greater do not show these additional fields. In contrast, they appear on devices running Windows 11 23H2 OS build 22631.5699 and earlier, as well as Windows 10 devices.

A screenshot illustrating this issue is provided below:

Screenshot 2025-08-15 141941

Any insights on why these options are missing in the latest Windows 11 build would be appreciated.

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Answer 1

Erik Moreau 1,976 MVP Volunteer Moderator

Hi Justin,

As Wsus has been deprecated, https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/blog/windows-itpro-blog/windows-server-update-services-wsus-deprecation/4250436

This policy has been adjusted to by default download components directly from Windows Update and have the opportunity to get the components from a network location (and fall back to Windows Update if that fails)

'If you disable or do not configure this policy setting, or if the required files cannot be found at the locations specified in this policy setting, the files will be downloaded from Windows Update, if that is allowed by the policy settings for the computer.'

Before the change in 24H2 the option to receive them from WSUS made the policy more complex as follow WSUS settings was the default and direct Windows Update or local share were the other options.

To enable the settings you describe above you would no longer need to set the GPO or set it to disabled to force the setting

If you want to doublecheck the impact oof the GPO through registry, it is set here: HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Servicing

Hope this helps,

Justin-6389 0 Reputation points

2025-08-18T10:53:51.9866667+00:00

I can indeed see those registry entries on both a system with 24H2 (Which is missing the GPO settings) and a system that is running 23H2 (Which has the GPO settings).

My issue is that optional features only fail to install on machines that do not have that optional GPO setting that can be enabled.

Here is 3.5 Frameworks failing on the 24H2 system error code: 0X80244022

Here is 3.5 Frameworks succeeding on 23H2 with the settings available and enabled on the GPO.

Other than for being on 23H2 vs 24H2, both devices share same network, vlan, ect. so it shouldn't be a networking issue blocking things. Any other thoughts?
Mike 10 Reputation points

2025-11-05T15:51:53.6766667+00:00

have you found any useful answers to this issue? I've run into this now that we're looking at moving to 25H2. I've figured out how to do temporary workarounds; but i don't like it. It would seem it's a setting that i'm missing or just broken logic that's not working in 24h2 and 25h2.
Justin-6389 0 Reputation points

2025-11-05T16:01:54.1433333+00:00

Not a direct fix by getting the proper options to appear in the GPO, but a fix by recreating the GPOs to point directly to MS for Windows Updates and to bypass the WSUS completely. After we made that change, reports of the issue started to decrease until all systems got the update GPOs.
Adam J. Marshall 10,456 Reputation points MVP

2025-11-05T16:02:00.1566667+00:00

https://www.ajtek.ca/wsus/how-to-install-net-3-5-rsat-tools-and-other-optional-components-with-wsus/

Build the repo and specify it via GPO.
Mike 10 Reputation points

2025-11-05T19:13:55.0066667+00:00

Justin, yea, i found what to change in the gpo to get windows 11 25h2 to pull from windows update instead of wsus. i might create an ou just for the new machines to get joined and updated then move them to the OU they belong for long term WSUS gpo.

The thing i don't get is that it worked up until i updated the admk files on our DCs to match up to windows 11. Over lunch i was thinking about restoring them to see if it would go back to working. I'd have to recreate the gpo settings as i've made so many changes trying different things and removing the now legacy settings. But i did thankfully print it out before making changes.

**Adam, "**Download repair content and optional features directly from Windows Update instead of Windows Server Update Services" doesn't exist anymore in the current admx files. Though i've looked at registry settings in one of our old windows 10 installs. the values are still there in the registry for windows 11 minus the path. unless you set the gpo. it's just that the new gpo setting doesn't have the option for downloading the features from MS. From everything i've read, 24h2 and up doesn't support this and is supposed to look for it on MS's update site anyway. I've tried setting the that gpo to enabled with an empty path, i've tried disabling it, and windows 11 25h2 will not pull it from MS unless i use one of the newer gpo, Specify source service .... I've forgotten now; but i think it's the Feature or quality update location that needs to be set to Windows update. I've also tried with this policy not configured.
Adam J. Marshall 10,456 Reputation points MVP

2025-11-05T20:01:31.8233333+00:00

I concur - that option for "Download repair content and optional features directly from Windows Update instead of Windows Server Update Services (WSUS)" no longer exists. I'll have to update that guide.

