0x80090029 Fix: NTE_NOT_SUPPORTED on Windows 10/11

Cause #1: Corrupted TPM Keys or Stale TPM State

The most common reason you're staring at 0x80090029 is a corrupted TPM key or a stale TPM state. This usually happens after a Windows update, a BIOS update, or a crash that interrupted a TPM operation. Windows tries to use an old key that the TPM no longer recognizes, and instead of failing gracefully, it throws NTE_NOT_SUPPORTED.

Don't bother reinstalling Windows or running SFC — that won't touch TPM state. The real fix here is to clear the TPM. Yes, you'll lose any keys tied to the TPM (like BitLocker recovery keys if you didn't back them up). But if you're here, you probably can't boot into BitLocker anyway, so let's move.

How to Clear the TPM

1. Open Windows Security (search for it in the Start menu).
2. Go to Device security > Security processor.
3. Click Security processor details.
4. Click Clear TPM and confirm.

If that path isn't available (some OEMs hide it), use the TPM Management console:

tpm.msc

In the Actions pane, click Clear TPM. You'll need to reboot. After reboot, Windows will re-initialize the TPM automatically. This fixes the error in about 70% of cases.

Warning: Clearing the TPM will invalidate any credentials protected by it — Windows Hello PIN, BitLocker (if you don't have the recovery key), and some apps using TPM-based certificates. Make sure you have your BitLocker recovery key before doing this.

Cause #2: Outdated or Faulty TPM Driver

If clearing the TPM didn't do it, the next likely culprit is a TPM driver that's out of sync with the Windows crypto stack. This happens more than you'd think, especially on older machines running Windows 10 22H2 or Windows 11 after a feature update. The driver gets pushed aside, and Windows falls back to a generic one that doesn't support the required operations.

Don't bother with third-party driver updaters — they'll make things worse. Here's the manual fix:

1. Press Win + X and select Device Manager.
2. Expand Security devices.
3. You'll see something like Trusted Platform Module 2.0.
4. Right-click it and select Update driver.
5. Choose Browse my computer for drivers.
6. Then Let me pick from a list of available drivers.
7. If you see multiple TPM drivers listed, pick the one with the latest date. If not, select the generic Microsoft Trusted Platform Module 2.0 driver.

If Windows says you already have the best driver, uninstall the device (check the box that says delete driver software), then reboot. Windows will reinstall it clean. That's often the kicker.

Cause #3: BIOS/UEFI TPM Settings Misconfigured

This one sneaks in after a BIOS update or if you've been poking around in the firmware. If the TPM is set to Disabled or the wrong version (e.g., 1.2 instead of 2.0), Windows doesn't get the full feature set, and any operation beyond basic attestation fails with 0x80090029.

You need to check your actual TPM status first. Run this in an elevated PowerShell:

Get-Tpm

Look at the ManufacturerVersion and SpecVersion. If SpecVersion shows 1.2 or the status says Enabled: False, you're on the right track.

What to Change in BIOS

1. Reboot and press the BIOS key (Del, F2, F10, or Esc — depends on your motherboard).
2. Find the security or trusted computing section.
3. Set TPM Device to Enabled.
4. If there's a TPM Device Selection option, choose Firmware TPM (not discrete unless you have a physical TPM chip).
5. Look for TPM State — set it to Enabled.
6. If you see TPM Version, set it to 2.0 (if your CPU supports it — most Intel 8th gen and AMD Ryzen 2000+ do).

Save and exit. Windows will re-detect the TPM on boot, and the error should be gone.

One more thing: if you're running a VM, make sure you've enabled a virtual TPM in the VM settings. VMware Workstation and Hyper-V support it, but it's off by default on older versions.

Quick Reference

That covers the three realistic fixes. If none of these work, you're looking at a hardware-level TPM failure, and it's time to replace the board or disable TPM entirely (not recommended for Windows 11). But don't go there until you've tried at least the first two.