In general, Microsoft recommends switching to a modern computer that can install Windows 11.
Back in November 2022, Microsoft began reminding users of the end of support for Windows 8.1. And in January 2023, even extended support for this OS was finally canceled.
According to Microsoft itself, for users who are still running Windows 8.1, the best option now is to move to a new PC that supports Windows 11 and update it to the latest version of the OS.
Microsoft unlocks Windows 8.1 PC upgrades to latest Windows 11
At the same time, with the release of test build 25131 in the Dev Channel in May 2022, Microsoft blocked the direct upgrade of Windows 8.1 PCs to Windows 11 using installation media. The installer just crashed and displayed the common error “Modern Setup host has stopped working”.
However, as enthusiasts noted, by replacing the install.wim installation file with build 25126 on the media with the latest build 25905 (Canary, released in July 2023), it will be possible to upgrade from Windows 8.1 to Windows 11.
It’s not yet certain why Microsoft made this change in the first place, but it’s nice to see that the issue has been resolved in some way.
