Threatening : ) To Update From Win 10 1709 and 1803 for Years Now?  

2 machines one with 2 drives the other fly's solo all with different win 10 versions. So I have posted a couple of times over the years about finally upgrading though I have yet to do it. Neither have I updated ANY drivers or the BIOS on either machine one 2 plus years old and the other one 1 plus years old.

ThinkPad P51 20HHCTO1WWThinkPad E480 20KNCTO1WW

I don't upgrade because everything works though I know that is not an excuse. Bitdefender is always up to date with Ransomware enabled and all of the browsers that I use are always up to date. I routinely make disk image backups.

If I do this and let windows update run amok should I first visit the Lenovo website and just download Ad nauseam all of the critical updates first and then the recommended updates. What about the BIOS update? Should I update the BIOS before downloading all of the critical updates etc first or flash the BIOS first.

Or should I start with Windows update and let it have at 1909 and then if the machine is still running : ) go do the Lenovo stuff.

I have also thought since I am not a fan of leaving vestiges of old windows versions through the upgrade process of just formatting the drives and installing a fresh copy of 1909 though this would be a giant PIA. If I go that route should I do the fresh install first or the Lenovo stuff BIOS etc first. Thanks.

What method(s) were used to block windows automatic upgrades/updates?

If no deliberate method method was used there may be problems preventing the upgrades.

The Lenovo website has software to check the computer:
a) run the driver/BIOS update tool > upgrade both BIOS and drivers
BIOS Update (Utility & Bootable CD) for Windows 10 (64-bit) - ThinkPad E480, E580 - US
b) operating system diagnostics
laptops and netbooks :: thinkpad edge laptops :: thinkpad e480 type 20kn 20kq Lenovo PC Support - US
c) run the diagnostics overnight (custom scan)
laptops and netbooks :: thinkpad edge laptops :: thinkpad e480 type 20kn 20kq Lenovo PC Support - US


This is an upgrade checklist:

Code:

UPGRADE CHECK LIST:
Run through this check list before the next upgrade attempt:

1) remove nonessential hardware
docks
USB devices
printers
headset
speakers
joysticks
projectors
scanners
plotters
portable optical drives (CD, DVD)
microphones
cameras
webcams
smartphones
bluetooth devices
USB drives (other than a windows 10 iso if used for the upgrade)
USB Wireless Mouse or Keyboard Receiver, USB Wireless Network Card
secondary monitors


2) These should be the only attached devices:
wired mouse
wired keyboard
monitor

Any of these that have been done in the past week are not necessary to repeat:


3) open administrative command prompt and type or copy and paste: (repair file system)
chkdsk /r /v 
This may take many hours so plan to run overnight
Find the chkdsk report in the event viewer using the information in this link and post into the thread:
Read Chkdsk Log in Event Viewer in Windows 10 Performance Maintenance Tutorials
https://www.tenforums.com/tutorials/40822-read-chkdsk-log-event-viewer-windows-10-a.html 

4) open administrative command prompt and copy and paste: (repair operating system)
sfc /scannow 
dism /online /cleanup-image /restorehealth 
When these have completed > right click on the top bar or title bar of the administrative command prompt box > left click on edit then select all > right click on the top bar again > left click on edit then copy > paste into the thread

5) update windows (have all recommended updates installed) and reboot after updates

6) List and uninstall all non-Microsoft antivirus software
(This includes always on and manual software.)
(This includes running the applicable antivirus uninstall tools for any AV that could have been incompletely uninstalled)

7) List and uninstall all non-Microsoft firewall software

8) List all Microsoft and non-Microsoft drive encryption software. 
Uninstall all non-Microsoft disk encryption software

9) Run disk cleanup to clean temporary and system files

10) Verify that the drive has > 30 GB free space (At least 25 GB is needed for creating dumps)

