Windows 10 install fails "Something went wrong" 0x8000000a

I am trying to install Windows 10 over Windows 7 on a Dell Optiplex 780 using the free upgrade tool from Microsoft when they had it available back in 2016-ish. However, Windows 10 refuses to upgrade my current Windows 7 PC to Windows 10.

Every time I try, it goes to downloading Windows 10, installing it, downloading and installing updates, then to a full screen installing Windows 10 a second time. This is where the install fails every time precisely at 30% every single time. I am then presented with the following error message: "Windows 10 installation has failed."

Google has very little information regarding that error message and nobody seems to have a working answer. Every result, people either said that the solution did not work or were given "one size fits all" answers that do not work.

Upon clicking the OK button, I get the following error message. "Something went wrong Error Code 0x8000000a"

Googling 'Windows 10 install something went wrong 0x8000000a' only brought up results pertaining to people who already have Windows 10 and are getting this error message when running Windows Update. This is NOT my case, I am trying to install Windows 10 to upgrade from Windows 7 and I am receiving this error message

Adding a negative operator "-updates" only resulted in the error code 0x8000000a when people are trying to format hard drives which I am not trying to do.

throwing quotes around "something went wrong" as well as leaving the negative operator in only gave junk results that had nothing to do with the problem at hand and all the results were for different error messages. Not the error message that I am facing.


There seems to be absolutely zero information regarding the problem that I am having installing Windows 10 nor has anybody else posted an error like this.

However, upgrading Windows 7 to Windows 10 using the same method on a different machine albeit identical hardware works flawlessly. I am only having the problem on my main desktop

Does anybody know what the problem could be and how do I fix it?

@Ornithophilia


Go here and get the Media Creation Tool and use it to create Windows 10 install media (DVD or USB stick)
You can then use that install media to do a clean install of Windows 10.

Use your Windows 7 product key for the Windows 10 install.
When you switch to a new operating system, it's best to do a clean install.

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/soft...load/windows10

That link also has directions for using the tool to do an Upgrade instead.






TUTORIAL: Clean Install Windows 10 Directly without having to Upgrade First

The only problem is that I do not want to do a clean install. I have a few dozen programs and hundreds of thousands of files, pictures, audio, and such. It would be countless hours backing them up and reinstalling them.

Clean install is last resort

If you clean install and use e.g. Laplink PC Mover or Easeus Todo PCtrans (1 off license) based on a disk image of your C: partition, you can move your accounts, data and most programs.

This would be your quickest and most reliable route.

Otherwise be warned: trying to resolve upgrade failures can run to well over 100 posts without useful outcome.

Should you wish to retry upgrading, you should secure your current build by creating a full disk image first, just in case something goes badly wrong- and it can.

Please review this carefully: observe the preparatory steps.
Upgrade to Windows 10

There is a section with links to a lot more on upgrad log files and trying to identify what went wrong. This is non-trivial and uncertain of success.

Absolute basics:
Uninstall any security programs
Perform a clean boot
Disconnect any unnecessary peripherals
Ensure you have at least 30Gb free on C:
Ensure your BIOS is up to date.

Check your disk with a 3rd party tool

Run
chkdsk c: /scan
from an admin command prompt

Attempt the upgrade using an iso file, and choose NOT to accept updates as part of the upgrade attempt, should you get that far.

The section on log files only links to a Microsoft page regarding error codes and /level something. It does not tell me what log file to analyze.

I have a log file in the folder "$GetCurrent" with the file name downlevel_2020_09_16_00_46_00_460.log which I do not know if that is the one that I am looking for.

And thank you for your reply.


https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/...sion-of-window