[German]I'm picking up on a topic here in the blog that I've addressed a couple of days ago within my German blog. It likely causes problems for "enthusiastic" Windows 11 24H2 administrators who rely on the SNMP client (or other missing feature). The SNMP client is missing in this Windows 11 version and cannot be installed via Feature one Demand (FOD) because something is "broken", which interferes with administration via WSUS, for example. But now a kind of workaround is known.
A reader tip and a discussion
Austrian blog reader Markus K. has emailed the other day to inform me about a special problem with Windows 11 24H2 clients. He wrote: "Since we need SNMP for some of our clients, we've realized that it doesn't work so easily [to ad this missing SNMP client via Feature on demand] anymore. The whole thing doesn't exactly make life easy if you have a WSUS."
On Patchmanagement.org, he has posted the entry W11 24H2 and FOD in the mailing list and describes a little more detail there. The installation of Features on Demand (FOD) such as SNMP is a pain in Windows 11 24H2. The GPO "Specify settings for optional component installation and component repair Repair" has probably been changed or is defective.
In other words, no features on demand can be added to the system via the GPO. He notes that he currently only sees the possibility of providing the Windows 11 24H2 clients with additional features on demand (FOD) via ISOs from the Volume License Center (VLSC).
The Problem: SNMP is needed
Markus did not explain in his email why he needs SNMP in the Windows 11 24H2 clients. Wikipedia notes about SNMP that the Simple Network Management Protocol is a network protocol developed by the IETF to monitor and control network elements (e.g. routers, servers, switches, printers, computers, etc.) from a central station.
The protocol manages the communication between the monitored devices and the monitoring station. SNMP describes the structure of the data packets that can be sent and the communication process. It has been designed so that any network-compatible device can be included in the monitoring.
Some background insights
Markus then sent me a link to the German blog post 24H2 + WSUS + SNMP by IT-Service Hohenleitner, where the problem is outlined quite well. Marc Hohenleitner writes there that Microsoft has damaged the SNMP client (FOD, Feature on Demand) with Windows 11 24H2. This probably refers to the problem of adding SNMP to Windows 11 via Features on Demand.
This is particularly evident on WSUS clients, says Hohenleitner. He writes that there was a GPO that "Optional Features" should always be downloaded from Microsoft instead of WSUS.
This GPO has now been changed, as it is now only possible to define an "alternative download source". The problem is that the changed GPO remains active and the source is empty by default if the old GPO was activated. Hohenleitner states that he has observed four different behaviors on his Windows systems:
- SNMP is retained and configured (no WSUS client)
- SNMP has been reset to default settings, community, permitted hosts (no WSUS client)
- SNMP (WSUS client) has been completely removed -> installation via DISM possible
- SNMP (WSUS client) has been completely removed -> installation via FOD-ISO possible
Depending on which case occurs, the administrator must then react. In case 1, nothing needs to be done; in case 2, the settings of the SNMP service that has been retained must be reset.
Cases 3 and 4 above are trickier, as SNMP has been completely removed from the WSUS. You cannot simply install SNMP in the WSUS via Features on Demand. In his blog post, Hohenleitner describes how he resolved these two cases 3 and 4 with a few pull-ups.
On patchmanagement.org, user Aboddi pointed to Microsoft's support article KB5044786. In this support article, Microsoft addresses an error during the installation of .msu packages under Windows 11 24H2 and Windows Server 2025. The background to this is the so-called "Checkpoint Cumulative Updates", which were introduced in Windows 11 24H2 and Windows Server 2025 at the end of 2024.
When installing updates via .msu packages, the error "Operation is not supported" may occur if there is no internet connection. I addressed the problem at the beginning of January 2025 in the blog post Windows 11 24H2; Server 2025: msu update install error "Operation is not supported" explained. If I'm not wrong, this should also be the cause of FOD (Features on Demand) installations causing the trouble described above.
There seems to be a workaround
Markus got in touch with me last week again and wrote: "according to the Patchmanagement.org mailing list, there are so-called 'checkpoint updates' that are listed in the current cumulative updates (CU's) – so we actually have a kind of service packs again?
His Conclusion: Put the service pack (SP) in the slip install image and preferably also a current cumulative update (CU) and then you can easily install a FOD again without the original GPO (it doesn't matter if you leave the old GPO linked)."
