Repair Install Windows 10 with an In-place Upgrade

zbook · 26 May 2021

jepharcher ,

Please open a new thread for troubleshooting the Windows upgrade failures.

In case you don't want to troubleshoot you can perform:
a) reset save files
b) custom install
c) Windows refresh

Reset Windows 10
Custom Install Windows 10
How to Restore Files from Windows.old Folder in Windows 10
Refresh Windows 10

All of the above require the reinstallation of drivers and applications.

To troubleshoot the upgrade failures logs can be collected and scanned.

For share links please use one drive, drop box, or google drive.

Run setupdiag:
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/win...rade/setupdiag

Run V2 and DM:
BSOD - Posting Instructions

List any of these non-Microsoft software:
a) antivirus
b) firewall
c) drive encryption

In the left lower corner search > type security > click virus and threat protection > click check for updates > post an image of the threat definition version, version created on, and last update

jepharcher · 29 May 2021

Thanks for the very helpful suggestions. Just wanted to update that I was finally able to update my windows to 21H1 version without losing any data or apps.
I basically followed instructions by @Ghot. I did the upgrade using latest build ISO file downloaded with help of Media Creation Tool.
Moreover, this time I completely uninstalled my anti-virus (ESET Endpoint Security) rather than merely disabling it, which seems to have done the trick for me. I also made my 'My Documents' folder completely empty as suggest by one user in another thread (don't know whether it was relevant or not).
Anyways, thanks a lot. I am very happy to keep all my data and apps still after the upgrade.

mlg · 05 Jun 2021

Many many Thanks! For several months I tried to resolve the fact that Windows 10 would not upgrade and continually tried to repeat the same upgrade that was already installed. I finally accepted the fact that I'd have to reinstall Windows and then attempt to locate the installation files and passwords for several years of favorite programs.

And then I saw your suggestion of doing a repair install, an in-place upgrade. I tried it expecting it would not work. Well it did work! There were several nervous moments such as the first time updated Windows successfully rebooted and looked just like it should....but it stubbornly refused to recognize my USB keyboard and I couldn't enter my password. I shut the computer down twice, changed the keyboard port and the keyboard was found. Then I attempted windows update and it froze - try again etc. - a really bad deja vu. Again it took a few shut-downs and restarts but eventually the new repair found its way. I am now happily running 21h1, so far without any problems. In fact my computer is faster and smoother than it was before.

Thanks so much - what a relief!

ppappas · 19 Jun 2021

Can I use repair-install on a system disk when booted from another internal windows boot disk, or does the system need to be booted off the disk to be repaired?

Brink · 19 Jun 2021

ppappas said:

Can I use repair-install on a system disk when booted from another internal windows boot disk, or does the system need to be booted off the disk to be repaired?

Hello,

A repair install is an in-place upgrade, so you must run Windows Setup from within the running Windows you are wanting to repair.

Wisewiz · 30 Jun 2021

@ Brink

Sorry to bother you. You said, "If you have Windows 10 version 20H2 installed, then it is required to have KB4586853 for build 19042.662 or higher installed to be able to do a repair install and keep everything."

I am running 21H1, and I can't find 4586853 in my installed updates list. Does the fact that I'm higher than 20H2 mean I don't need 4586853?

This is my older machine that has lost its drop-down menus in Move To and Copy To in the ribbon, and it has a few other minor problems I'm hoping to resolve.

Dan

Brink · 30 Jun 2021

Wisewiz said:

@ Brink

Sorry to bother you. You said, "If you have Windows 10 version 20H2 installed, then it is required to have KB4586853 for build 19042.662 or higher installed to be able to do a repair install and keep everything."

I am running 21H1, and I can't find 4586853 in my installed updates list. Does the fact that I'm higher than 20H2 mean I don't need 4586853?

This is my older machine that has lost its drop-down menus in Move To and Copy To in the ribbon, and it has a few other minor problems I'm hoping to resolve.

Dan

Hello Dan,

No worries. You are good since you have a higher version and build installed.

Wisewiz · 01 Jul 2021

@ Brink

Thank you, sir. And thanks for adding the note to the tutorial.

One more concern, and I DID search the thread, but found no clear answer: I have made a gazillion changes to the registry, almost all from your tutorials and .reg file downloads. I really don't want to have to work my way through all of those again. Will this repair undo my TenForums registry tweaks?

If so, can I restore them all at once from a saved file? Tomcat suggested (in this thread) saving all of my registry tweaks to a single .reg file, but I have no idea how that should be done, and whether restoring the tweaks would work in a "repaired" registry.

[update later]
I think he meant save all the .reg files I use to a single folder and that's what I've done, sorta. See below.

Paul Black · 01 Jul 2021

Hello @Wisewiz,

Wisewiz said:

One more concern, and I DID search the thread, but found no clear answer: I have made a gazillion changes to the registry, almost all from your tutorials and .reg file downloads. I really don't want to have to work my way through all of those again. Will this repair undo my TenForums registry tweaks?

If so, can I restore them all at once from a saved file? Tomcat suggested (in this thread) saving all of my registry tweaks to a single .reg file, but I have no idea how that should be done, and whether restoring the tweaks would work in a "repaired" registry.

[1] The In-Place-Upgrade - Repair Install will NOT affect the REG Tweaks.

[2] Have you created a Registry Backup, just in case?

[3] I used to do MOST of my customisations Pre-Installation. Since Win 10 however, I have a two Folders, one that contains ALL the REG Tweaks for Merging, and the other that contains the REG Tweaks for Un-Merging. I find it the easiest and most manageable way of dealing with this.

I hope this helps.

Wisewiz · 01 Jul 2021

Paul Black said:

[1] The In-Place-Upgrade - Repair Install will NOT affect the REG Tweaks.

Whew. That's a BIG relief.

[2] Have you created a Registry Backup, just in case?

You betchum, Red Ryder. (Remember that? If not. you're a much younger man than I am.) It's only about 320 MB. Does that sound right to you?

[3]... Since Win 10 however, I have a two Folders, one that contains ALL the REG Tweaks for Merging, and the other that contains the REG Tweaks for Un-Merging. I find it the easiest and most manageable way of dealing with this.

It's too late for me to have a complete folder now. I usually, but not always (dangit!) have saved the .reg files I use.

I hope this helps.

It does, and thank you very much, Paul. Thumb clicked.

Repair Install Windows 10 with an In-place Upgrade

Update regarding my problem