11) Place the computer in clean boot:
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/929135/how-to-perform-a-clean-boot-in-windows
How to perform a Clean Boot in Windows 10 - TechNet Articles - United States (English) - TechNet Wiki
https://social.technet.microsoft.com/wiki/contents/articles/29876.how-to-perform-a-clean-boot-in-windows-10.aspx
https://www.tenforums.com/tutorials/41804-perform-clean-boot-windows-10-troubleshoot-software-conflicts.html


12) Detach all SATA devices other than the disk drive that has the Windows operating system
(Make sure that the only disk drive that is attached to the computer at the time of the upgrade attempt is the disk drive containing Windows)
(Other disk drives may be able to be detached by disconnecting cables or if necessary to remove the drive from the computer)

13) Make sure that there is no metered connection:  https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/17452/windows-metered-internet-connections-faq

For any Windows upgrade failures run setupdiag: (post a share link into the thread using one drive, drop box, or google drive)
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/win...rade/setupdiag

zbook said:

What method(s) were used to block windows automatic upgrades/updates?

If no deliberate method method was used there may be problems preventing the upgrades.

BIG SNIP

Thanks for the info. Windows Update Blocker

Windows Update Blocker v1.5


If I go through with this I had planned on "unblocking" the updates by disabling WUB. I am assuming that once that is done I can update till my heart's content. I am not sure after reading that checklist or your post whether or not I should first do the Lenovo stuff ie. BIOS, hardware drivers etc. (I know for a fact that the BIOS it is out of date and things like the network card etc as well) first or Windows Update to1909. Any thoughts on going from 1709 to 1909 by update rather then nuking the drive and installing a fresh copy of 1909 instead? TIA.

The BIOS upgrade can be performed first.
Then the drivers.
It should not matter.

There is a minor advantage of a clean install:

Reserved storage

Reserved storage: Reserved storage sets aside disk space to be used by updates, apps, temporary files, and system caches. It improves the day-to-day function of your PC by ensuring critical OS functions always have access to disk space. Reserved storage will be enabled automatically on new PCs with Windows 10, version 1903 pre-installed, and for clean installs. It will not be enabled when updating from a previous version of Windows 10.

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/win...0-version-1809
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/win...0-version-1903
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/win...0-version-1909

zbook said:

The BIOS upgrade can be performed first.
Then the drivers.
It should not matter.

There is a minor advantage of a clean install:

Reserved storage

Reserved storage: Reserved storage sets aside disk space to be used by updates, apps, temporary files, and system caches. It improves the day-to-day function of your PC by ensuring critical OS functions always have access to disk space. Reserved storage will be enabled automatically on new PCs with Windows 10, version 1903 pre-installed, and for clean installs. It will not be enabled when updating from a previous version of Windows 10.

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/win...0-version-1809
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/win...0-version-1903
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/win...0-version-1909

Thanks for the further input. If no one else chimes in within the next week I'll just mark this as solved.

Pejole2165 said:

There is always a risk, no matter how small that trying to update a BIOS will brick your machine(s). Check the Lenovo site for any info that specifically says your particular machine(s) have issues with Win10 (version you intend on using) without the BIOS update. If you do need/ decide to update the BIOS make sure you do so on mains power and with a fully charged battery to minimise the chances of a power dropout during the update.
Same thing with drivers, if the Lenovo site says there are issues with your particular machines and Win10 (version you intend to use) then update the drivers mentioned, if your machines work fine with current drivers and there are no mentions on Lenovo's site about your machines there is no real reason to change your current drivers, unless new drivers give additional features.
If you cannot find any mentions of your machines, maybe they are too old to have updated advisories from Lenovo then it is down to you to make a choice, do you update BIOS and drivers first or do you try the Windows upgrade first.
Either way I would use Macrium or similar disk imaging software to make an image of your system drives for each machine and a USB/DVD boot disk (test it works) before doing anything.
You can try using the Microsoft media creation tool to download the latest Windows ISO then either use that tools option to upgrade your machine or make a bootable USB/DVD install disk.
If you don't want to upgrade but instead want to clean install then the created USB/DVD will allow you to do that.
There are methods I believe to download older versions of the Windows ISO if you don't want to run 1909, those methods are listed on these forums.

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