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Of course, you may choose not to follow the preparations for Windows 10 Fall Creators Update listed below. Performing these steps ensures a seamless experience during the upgrade process of your Windows 10 computer.
Before you start: Are you eligible for the upgrade?
Microsoft has officially released the Windows 10 Fall Creators Update. If you're curious and unsure whether your computer is eligible for the upgrade, visit Settings =>Update & security =>Windows Update. If you see a message saying “Good news! The Windows 10 Creators Update is on its way. Want to be one of the first to get it?”, then you're eligible for the upgrade.
Click on the “Yes, show me how” link to proceed with upgrading to Windows 10 Creators Update. If you don't see this link, make sure you have installed the latest public update.
1. Visit the manufacturer's website to check if your computer is compatible or not?
Computer manufacturers will provide a list of computers compatible with specific Windows 10 versions. Try visiting your computer manufacturer's website to see if your computer supports Windows 10 Creators Update.
If your device isn't compatible with Windows 10 Fall Creators Update, you can still install the update by applying the clean install method.
Of course, to perform a clean install, you need to ensure that you've backed up your computer and stored it safely. Although the rollback feature is integrated into the initial release of Windows 10, it doesn't function perfectly as users expect.
Below are the official websites of some computer manufacturers:
Hewlett Packard (HP) /Compaq: HERE
Dell Inc: HERE
Lenovo: HERE
Acer: HERE
Samsung: HERE
Sony Vaio: HERE
Toshiba: HERE
Packard Bell: HERE
MSI: HERE
ASUS: HERE
2. Download and create a backup of your current Windows 10 version
One thing for sure is that after releasing new versions, Microsoft will remove previous Windows 10 versions from the Media Creation Tool.
It means that in case you encounter errors while upgrading to Windows 10 Fall Creators Update and want to rollback to a previous version, you won't be able to download older Windows 10 versions that were released earlier, such as version 1511 or 1507. So before proceeding with the upgrade to Windows 10 Creators Update, backup your computer to prevent potential mishaps.
Refer to the steps to backup your Windows 10 computer in the backup guide provided by Mytour.
Before Microsoft officially releases Windows 10 Fall Creators Update, you can use the Media Creation Tool to download a backup of Anniversary Update, Creators Update ISO, or update to restore installation, create a backup of version 1703 and 1606, for reinstallation in case of emergencies.
3. Check hard drive storage space
Windows 10 requires a minimum of 10 GB of free space. However, to ensure a smooth upgrade process, a minimum of 16 GB of hard drive space is needed. Installing Windows 10 Fall Creators Update requires more hard drive space.
Now is the time to invest in purchasing a USB drive or external storage devices with a minimum of 16 GB of free space. During the Windows 10 Fall Creators Update upgrade process, you can use these storage devices for assistance.
Additionally, you can utilize built-in cleanup tools on Windows 10 or the Disk Cleanup utility to scan and clean up system junk, freeing up storage space. In case stubborn files are found that cannot be removed, you may consider using TreeSize, a utility for cleaning up stubborn files and data to free up storage space.
Download TreeSize to your computer and install it here: Download TreeSize
4. Plug in your computer to ensure it doesn't shut down during the upgrade process
If the process goes smoothly, it takes about 25 minutes to download the Windows 10 Feature Update, plus an additional 10 to 15 minutes for installation. However, not every time does the process go smoothly as expected. Furthermore, Windows 10 Fall Creators Update is a major update.
That's just a part of Windows update. The installation process is much more complex; Windows 10 has to decompress files, move system files and important personal files, and reconfigure everything to work with your hardware.
Essentially, Windows is providing you with a clean installation of the new operating system without disrupting your configuration or personal data. Of course, this process may prolong the upgrade completion time. So, make sure your laptop or computer always has sufficient battery and doesn't shut down unexpectedly. What could be worse than encountering issues and interruptions during the upgrade process?
5. Disable antivirus programs
Antivirus programs and software are often the culprits causing issues during the operating system upgrade process. The main task of antivirus programs is to block changes to your system configuration; sometimes, they may detect and assume any unwanted updates as potential threats, considering modifications to system files as an 'attack'.
