Upgrade Failed - No Action Needed ??!!

bbart · 18 Sep 2019

Repeated attempts all end with failure and the message, This PC can't be upgraded to Windows 10 . . . No action is needed.". What does this mean? How do I get the upgrade installed with "no action"?

Then it later says (Under What needs your attention) You don't need to do anything at this time. We recommend you stay on the current version of Windows 10." But I am not on Windows 10 - I am on Windows 7 trying to upgrade to Windows 10. What am I doing wrong?

Background: I got Windows 10 Edu upgrade Product Key from my university store. My current Win 7 machine specs easily meet Win 10 requirements. I have all the Important Updates installed. I unplugged all external drives and USP devices. I used Media Creation Tool - first on a USB stick drive, and after many failures, chose the Upgrade this Computer Now option. I presume the Edu version of Windows is somewhat different, but I understand the Media Creation Tool is the same for all versions, correct? In any case every effort to upgrade resulted in the same What Needs Your Attention screen. Help.

dalchina · 18 Sep 2019

Hi, have you ever been offered Win 10 via Windows Update? If not, that means MS deems your PC, for whatever reason, not compatible. I note you have used the Media Creation tool.

Further, note that you should still be able to upgrade for free from Win 7 simply by upgrading using an iso file.

The most probable cause is that you left a USB device connected.
This PC can't be upgraded to Windows 10? Here's the workaround!

Another possibility is that you got this message (you didn't quote the whole message):

This PC can’t be upgraded to Windows 10.
Your PC has a driver or service that isn’t ready for this version of Windows 10. No action is needed. Windows Update will offer this version of Windows 10 automatically once the issue has been resolved.

See:
How to Fix “What Needs Your Attention” Windows 10 Setup Errors
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Please confirm that you started some of your upgrade attempts thus:
Log in as normal
Then either...
- rt click and Mount the iso file, open the new drive letter, double click setup.exe
or
- With the bootable win 10 medium inserted, open that with file explorer and double click setup.exe

Please complete your full PC specs including manufacturer's names of parts as relevant. (My computer, below your post). There's a tutorial available if needed.
Programs like Speccy can help.

Also post a screenshot of your partition layout using e.g. Minitool Partition Wizard making sure all text is clear.
To post a screenshot please use the Insert Image icon above your post.

There should be some log files:
https://support.microsoft.com/en-gb/help/928901/log-files-that-are-created-when-you-upgrade-to-a-new-version-of-window

Please find these, zip and upload them as an attachment

What security software are you using? Did you uninstall it before attempting the upgrade?

General advice- before an upgrade, make sure you have a current disk image e.g. Macrium Reflect (free) so you have a way back shoud things go horribly wrong- and they can.

(I expect a member called @zbook will be along and ask for extensive data collection).

A list including references to some hardware and software that can be incompatible with 1903 is given here:
Known and Resolved issues for Windows 10 May 2019 Update version 1903 a look and see if anything applies to your PC.

bbart · 19 Sep 2019

Thank you for the detailed response to my upgrade issue. I have posted my computer specs for the forum. Further information in response to delchina is as follows:

1) No I have not been offered Win 10 via Windows Update.

2) USB sticks were all removed. However I do have mouse and keyboard attached.

3) I did normal Win 7 login then I ran setup.exe on stick drive made by the Media Creation Tool. (Failed)
I made a disk from iso download and booted from the dvd. Booted up okay and . . . finally failed
I then did normal Win 7 login and ran setup.exe from the disk. It ran and finally failed same as when running from stick. The failure notice is:

Upgrade Failed - No Action Needed ??!!-win-10-fault-msg.jpg

4) The partition info is shown below: (I have done no tweaking with partitions.)

Upgrade Failed - No Action Needed ??!!-partitions.jpg

5) I use AVG Antivirus (as well as Malwarebytes Anti-Malware, and CCleaner - all doing realtime scanning I believe). And - No, they were not turned off.

6) Four log files to be zipped as soon as I can get to them.

7) I also have path/filename lists of windows folders if useful. (\$Windows~BT is a 95 line csv (text) file. \Windows is a 57,342 line csv (text) file. (Took a lot of typing time!!

)

Any further help would be greatly appreciated!

Sleepless in Seattle

Megahertz · 19 Sep 2019

Backup your data on an external disk. Better be safe than sorry.

My suggestion is to buy a small SSD (120G) and do a Clean install (there is nothing like a Clean install)
Clean Install Windows 10
- Detach the HDD from the MB.
- Boot the Win 10 installation disk (to install as EFI-GPT you must boot Win 10 installation disk as EFI). Go to install, delete all partitions on the SSD and proceed.

Once you have Win 10 running, shut down and attach the HDD.

During installation you can move the C:\users (SSD) to D:\Users (HDD) using Kari tutorial
Attached are the files to do it.

dalchina · 19 Sep 2019

Thanks for the details.
Drivers are to Win 8
Latest BIOS is 2018 - suggest you check and update. labelled 'urgent'
https://www.dell.com/support/home/uk...ex-790/drivers

You should uninstall 3rd party AV when trying the upgrade again.

Before you reattempt, make sure you have a current disk image- just in case. Macrium Reflect (free).

1) No I have not been offered Win 10 via Windows Update.

Assuming Windows update is functional, that's an indication MS deems your PC unsuitable.

I made a disk from iso download and booted from the dvd. Booted up okay and . . . finally failed

Assuming you burnt the disk from the iso and booted your PC from it, that would be the route to either
- a clean install of Win 10
or
- via 'Repair your computer' - some basic Win 10 features e.g. System Restore, Safe Mode, Command Prompt...

I don't think you want to do that...?

