Installation and Upgrade Repair Install Windows 11 with an In-place Upgrade

  • Thread starter Thread starter Brink
  • Start date Published: Start date Updated Updated:
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Windows_11_banner.png

This tutorial will show you how to do a repair install of Windows 11 by performing an in-place upgrade without losing anything.

If you need to repair or create a new recovery partition or having problems with the Windows 11 operating system on your PC, and the usual solutions will not fix it, you can do a repair install of Windows 11 by performing an in-place upgrade without losing anything.

You will keep all accounts, apps, files, settings, and personal data.

You must be signed in as an administrator to perform a repair install of Windows 11.

You will only be able to perform a repair install of Windows 11 from within Windows 11. You will not be able to perform a repair install at boot or in Safe Mode.

You will need at least 20 GB of free space on the Windows drive to perform an in-place upgrade.


When you perform a repair install (in-place upgrade), the previous version of Windows in the Windows.old folder (up to 10 days after upgrade) will automatically get replaced by the current Windows. It is recommended to create a system image first if you would like to be able to go back to current previous Windows before it gets replaced.


To perform a repair install on a system that doesn't meet Windows 11 system requirements, you will need to download and merge the REG file below or perform option three here first, then do the steps in an option in this tutorial below.

Download




Contents

  • Option One: Repair Install Windows 11 using Windows Update
  • Option Two: Repair Install Windows 11 using ISO or USB Installation Media


EXAMPLE: How to perform a Windows 11 In-place upgrade | Microsoft





Option One

Repair Install Windows 11 using Windows Update


This will download and install a repair version of the OS. This operation reinstalls the OS that you have and will not remove any files, settings, or apps.


Fix issues by reinstalling the current version of Windows - Microsoft Support

Learn how to reinstall Windows using Windows Update.
support.microsoft.com support.microsoft.com

1 Open Settings (Win+I).

2 Click/tap on System on the left side, and click/tap on Recovery on the right side. (see screenshot below)


Windows_Update_repair_install-1.png

3 Click/tap on the Reinstall now button for "Fix problems using Windows Update". (see screenshot below)

Windows_Update_repair_install-2.png

4 Click/tap on OK to confirm. (see screenshot below)

Windows_Update_repair_install-3.png

5 Windows Update will now open and automatically start downloading and installing the repair version of your Windows 11. (see screenshot below)

Windows_Update_repair_install-4.png

6 When Windows Update has finished, click/tap on Restart now when prompted to perform the repair install. (see screenshot below)

Windows_Update_repair_install-5.png

7 When the repair install of Windows 11 has finished, you can dismiss the lock screen and sign in to Windows 11. (see screenshots below)

Lock_screen.jpg
Sign-in_screen.jpg

8 You will now be on your desktop in Windows 11. (see screenshot below)

Repair_install_Windows11-15.png




Option Two

Repair Install Windows 11 using ISO or USB Installation Media


1 Disable or uninstall any 3rd party AV or security program you have installed first to prevent it from interfering with the repair install of Windows 11. You can enable or reinstall it again after Windows 11 has finished installing.

It may be required to use the removal tool from the AV program developer to fully remove it.


2 If the Windows drive is encrypted by BitLocker or Device Encryption, then you will need to either suspend or turn off Device Encryption or BitLocker for the Windows drive before doing a repair install. Once installation has finished, you can resume or turn on BitLocker or Device Encryption again.

If a device doesn't initially qualify for device encryption, but then a change is made that causes the device to qualify (for example, by turning on Secure Boot), device encryption enables BitLocker automatically as soon as it detects it.


3 Do the step below depending on how you want to install Windows 11.
  • step 4: To Repair Install Windows 11 with an ISO file
  • step 5: To Repair Install Windows 11 with USB Installation Media

The Windows 11 installation media (ISO or USB) must be the same edition, same version, and same or higher build as the currently installed Windows 11.

The Windows 11 installation media (ISO or USB) must be for the same language as your currently installed Windows 11.


4 To Repair Install Windows 11 with an ISO file

A) If you have not already, you will need to download a Windows 11 ISO file.​

B) Mount the ISO file, and go to step 6 below.​

5 To Repair Install Windows 11 with USB Installation Media

This does not have to be a bootable USB.


A) Connect and open the Windows 11 USB, and go to step 6 below. (see screenshot below)​

Repair_install_Windows11-1.png

6 Run the setup.exe file to start Windows 11 Setup. (see screenshot below)

Repair_install_Windows11-2.png

7 If prompted by UAC, click/tap on Yes. (see screenshot below)

Repair_install_Windows11-3.png

8 Windows 11 Setup will now start preparing. (see screenshot below)

Repair_install_Windows11-4.png

9 Click/tap on the Change how Setup downloads updates link. (see screenshot below)

You can check or uncheck (default) I want to help make the installation better depending on what you want. This will send setup info to Microsoft to help improve.


Repair_install_Windows11-5.png

10 Select (dot) Not right now for "Get updates, drivers and optional features". (see screenshot below)

Choosing to "download updates, drivers and optional features" will only add unnecessary overhead during the repair install, and could cause the repair install to stall if there was an issue.

You can check for updates via Windows Update after the repair install has finished to avoid this.


