Windows 10 upgrade, 10 tries, 10 fails

[Boggin]

Well, if you can't get the upgrade to work then the only other option is a clean install in lieu.

This is the argument I propose you put to MS as you have a version of Windows that qualifies for the free upgrade, but for some reason, won't.

If you don't ask then you don't get - although that doesn't always work either

[Boggin]

This article looks like it could help when doing a clean install by allowing you to change the product key to your COA sticker key.

http://www.tenforums.com/tutorials/7209-product-key-change-windows-10-a.html

However, on going back through your thread, if there is some compatibility problem with Win 10 drivers and your computer, then you could be asking for trouble by forcing an install.

I suggest you go to your computer support site and check they have Win 10 compatible drivers for all of your devices, or contact your computer support and ask if your machine is Win 10 compatible and if not - why.

[GussNemo]

Hi Boggin,

My son put my system together, so there isn't a company to check for drivers.  I have, however, updated drivers for just about everything that had a driver installed when the component was installed.  I realized I hadn't updated the driver for the DVD drive, but have it downloaded and will install it when I can.

One of the very first things I did when upgrading to Windows 10, was to run the check my statue by right clicking on the Get Windows icon.  I don't know how reliable its testing is, but it didn't indicate there were any problems upgrading my system to Windows 10.

I see also that Media Creation Tool also checks to make sure the components of the system are compatible with Windows 10.  It will be interesting to see what it says once I take the time and try installing Windows 10 by this method.  Maybe it will catch something the other checker missed.

If going the Media Creation Tool method to upgrade my system fails, then I use it again only for downloading the ISO image.  I just hope if either one fails I end up with my system back to Windows 7 Ultimate 32 bit.

[Boggin]

Creating a system image onto external media is always a must before upgrading an OS and you will have your Win 7 install disk to boot up with to restore with the system image.

A word of caution though, prior to the upgrade whichever way you do it, boot up into the BIOS and permanently change the boot order to CD/DVD and USB before the HDD, as those keys may not work after the upgrade because of the speed Win 10 boots up.

I've never done a clean install so not sure if a Win 10 clean install would baulk but because you are doing it outside of Windows then I can't see why it shouldn't take.

If you have to go the ISO route then the article I've posted to change the product key should negate the need to buy a Win 10 licence.

[GussNemo]

Hi Boggin,

Tried a couple more times to upgrade my system, both failed.

The first, or really 24th, try was with all peripherals disconnected before the system booted.  Upgrade still failed.

Second try, or 25th attempt, I tried using the Media Creation Tool.  I ran into an error that had to do with the files already in the SoftwareDistribution\Download folder.  Googling that I found out those the entire name could be renamed to .old and when that was done the Creation Tool went about its merry way.

HOWEVER...the upgrade still failed.  I got the two usual messages, mentioned in my original post, but another one after I logged onto the system.  The upgrade failed during the First_Boot Phase with error during SYSPREP operation.  What all this means is Greek to me.

I'm not even going to try the ISO route if the Media Creation Tool route failed.  I'll add this new error message to my post on MS and see if I get a bite.  I doubt I will but there is always hope.

[GussNemo]

Just an update on my upgrade to Windows 10 problem.

Took my computer into a computer shop to let the tech there try and figure out why my system wouldn't upgrade to Windows 10.  And guess what, even he couldn't find out why it wouldn't upgrade nor could he get it to upgrade, though he used several methods I'd not tried.  Even using an ISO file did no good.

So, I got a nice clean tower case, some misc. junk was removed, MS junk that's put on the system as backup, but no upgrade.  Not that I'm heartbroken.

I've read some things about Windows 10 that haven't been to favorable, especially by some recent Windows 10 users who want their Windows 7 back (and no, I don't remember where I saw the posts, probably on the MS site).  So for now, I've left another post on the MS site under Ask the Community, I'll stick with Windows 7 Ultimate until someone discovers why Windows 10 is giving so many--check the MS Ask the Community page--users problems.

Thanks to all here who have tried to help me solve this crazy problem.

[Boggin]

I was wondering how you were getting on with the upgrade and if anything in http://www.tweaking.com/forums/index.php/topic,4322.0.html would help your cause, although your problem differs, but they could be something else to try.

To remove non-present drivers, run a cmd prompt as an admin and enter -

set_devmgr_show_nonpresent_devices=1

devmgmt.msc

In Device Manager, click on View/Show hidden devices then expand the various sections and right click on the ones with greyed out icons.

If you are worried you may delete something that perhaps you shouldn't have, then create a restore point first.

[GussNemo]

Hi Boggin,

Computer being in the shop does kind of limit my ability to get online.

Checking for nonpresent devices is something new to me, I never saw mention of doing this in any of the posts I read.  But it's another thing that's worth a try.

I'll let you know how it goes when it's done.

[Boggin]

When you are in Device Manager, also check for any Unknown Devices - or has the tech already done that ?

[GussNemo]

I did look at Device Manager but didn't find any unknown devices.

I did, however, run into a problem which seemed to be associated with one of the RAM memory modules.  I ordered new RAM, installed it, and the problem has yet to reappear.  From what the computer tech told me, the problem may have been that one section of one module was going bad.  Only time will tell if this is the case, as the new modules have only been in place a few days.

I have done additional reading, on both the MS Ask the Community, and other sites, and also have heard from some in-laws, and have decided to not try upgrading to Windows 10 due to what I've heard and read.  In-laws do not like Windows 10 at all, they want their old Windows back.  Reading on the MS Ask the Community there are many who feel the same, for one reason or another.  And it's the same for other sites I'm visited, many do not like how Windows 10 operates.

And then there's all of the troubles I've had just trying to upgrade to the new version.  After 30 tries, despite being told by three different MS programs that my system is compatible, it's time for me to just keep what I have.  I did toy with a clean install from a purchases copy from the computer tech who worked on my computer, but after the 30 failures I experienced I've no guarantee that even a clean install would work.

So consider my upgrade attempts at an end.  Thank you all for the help that was provided.

[Boggin]

For what I do, there was nothing I could do better in Win 10 than what I can do in Win 7.

In Win 10, it was a different process to learn just to do the same thing and much easier in Win 7 and as Cortana didn't recognize I was in the UK and using the English (UK) language - I found it was a dead loss.

I suppose getting a new pair of RAM modules gives you a clean slate, but you could have gotten just a single matching one to go with the good one.

The free version of Speccy gives the part number and details of what you would have needed.

https://www.piriform.com/speccy