My Windows 10 isn't updating to most recent version

Logical Ron · 16 Apr 2023

It's a very old laptop that came with Win 7 and free upgrade to win 10. when I started it for the first time in a few years it took forever for things to load like all the HP bloatware and my programs and windows update was trying to update. After a long while things settled down and windows update wanted a restart, after restart the ver. was 21H2 not sure of the build I didn't pay attention to the build becasue I was planning on using my recovery discs to get the laptop back to factory and upgrade to Win10.

That took a while but went fine I ended up with a old HP laptop with windows 10 installed and working fine, things were much faster but still slow. My plan is to sell or donate the laptop and buy a new one but I am also going to rebuild my desltop to a Gen 12th cpu with new everything. So I wanted to have the laptop in case I need to access the internet for any reason during the build. I've checked the update and it did I think 1 or 2 updates but is only at 1511 (OS Build 10586.0) no matter how many times I check updates it says it is up to date but it isn't at 21H2 like it was before the recovery, why would it have updated to 21H2 before I reinstalled Win 10.

I won't be able to reply to any posts until later tonight so please don't expect a quick reply is you have questions. I just wanted to send this before I got busy this morning and will be unavailable mostt he day until tonight.

Thanks in advance

dalchina · 16 Apr 2023

My plan is to sell or donate the laptop

Hi, given that, if it previously ran 21H2, why did you (I think, as you say you next got to 1511) do a factory reset and upgrade?

Simply clean install (latest major build) Win 10 directly. Activation should be automatic.

A clean install means deleting existing O/S partitions

Samuria · 16 Apr 2023

A factory reset may not update as it will be very old and full of bloatware

Logical Ron · 16 Apr 2023

Samuria said:

A factory reset may not update as it will be very old and full of bloatware

Windows 10 to my knowledge will check the version and update to current version of Win 10. I don't see doing a factory reset of the laptop software and then an upgrade to Win 10 would prevent Windows 10 from updating to current version of windows 10??

MisterEd · 16 Apr 2023

Eaglepi said:

Windows 10 to my knowledge will check the version and update to current version of Win 10. I don't see doing a factory reset of the laptop software and then an upgrade to Win 10 would prevent Windows 10 from updating to current version of windows 10??

Windows 10 on a very old computer might stop updating after a certain version. It is possible that newer updates might be not compatible with some hardware in your computer. That may be why it stopped at 21H2.

I am not sure where you are right now. Are you at 1511 or 21H2? If you are at 1511 you need to start over.

To continue you need to back up anything your want to save because your computer is going to be be reset.

If you are at 1511 then you are a very early release and can't update using Windows update. Your best bet is to download the Media Creation Tool and create a bootable flash drive with the latest version which is 22H2.

Boot the flash drive and select custom. Delete all partitions and install Windows 10 in the unallocated space left.

Note that since the computer had previously has Window 10 on it, it should automatically activate itself.

Warning: If Windows 10 22H2 fails to install then you might have to try again with 21H2 which you know works.

dalchina · 17 Apr 2023

No reply to my post so I'm out. Good luck.

Logical Ron · 17 Apr 2023

dalchina said:

Hi, given that, if it previously ran 21H2, why did you (I think, as you say you next got to 1511) do a factory reset and upgrade?

Simply clean install (latest major build) Win 10 directly. Activation should be automatic.

A clean install means deleting existing O/S partitions

Sorry I missed your reply, The reason I did the factory reset and upgrade to win 10 the same thing I have had on this laptop since 2015 is becasue I plan to sell it.

I wanted just the factory basics and the Win 10 upgrade on the laptop.

Someone replied below to do anther facory reset and use Brink's tutorial to create a bootable ubs with the latest version of Win 10.

Doesn't make sense to me since I just did a factory reset and upgraded with the Win 10 upgrade I was giving by MS. This goes to the one who wanted me to do another reset, Why I I have done several resets over the years using the same laptop with same recovery discs and win 10 upgrade and it always upgraded to at leaset to 21H2. doing another reset hours after doing one ?? not sure that will do anything for me except take a lot of time. If this laptop has been updated to 21H2 why won't it again after a factory reset and Win 10 upgrade????