Get help with Windows 10 upgrade and installation errors

There are many reasons why you might receive an error message when upgrading or installing Windows 10, but common errors can be fixed with a few steps that you can do on your own. Note: An upgrade takes your device from an older version of Windows, such as Windows 7 or Windows 8.1, to Windows 10.

Before searching for a specific error code, try the tips listed in General fixes. If those don’t fix your upgrade or installation problem, check the table of error codes at the bottom of this article.

General fixes

Here are some things you can try to fix upgrade and installation errors:

Unplug any nonessential hardware devices. These could include headphones, printers, scanners speakers, USB flash drives, and external hard drives.

If you’re using a laptop and it’s plugged in to a docking station, undock it.

It’s a good idea to make sure that all important updates are installed before trying to upgrade Windows. This includes updates to hardware drivers on your device.

For information and to make sure you’re up-to-date, see Windows Update: FAQ.

Use Windows Defender to protect your device during the upgrade—non-Microsoft antivirus software can sometimes cause upgrade problems. As long as you have installation media and all required activation information, you can always reinstall the software after you upgrade.

To remove an antivirus application, go to Control Panel\Programs\Programs and Features. Select the program, and then select Uninstall. Select Yes to confirm.

Outdated software can cause problems with a Windows upgrade, so removing old or nonessential applications can help.

If you plan to reinstall the application later, make sure you have the installation media and all required activation information before removing it.

To uninstall software, go to Control Panel\Programs\Programs and Features. Select the program, and then select Uninstall. Select Yes to confirm.

To upgrade to Windows 10, you need enough space on your hard drive for the installation to take place.

To view how much hard drive space is available on your computer, select the Start button, then in the search box on the taskbar, type File Explorer (known as Windows Explorer in Windows 7).

Then select Computer or This PC and look under Hard Disk Drives or under Devices and drives. If there are multiple drives listed, the system drive is the drive that includes a Microsoft Windows logo above the drive icon. You’ll see the amount of available space under the drive.

If it looks like your drive is running low on space, see Tips to free up drive space on your PC.

0xC1900101 Errors

An error that begins with 0xC1900101 is usually a driver error. If you see any of these error codes, try the following steps first to fix the problem. If these steps don’t work, see Resolve Windows 10 upgrade errors for more detailed technical info.

Make sure that your device has enough space. Your device requires at least 16 GB of free space to upgrade a 32-bit OS, or 20 GB for a 64-bit OS. For more info, see Free up drive space in Windows 10.

Run Windows Update a few times. Download and install any available updates in Windows Update, including software updates, hardware updates, and some third-party drivers. Use the troubleshooter for Windows 10 to fix Windows Update errors.

Check third-party drivers and download any updates. You can find third-party drivers and installation instructions for any hardware you’ve added to your device on the manufacturer’s website.

Unplug extra hardware. Remove all external storage devices and drives, docks, and other hardware you might have plugged into your device that isn’t needed for basic functionality.

Check Device Manager for errors. Select the Start button, then in the search box on the taskbar, type device manager. Choose Device Manager from the results. In the window that pops up, look for any device with a yellow exclamation mark beside it (you may have to select each category to switch to the list of devices). Press and hold (or right-click) the device name and select either Update Driver Software or Uninstall to correct the errors.

Remove third-party security software. Make sure you know how to reinstall your programs and that any necessary product keys are on hand. Windows Defender will help protect your device in the meantime.

Repair hard-drive errors. Select the Start button, then in the search box on the taskbar, type command prompt. Choose Command Prompt from the list of results. In the window that pops up, type chkdsk/f C: and press the Enter key. Repairs automatically start on your hard drive, and you’ll be asked to restart your device.

Note: You must have administrator permissions on your device to do this.

Do a clean restart into Windows. Learn how.

Restore and repair system files. Select the Start button, then in the search box on the taskbar, type command prompt. Choose Command Prompt from the list of results. In the window that pops up, type DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-image /Restorehealth and press the Enter key. (Learn to repair a Windows image)

Note: You must have administrator permissions on your device to do this.

Other Common Errors

The following table lists the most common upgrade and installation errors and some things you can try to fix them. If you continue having problems upgrading or installing Windows 10, contact Microsoft support.

What it means and how to fix it

This indicates that there was a problem downloading and installing the selected update. Windows Update will try again later and there is nothing you need to do at this time.

This could indicate that an incompatible app installed on your PC is blocking the upgrade process from completing. Check to make sure that any incompatible apps are uninstalled and then try upgrading again.

A cleanup operation from a previous installation attempt is still pending, and a system restart is required to continue the upgrade. Restart the device and run setup again. If restarting device does not resolve the issue, then use the Disk Cleanup utility and clean up the temporary files and the System files. For more information, see Disk cleanup in Windows 10.

A file needed by Windows Update is likely damaged or missing. Try repairing your system files: Select the Start button and type command prompt in the search box on the taskbar. Choose Command Prompt from the list of results. In the window that appears, type DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-image /Restorehealth and press the Enter key.

