"We couldn't update the system reserved partition" failure build 1903

Whenever there is an upgrade attempt Windows creates log files so that there are options to troubleshoot the failures.
These are Panther logs and by default they may be hidden.

Setupdiag is Microsoft software to check for common upgrade failure blocks.
Run this software first and post the results using a share link.

Many companies allow free storage in the cloud.
If more space is needed you can use another company or pay for additional space.
Then you can upload very large files to the cloud once and post share links anywhere so you can get help with any problem.

This is an example using one drive:
Share OneDrive files and folders - Office Support

Many of the other share link companies display advertisements or links where viewers may download potentially unwanted software. The three posted earlier have no advertisements making it easy to view files without risk.

Download and install Everything:
voidtools

Launch the application and search for any of these logs:

Code:

PANTHER logs
C:\Windows\Panther

folders:
\$Windows.~bt\sources\panther
\$Windows.~bt\Sources\Rollback
\Windows\Panther
\Windows\Panther\NewOS

setuperr.log
setupact.log
Setupmem.dmp
setupapi.dev.log
BlueBox.log
Event logs (*.evtx)
C:\$Windows.~BT\Sources\Rollback
$Windows.~bt\Sources\Rollback\setupmem.dmp
$Windows.~bt\Sources\Rollback\setupapi\setupapi.dev.log
$Windows.~bt\Sources\Rollback*.evtx
$Windows.~BT\Sources\Panther\UnattendGC
Windows\Logs\Mosetup

Once you boot from the Windows 10 USB flash drive, after you go through the advanced troubleshooting menu to get to the command prompt, the commands should be:

diskpart
list disk
select disk 0 <based on your screenshot, should be 0. Double check the list of disks you get above.
list part
select part 1 <again based on your screenshot. Double check the list of partitions above.
delete part override
create part pri
format FS=NTFS quick
assign letter=t
active
list vol <- note which drive letter the Windows partition has here
exit
bcdboot C:\Windows /s T: /f BIOS <-note change C:\Windows to match the drive letter if Windows is not C:
cd \boot
bootsect /NT60 T: /force /mbr <-note there is a space in front of every / option!
exit

Reboot computer

Dear NavyLCDR and Zbook,
A great many thanks for following up my thread with such practical hints and solutions.
This weekend I am "out of office", so will only be able to try out your suggestions from Monday next on.
I will then send you, when needed:
- attachments in English, so that you won't have to struggle with Dutch terminology on the display (I never knew one could at last change the display language in Windows!)
- complete attachments, so you won't have to divine some half-hidden displayed texts
- all mentioned checks and logs, which I will then place on Google Drive and for which I will provide the necessary links
- create a bootable flash drive to all intents and purposes
- start to check the various possibilities to get out of the update dilemma, certainly with regard to Partition 1 of drive "0"
Indeed both of you offer similar, albeit somewhat different solutions to my struggles with the 1903 update. By now, we may safely assume that something has to be done with Partition 1/Drive "0", which appears to be the "reserved" partition indeed, in order to get out of the dilemma.
However, NavyLCDR suggests deleting the partition, then recreating it, which involves the command Diskpart (about which later), whereas Zbook suggests to just delete the files in that partition, because "Windows will automatically reinstall the files after a successful upgrade" (I suppose after a boot with the flash drive); but Zbook also suggest enlarging the partition.
Just enlarging the partition is difficult at this stage, because the partitions on drive "0" won't budge, whatever I do. Deleting the files seems feasible (after making the contents visible by giving a letter to the partition, which can easily be done via Write Management), but I find this rather scary. And I find deleting the whole partition altogether quite scary, too. However, that mustn't stop me to proceed.

One more thing:
NavyLCDR, in the Diskpart routine you sent me yesterday, I see twice "exit" on the list. Since "exit" really... exits the command or powershell window, what is it doing there the first time (just before: bcdboot C:\Windows /s T: /f BIOS)? Please explain. The routine seems important to me because, among other things, it apparently unlocks all protection from the partition. You have provided ample comments on the routine but not for that particular item...

If I have other questions or encounter snags when getting back on the computer Monday, I will ask them.

Meanwhile, I wish you both a fine weekend.

haku

The first exit gets you out of diskpart so you can then run standard command line commands such as bcdboot. The second exit gets you out of command prompt.

Okay, thanks! Aren't you camping yet?!

When available please post the results from the prior posts.

Hi Zbook, NavyLCDR and all others who helped me with this thread up to now,

The coming weeks, up to the end of September, the deadline for an important work to finish came up, involving much computer activity. Therefore, I will have absolutely no time left to do all checks regarding the problem of the upgrade to 1903, which has safely been circumscribed - pending other obstacles lurking further up - as, probably, a question of size of the EFI partition in HD "0" of my computer.