"Supposedly" this has all changed by MS to be able to not have to worry about this because the optional components are part of UUP and are therefore in WSUS, however I still haven't had that working WITHOUT the creation of the repo and specifying the path in that GPO. I'm working with W11 25H2/24H2 clients and Server 2025.

Setting the Scan Source policy doesn't fix it, it creates a condition where WSUS is no longer managing the updates to the system (not good as unapproved updates will be installed if they are deemed needed by the client).
Mike 10 Reputation points

2025-11-05T20:18:24.4966667+00:00

I'm either going to do the repository seeing as you can set multiple paths; but will 25H2 try and pull from the wrong path or will it search all paths until it finds the correct one? I still have some older stuff to support for a while.

Failing the repository path, i'll either change the DISM command to pull .net from the usb sxs location. I think this will work. Or, setup a dedicated computer OU that points it to MS updates and then move it to the proper computer OU.

The repository would be ideal as i do need to install a second language on a few people's computer now and then. I'm also still running server 2019 for wsus. Not sure if that matters; but i've never seen the UUP work either.
Adam J. Marshall 10,456 Reputation points MVP

2025-11-05T20:21:49.6933333+00:00

UUP in general works from the updates. You don't see it happening but it is working. Only thing I can't get working is the Optional components store that's supposed to be within UUP.

Yes, multiple paths work - it will use the one it needs. That's how I have mine setup right now.

WSUS version doesn't matter - as long as you're setup for UUP which you likely are

https://www.ajtek.ca/guides/how-to-prepare-for-on-prem-wsus-uup-updates/
JJ 0 Reputation points

2025-11-14T23:02:14.7333333+00:00

Man, i just wanted to play Arkham Asylum, now i've spent like 6+ hours looking for a way to solve this exact problem (once i get to 'Specify settings for optional component install and component repair.´ the option of downloading content with Windows Update doesn't show.) just because .NET Framework 3.5 refuses to download.

I'm not the most educated in informatics/tech stuff, could you please tell me if you've managed to find any solutions, please?
I don't know why they need to keep changing stuff like this lol, i'm just glad i found someone with my exact same problem almost at the same time.
Any info would be much appreaciated.
Mike 10 Reputation points

2025-11-15T00:07:30.76+00:00

the link in Adam Marshell's last posts gives you more information about setting up the path or paths. i did that and it worked. the language packs seemed to behave a bit different. i need to test some more between other work. If you don't want to do that and you only need .net3 you can use the dsim command to install it from your install source.

DISM /Online /Enable-Feature /FeatureName:NetFx3 /All -NoRestart /Source:d:\sources\sxs

this assumes your windows install is d:
JJ 0 Reputation points

2025-11-15T16:43:57.91+00:00

Thanks Mike! I tried using the command, it shows an error like "Error 5, denied access, the registry access files are located in \Windows\Logs\DISM\dism.log" (my system is in spanish, so i'm not pasting the exact error message i got, but that's basically what it says.), any guesses?
My windows install is C btw, i made sure i corrected that.

Anyways, i saw Adam's posts, at the time i didn't have the patience to try it (as i said, i'm not the most educated in computer stuff lol), but now that i have the time i might try it, it seems like something i could do.
Mike 10 Reputation points

2025-11-15T16:58:00.1433333+00:00

you would need to run it from an admin elevated command prompt. and have a usb drive with the same version of windows install media plugged into your laptop. whatever drive letter it shows in file explorer, use that in place of d:\

If you don't have a usb windows install media, you can create one with the microsoft media creation tool.
JJ 0 Reputation points

2025-11-15T17:56:14.75+00:00

Oooooohhh wait!! Wait, i see exactly what i did wrong lmao, i didn't realize i had to run the Win11 ISO file for it to show in D:, i thought you meant MSI (C:), i'm sorry, i'm dumb lol

I just tried the command again running the Win11 ISO and IT WORKED!! Thank you!!! You're a life saver man!!
I've been struggling with this since yesterday, like, i'm not even kidding, if this whole thing didn't happen i would've beaten Arkham Asylum by now lmao
Seriously man, you're the goat, thanks a lot!!

(By the way, when i said i would try Adam's method... i was bluffing so hard man, like, i thought i could do it for like five seconds before reading more into it and realizing i had no idea of what i was reading lmao, i'm glad this worked, thanks a lot, Mike!)

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GPO Options for Optional Component Installation Missing in Windows 11 24H2

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