Should Let My Laptop Do The Windows Update

Cheque out these tips to ensure a smooth upgrade path before installing a Windows 10 feature update.

Microsoft has put an immense amount of work into making sure Windows 10 updates happen smoothly. But inevitably, there are a handful of users who experience difficulty during the upgrade. This is due to the millions of configurations that exist and the complication of making a product like Windows 10 work on the vast majority of them.

Update: This mail service was originally written for Windows ten 1703, only all the steps are still sound and worth double checking before installing any new Windows 10 feature update.

In this post, nosotros'll show y'all a few things to do earlier the Windows 10 update. Some of these are simple safeguards that everyone should do. Others are more conservative measures that might only be worth your time if your Windows ten PC is mission-critical.

In this guide, we'll walk through: backing up your data, creating recovery media, and disabling software and hardware that might interfere with the upgrade. Use this guide to reference what you need to do to make sure the Windows x update goes off without a hitch.

Earlier Y'all Begin: Am I Eligible to Upgrade?

The latest cumulative update for Windows 10 now advertises the Windows ten update to users who might be interested in becoming early adopters. In Settings > Update & security > Windows Update, y'all'll run across a bulletin that says, "Adept news! The Windows x Bound Creators Update is on its manner. Want to be one of the first to get it?" If you are excited to be among the first, follow the "Aye, testify me how" link to join the upgrade. If you don't see the link, make sure y'all have the latest public updates installed already.

Check out our guide: How to Install Windows 10 1803 (Spring Creators Update) Using Windows Update .

1. Bank check Manufacturer's Website to Find Out if Your System is Compatible

Manufacturers of diverse brands really do a good job of maintaining a list of uniform systems with specific versions of Windows 10. Cheque the post-obit links to see if the Creators Update supports your system. If an OEM indicates a particular model is not compatible with Windows 10 1803, information technology is possible yous could nevertheless install the update using the clean install method. Of course, the best manner to exercise this is to ensure yous take a skilful backup plan. Windows x has included a rollback feature since the kickoff release, but it's non perfect, then that I wouldn't count on it too much.

Toshiba
Panasonic
Packard Bell
ASUS
Fujitsu
Hewlett Packard (HP)/Compaq
Dell Inc
Lenovo
Acer
Samsung
Sony Vaio
GIGABYTE
MSI
ASROCK
BIOSTAR
Gateway

ii. Download and Create Backup Reinstall Media for Your Current Version of Windows

You don't want to burn your bridges while trying to upgrade to the latest Windows x Feature Update. It's pretty much a certain bet that Microsoft releases the new version on the day they volition remove the previous version of Windows x from the Media Creation Tool. That means you won't be able to download the older Windows ten release anymore or earlier versions, such as 1511 or 1507 if you need to go back. It turns out, some systems, while uniform with a particular version of Windows 10, might non work with the latest release. Reference our comprehensive guides for backing up your system before initiating the installation. If it'southward still earlier the latest Windows 10 Feature Update is launched, you tin can utilize the Media Cosmos Tool now to download a backup copy of the Ceremony Update, Creators Update ISO, or you lot tin update your recovery bulldoze, which will create a bootable copy of the version you currently accept installed, which you lot can use for reinstallation.

iii. Make Sure Your System Has Enough Disk Space

Windows 10 requires a minimum of 10 GB of complimentary infinite; to be safe, the blank minimum I would recommend is 16 GBs. Contempo Windows x Feature Updates setup is more sensitive to disk infinite challenges. Now would exist a skilful time to invest in a USB thumb drive or external hard disk with a minimum of 16 GB of gratis space. Setup can use such storage devices to aid facilitate the upgrade, just in instance.

You can likewise run the routine clean-upwards chores, such as Windows 10's built-in storage clean-upwards tools and the good old disk cleanup wizard. If you lot still can't make a dent in cleaning up enough space for the upgrade, check out our tutorial for Jam Software'south TreeSize, a free utility that makes it piece of cake to detect those stubborn large files.

4. Connect to a UPS, Ensure Battery is Charged, and PC is Plugged In

The Windows x Feature Update would download in 25 minutes in a perfect world, so install inside ten to 15 minutes. This might be the instance for many users, but information technology won't be smooth sailing for other users. While Microsoft has fabricated significant progress in reducing the size of Windows updates, the new version of Windows 10 will be a large update. That's just the Windows update part—the installation is the most complex sequence of setup. Windows 10 volition take to decompress files, motion effectually primal operating system files and personal files, and reconfigure everything to work with your hardware. Essentially, Windows gives you lot a clean installation of the new operating system without disrupting your configuration or personal data. Information technology'southward a delicate balancing act that can actually extend the fourth dimension information technology takes to complete the upgrade. So, make certain your laptop's battery is working and charged up, and if you are upgrading a desktop, connect it to a UPS. There'due south nothing more than disastrous than an interrupted Windows update.

Editor's note: Okay, those are the things everyone ought to do before upgrading. The rest of these tips, I would say, are optional for most users. But if you lot've ever experienced difficulty upgrading Windows, or if you want to exist 100% sure your upgrade goes smoothly, bank check out the following.