Therefore I would like to postpone everything until October (I guess I will be able to fend off any further Microsoft attempts to install the update, since since a short time one can postpone at will such operations via Update Settings). My apologies for having to stop our thread momentarily. How shall I mark it, since it is not solved as such? Or just leave it be, until I pick up the thread when I can do so again?

Best regards and thanks for your help up to now, which has cleared the way considerably.

haku

Hi both Zbook, NavyLCDR,

Found an hour respite in my very heavy schedule until 26 September (see my previous post). As Microsoft bad luck would have it, all of a sudden, despite "promising" in Settings I could update to 1903 on my own time and pleasure, Windows started another try at this update on its own, and naturally failed again, and again, and again... for still the same reason.

So I checked Google again, and found a very interesting Microsoft page, albeit a slightly older one, concerning exactly the problem facing me, and apparently offering quite a simple (and logical sounding) solution. You can find it on:

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/...alling-windows

However, I should have known better than to trust Microsoft in any of its so-called support guises. Indeed, after carefully executing all commands as stipulated in their (for once) clear instructions, and receiving the expected correct return responses, I tried updating to 1903 myself - and it miserably failed again, for, you guessed it, still the same system reserved partition error.

The method proposed by Microsoft was simple: since - at the time of that article - only a small amount of extra partition size was needed (13-15 MB) the whole procedure consisted of giving me - the owner - full access to the partition in order to delete a certain amount of files which were probably deemed of no use (in this case fonts). The procedure concluded by returning the partition to the system.

This explain to begin with why that disk "0" is so difficult to manipulate, since it does not "belong" to the user. Second, the fact that so little extra space is needed, it seems unnecessary to enlarge that partition. Hence, no more shrinking of other disk "0" partitions are needed, in so far that would be possible. (More about this further on).

But since the article dates from 2 years ago, it is possible that the 1903 update needs more than the announced 13-15 MB extra partition space.

So, my first question. If it is just a procedure of giving access momentarily to the owner in order to delete files on that EFI partition 1, are there perhaps other files I could delete in other directories without doing any harm? Actually, one very good article from MiniTool concerning the same problem even suggest eliminating the entire partition or its contents without doing any harm (but using a boot disk/stick). See:

Best Fix: "We Couldn't Update System Reserved Partition" Windows 10

Again, for the same problem I have a relatively easy solution is proposed - although I have a problem with MiniTool here because it "sees" Disk "0" all right but does not seem to be able to manipulate it (although I never tried to start MiniTool when starting Windows via a boot stick).

Since most of your proposals concern accessing those partitions, it seems to mee that the Microsoft method could be of use - if more files can be deleted on that 100 MB EFI partition. Far more ideal would be to be able to shrink the big partition C and enlarge partition 1. But there only your solution (I hope) with diskpart and booting with a boot stick seems the good one.

I thought for a moment that the app Disk Genius would offer a solution. Indeed, just like Disk Management, and contrary to MiniTool, it does see Disk "0" and can apparently shrink partition C: ... but only on the right side, then merge the liberated space with either partition D: or 3... but not with the one we want to enlarge, partition 1. However, everything seems to work when doing this in Disk Genius except that when rebooting as required afterwards, nothing whatsoever has changed: C: has not shrunk and of course then no merging has occurred. My suspicion is because the system still owns it. So a solution here could be to partially execute the Microsoft procedure, until access is given to the owner and then try the shrinking/enlarging. However, this would not help us, since partition 1 would then still not be changed.

I still won't have much time until the end of September. But I think it was important to give you this extra information.

My only (new) problem is how to stop Windows from wanting constantly to update to 1903 now. I hope some of the geniuses at Microsoft will find a solution because of many complaints pouring in. There must be tons of them, because the reserved partition error has by now generated more than a million hits on Google. It's good to feel one is not alone...

Best regards,

haku

See post #9.

The link that you posted is the same.

That is how you temporarily create the free space to perform the upgrade.

It's the method that I've used for the same upgrade failure.

When available post the Panther logs as per the prior post.

Open disk management > by default some columns are compressed > widen each Status and Volume > make sure the contents within the parenthesis are in full view and that none of the characters are cutoff > view disk 0 > widen this row as needed so that all of the characters are in full view > post an image into the thread
Disk Management - How to Post a Screenshot of

The method that NavyLCDR posted I've not yet seen used for this upgrade problem and would prefer to learn/see it fix the underlying problem. So I'll watch the progress.

Thanks Zbook!

About that temporary disk space creation: are there other files than those (fonts) advised by Microsoft that I could safely delete on that partition so as to free even more space? As said, build 1903 seems to need a bit more than 13-15 MB extra..

h