My windows 10 isn't updating

[charlie93]

Hi there. Apologies if this is in the wrong section or something. I have tried posting this on the microsoft forum as well but I thought this would be a good place to ask for help as well.

 

I am currently running Windows 10 version 1909. It seems that it is reaching the end of its support and I believe I need to update to whatever the latest version is. I have this on my windows update screen in the attachment

 

 

I also tried using windows 10 update assistant which seemed to recognise that I need an update and set about doing what you would expect, download and verifying the update and then installing it. Eventually prompting me to restart the computer. It said it could take up to 90 minutes but it restarted like any normal restart and when I checked I was still running the same 1909 version of Windows. Does anyone have any suggestions or advice for what I might need to do? I have the right amount of space and system specs by the way according to Update Assistant.

 

 

 

I was also advised on the microsoft forum to download the windows media creation tool to reinstall windows whilst keeping all files and apps. However doing that seemed to fail as well as you can see in the following screenshot

 

Apologies again if this is in the wrong section, I have tried the microsoft forum but I hear Linus mention the forum here a lot and I've never really looked until now so many thanks for any help

 

[Nathanpete]

Well at least you provided that last screenshot because that is the error code. Has that screenshot also been post to your post on the MS forums, bc they could really use it to help you out. 

[BecauseRussia]

You may try using the media creation tool to create a bootable USB drive. Then plug that USB into the computer while you are logged into Windows run the .exe from the USB and see if it will allow you to update from there.

 

I have had issues updating in the past and loading from the USB was the only way to get it to work for me.

 

Otherwise, you will need to see if you or Microsoft can find anything about that error code.

[charlie93]

12 minutes ago, Nathanpete said:

Well at least you provided that last screenshot because that is the error code. Has that screenshot also been post to your post on the MS forums, bc they could really use it to help you out. 

Hey thanks for the replies. So that last screenshot was the last thing I tried. First of all I tried the normal windows update (1st screenshot) then the update assistant (2nd screenshot) The media creation tool was the last thing I tried in the list. Anyway, yes I did post it in the microsoft forum - if I'm allowed the link to my microsoft thread is here: https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/all/my-windows-update-isnt-updating/6e8031cf-52ea-4af4-bb07-20e78edeff76

 

The reply to the screenshot with the error code was to follow the information in this link: https://windowsreport.com/installation-failed-safe_os-phase/

 

I did have a look at the driver fix thing but it seemed incredibly complicated manually updating any out of date driver and those third party updaters always strike me as a bit suspicious (although please tell me if I'm wrong)

 

Thanks again for the really quick replies, much appreciated 

[Nathanpete]

1 minute ago, charlie93 said:

Hey thanks for the replies. So that last screenshot was the last thing I tried. First of all I tried the normal windows update (1st screenshot) then the update assistant (2nd screenshot) The media creation tool was the last thing I tried in the list. Anyway, yes I did post it in the microsoft forum - if I'm allowed the link to my microsoft thread is here: https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/all/my-windows-update-isnt-updating/6e8031cf-52ea-4af4-bb07-20e78edeff76

 

The reply to the screenshot with the error code was to follow the information in this link: https://windowsreport.com/installation-failed-safe_os-phase/

 

I did have a look at the driver fix thing but it seemed incredibly complicated manually updating any out of date driver and those third party updaters always strike me as a bit suspicious (although please tell me if I'm wrong)

Yep, they are always suspicious, and are usually bundleware and other unwanted software. Doing it manually is really time consuming, unfortunately for you, if windows update was running correctly and connected to the internet it would do this process for you behind the scenes during the "Windows Update is Running, please do not shut down the computer," screen, but obv we are here because windows update isn't working. 

 

From a glance at your link you really do need to start running through the steps they sent you. 

[Nathanpete]

I was also part way through writing a long ass reply with more help should the website not work, so I will just put it here. Unfinished and messy. And probably a lot of word nonsense because it is fucking hard trying to personally explain both disk cloning and cloud backups simultaneously and chronologically. 

Spoiler

Another thing you can do is either buy a secondary hard drive or a cloud storage provider subscription close in size to your primary disk (Basically C: unless you have made additional partitions on your primary disk) to back up your primary disk and then formatting your primary drive once inside the windows 10 installer. 

 

(If you are in the US you are probably under a data limit, so just buy a HDD because between backing up to the cloud and reinstalling applications, I got charged an extra $10 for going over the limit in the middle of re-installing games from steam. I needed additional storage anyway so I just bought a 2TB HDD for both backing up, my movies, and indie games.) 

 

If you need this done quickly, buy a month of a cloud storage provider, probably 500GB or 1TB/1000GB in size, or if you can wait just buy a 1 TB Seagate Barracuda or 1TB Western Digital Blue (or greater) off of some retailer and using disk cloning software to copy all the contents off of your primary drive to the new HDD. 

 

I also suggest using the start menu to find the "uninstall applications" page inside Settings and creating a list on paper or on your phone of every single application installed at the time, because these will all be wiped by the end of this process and will need to be re-downloaded and re-installed. Digital licenses and cloud game saves are a savior here. 

 

Once you have successfully cloned all the contents of C: to a new hard drive or have backed up all your important files to a cloud storage solution, shut down the PC, remove everything but your primary drive, and reboot into the USB thumbdrive containing the w10 installer. From there, wipe the contents of "Disk 0" by formatting them. Choose the largest partition that you just formatted, and then continue with the W10 installation process. 

 

When you have finished you will be on a clean W10 installation. Open up "Windows Updates" make sure there isn't anything. If there is, wait till it is done. If you used a hard drive for backing up, shut down the PC, plug the hard drive back in, and reboot. If you used a cloud storage provider, open up a web browser on the PC and navigate to their web client to start downloading your stuff. 

 

This last part is actually the most time consuming but you need to take most of the contents of your backup hard drive (minus D:\Windows, Windows.old, Program Files, Program files (x86)) and copy them to the same location but in C: . By far the most important folders to transfer the contents from inside D:\Users\*username* to inside C:\Users\*username*. When copying the contents of the username folder, if it asks whether to replace files and folders, press yes. 

 

[charlie93]

6 minutes ago, Nathanpete said:

Yep, they are always suspicious, and are usually bundleware and other unwanted software. Doing it manually is really time consuming, unfortunately for you, if windows update was running correctly and connected to the internet it would do this process for you behind the scenes during the "Windows Update is Running, please do not shut down the computer," screen, but obv we are here because windows update isn't working. 

 

From a glance at your link you really do need to start running through the steps they sent you. 

So would that incur downloading that driver fix and manually updating any drivers, the driver fix guide on how to actually install the drivers looks pretty complicated. Considering how important drivers are and all that. I did look in device manager and right clicked and checked for updates that way but it said they were all up to date

[Nathanpete]

2 minutes ago, charlie93 said:

So would that incur downloading that driver fix and manually updating any drivers, the driver fix guide on how to actually install the drivers looks pretty complicated. Considering how important drivers are and all that. I did look in device manager and right clicked and checked for updates that way but it said they were all up to date

Ok, so a lot of websites are paid to shill out certain kinds of "driver fixer" software and to recommend it whenever fixing drivers is part of their solution. Don't. If you right clicked every single item in Device Manager and checked for updates then you did more than most driver fixer software ever do.