Build 1607 Not Installing

Hello,

My little netbook is having trouble installing Build 1607. Currently I have Win10 Pro 32-bit, Build 10240. There was a recent update to that build, it installed fine, and now the only update that keeps coming up is Build 1607. Each time, it progresses to a certain percentage (70%, 73%, 71%, 93%, 76%), and then at some point what looks like the window for command prompt - square, black - very quickly pops up and disappears, and it is always at this point that I've come to recognize that the installation didn't stick, and sure enough it always reverts back to the previous version of Windows. It is frustrating because it takes a lot of time to get to the percentages above, and I need to use it. I've tried with Bitlocker on and with it suspended, same result. I've read on another thread to try a stand-alone install, and searched '1607' here, but I'm not sure which of these, if any, is the one I need - Microsoft Update Catalog

Any suggestions? Thank you.

scop8 said:

My little netbook is having trouble installing Build 1607. Currently I have Win10 Pro 32-bit, Build 10240. There was a recent update to that build, it installed fine, and now the only update that keeps coming up is Build 1607. I've read on another thread to try a stand-alone install, and searched '1607' here, but I'm not sure which of these, if any, is the one I need - Microsoft Update Catalog

Is the update it's trying to install called 'Features Update to Windows 10, version 1607'? If so, that is not exactly an update as you would normally understand it (and you won't find it on the Update Catalog). It is actually an upgrade to the latest version of Windows 10, build 14393 (aka version 1607, the Anniversary Update). It's more accurate to describe this as an 'upgrade' rather than an 'update'. It is in fact a complete reinstall of Windows, which is why it takes so long.

The Anniversary Update is normally delivered and installed automatically by windows update. The 'stand-alone install' you have read about involves downloading the install media and performing the upgrade yourself. This Tutorial tells you how to use Microsoft's Media Creation Tool to download the install media, either as a .iso file or on a USB.
Windows 10 ISO Download

Your build 10240 is the original version as first released in July 2015. Somehow you missed getting the Fall Update to version 1511 in November 2015, perhaps by using Pro's ability to defer updates? The Anniversary update was issued in August 2016 and, now that it is on the Current Branch for Business, cannot be deferred any longer in Pro.

Lack of disk space can be one reason for the upgrade to fail and roll back, or there may be other problems. A stand-alone install will likely give a more detailed explanation of the problems, should that fail too. If you would like to stay on 10240 for a while longer to give you time to investigate why the upgrade failed, then it is possible to hide the 'Features Update to Windows 10, version 1607' using this Tutorial. Once it is hidden you will continue to get the regular security updates for you current version as before.
Windows Updates - Hide or Show in Windows 10

Bree said:

Is the update it's trying to install called 'Features Update to Windows 10, version 1607'? If so, that is not exactly an update as you would normally understand it (and you won't find it on the Update Catalog). It is actually an upgrade to the latest version of Windows 10, build 14393 (aka version 1607, the Anniversary Update). It's more accurate to describe this as an 'upgrade' rather than an 'update'. It is in fact a complete reinstall of Windows, which is why it takes so long.

The Anniversary Update is normally delivered and installed automatically by windows update. The 'stand-alone install' you have read about involves downloading the install media and performing the upgrade yourself. This Tutorial tells you how to use Microsoft's Media Creation Tool to download the install media, either as a .iso file or on a USB.
Windows 10 ISO Download

Your build 10240 is the original version as first released in July 2015. Somehow you missed getting the Fall Update to version 1511 in November 2015, perhaps by using Pro's ability to defer updates? The Anniversary update was issued in August 2016 and, now that it is on the Current Branch for Business, cannot be deferred any longer in Pro.

Lack of disk space can be one reason for the upgrade to fail and roll back, or there may be other problems. A stand-alone install will likely give a more detailed explanation of the problems, should that fail too. If you would like to stay on 10240 for a while longer to give you time to investigate why the upgrade failed, then it is possible to hide the 'Features Update to Windows 10, version 1607' using this Tutorial. Once it is hidden you will continue to get the regular security updates for you current version as before.
Windows Updates - Hide or Show in Windows 10

Hi Bree,

Thanks for your explanation. Yes, I am referring to the upgrade 1607. I've always had Windows updates on automatic nothing deferred, so I'm not sure why there have sometimes been installation issues. Having checked the rollout of upgrades, I realize my netbook's behind, but not sure why. Looking through update history, those other upgrades before 1607 you mention do not show up. I've tried the Hide/Show but nothing comes up to show or hide. I thought it might be an Nvidia problem like it was on my desktop PC (where I used the Hide/Show to hide Nvidia and then the upgrades and updates installed smoothly).

