After Upgrading the server to windows 2025 from 2016 it is rolling back to previous version with the below error code

Harshavardhan, Lellaboina 0 Reputation points
2026-06-08T05:05:07.9033333+00:00

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Windows for business | Windows Server | Devices and deployment | Set up, install, or upgrade
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  1. HLBui 9,250 Reputation points Independent Advisor
    2026-06-08T06:05:20.38+00:00

    Hi Harshavardhan, Lellaboina

    That rollback error 0xC1900101 - 0x4000D means the upgrade tripped over a driver or data migration issue during the SECOND_BOOT phase. In plain terms, Windows tried to carry over some system data or drivers from your 2016 setup, but something didn’t play nice. First thing I’d do is disconnect any non‑essential hardware (USB drives, external NICs, etc.) and temporarily disable antivirus or endpoint protection. Then run Windows Update Troubleshooter and check that all drivers are up to date especially storage and network ones.

    Next, clear out old upgrade files with Disk Cleanup (select “Windows upgrade log files”) and reboot before retrying. If it still fails, try the upgrade using the Media Creation Tool instead of Windows Update it’s more reliable for major version jumps. Also, make sure you’ve got enough free space (at least 20 GB) and that BitLocker is turned off during the process.

    If you’re running any third‑party RAID or backup software, uninstall it temporarily those are common culprits for MIGRATE_DATA errors. Once the upgrade completes, you can reinstall them safely.

    Give these steps a go and you should be able to get past that rollback loop. If this helps you get your server up and running, please hit “accept answer” it lets me know the fix worked and others in community with similar issues can benefit from the guidance. Thank you!

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  2. AI answer

    2026-06-08T05:05:25.5833333+00:00

    The error 0xC1900101 indicates a driver or hardware-related problem during the upgrade, and the rollback in the SECOND_BOOT phase with MIGRATE_DATA is consistent with this.

    Use the following sequence to troubleshoot and retry the upgrade from Windows Server 2016 to Windows Server 2025:

    1. Verify upgrade prerequisites
      • Confirm that the server hardware and firmware meet the supported requirements for Windows Server (see Hardware requirements for Windows Server).
      • Ensure there is sufficient free disk space on the system drive for the in‑place upgrade.
    2. Review logs for driver or hardware issues
      • Open Event Viewer on the 2016 server.
      • Check Windows Logs → System and Application around the time of the upgrade attempt.
      • Look for events related to drivers, storage, network, or other hardware that show errors or warnings. Resolve any issues found before retrying.
    3. Update Windows and all drivers
      • Run Windows Update on the 2016 server and use Check for updates repeatedly until no more important, hardware, or driver updates are offered.
      • For any third‑party hardware (storage controllers, NICs, etc.), download and install the latest drivers from the vendor.
    4. Check Device Manager for driver errors
      • Run devmgmt.msc.
      • Expand categories and look for any devices with a yellow exclamation mark.
      • For each problematic device, choose Update driver or Uninstall (then reboot and let Windows reinstall, or install a known-good driver from the vendor).
      • After all Device Manager errors are cleared, attempt the upgrade again.
    5. Update BIOS/firmware
      • Verify that the server BIOS and any relevant firmware (RAID/storage controllers, etc.) are up to date according to the hardware vendor.
    6. Address unsigned or problematic drivers
      • Remove or update any unsigned or non‑essential filter drivers (for example, antivirus, encryption, or disk filter drivers) that could interfere with disk access during MIGRATE_DATA.
      • If such software is present, temporarily uninstall it, then retry the upgrade.
    7. Perform the upgrade again
      • After completing the steps above, rerun the in‑place upgrade to Windows Server 2025.
      • If the error persists, consider performing a swing migration (new server with Windows Server 2025, then move roles/data) instead of an in‑place upgrade, as recommended for Microsoft Entra Connect and similar workloads.

    References:

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