Feature upgrade to 1903 issue

Alli · 14 Nov 2019

My Dell Inspiron 5759 laptop started off with an early version of Windows 10 and automatic upgrades have updated it as MS required. I think it was 1809 that started giving me trouble, Windows would load up to the desktop, show the desktop shortcuts, many without icons, no taskbar shortcuts and only the system tray time and notification icons. The cursor was an arrow while over the desktop but a revolving blue circle while over the task bar. Repeatedly clicking the task bar resulted in the screen blinking and eventually Windows would complete its startup. Of course I got pretty sick of this so tried upgrading to 1903 to see if this would cure it. The upgrade failed and when I looked at the upgrade history I discovered that MS had already tried and failed to upgrade to 1903.

I used the creation tool to create a bootable USB stick with 1903 on it. Tried to install 1903 but got to the partitioning stage where it said it couldn't install on the selected partition because it was of the GPT style. Used shift F10 and ran DISKPART not fully appreciating that CLEAN really really does clean. Never mind, the partition I use only for data was well backed up.

The install went okay and all seemed well. But after I had installed a couple of applications, I got the same problem as before except that repeatedly clicking the task bar did not complete the loading. Tried running SFC /SCANNOW, it told me that there were some corrupted files and it had fixed them. Looked at the log it produced, it was massive and might as well have been written in Swedish Chef as far as I was concerned. However the laptop booted up okay but only once, then the problem appeared again.

That was the SHORT version of the story. I tried several installs, all with the same results, spent days on it. Eventually got sick of the whole thing and dusted off a 1703 cd and tried installing from that. Got to the partitioning stage and was told that it could not install on the partition because it was of the GPT style. Shift F10 didn't work this time. I knew that the bios was set to EUFI, so went looking on the web for answers. Learned that Secure Boot needed to be enabled, so did this but had to also disable legacy CD. This is the only (as far as I know) difference in the BIOS between the 1903 installs and the 1703 install. The install then went perfectly. Laptop started much more quickly than it did with 1903 and repeated shutdowns, startups and restarts seemed to result in the startup getting faster. Started installing random applications, repeatedly shutting down and starting after each one. So far it is a dream.

So, if you haven't got too bored to read this far, the questions are: can I keep 1703 running against the tsunami of MS upgrades, and if not, how do I install 1903 so that it actually works?

zbook · 14 Nov 2019

Some options are:

A) Perform a clean install (deleting all partitions making an unallocated drive) > install Windows 1903 or 1909 > install drivers and applications
Clean Install Windows 10

B) Perform a reset save files or reset save files equivalent (reinstall drivers and applications)
Reset Windows 10

C) Troubleshoot

For troubleshooting:

1) Run dell support assistant > update drivers and BIOS

2) Run dell diagnostics full test > post images into the thread
https://www.dell.com/support/home/us...aptop/diagnose

3) Run dell diagnostic component tests > perform as needed > post images into the thread

4) List and uninstall any non-microsoft antivirus, firewall and drive encryption software

5) Place the computer in clean boot:

Perform a Clean Boot in Windows 10 to Troubleshoot Software Conflicts

6) Open administrative command prompt and type or copy and paste:
7) sfc /scannow
8) dism /online /cleanup-image /scanhealth
9) dism /online /cleanup-image /restorehealth
10) sfc /scannow
11) chkdsk /scan
12) wmic recoveros set autoreboot = false
13) wmic recoveros set DebugInfoType = 7
14) bcdedit /enum {badmemory}

15) When these have completed > right click on the top bar or title bar of the administrative command prompt box > left click on edit then select all > right click on the top bar again > left click on edit then copy > paste into the thread

16) After completing all of the above steps:

17) Find a flash drive that you can format (> or = 8 GB)

18) Create a bootable windows 10 iso:

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/soft...load/windows10
Download Windows 10 ISO File
Create Bootable USB Flash Drive to Install Windows 10

19) Run through this Windows upgrade checklist:

Code:

UPGRADE CHECK LIST:
Run through this check list before the next upgrade attempt:

1) remove nonessential hardware
docks
USB devices
printers
headset
speakers
joysticks
projectors
scanners
plotters
portable optical drives (CD, DVD)
microphones
cameras
webcams
smartphones
bluetooth devices
USB drives (other than a windows 10 iso if used for the upgrade)
USB Wireless Mouse or Keyboard Receiver, USB Wireless Network Card
secondary monitors


2) These should be the only attached devices:
wired mouse
wired keyboard
monitor

Any of these that have been done in the past week are not necessary to repeat:


3) open administrative command prompt and type or copy and paste: (repair file system)
chkdsk /r /v 
This may take many hours so plan to run overnight
Find the chkdsk report in the event viewer using the information in this link and post into the thread:
Read Chkdsk Log in Event Viewer in Windows 10 Performance Maintenance Tutorials
https://www.tenforums.com/tutorials/40822-read-chkdsk-log-event-viewer-windows-10-a.html 

4) open administrative command prompt and copy and paste: (repair operating system)
sfc /scannow 
dism /online /cleanup-image /restorehealth 
When these have completed > right click on the top bar or title bar of the administrative command prompt box > left click on edit then select all > right click on the top bar again > left click on edit then copy > paste into the thread

