What does HRESULT 0x8028012D (TPM_20_E_UPGRADE) mean?

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The TPM is in the wrong field-upgrade state for the command being submitted.

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TPM_20_E_PCR_CHANGED	TPM_20_E_TOO_MANY_CONTEXTS

TPM_20_E_UPGRADE

Field Upgrade Mode restricts normal commands

TPM_20_E_UPGRADE is the Windows form of TPM_RC_UPGRADE. TPM 2.0 field upgrade uses a signed, chained sequence of data blocks. After TPM2_FieldUpgradeStart, the TPM can enter Field Upgrade Mode and may reject ordinary commands until the upgrade is completed, abandoned successfully, or the platform restarts into a recoverable firmware state.

The same code has command-dependent meaning: for most commands it indicates that the TPM is already in upgrade mode; for TPM2_FieldUpgradeData it can indicate that the TPM is not in the expected upgrade mode. This is why a generic "update failed" interpretation is insufficient.

Safe investigation

Record whether the failing command is FieldUpgradeData or an unrelated TPM command.
Use only a manufacturer-authorized firmware package and the vendor's recovery sequence.
Do not clear the TPM as a first response; a clear does not substitute for completing a firmware state machine and can destroy protected keys.
Check for an interrupted power cycle and follow the platform vendor's instructions for resuming or rolling back TPM firmware.

References

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