Not able to upgrade anymore

I've in the Insider program since the beginning and the last build I was running was 16251 -- but I don't use the Insider version every day.

So yesterday, when I logged back into my Insider version, I got the notice in Windows Update that version 16296 was available, and it started downloading.

It got to 82% and stopped. Then it want back to Downloading 0%. Then, it went back to looking for Updates,

Today, I restored from an image backup (suspecting that Windows Update got corrupted) and this time, decided to update to 16278 from an ISO file and do the 16296 update later. I started the update, saw it go to 100%, saw the screen change and the message about the PC will need to restart appeared.

Over 4 hours later (!), that message was still there and nothing had changed.

So, I restored from an ealier build (16241), and watched Windows Update start again.

This time, it shows Downloading status all the way to 100%, but then, it started searching for Updates again.

Now, for 20 minutes, it has been stuck at Downloading 0%!

So (1) I can't upgrade using an ISO file, and (2) I don't appear to be able to upgrade using Windows Update.

Apart from a clean-install using build 16278, I don't know what else to try.

I got both of my IP computers updated to .296 from .294, seemed to be rather fast.

I've had problems upgrading before, but this the first time I've ever run into problems upgrading using an ISO.

I've been pretty 'lucky' with the install and updates of the Insider Preview version [since back in the Technical Preview install] but then I've never tried installing the IP over the RTM.

cereberus said:

OP - try this.

Go through upgrade procedure again, and when it has downloaded files and gets to the "restart now" button, leave settings and create an iso using the uuptoiso tutorial in tutorial section.

Then mount iso as a drive and run setup.exe. This does an install.ESD rather than UUP upgrade which is generally more reliable. If that faileps, you will have iso to clean install latest version.

I have an ISO and I'm running the Upgrade right now -- but so far, this is looking just like the last attempt. It does the prep stage 100%, gets to Your PC will restart ... and sits there. It has been an hour now and it has not changed. The drive light keeps blinking and the processor gadgets shows activity, so the PC is not idle.

The ISO has an install.wim file. Are you saying I need an install.ESD file? If so, how to I stop this to run UUPtoISO?