This may signify that your PC doesn’t meet the minimum requirements to download or install the upgrade to Windows 10. Learn more about the minimum requirements for Windows 10

This might indicate that a driver or other software on your PC isn’t compatible with the upgrade to Windows 10. For info about how to fix this problem, contact Microsoft support.

This could mean that the upgrade process was interrupted because you accidentally restarted your PC or signed out of your PC. Try upgrading again and make sure your PC is plugged in and stays turned on.

This error might mean that your PC couldn’t connect to the Windows Update servers. If you’re using a VPN connection to connect to a work network, disconnect from the network and turn off the VPN software (if applicable) and try upgrading again.

The error could also mean there isn’t enough free space in the System Reserved partition. You might be able to fix this problem by using third-party software to increase the size of the System Reserved partition.

Error: We couldn’t complete the updates. Undoing changes. Don’t turn off your computer.

Error: Failure configuring Windows Updates. Reverting changes.

These are generic errors that might appear any time a Windows update fails. You’ll need to determine the specific error code to investigate how to best resolve this problem.

You can find the error code for the failed update by viewing your update history. Look for the update that wasn’t installed, note the error code, and then contact Microsoft support.

To view your update history in Windows 8.1:

Open Windows Update by swiping in from the right edge of the screen (or, if you’re using a mouse, pointing to the lower-right corner of the screen and moving the mouse pointer up), select Settings > Change PC settings > Update and recovery > View your update history.

To view your update history in Windows 7:

Select the Start button. In the search box, type Update, and then, in the list of results, Select Windows Update > View update history.

Error: The update isn’t applicable to your computer.

This error might mean that your PC doesn’t have the required updates installed.

Check to make sure that all important updates are installed on your PC before you try upgrading.

This likely indicates that your PC doesn’t have enough space available to install the upgrade.

Free some space on the drive and try again. Get tips for freeing up drive space

The specified disk operation is not supported by the target disk, partition, or volume.

Make sure your machine meets the minimum requirements to install Windows 10.

The system cannot find the file specified.

If you have a disk or disks where you are not installing Windows 10 on, remove those disks.

A driver has caused a problem.

Disable or remove all 3rd party antivirus or antispyware from your system. Disconnect all peripheral devices that are connected to the system, except for the mouse, keyboard and display.

Contact your hardware vendor to obtain updated device drivers.

Windows Setup terminated unexpectedly due to another process running in the background.

When you start Windows by using a normal startup, several applications and services start automatically, and then run in the background. These programs include basic system processes, antivirus software, system utility applications, and other software that has been previously installed. These applications and services can cause interference when you attempt to upgrade to the latest version of Windows 10.

To help you determine whether a background program is interfering with the upgrade, a «clean boot» may be needed. See How to perform a clean boot in Windows.​

Windows Setup terminated unexpectedly due to another process running in the background.

Uninstall any antivirus or antispyware software and update again.

Windows Setup Installation Process

Windows® Setup is the program that installs Windows or upgrades an existing Windows installation. It is also the basis for the following installation and upgrade methods:

Windows Deployment Services

WindowsВ Setup Installation Types

WindowsВ Setup can perform both clean and upgrade installations. However, it does not perform computer-to-computer migrations. Instead, you must use Windows Easy Transfer, the User State Migration Tool (USMT), or another migration tool to move data from a previous installation to the new operating system.

Custom installations. WindowsВ Setup can perform a custom installation, also known as a clean installation, which saves your previous Windows installation but does not migrate your settings. The previous Windows installation will not boot after a clean installation.

Upgrade installations. WindowsВ Setup can perform an installation that retains your settings and preferences while upgrading your operating system.

WindowsВ Setup Process

The WindowsВ Setup program starts and restarts the computer, gathers information, copies files, and creates or adjusts configuration settings. The following table shows the overall process for WindowsВ Setup:

Downlevel (for custom installations and upgrades)

WindowsВ PE (for booting the Windows DVD or booting a custom WindowsВ PE image)

Specify WindowsВ Setup configurations by using either the WindowsВ Setup dialog boxes (interactive) or an answer file (unattended), or a combination of the two. WindowsВ Setup configurations include adding a product key and configuring a disk.

Apply answer file settings in the windowsPE configuration pass to configure the installation behavior and user experience.

Configure the disk.

Copy the Windows image to the disk.

Prepare boot information.

Process answer file settings in the offlineServicing configuration pass. The settings are applied to the Windows image before that Windows image boots. When the computer first boots, any optional components, drivers, updates, or language packs are processed.

Online configuration

Create specific configurations, making the Windows installation unique.

WindowsВ Welcome

Apply answer file settings in the oobeSystem configuration pass.

Full Fix: Windows 10 is Stuck on Install

• The Windows install process in Windows 10 is designed to be extremely interactive and give you as many customization options in order to provide you with the best experience while using the OS.
• Windows installs can also be the subjects of crashes, freezes and other such issues, and that precisely what this guide will be covering.
• This article is part of our Expanded hub for Install Errors, so check it out and maybe even bookmark it in case this problem ever occurs again.
• Visit our Error page for more useful information regarding similar issues.

