Inplace Upgrade of Windows 10 1609 to 21H2 LTSC

Question

We have about 115 Digital Signage Players that is running Windows 10 1609 14393.5786 and we would like to do an inplace upgrade to Win10_LTSC_2021x64. The hardware on every machine is about the same 26GB free space on C: before upgrade 4GB RAM i5 3GHz. ALL of the machines are running only what is needed to run the OS, anything else has been removed. And this machine is only logged onto by the user we created and no one ever logs onto it with another user expect when preforming service. The only other software we have installed and running the is the TV Signage player (Axis TV). All drivers have been updated. I know the best process is to do a clean install, however we have certain modifications to the OS such as registry customization, power options which we would like to keep, a clean install would change all of that.

However when we preform a in place upgrade with the option to keep files and settings about 53% into the upgrade it fails with the message Windows upgrade installation has failed, so I followed all the directions on this page https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/wi...upgrade-errors and error I got back is this :Failed to get the provider DISM Package Manager from the remote provider store. - CProxyProviderStore::GetProvider(hr:0x80004005)"

I followed different directions on how to correct that but nothing I found worked. So I did another in place upgrade this time selecting to keep files but to delete all applications and settings. The upgrade completed. The only changes we made to the system was, in the registry we had the system auto login and for our Axis TV Player to play automatically. However when I was running the upgrade I was running as another user and the system never rebooted during the Downlevel phase, it would crash 100% here when I selected keep apps and files. We deleted all the power plans and added our own all other changes were you basic control panel modifications to default settings.

We ran the installer off a USB that has an ISO , I thought about using the Windows Media Creation tool to see if that did anything different but I was not sure with that if we can do an inplace upgrade using Win 10 21H2 LTSC. I also had some DISM errors but I repaired those. We did have the SCCM client on this machine via GPO, but I made a GPO to do a mass removal but that policy did not run until hours after I started the install So I dobut that matters.

So with that said we would like to do an in place upgrade and keeping all the settings and apps we have installed. Based on what I have told you and what I have done and anything further you would like me to do, do you think its possible?

Answer 1

Hi,

I'd be happy to help you out with your question. Sorry for the inconvenience caused.

Firstly, I'd like to say that upgrading from Windows 10 1609 to Windows 10 LTSC 2021 via an in-place upgrade is not the best approach, especially if you've customized the registry and power options. An in-place upgrade can be complex and has a higher chance of causing issues, especially if the system has modifications.

There are several reasons why an in-place upgrade may fail, such as compatibility issues with drivers, hardware, or software. Additionally, any modifications made to the registry and power options could cause conflicts during the upgrade process.

Therefore, if you want to preserve your customizations and ensure a successful upgrade, I recommend creating a custom image with your modifications included and deploying it to your devices using a deployment tool like Microsoft Deployment Toolkit (MDT) or System Center Configuration Manager (SCCM).

Alternatively, you could consider performing a clean install of Windows 10 LTSC 2021 and then restoring your customizations using a backup or by manually applying them after the installation is complete. This approach may require more time and effort, but it can ensure a more stable and reliable system.

If you still want to attempt an in-place upgrade, I suggest creating a backup of your important files and data before proceeding. You could also try running the upgrade using a different installation media, such as the Windows Media Creation tool. Ensure that all drivers and software are up to date and compatible with the new version of Windows.

Lastly, it's important to note that LTSC versions of Windows 10 are designed for long-term stability and are intended for use in specialized scenarios, such as embedded systems or kiosks. They receive less frequent updates and do not include some of the latest features and security enhancements found in other editions of Windows 10. Therefore, carefully consider your needs and requirements before deciding to upgrade to an LTSC version.

For more Information, please refer to following resources :-

1. Windows 10 upgrade paths - https://learn.microsoft.com/windows/deployment/upgrade/windows-10-upgrade-paths
2. Windows 10 Update Assistant - https://support.microsoft.com/topic/windows-10-update-assistant-3550dfb2-a015-7765-12ea-fba2ac36fb3f

If you have any other questions or need assistance with anything, please don't hesitate to let me know. I'm here to help.

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