Install AU on unsupported laptop

Hi, all,

My father has an older Acer laptop that he purchased over 3 years ago. It came running Win8.

When the WinX upgrades were freely offered, I had him upgrade to WinX. However, he says that recently it keeps trying to install an update and will freeze up with the rotating dots. If he kills the laptop three times after it does this, it will revert with the message "Error: We couldn't complete the updates. Undoing changes. Don't turn off your computer."

Near as I can figure, it is not taking the AU. I went online to find out about the machine. It's an Acer Aspire E1-571-6853, originally came with Windows 8, and Acer shows no support for WinX for this machine (it's not an E5-571, it's an E1-571). I wish I had known that before.

But anyway, I was wondering - is there a way to install the AU over the current 1511 build without losing data or having to clean install on this machine? Anyone have any ideas on what tricks I could use? He is not a ßeta tester, and I don't think he is going to spring for a new laptop any time soon, so those ideas are out of the questions.

Worst case scenario, is there a way to block the AU so he is permanently on 1511? I do need him to receive all other updates, just not that one for AU, if this is the route that I end up going.

I've DLd all the relevant Drivers for the machine (all Win8) as well as updated to the current BIOS on the machine as well. Not really sure what else to try, so I'm asking y'all.

Or, you can use Winaero Tweaker to set WU to "notify only." Then you can use something like Windows Update Minitool (wumt) to hide AU, and selectively download only those updates you want to install. There are many ways to work around this issue. Let me know if you want me to post links to Winaero Tweaker and WUMT, and I will gladly do so.
HTH,
--Ed--

Bree said:

You could try downloading the iso for the Anniversary Update using the Media Creation Tool...
https://www.tenforums.com/tutorials/9...-download.html
Run the MCT and choose the 'create media for another PC' and use the 'defaults for this PC' to make an iso image or USB install media. Use this to do an upgrade, you can choose to 'keep files and apps'.

If you still can't install the AU, you can hide the Anniversary Update with Microsoft's wushowhide tool.
https://www.tenforums.com/tutorials/8...dows-10-a.html

Manual install does the exact same thing. Not sure if I want to hide AU, though, as he uses the laptop a lot for work, but it is his own purchased laptop. I'll look into it.

EdTittel said:

Or, you can use Winaero Tweaker to set WU to "notify only." Then you can use something like Windows Update Minitool (wumt) to hide AU, and selectively download only those updates you want to install. There are many ways to work around this issue. Let me know if you want me to post links to Winaero Tweaker and WUMT, and I will gladly do so.
HTH,
--Ed--

Thanks, I know where to get them. I don't want ot set all of WU to notify only because I won't be maintaining the laptop and I want him to continue to get all other updates if I decide to skip AU.

rpo said:

I have 4 PCs not supposed to run AU, but the do. With one of them i got the issue you describe : the problem was due to a logitech wireless usb mouse. After pulling out the receiver, the system booted. The problem was corrected by the october cumulative update.

I will look into this. This might be the issue, as he does have a Logitech wireless mouse installed. Thanks!

For what its worth, I'm running the AU on some really old desktop PC's, and two laptops that shipped with Windows 8.0. One is an Acer Aspire V5 something. It's my wife's laptop. It's running with just the Windows update supplied drivers. I didn't have to install any drivers manually. Once you do the install, and have an Internet connection, take a break and go have a coffee or something. Usually within 5 minutes of logging in my Video drivers update, and shortly after that all my hardware is working. YMMV though.

alphanumeric said:

For what its worth, I'm running the AU on some really old desktop PC's, and two laptops that shipped with Windows 8.0. One is an Acer Aspire V5 something. It's my wife's laptop. It's running with just the Windows update supplied drivers. I didn't have to install any drivers manually. Once you do the install, and have an Internet connection, take a break and go have a coffee or something. Usually within 5 minutes of logging in my Video drivers update, and shortly after that all my hardware is working. YMMV though.

It kept doing the circling dots thing for over 2 days....

Bree said:

If you hide the AU he will still get the latest Cumulative Updates with all the security and bug-fixes. They are released simultaneously for all three versions: AU (1607), Fall Update (1511) and original release 10240. See the update history here:
https://support.microsoft.com/en-gb/...tory?ocid=1607

Yup. But I don't want him to have to manually install them because he won't.