Has anyone tried this new method?

Like I said there are reported issues with multiple GPT disks while upgrading. It might not apply to everyone, but it doesn't harm to take precautions. Just in case, disconnect all other disks and leave only the Windows disk. Then start the upgrade. Also see other precautions in my earlier post. Just in case.

spapakons said:

Like I said there are reported issues with multiple GPT disks while upgrading. It might not apply to everyone, but it doesn't harm to take precautions. Just in case, disconnect all other disks and leave only the Windows disk. Then start the upgrade. Also see other precautions in my earlier post. Just in case.

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I agree that it's prudent to disconnect the extra disks if it's easily done. My second NVMe is under the GPU, so I didn't disconnect it when I was installing Windows on this machine, that would have been a giant PITA! I did disconnect the two SATA drives since that was just unplugging the cables and they're right under an easily removed cover.

gunrunnerjohn said:

I do an image backup using Acronis True Image, I've restored them many times without any issue. Other than a clone taking a lot more space and usually requiring a whole physical drive, what's the difference? I can store multiple boot images on my NAS and have lots of choices as to how far back I go.

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For me, the difference is simple: If the drive won't work as expected and I cannot rescue it with a backup or any other means I just pull the drive and pop in the identical OS with all the identical apps and I'm good to go in spite of it all. In nowise to I suggest that backups should be neglected. In fact, I do more than this. I habitually make restore points, use Windows File History, use the Win 7 backup option, and generate system images. Can you imagine all those failing to rescue my data after an attempted upgrade? Yup. That happened. Good thing I had a clone handy.

I haven't checked recently, but System Restore was disabled by default. I enable it so I can go back and recover from minor issues, such as an update or a driver causing incompatibility. From experience the last point might not fix the problem, I use the previous one. Also I might not clone my disk frequently because it has too many data and takes time, but I always clone it before a major change such as upgrading from one version of Windows to the other. If anything goes wrong, I just swap disks and have a working system in a few minutes.

spapakons said:

I haven't checked recently, but System Restore was disabled by default. I enable it so I can go back and recover from minor issues, such as an update or a driver causing incompatibility. From experience the last point might not fix the problem, I use the previous one. Also I might not clone my disk frequently because it has too many data and takes time, but I always clone it before a major change such as upgrading from one version of Windows to the other. If anything goes wrong, I just swap disks and have a working system in a few minutes.

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That's pretty much my method as well. I still use system restore because most of the time it works for me when I use it and it's a fairly quick fix for when an app or something I just don't like but only recently installed is unwanted. Yes, I could use uninstall but this really depends on what I'm uninstalling or trying to avoid. Sometimes using a restore point is more efficient. Also I noticed that people seem to forget that as long as the data can be accessed (via Win Explorer or Disk Manager) it can be retrieved simply by dragging and dropping the files from the 'faulty' drive to the clone. As an added measure I will copy my personal files over to a storage drive once a week. Simple habits like this helps to ensure that in the event of catastrophic system failure nothing is lost.

Uninstalling an application that caused an issue doesn't necessarily fixes the issue. It depends what the application did. Restoring to a previous system restore point is better as it effectively returns your system to a previous working state. Also no data are lost. If you save some files after installing the application and then use System Restore, they are not affected.

Just checking in again after a few months. I much appreciate the advice above about upgrading from win 10 to win 11 the normal way while keeping my apps and files. But, just out of curiosity, has anyone else tried to do exactly that type of upgrade but using FLYOOBE?

Since 24H2 the old tricks (delete or rename a certain installation file) to bypass compatibility check don't work. What still works is to fool Windows Setup you are about to install a "Server" version which by default skips compatibility check. This is easy to do.

1) Download the latest Windows 11 ISO from Microsoft. Make sure it is the SAME language as your Windows 10 version otherwise it won't allow a full upgrade (keeping both data and apps).
2) Mount it (aka open with File Explorer) and check which drive letter it is, say D:
3) Disconnect from the internet (important) to prevent Setup messing with working drivers or doing a hidden online compatibility check
4) Press Win+R to open a Run box and execute this code to upgrade:
d:\setup /product server
5) Proceed as normal and don't connect to the internet until you see the Windows 11 desktop.
6) After a successful upgrade connect to the internet to activate.

PS: Some older posts say having more than one disk might cause incompatibility and the upgrade might fail. In that case make sure you disconnect any other disks leaving only the Windows disk.

spapakons (and all here) - thanks for your posts, as I might have to try to do the upgrade (from 10 to 11) on my 2014 Dell Optiplex 7010 this summer.

Follow-up questions:

• If I first try to do the upgrade "straight" (first go back to group edit and permit Window Update to try to go to Win 11, or second get an ISO and try to do the upgrade while keeping apps and files) and it fails, with Microsoft looking down its nose on my creaky beat-up PC, can I still then try spapakons's method immediately above, or will MS have left a hidden note on my PC that warns MS that I remain socially unacceptable?
• Right now, my arthritis-ridden 12-year-old Win 10 PC is in super-relax-negligent mode: no logon password needed, secure boot off, TPM (probably 1.2) never turned on, BIOS now UEFI but still permitting legacy ROM something, etc.
  So - Is there a checklist of what I first have to do to maybe upgrade the "straight" way? In addition to reversing all the things I just listed?
• Just to make things a bit spicy:
  • My PC was designed only to have normal spinning-disk hard drives, but I genetically altered its BIOS to run it from an NVMe drive. See this wonderful article: < Install and boot from an NVMe SSD on a Dell OptiPlex 3010, 7010 or 9010 >
  • My PC was dual-booting Win 7 Pro 64-bit and its Win 10 Pro 64-bit. But since altering its BIOS to run off the NVMe, the Win 7 side doesn't boot. I can still access its files, but that's all. (The Win 10 side boots nice and fast.)
  • So - any further thoughts about upgrading the Win 10 side to Win 11?
• What else should I be asking you?
• Gift with purchase: Those living near Lincoln Center in NYC should know that Breads Bakery at 63rd and Broadway won a "Best Croissant in NYC" contest in the NY Times, and I now need to lose some weight.

Thanks, y'all.

Even if the CPU is compliant, not sure, if it takes too many changes to convert the Windows 10 installation to UEFI mode bootable with Secure Boot on you risk making some mistake and make the system non-bootable. Also I am not sure if you can use a TPM 1.2 module as a version 2.0 is the official requirements. In my opinion it's not worth all that trouble. Just download the ISO and bypass compatibility check to upgrade. As you may have discovered, when Windows 11 drivers are not available, you can install Windows 10 64-bit bit or earlier drivers. Even Windows Vista 64-bit for very old systems. The exception is Windows 7 64-bit Intel graphics drivers that are locked by Intel to install only on Windows 7 to force you upgrade/replace your PC if you want to run Windows 8 or newer.