Windows 10 upgrade stuck at "Getting updates"...please help

[vannatte]

• Dell Inspiron i3646-2600BLK Desktop
• Intel Pentium J2900 Processor (2M Cache, 2.67 GHz)
• 8GB
• 500 GB 7200 rpm Hard Drive
• Windows 8.1

Brand new out of the box and I am stuck at the place mentioned in the title. I've searched everywhere to figure out my next steps. I've tried uninstalling anti-virus software and turning off the firewall with no changes. I have no clue where to go from here.

Edit: I also went from Wifi to hardwire...no change.

Edit: I have also done numerous net stop/net starts through the cmd admin with no changes.

 

[Trouble]

My suggestion would be to acquire the installation media manually from here
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/techbench
Once you have the ISO saved to a folder on the local computer you intend to upgrade, then double click it to "mount" it. That will create a virtual drive on your system. Open that and double click setup.exe and perform the in-place upgrade from there. Uncheck the box or choose not now or later or whatever it says about downloading updates, just proceed with the upgrade without downloading the updates. You can get those after the fact.
Please, please, please create a disk image before proceeding.
https://www.windows10forums.com/threads/please-for-your-own-peace-of-mind.794/

 

[vannatte]

My suggestion would be to acquire the installation media manually from here
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/techbench
Once you have the ISO saved to a folder on the local computer you intend to upgrade, then double click it to "mount" it. That will create a virtual drive on your system. Open that and double click setup.exe and perform the in-place upgrade from there. Uncheck the box or choose not now or later or whatever it says about downloading updates, just proceed with the upgrade without downloading the updates. You can get those after the fact.
Please, please, please create a disk image before proceeding.
https://www.windows10forums.com/threads/please-for-your-own-peace-of-mind.794/

Thank you for the info. I have a few questions:

1. I tried stopping the process and it's just stuck at "cleaning some things up". Am I safe to just restart the computer without an problems?

2. For the manual installation, which version do I use, there are 4? I am guessing the one called Windows 10 only.

3. I bought and formatted a 32gb usb thumb drive and formatted to NTFS and the system says this is not a valid source. Any idea why? It's a brand new computer with nothing saved on it so why isn't this 32gb drive working?

 

[Trouble]

1. I tried stopping the process and it's just stuck at "cleaning some things up". Am I safe to just restart the computer without an problems?

Probably, but I would give it 30 minutes or so to be on the safe side. Do you see any hard disk activity going on (light flashing).

2. For the manual installation, which version do I use, there are 4? I am guessing the one called Windows 10 only.

Yep, top one in the list. It will provide an ISO that will upgrade both Home and Pro versions of Windows 8.1, you will need to know the bit version you need though, so check your system properties and be sure to get the corrent version 32 or 64 bit.

3. I bought and formatted a 32gb usb thumb drive and formatted to NTFS and the system says this is not a valid source. Any idea why? It's a brand new computer with nothing saved on it so why isn't this 32gb drive working?

No idea what you are referring to here..... valid source for what??

 

[vannatte]

Probably, but I would give it 30 minutes or so to be on the safe side. Do you see any hard disk activity going on (light flashing).

Yep, top one in the list. It will provide an ISO that will upgrade both Home and Pro versions of Windows 8.1, you will need to know the bit version you need though, so check your system properties and be sure to get the corrent version 32 or 64 bit.

No idea what you are referring to here..... valid source for what??

To create the disc image on.

 

[Trouble]

It's conceivable that a disk image of your current installation might exceed the capacity of a 32 gig drive even at a 2:1 compression ratio with something like Acronis.
What are you using to create the disk image? Is it providing any information as to the likely space requirements needed?

 

[vannatte]

I was just creating a disk image from the computer.

There doesn't appear to be hard drive activity. When I go to restart it says "update and restart". Am I safe to do that?

 

[Trouble]

I was just creating a disk image from the computer.

The computer isn't natively capable of creating a Disk Image. Windows 7 can create a System Image, which is not the same thing.

When I go to restart it says "update and restart". Am I safe to do that?

I'm not absolutely certain, but I suspect that sooner or later you are going to need to restart, so I'm gonna go with ...... Yes.

 

[vannatte]

Thanks for all the help. Last question, if I download a program to do a Image Disc, should I do it now while the Windows 10 is stuck or after I restart? Just afraid it's going to have issues restarting with a partially downloaded OS on it (I hope not but I've read of others having this issue and bricking their PC).

 

[Trouble]

It would have been nice to have a Disk Image in advance.
At this point, I'm not sure I can offer any definitive advice as to how to proceed.
It doesn't sound to me like the computer, in its' current state is of any use and even if you managed to somehow create a disk image now (perhaps by booting from Rescue Media), I'm not sure that, that Disk Image would be of much value other than of course capturing and preserving you critical data which is very important.
Again..... as I said above, sooner or later you are gonna have to reboot the beast.
Might as well get it over with. Who knows, you might be surprised.
I wish I could say, go here and click this, do that and all will be well, but.....
As I understand it you are setting there with a computer that is for all intent and purpose, unusable.....
Unless I am misunderstanding your current situation.
If the computer is, in fact usable to some extent presently, then I would certainly seize the opportunity to copy off your user profile at least just to make sure that your documents, music, pictures, etc., were safe at least.

 

[vannatte]

It would have been nice to have a Disk Image in advance.
At this point, I'm not sure I can offer any definitive advice as to how to proceed.
It doesn't sound to me like the computer, in its' current state is of any use and even if you managed to somehow create a disk image now (perhaps by booting from Rescue Media), I'm not sure that, that Disk Image would be of much value other than of course capturing and preserving you critical data which is very important.
Again..... as I said above, sooner or later you are gonna have to reboot the beast.
Might as well get it over with. Who knows, you might be surprised.
I wish I could say, go here and click this, do that and all will be well, but.....
As I understand it you are setting there with a computer that is for all intent and purpose, unusable.....
Unless I am misunderstanding your current situation.
If the computer is, in fact usable to some extent presently, then I would certainly seize the opportunity to copy off your user profile at least just to make sure that your documents, music, pictures, etc., were safe at least.

The computer is brand new, out of the box so there nothing I need from the computer. Just worried about bricking it. I can use the computer in its current state, just has the install hanging there.

 

[Trouble]

That's great.
Allows you to be relatively fearless. I wouldn't expect anything that you've done could possibly result in the computer being "bricked", AND.....
Your OOBE should have been a lot less fraught with problems than you are experiencing.
Personally, I'd let it rip and if things went south, I'd take it back to the vendor and tell them to make it right. Brand new, means it should just work and something as simple as an upgrade certainly should not result in you being held responsible in any way for the thing not working properly.

 

[vannatte]

Thanks for the assist. Restarted and 8.1 is there with no issues. I'll give the manual download a shot some other time.

 

[Trouble]

OK, good luck and keep us posted as to your progress.
Personally, I'd pursue it while the computer is

brand new, out of the box so there nothing I need from the computer

It's like your very own 007 license and you can enjoy being fearless.
If it goes bad, you just hand it back to the seller and say.....
Give me another please.