Problems Installing Windows 11 Insider Preview 10.0.26120.4250 (ge_release_upr)

Question

Windows 11 is already installed, so that isn't the issue. From what I can find, the error is coming from having a Dell with Optane Installed and a RAID. I've followed the directions from Microsoft as well as Dell...and neither work. It's not very helpful that the screens and options that both have with instructions to follow do not match what is actually shown. I get a green screen and it rolls back every single time. For me to remove myself from the preview builds, it tells me I have to reinstall Windows 11...which is only going to give me the same issue. This doesn't really make sense to me because all updates have installed without any issues before. So, I have two questions. #1. Is this something that is going to be an issue with every windows update from now on? #2. How do I install windows with Optane and a RAID?

Answer 1

Hi Jonathan,

No worries, this isn’t a permanent problem, and you should be able to fix it!

From what I see, the issue often happens because new Insider builds include updated storage stack changes that can conflict with older Intel Rapid Storage Technology (IRST) drivers. If your BIOS or drivers don’t match what Windows expects, it can trigger error 0xc1900101 (usually related to driver rollback or crash).

Here are some practical troubleshooting steps you can try. Before starting, please remember to:

• Back up your important files
• Unplug all unnecessary USB devices (external drives, printers, etc.)
• Temporarily disable any third-party antivirus software

Then, go ahead and update your drivers and BIOS:

Visit Dell Support: https://www.dell.com/support and enter your Service Tag.

Download and install:

• The latest BIOS update (you currently have version 1.35.0 — check if there’s a newer one
• The latest Intel Rapid Storage Technology (IRST) driver provided by Dell for Windows 11

Restart your PC after installing each update.

Next, clean up device drivers and storage:

Open Device Manager → View → Show hidden devices

Uninstall any hidden, unused, or old storage controllers and unknown devices

Run Disk Cleanup to remove: temporary files, previous Windows installations (Windows.old) and Windows Update cleanup files.

After that, retry the Insider upgrade:

Go to Settings → Windows Update → Windows Insider Program

Check for updates and try installing the Insider build again

If it still fails, try doing an in-place upgrade from the ISO, and make sure to select the Keep personal files and apps option when prompted.

Hope this helps!

Answer 2

I went through and did all the updates that it would let me do. There were some that windows would not let me do. I rebooted and tried the Windows 11 Update again and I still get the same error.

I've did the download installation media shown in the microsoft and dell help articles...but I can't get it to work. The screens and options they show are not the same as what pops up. Plus, I don't really understand the part about the IRST drivers and loading them during setup. What I downloaded is windows based installations and I don't understand how to do that during setup. Is it something you do using a dos command?