Here’s a concise summary of the situation, based on your Neowin article and the latest available info:
What’s Happening?
Windows 11 version 24H2 is still actively being blocked on some systems with certain Western Digital (WD) and SanDisk NVMe SSDs (notably the WD_BLACK SN770 and similar models).
When trying to upgrade, users get a “What needs your attention” message, blaming the WD NVMe SSD, stating:
"Your PC has a hardware that isn't ready for this version of Windows. Windows Update will automatically offer you this version of Windows once the issue has been resolved."
This block is due to a known compatibility issue related to the Host Memory Buffer (HMB) used by these DRAM-less SSDs.
What’s been done?
WD reportedly fixed the HMB-related issues with a firmware update in October 2024.
However, Windows Update is not reliably linking users to this fix or informing them directly, so the upgrade remains blocked for many.
Microsoft hasn't listed this specific WD SSD block in its known issues dashboard, creating confusion.
How to Work Around It
Users have found that the proper way to update firmware on these SSDs (e.g., WD_BLACK SN770) is via the SanDisk Dashboard software (used for WD and SanDisk NVMe SSDs).
Supported SSD models for this tool include WD Green, Blue, Red, WD_BLACK, SanDisk SSD PLUS M.2, Extreme M.2, Extreme Pro M.2, Ultra 3D, and more.
Manually installing the latest firmware (using that Dashboard software) removes the upgrade block in most cases.
Run the Dashboard with your WD or SanDisk SSD installed.
Update the firmware as prompted for your drive.
Reboot and re-attempt the Windows 11 24H2 upgrade.
Summary
This is an ongoing issue; even though firmware fixes exist, Microsoft’s lack of clear communication and the absence of an official dashboard note are prolonging user frustration.
Until the firmware is up to date (done manually, for now), Windows 11 24H2 upgrades will continue to be blocked if you have one of the affected WD/SanDisk SSDs.