My Windows 10 keeps re-installing at every update

Hi BB. I'm Greg, an installation specialist, 10 years Windows MVP, and Volunteer Moderator here to help you.

First off, your files should always be backed up if you value them at all. At the end of this post I'll give you simple free ways to do this so you have a backup.

I would manually upgrade to the latest version 1909 by opening the Media Creation Tool from this link: http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-10/m..., choose Download Tool Now, then open the tool and choose Upgrade This PC Now. This saves your files, apps and most settings in place, is the most stable method to change versions, brings your Updates current, resolves most problems.

If any problems report back the verbatim error and number, then continue with these steps for overcoming Version Upgrade problems: http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/wiki...

If the Version has problems I will work with you to try to resolve them. If the problems are unfixable for now, you have ten days to roll it back in Recovery settings. You can then hide it so it doesn't try to reinstall following this same method: https://www.howtogeek.com/223864/how-to-uninsta...

Most problems are resolved by doing this gold standard Clean Install which should get you past all difficulties as it has millions of others who have followed the steps in this link and never come back to report another problem: http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/wiki... . So read it over and see if its something you want to learn to do.

BACKUP -

Your files should always be backed up because a hard drive can die at any time without notice. Some suggestions to help ease into this habit:

1. You can sync your Desktop, Documents and Pictures folder using OneDrive Backup, or just drag valuable files into OneDrive folder, offering 5gb free with additional space for cheap: https://www.tenforums.com/tutorials/116029-turn...
2. Google Drive has a new Backup that allows you to choose User folders (Documents, Pictures, etc.) to sync up to 15gb for free to their cloud in real time so it always has the latest version. https://www.google.com/intl/en-GB_ALL/drive/dow...
3. In addition I'd have an on-site hard copy backup. The best way to do this is to sort all of your files into their User folders and then drag or copy them to another hard drive, USB external or flash drive. Here's how to drag, copy or move large groups of files: https://www.pcworld.com/article/2086566/the-man...
4. Besides your files you should save a System Image back up to use in place of reinstall in 20 minutes. The best free alternative is Macrium: http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/7363/macrium-ref... You can even use the Macrium program to mount and extract files from this image so it can serve as both image and file backup too.

I hope this helps. Feel free to ask back any questions and let us know how it goes. I will keep working with you until it's resolved.

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Standard Disclaimer: There are links to non-Microsoft websites. The pages appear to be providing accurate, safe information. Watch out for ads on the sites that may advertise products frequently classified as a PUP (Potentially Unwanted Products). Thoroughly research any product advertised on the sites before you decide to download and install it.

If you want to complain to Microsoft use the Feedback Hub app in Start Menu where developers are tasked to process consumer feedback. But Microsoft will not even see it here because this is a tech forums where we are mostly volunteers trying to help solve your problems.

What we have found is that in Windows 10 everything depends on the quality of the underlying install, the same reason enthusiasts have never run Factory or Upgrade installs because they know there would be endless issues.

For example there have been zero return problems by those who follow the gold standard Clean Install here: http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/wiki.... It is better and faster than any previous version of Windows, and a better install than any amount of money could buy. So when you get time I'd study over that to see if it's something I can help you do.

Compare the install you did with the install above. The reason I suggest this is that no one who has adopted the install in the above link has ever come back to report further problems I've seen, including another version failure. This is because everything in Windows 10 is dependent upon the quality of the install, especially Version Updates which will choke on lesser quality installs. Whether we like it or not, this is where we are in Windows 10.

All that said, you can block version Updates the same as any other update as shown here:

https://www.howtogeek.com/223864/how-to-uninsta...

Then later when you get time you can invest in a quality install which is what matters most in Windows 10.

Hello . . . isn't there a fix for the constant re-install rather than wiping the PC and starting all over again? My files are scattered now, thanks to Windows 10, and gathering them all up will take many hours, but they still exist on this PC.

I never had this problem with Windows 7, 8 or 8.1 and the Windows 10 is on a new HP laptop I started using in November of 2019.

Is there a way that I can just stop the updates and re-installs and use this PC like the tool it was designed to be?

Your wipe is not a solution, it is starting all over again with a blank slate.

Certainly, you folks at Microsoft can advise a user friendly fix for this problem short of dynamite.

Thanks.

BB-

Actually there's nothing deep aboutbacking up files and running Version Updates by the most stable method to get around corruption which is causing them to choke to death.

If you read what I wrote the files, settings and apps are saved with only Windows reinstalled, takes under an hour and solves almost all problems.

Not having files backed up fully is reckless. The easiest way is to take the time now to sort them into the User folders - Docs, Pics, Desktop, Music, Videos, etc - then copy those externally, then choose a cloud backup like OneDrive Folder backup or Google Drive backup so they're also backed up in real time.

Hello . . . Thanks for your reply. This sounds like deep water to me. Will this wipe out all files on my PC? Over the past many months, as this re-install phenomenon has occurred, I have been able to have Picasa find my pictures on my PC and many documents have been found via a search of the PC as most are ODT files created via Libre Office.

I don't want to destroy pictures or documents that may be hiding on this PC and that I might be able to find later.

This wipe you describe sounds like curtains for my files.

Thanks.