5) update windows (have all recommended updates installed) and reboot after updates

6) List and uninstall all non-Microsoft antivirus software
(This includes always on and manual software.)
(This includes running the applicable antivirus uninstall tools for any AV that could have been incompletely uninstalled)

7) List and uninstall all non-Microsoft firewall software

8) List all Microsoft and non-Microsoft drive encryption software. 
Uninstall all non-Microsoft disk encryption software

9) Run disk cleanup to clean temporary and system files

10) Verify that the drive has > 30 GB free space (At least 25 GB is needed for creating dumps)

11) Place the computer in clean boot:
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/929135/how-to-perform-a-clean-boot-in-windows
How to perform a Clean Boot in Windows 10 - TechNet Articles - United States (English) - TechNet Wiki
https://social.technet.microsoft.com/wiki/contents/articles/29876.how-to-perform-a-clean-boot-in-windows-10.aspx
https://www.tenforums.com/tutorials/41804-perform-clean-boot-windows-10-troubleshoot-software-conflicts.html


12) Detach all SATA devices other than the disk drive that has the Windows operating system
(Make sure that the only disk drive that is attached to the computer at the time of the upgrade attempt is the disk drive containing Windows)
(Other disk drives may be able to be detached by disconnecting cables or if necessary to remove the drive from the computer)

13) Make sure that there is no metered connection:  https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/17452/windows-metered-internet-connections-faq

20) Perform an in place upgrade repair while in clean boot:

Repair Install Windows 10 with an In-place Upgrade

21) If there is a successful upgrade then this completes the troubleshooting

22) If the upgrade fails then run setupdiag > post a share link into the thread using one drive, drop box, or google drive

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/win...rade/setupdiag

Take Screenshot in Windows 10

How to Upload and Post Screenshots and Files at Ten Forums

Jacee · 14 Nov 2019

Bear in mind this is going to take more than a day to do all of this!

Alli · 15 Nov 2019

Thank you Jacee and Zbook for your replies. Regarding Zbook's advice:
A) All the installs I did of 1909 were onto a fresh partition, created either during the install or by using DISKPART. I used the media creation tool to load a USB stick with the operating system. I don't know how I could get a cleaner install in any of the attempts.

B) I'm not sure how a reset would go, there doesn't seem to be much point in doing it while the system is starting up perfectly, and when it doesn't I wouldn't be able to. It stops booting up even in safe mode.

C1) I used Dell support assistant to update drivers and BIOS after each install, sometimes first, sometimes after playing a bit and installing some software. In each case it wanted to install a Radeon driver, an intel wifi driver and a SATA ATA driver. It failed to run the down load and install option and I had to use the download from folder option.

C2, 3) I tried to run the Dell diagnostics full test on the (perfectly functioning) 1703 installation. After 4.5 hours on the "Running your tests" part, I gave up and cancelled it. On a couple of the 1909 installs, when Windows refused to install because it was a GPT partition style and I didn't know about the shift F10 and DISKPART trick, the laptop tried to reboot and Dell automatically ran some tests but of course only did the memory and complained loudly when it failed to find a bootable drive. I'm reasonably sure there isn't a hardware problem.

C4) I haven't got any third party virus, firewall or drive encryption software. I rely solely on MS Windows Defender.

c5) I didn't know about clean boot and thought that this might give me the answer. I therefore with great trepidation allowed it to upgrade from 1703 to 1903. It wouldn't even go beyond showing part of the desktop on the first start. I got the same result in safe mode, then got lucky and it started fully. Set it up for a clean boot, restarted it and again it wouldn't start. I don't know what that tells me, but my thoughts about Microsoft get unkinder with every attempt to start. I got lucky again and after a few tries it started up normally if at glacial speed. Seized the opportunity to roll back the update and restore 1703. I'm not yet convinced that it fully solved the problem because it's starting sort of all right, but very slowly.

c6-15) I ran SFC /SCANNOW on a couple of occasions and once it said it had fixed some corrupt files. Following this, I got a successful start but whether by chance or not I don't know. Following one install when the start up issue had begun to appear I tried it again but is said everything was fine. I'll try the other tests but now that I'm back on 1703 I don't know if it will help with my basic problem.

c16-18) That's exactly how i carried out all my 1909 installs.

c19) I didn't have this check list for my installs but as I said I don't see how I could have achieved a cleaner install.

C20-22) I'm not going to make any attempt to install 1903 or 1909 again. IT DOESN'T WORK. If I have any trouble with the 1703 install which I upgraded and then downgraded, I'll reinstall it (as a clean install to a clean HDD) in the almost certain knowledge that my laptop will start fast and fully, shutdown fast and work perfectly. I have to ask myself the question: Why struggle with 1903 and or 1909 which DON'T WORK when I can use 1703 which RUNS LIKE A DREAM? I'm going to try Winaero Tweaker's Disable Windows Updates to stop any more MS attempts to destroy my laptop, but if I see the dreaded "Update and shutdown" message I'll shutdown with the power button.

Thanks for your help. I'll leave this open for a bit, I can't be the only human on the planet with this issue

zbook · 15 Nov 2019

This is a link for the Windows life cycles: (see end of service dates) (without service there could be problems related to protection from malware, etc)

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/...cle-fact-sheet