5. Disable Your Antivirus Utility – In fact, uninstall it…

Trust me on this one. Contrary to what manufacture experts might say, security software remains 1 of the almost common causes of bug during major operating organisation upgrades. After all, it'south doing what it's supposed to do: blocking changes to your system configuration. Antivirus software will sometimes detect and assume an unexpected update; making a major modification to system files might be an attack in progress. The same goes for software such as your firewall. To avoid false positives, Microsoft commonly recommends updating the antivirus software earlier upgrading; you could endeavor your luck and run into if it works. If it doesn't, then y'all probable know the reason why. Below are some links to instructions on how to disable popular security utilities. After the upgrade is complete, y'all can always reinstall your antivirus utility.

Norton – correct-click Norton in the Notification Area, then click Disable Antivirus.
McAfee
ESET NOD32
Kaspersky
Avast
AVG
Tendency Micro
Bitdefender
Webroot Secure Anywhere
F-Secure
Panda
Comodo

6. Disable All Groundwork Software

Startup programs can also interfere with setup; disabling them by performing a clean boot can help.

7. Disable Peripherals and External USB Devices

It turns out devices such equally your smart card reader can confuse setup. This is especially the instance if y'all are performing an offline upgrade using USB media. Common USB storage devices such every bit external difficult disks can also confuse setup, so disconnect them if yous accept those fastened. The same goes for peripherals such as your printer and scanner. The best recommendation is to have a elementary configuration, no more than than a keyboard and mouse.

If y'all have an SD carte du jour reader, eject your media before upgrading. You lot tin also uninstall your SD card reader every bit an extra measure. Press Windows fundamental + 10 > Device Manager > Memory engineering science devices. Right-click SD Controllers, and then click uninstall. If there is more one, correct-click each, and so click Uninstall.

8. Update or Disable Display Adapters

Some installations phone call for more advanced preparation. Your brandish adapter can actually be an upgrade blocker, too. This unremarkably occurs when y'all see a black screen during the installation then the setup automatically rolls dorsum. Uninstalling your video carte driver is known to help. Also, if you have multiple displays connected, just go on 1 attached for the duration of the installation. In some cases, updating the video card driver to the latest version can help likewise.

To uninstall a video card driver, press Windows key + X > Device Manager > Brandish Adaptersand Right-click your video card driver, then click uninstall.

ix. Disconnect from the Internet When Using an ISO

If you plan on using the ISO media to upgrade, disconnect from the Internet during setup. There are multiple ways to do this: y'all tin can disconnect the Ethernet cable manually. If y'all are connected to a wireless network, you tin can manually disable Wi-Fi past turning off the Wireless switch on your laptop. An easier way to do it is to open Action Eye (press Windows fundamental + A), and then click Plane Mode. This will disable all network technologies. Go on with the upgrade.

If you update through Windows Update when the download reaches 100% disconnect from the Internet LAN (Ethernet) or Wi-Fi, then keep with the installation.

10. Skip "Get Important Updates"

Over the past few releases of Windows 10, the upgrade magician can have its own sweetness time to first if you cull the option to Get of import updates. I recommend yous cull Not right at present. If you choose it and the setup appears to be taking ridiculously long to move past this stage, close the setup wizard and restart your machine.

11. Switch to a Local User Account

Computers connected to a Windows Server Domain should either switch to a local user account on the machine or go out the domain earlier attempting setup. See the department of the following commodity, Leave a Domain: How to Bring together a Windows x PC to a Domain – groovyPost

12. Run these Commands to Resolve Any System Integrity Issues

The Deployment Epitome Servicing and Management (DISM) command is a handy diagnostic tool for resolving file integrity problems that might prevent a successful install. Users can run the following commands as role of their prep routine before initiating the upgrade.

Press Windows key + Ten, click Control Prompt (Admin), type each control, then hit Enter on your keyboard.

Dism /Online /Cleanup-Prototype /CheckHealth

Dism /Online /Cleanup-Paradigm /ScanHealth

Dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth

Another command you should run is the cleanup driver. Printing Windows cardinal + X, click Command Prompt (Admin), and then type the following control and hitting Enter on your keyboard. Restart your figurer when complete. This should help with the notorious failed or non-responsive installation during the driver migration.

rundll32.exe pnpclean.dll,RunDLL_PnpClean /DRIVERS /MAXCLEAN

Conclusion

The point of this guide isn't to scare you into fugitive a Windows x Creators Update upgrade. For most users, the upgrade can and will exist successful without performing any of the steps higher up. But for those who seem to accept bad luck or can't afford a failed upgrade, knowing common causes of upgrade issues tin can salve you a lot of time and hassle.

With each new Windows revision, there volition always exist the unexpected, and it will exist a learning experience in the process. You can cheque out our handy Windows 10 article for more than details almost resolving some of the mutual install errors users are probable to encounter. Our vibrant Windows 10 forum is also a keen resource for finding solutions too.

Have you upgraded to the latest Windows 10 Feature Update? How did it go? Allow united states of america know in the comments.