Repair Install Windows 10 with an In-place Upgrade  

Brink said:

Oops. Hopefully, it'll pick up where it left off and continue.

I'm actually planning to delete the C:\$WINDOWS.~BT\ folder so it can do the whole thing from the beginning. And since I can't delete it even with admin permissions, I'm planning to take ownership of the folder then delete it. Is this a bad idea?

It is stated that you can't do a repair install (keeping files and apps, aka everything) outside of Windows 10. You need to be in Windows 10 and use the .iso from there.

However, if you take the boot drive from one pc and put it into another, are you able to repair install from within Windows 10 to a different drive? Or only the drive you're currently booting from?

I'm just wondering if there is a workaround that lets you repair install if you can't get into Windows 10. There's a lot that can go wrong and a lot of them gets you stuck in a bootloop.

Ghot said:

During an In-Place upgrade, there is no option to select which "drive" you do the repair install... on.
It defaults to doing it to the drive you're booting from.

That's unfortunate I suppose. I hope they'll at least make repair installs not from within Windows an option later, perhaps in W11

Ghot said:

You can do a Startup Repair at boot time... Run Startup Repair in Windows 10

Well yes... if that even ever works...

Ghot said:

You can always do a clean install. I would say, that that would be the easiest solution, at this point.

Then, after you get it set all back to the way you want it... make a full OS image backup.
The next time you have a no boot situation, you can just use the backup software's bootable rescue media to restore from a backup.

Most of the regulars on here, use either Macrium Reflect or AOMEI Backupper (both free) for this.

Macrium Software | Reflect Free Edition

Free Backup Software for Windows | AOMEI Backupper Standard


I have 37 GB on my C:\ drive. Using Macrium Reflect it takes me 2:30 (minutes), to make a backup and 2:05 (mins), to restore from a backup.

Backup software is the modern day, "get out of jail free" card.

Ghot,

I am getting ready to start a new thread about my issues trying to get Laplink's PCmover 11 to local (ethernet cable only) shift everything from my Lenovo (20H1) to my Dell Inspiron (finally "newer" (20H2) after a "reset" version of "clean install")--the issue that started my futile in-place upgrade adventure; but, your last comment had me wondering: could either of your backup suggestions be used in a "backup from one system, restore to another" scenario?

Like I said, I'm probable going to have to start --full transfer (option 1)-- and/or --"home group" in Win 10 (option 2)-- threads.