If you wanted to use that DVD to attempt an upgrade, you would log in as normal, and then run setup.exe from the DVD- the same with a bootable flash drive.

From your specs:

SonicWALL Virtual NIC

- looks unusual- what is it?

Please see:
Known and Resolved issues for Windows 10 May 2019 Update version 1903
and read carefully through 'Known issues' and see if any apply to you.
Perhaps only the second is worth nothing at this point, but please check.

Comments on your PC:
Installation of Windows 10 problems (Dell Optiplex 790) Partially fixed now - Windows 10 Support

Comment that build 1709 works:
https://www.dell.com/community/Windo...d/td-p/5188367

Possible problem with 64 bit OS: is your Win 7 32 or 64 bits? And the iso you downloaded?
optiplex 790 upgrade to windows 10 | Tom's Hardware Forum

Suggestion:
Find a spare disk, put that in place of your existing disk, and try a clean install.
That will tell you if there's any hardware issue.
If not, you know that upgrading from Win 7 is some sort of software issue.
That would be a really straightforward way of checking.

Note: I cannot recommend Megahertz's proposal except for using a SSD (biggest impact is fast boot).
If you were to use a smaller SSD (and large ones are available) then there are simpler and more robust meand of saving space on C:

In any clean install, plan to keep your personal data off C:

dalchina · 19 Sep 2019

As predicted, zbook's here- I'll leave you with him. Good luck!

bbart · 26 Sep 2019

Okay - got the yard/garden put away for the season. I liked the suggestion to try the installation on a blank HD. I knew I had one around somewhere - but couldn't find it. (It was the original SSD that came with the Dell system, then got trashed/locked up when hit by ransomeware.) (Well, I found it - inside the computer - with the power cord unplugged.) I plugged it in and reformatted it, then unplugged the old drive 0 and plugged the newly blank SSD in. Booted from Win 10 DVD and installed new OS!! Nice - Clean. But now I'm faced with re-installing all my programs etc. This is a bit problematic because I have components from several different versions of MS Office (2000, 2003 & 365) that I am not willing to loose. As you can guess they do not like playing nicely together. Lots of tweaks over the years to get them settled down.

So I'll swap out the SSD and go back to trying with the WDC drive. I now suspect a problem may have been caused by having the useless SSD drive unplugged (power-wise) but not unplugged from the SATA cable. (Would that make the difference????) Stand by . . .

dalchina · 26 Sep 2019

There is some wisdom when upgrading like this in only having the system disk in place. Why? In some circumstances Win 10 can spread its new partitions onto other disks than the system disk.

Basic guidelines are:
- read the relevant News article on the build and check for any conflicting issues.
- simplify- disconnect anything unnecessary.
- do basic checks on your disk an file system
- make sure you've 30Gb spare min.
- uninstall AV software that will be obsolete under Win 10 and possibly conflict with the installation
- do a clean boot, then try upgrading
- perform the upgrade using an iso file or a bootable disk, log in and run setup.exe, and do not accept updates during the upgrade. (Can disconnect the internet).

Diagnosis: lots of links and info in the tutorial on upgrading to Win 10.

bbart · 26 Sep 2019

Okay - it finally completed the Windows 10 installation. Why this time? I uninstalled a few more programs including AVG Antivirus and AVG Tune-up. And I (ignoring my bootable DVD and stick drive) went from the Windows Download page to a direct download and upgrade - keeping my programs and files. It all looks good but I have some irratating questions - if anyone can illuminate a bit more:

1) I specifically purchased (at no cost from university tech store) Windows 10 Edu. I got the product key for that version. I started the process at the Download Academic Products page - resulting in getting the Media Creation Tool. I understood that the use of this key would result in the tool giving me the Windows 10 Edu version. It did not. Any idea why? Is there in fact a Windows 10 Edu version?

2) What is Microsoft trying to say with the stop message," . . . Your PC isn't supported yet on this version . . . "?? Sounds like I was just supposed to wait? And do nothing?? This sounds crazy.

3) "Keep all personal files off the C Drive" So right! Wish I has my little SSD drive as boot drive, but alas, that will have to wait for another machine. I thank you all for your help. It has been many hours working on this. But it finally worked. Solved - as far as I am concerned.

dalchina · 27 Sep 2019

you're fortunate it was as 'easy' as that- essentially removing the incompatible programs- standard recommendation including the Upgrade to Windows 10 tutorial.

Please now take the time to create a base disk image using e.g. Macrium reflect (free/paid) + external storage for image files.
Periodically thereafter as you make changes, update your disk image set by creating a differential image.

The last thing you want in critical university timescales is to have your PC go down- and they can- and not have a quick means of recovery. The images are also a full backup which you can supplement with addiitonal backup arrangements for faster changing important work.

What is Microsoft trying to say with the stop message," . . . Your PC isn't supported yet on this version . . . "?? Sounds like I was just supposed to wait? And do nothing?? This sounds crazy.

- the crazy thing about that is it's non-indicative. Doesn't tell you what the problem is.

It's a general indication of an incompatibility- i.e. if you do try upgrading manually using a downloaded iso file, for example, you could expect to find something not working, or the upgrade not completing.

Edu key: somewhat complicated area, which others here can better explain.

Whilst you can deactivate a PC, if it has an embedded OEM key it will not remove that
Uninstall Product Key and Deactivate Windows 10
Here's now to change a key:
Change Product Key in Windows 10

If in doubt, find out what your PC actually has: use
Showkeyplus (free from this forum- just search).

You can also talk to your regional MS activation centre, or perhaps someone in university IT can assist.

Here's the searchable list of tutorials - ever growing- which you can bookmark:
Windows 10 Tutorial Index