My netbook has 100GB free in a 250GB SSD so it shouldn't be a problem. Is there some sort of trouble shooter I can try before giving the 1607 upgrade yet another whirl?

I'm thinking of doing a complete clean reinstall of Windows 10 because there are some things that are odd, but perhaps these are just native to the build I have. For instance, when the OS turns on, it still makes the Windows 7 sound (those four ascending notes), and when I go into settings--system--about, there's no 'version' or 'product ID' listed like there is on my desktop with build 1607. I had to go through command prompt to see which version of Win10 I have. Anyway, thanks for the link to the Win10 Install. It's something I've done before, but not a completely clean one where you wipe everything from the HDD or SSD first. I assume the digital activation/license would still be in place? I don't really understand how MS knows which hard drive had it or not if everything's wiped clean.

Troublesome upgrades are often best tackled by trying a stand-alone upgrade rather than relying on windows update. Apart from anything else, you would then have the install media handy to retry the upgrade should it fail, or to do the clean install you talk about.

Is there some sort of trouble shooter I can try before giving the 1607 upgrade yet another whirl?

when I go into settings--system--about, there's no 'version' or 'product ID' ... I had to go through command prompt to see which version of Win10 I have.

It's been a long time since I've seen 10240 running, but no - it had no version number. The Fall Update was the first to have a version as well as a build number - version 1511, build 10586. The easiest way to find your build/version details is to run Winver. There should be a Windows Update trouble-shooter in Control Panel\All Control Panel Items\Troubleshooting

I don't really understand how MS knows which hard drive had it or not if everything's wiped clean.

Microsoft store a hardware ID for the PC on their activation servers. The hard drive is NOT included in the hardware used to identify your PC, so you can actually swap out the drive for a new one, do a clean install and it should activate automatically. When asked for a key during the install, click the 'I don't have one' option, it should activate as soon as Windows is installed and it can contact the activation servers.

As you have Pro, you licence/entitlement is only for Pro, it is not valid for Home. You must install the right version or it won't activate. If you download the latest Media Creation Tool it will create media that includes both Pro and Home.

Bree said:

Troublesome upgrades are often best tackled by trying a stand-alone upgrade rather than relying on windows update. Apart from anything else, you would then have the install media handy to retry the upgrade should it fail, or to do the clean install you talk about.




It's been a long time since I've seen 10240 running, but no - it had no version number. The Fall Update was the first to have a version as well as a build number - version 1511, build 10586. The easiest way to find your build/version details is to run Winver. There should be a Windows Update trouble-shooter in Control Panel\All Control Panel Items\Troubleshooting


Microsoft store a hardware ID for the PC on their activation servers. The hard drive is NOT included in the hardware used to identify your PC, so you can actually swap out the drive for a new one, do a clean install and it should activate automatically. When asked for a key during the install, click the 'I don't have one' option, it should activate as soon as Windows is installed and it can contact the activation servers.

As you have Pro, you licence/entitlement is only for Pro, it is not valid for Home. You must install the right version or it won't activate. If you download the latest Media Creation Tool it will create media that includes both Pro and Home.

Oh I see. So even if I completely wipe my HDD and SSD as shown in this tutorial - SSD / HDD : Optimize for Windows Reinstallation - Windows 7 Help Forums then the digital entitlement should still activate, yes?

It's my understanding that I do not need the Windows Genuine Ticket? I don't think I made one for my SSD, only for my HDDs (though checking the SSD just now for gatherosstate.exe it appears in three places, C:\$GetCurrent\media\sources, C:\$WINDOWS.~BT\Sources, C:\Windows10Upgrade - the latter being the stand-alone upgrade for Build 1607 which also didn't work) .

I ask because I have read about how some who now do a reinstall sometimes do not get automatically activated. Those who have a WGT can use it as proof of legitimacy (though I don't get how - didn't these expire with the free upgrade deadline?), but what recourse is there in case the reinstalled OS does not get activated for some reason? Thank you.