Similarly, with Firewalls. To avoid potential mistakes, Microsoft typically advises users to update antivirus programs and software before proceeding with the upgrade.
However, to avoid interruptions during the upgrade process, it's best to disable or even uninstall antivirus programs. After completing the Windows 10 Fall Creators Update, you can reinstall antivirus programs on your computer.
6. Disable all running programs in the background
Startup programs can impact the Windows 10 Fall Creators Update upgrade process, so disable all of these programs by performing a clean boot.
7. Disable peripheral devices and external USB devices
Devices like smart card readers may be mistaken as installation devices. This is especially the case if you're performing an offline upgrade to Windows 10 Fall Creators Update using a USB drive.
Additionally, regular USB storage devices like external hard drives can also be mistaken during the upgrade process. So if these devices are connected, first disconnect and remove them from the computer. Similarly for peripheral devices like printers and scanners. It's best to only use a mouse and keyboard.
If you have an SD card reader, eject this reader before upgrading to Windows 10 Fall Creators Update. Alternatively, you can uninstall the SD card reader by pressing Windows + X to open the Power User Menu, then select Device Manager =>Memory technology devices. Right-click on SD Controllers, select Uninstall. If you have multiple SD card readers, right-click on each one, select Uninstall.
8. Update or disable Display Adapter
Display Adapter can also be the cause of blocking Windows 10 Fall Creators Update. This often happens when you encounter a black screen during installation, followed by automatic rollback settings. Removing the video card driver installation will be the solution in this case.
Additionally, if you have multiple monitors connected, only leave one monitor during the installation process. In some cases, upgrading the display card driver may also help.
To uninstall the video card driver, open the Power User Menu by pressing Windows + X, then select Device Manager =>Display Adapters. Right-click on the video card driver, select Uninstall.
9. Disconnect Internet when using ISO
If using ISO media to upgrade Windows 10 Fall Creators Update, disconnect all Internet connections on your computer during the upgrade. There are several ways to do this: unplug the network cable on your computer, or disconnect from the wireless network, meaning turn off the Wifi.
The simplest way to do this is to open Action Center (press Windows key + A), then click Airplane Mode. This action will disable all connected networks on your computer. Then proceed to upgrade Windows 10 Fall Creators Update.
If updating via Windows Update, when the download process reaches 100%, disconnect the wired or Wi-Fi network on your computer, then proceed to upgrade Windows 10 Fall Creators Update.
10. Skip “Get Important Updates”
In some previous releases of Windows 10, the upgrade process would take additional time if you choose the Get important updates option. So the advice for you is to choose the Not right now option. Then close the setup instructions window and restart your computer.
11. Switch to Local Account
Computers connected to Windows Server Domain must switch to a Local account or maintain the Domain (domain) before installation.
12. Run commands to resolve system integrity issues
Deployment Image Servicing and Management (DISM) is a useful command-line utility used to address issues related to the integrity of files, which may prevent the installation of Windows 10 Fall Creators Update. Run the commands below to resolve system integrity issues before proceeding to upgrade to Windows 10 Fall Creators Update.
Press Windows + X to open the Power User Menu, then click Command Prompt (Admin). In the Command Prompt window, enter each of the following commands and press Enter:
Dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /CheckHealth
Dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /ScanHealth
Dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth
Additionally, another command you should run is driver cleanup. Press Windows + X to open the Power User Menu, then click Command Prompt (Admin). In the Command Prompt window, enter the following command and press Enter:
rundll32.exe pnpclean.dll,RunDLL_PnpClean /DRIVERS /MAXCLEAN
After the command execution is complete, restart your computer and you're done.
So now you're ready to begin the process of upgrading your computer to Windows 10 Creators Update.
These are the 12 things to do before upgrading to Windows 10 Fall Creators Update. Microsoft has also officially released Windows 10 Fall Creators Update, so why wait any longer? Upgrade your computer now!
Have you upgraded to the Windows 10 Fall Creators Update yet? Share your thoughts with Mytour!