1. Download Restoro PC Repair Tool that comes with Patented Technologies (patent available here).
2. Click Start Scan to find Windows issues that could be causing PC problems.
3. Click Repair All to fix issues affecting your computer’s security and performance

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Windows 10 has been out for a while, but people from all over the internet are reporting issues like Windows 10 install stuck at 1%, 20%, 90%, Windows 10 install stuck at Windows logo, Windows 10 installation is stuck at black screen, and most popular, SOMETHING HAPPENED.

And in this article, we’re going to try to help you find the solution to this problem. Before we get to actual solutions we have to tell you to check if your computer is compatible with Windows 10 first.

This goes especially for those who didn’t have Windows 10 Technical Preview installed at least once, but decided to upgrade when the full version came out. As a part of compatibility test, you should also check is your BIOS is updated to support Windows 10.

How do I fix Windows 10 if its stuck during install?

According to users, sometimes Windows 10 can get stuck during the installation process. This can be a big problem, but there are other installation problems that can occur.

As for installation issues, here are some problems reported by the users:

• Windows 10 install stuck on logo, getting ready, black screen, setup is starting, checking for updates, spinning dots, blue screen, purple screen
  • There are many issues that can cause your Windows 10 setup to get stuck, but you should be able to fix most of these issues by using one of our solutions.
• Windows 10 installation failed
  • Sometimes your installation can fail due to various reasons.
  • We already covered what to do if your Windows 10 installation fails in one of our older articles, so be sure to check it out for detailed instructions.
• Windows 10 installation error
  • Sometimes you might encounter installation errors on your PC.
  • This can be caused by your language settings, but after adjusting them, the issue should be resolved.
• Windows 10 install restart loop
  • Sometimes your PC might get stuck in a restart loop.
  • To fix this problem, be sure to check your hardware.
  • Sometimes your RAM might be faulty, and that can cause this and other errors to appear.
• Windows 10 setup stuck making sure you’re ready to install
  • Often the installation can get stuck on making sure you’re ready to install message.
  • If this happens, be sure to disconnect all non-essential peripherals and check if that helps.

1. Install Windows 10 from an external media

If you received your free upgrade to Windows 10 through Windows Update, there’s a chance that something went wrong while your system was downloading updates, which affects the installation of the system.

Luckily, Microsoft provided ISO files of both 32-bit and 64-bit versions of Windows 10 for all those who didn’t get Windows 10 through the update. So, you can try with creating an external USB drive with Windows 10 installation and install the system.

You can download a tool for creating an USB image with Windows 10 ISO files here. Just follow the instructions, and we hope you’ll be able to install Windows 10 normally.

2. Something Happened while installing Windows 10

1. Go to Search, type control panel and open Control Panel.
2. Go to Region.
   
   
3. Go to the region for the United States (or whichever your region is) and click the Administrative tab.
   
4. Change the language to English (United States).

If you’re following the news about Windows 10, you probably heard about the infamous Something Happened issue. Internet went absolutely crazy for this creative (if it’s even on purpose) Microsoft’s way to tell you that you’re unable to install Windows 10 on your computer.

But if you faced this issue, it may not be so funny to you. So we managed to find the solution for this strange error message, and we hope it will work.

We don’t know if users outside the US are affected by this strange problem, but the solution is the same for any other region. After changing your Language Settings, you should be able to install Windows 10 normally.

3. Error 80240020 while installing Windows 10

BTfolder in C: and make sure you checked Hidden items option in the toolbar.

Delete as many files and folders as possible (you won’t be able to delete all of them due to permission issues).

Go to C:/Windows/Software Distribution/Download and delete everything within that folder.

Right click on Start Menu button and open Command Prompt (Admin).

Type the following command and press Enter: exe/updatenow

Some users who received Windows 10 as a free upgrade through Windows Update received an unexpected error 80240020. The reason for this error is reportedly due to the overloaded Windows servers, which may cause you to receive corrupted download files.

Wait for a couple of minutes and then check if Windows Update started to download Windows 10 again. Once the system is downloaded, you’ll get the message Preparing for Installation.

After that, when you receive a message Your upgrade to Windows 10 is ready, restart your computer and try to install Windows 10 again.

4. Disconnect additional monitors and other peripherals

According to users, your Windows 10 installation can become stuck due to multiple monitors. Several users reported various issues while using two monitors during the setup.

It seems that Windows 10 setup can’t handle two monitors, and in order to fix this problem, you just need to use a single monitor. Disconnect all additional monitors and try running the setup with just a single monitor and check if that works.

In addition to your monitor, sometimes other USB devices can cause this problem to appear. However, you can fix the issue simply by disconnecting all other USB devices.

Couple of users reported that their USB hub was the issue, but after disconnecting it, the installation completed without issues.

WindowsВ Setup phase	Setup actions