Repair Install Windows 10 with an In-place Upgrade

dalchina · 15 Jan 2019

Are you certain your iso is the same base language as your installed OS? (There are tutorials that can help you check that)

ViralStaircase · 15 Jan 2019

They should be but I'll check, :)

ViralStaircase · 15 Jan 2019

Just tried again with s l i g h t l y more success- ran setup.exe /auto upgrade and this time the command was parsed correctly and ran (!) but again, when I got to the What To Keep section, only 'Nothing' was available.

dalchina · 15 Jan 2019

Apparently, the switches I have been using (Setup.exe

For a straightforward in-place repair, just double -click setup.exe

Bree · 15 Jan 2019

ViralStaircase said:

Just tried again with s l i g h t l y more success- ran setup.exe /auto upgrade and this time the command was parsed correctly and ran (!) but again, when I got to the What To Keep section, only 'Nothing' was available.

Which Setup.exe are you running? There are two on the standard MS install media and they function differently.There is one in the root of the mounted ISO and there is another in the \Sources folder.

Only the one in the root of the ISO will perform an in-place upgrade and offer to keep installed apps. The one in \Sources will perform a clean install keeping nothing, even if run from within Windows.

ViralStaircase · 15 Jan 2019

Hello Bree - yes, using the one in the root. Just tried again, but I still get the message which says I can't keep anything. Apparently because "Your version of Windows may be installed in an unsupported directory".
However, Windows is in C:\Windows so I just don't get what the problem is here.
I have tried simply launching the setup.exe but, because I just kept arriving at this same obstacle I tried using the switches but, whatever I try, I simply cannot get the installation process to allow me to keep my programs and/or data. It just insists it wants to nuke everything.

dalchina · 15 Jan 2019

Your version of Windows may be installed in an unsupported directory

- that's what you get if certain registry keys are not as they should be- which returns to my first point.
Have you ever relocated folders (Location tab)?

e.g.
Windows 10 setup Windows installed in an unsupported directory FIX : Windows10
Windows 10 is Installed in an Unsupported Directory Fix - Error Fixer

Also I'd return to the question as to whether you have the correct iso build
Windows 10 Unsupported Directory - Microsoft Community

What is your current build?
Windows key + R, winver

and that of your iso?
See Full Details about a Windows 10 ISO file | Tutorials

ViralStaircase · 16 Jan 2019

Checked Registry entries - they all seem OK. Using main machine now (Windows 7) but will continue to try and figure this out. Will get back to you if I do, and thanks for all the help and suggestions you have all offered.

Telos · 17 Jan 2019

you could also do a repair install of Windows 10 by performing an in-place upgrade without losing anything other than all installed Windows Updates.

Just to make sure I understand this correctly, an "in-place upgrade" preserves all installed 3rd party programs (for example, Microsoft Office 2013, Macrium Relect, 7-zip, etc.).

Is that correct?

Bree · 17 Jan 2019

Telos said:

Just to make sure I understand this correctly, an "in-place upgrade" preserves all installed 3rd party programs (for example, Microsoft Office 2013, Macrium Relect, 7-zip, etc.).
Is that correct?

Welcome to TenForums Telos,

Yes, that is correct. It's just like upgrading to the next version, except you are upgrading to the same version.