Repair_install_Windows11-6.png

11 Windows 11 Setup will now start getting things ready. (see screenshots below)

Repair_install_Windows11-7.png
Repair_install_Windows11-8.png

12 Click/tap on Accept for the license terms. (see screenshot below)

Repair_install_Windows11-9.png

13 Windows 11 Setup will now check to make sure you're ready to install and have enough space. (see screenshots below)

Repair_install_Windows11-10.png
Repair_install_Windows11-10b.png

14 Click/tap on the Change what to keep link. (see left screenshot below)

After doing step 15, click/tap on Install when ready to start the repair install of Windows 11. (see right screenshot below)


Repair_install_Windows11-11.png
Repair_install_Windows11-12.png

15 Select (dot) Keep personal files and apps, and click/tap on Next. (see left screenshot below)

If you only have Nothing available to select, then the installation media is not the same version or language as what you currently have installed.

When you click/tap on Next, you will go back to step 13. When you get to step 14 again, click/tap on Install when ready to start the repair install of Windows 11. (see right screenshot below)


If wanted, you can close the Windows 11 Setup window at this point to safely cancel the repair install before it starts. It will be too late after this step.


Repair_install_Windows11-13.png
Repair_install_Windows11-12.png

16 Windows 11 Setup will now start the repair install of Windows 11. (see screenshot below)

Your PC will restart several times. This might take a while.


Repair_install_Windows11-14.png

17 When the repair install of Windows 11 has finished, you can dismiss the lock screen and sign in to Windows 11. (see screenshots below)

Lock_screen.jpg
Sign-in_screen.jpg

18 You will now be on your desktop in Windows 11. (see screenshot below)

Repair_install_Windows11-15.png


That's it,
Shawn Brink


Related Tutorials

 

Attachments

Last edited:
Click to expand...
Can 25H2 be repaired with a 24H2 iso ? I suspect so, but thought better than to assume it's correct.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 11
Dirtyflash said:
Can 25H2 be repaired with a 24H2 iso ? I suspect so, but thought better than to assume it's correct.
Click to expand...
I assume the option to Go Back is no longer available to you.

So how would you proceed? Use DISM? Do an in-place repair using mounted image?
I've never tried and am dubious the latter would work.
With DISM pointing to a .WIM file, it might.
 

My Computers

System One System Two

  • OS
    All Branches but Release
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Acer Nitro ANV15-51
    CPU
    AMD Ryzen 7 7735HS 3200-4500 Mhz 8 cores x 2
    Motherboard
    Sportage_RBH
    Memory
    32 GB DDR5
    Graphics Card(s)
    Radeon Graphic / NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 8 GB GDDR6
    Sound Card
    AMD/Realtek(R) Audio
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Integrated Monitor (15.3"vis)
    Screen Resolution
    FHD 1920X1080 16:9 144Hz
    Hard Drives
    KINGSTON OM8SEP4512Q-AA 1TB
    Western Digital 256GB
    PSU
    19V DC 6.32 A 120 W
    Cooling
    Dual Fans
    Mouse
    MS Bluetooth
    Internet Speed
    Fiber 1GB Cox -us & 1GB Orange-fr
    Browser
    Edge Canary- Firefox Nightly-Chrome Dev-Chrome Dev
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender
  • Operating System
    Windows 11 Beta
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Asus X751BP
    CPU
    AMD A9-9420
    Memory
    8 GB of DDR4
    Graphics card(s)
    AMD Radeon R5
    Screen Resolution
    1600x900
    Hard Drives
    Seagate 1 TB
Dirtyflash said:
Can 25H2 be repaired with a 24H2 iso ? I suspect so, but thought better than to assume it's correct.
Click to expand...

Sorry, but no. You'll need a 25H2 ISO if option one is not available to you.

The Windows 11 installation media (ISO or USB) must be the same edition, same version, and same or higher build as the currently installed Windows 11.

The Windows 11 installation media (ISO or USB) must be for the same language as your currently installed Windows 11.

 

My Computers

System One System Two

  • OS
    Windows 11 Pro for Workstations
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Custom self build
    CPU
    Intel i7-8700K 5 GHz
    Motherboard
    ASUS ROG Maximus XI Formula Z390
    Memory
    64 GB (4x16GB) G.SKILL TridentZ RGB DDR4 3600 MHz (F4-3600C18D-32GTZR)
    Graphics Card(s)
    ASUS ROG-STRIX-GTX1080TI-O11G-GAMING (11GB GDDR5X)
    Sound Card
    Integrated Digital Audio (S/PDIF)
    Monitor(s) Displays
    2 x Samsung Odyssey G75 27"
    Screen Resolution
    2560x1440
    Hard Drives
    1TB Samsung 990 PRO M.2,
    4TB Samsung 990 PRO M.2,
    TerraMaster F8 SSD Plus NAS
    PSU
    Seasonic Prime Titanium 850W
    Case
    Thermaltake Core P3 wall mounted
    Cooling
    Corsair Hydro H115i
    Keyboard
    Amazon Basics Wired Full Keyboard MD005
    Mouse
    Logitech MX Master 4
    Internet Speed
    2 Gbps Download and 100 Mbps Upload
    Browser
    Chrome and Edge
    Antivirus
    Microsoft Defender
    Other Info
    Logitech Z625 speaker system,
    Logitech BRIO 4K Pro webcam,
    HP Color LaserJet Pro MFP M477fdn,
    CyberPower CP1500PFCLCD
    Galaxy S23 Plus phone
  • Operating System
    Windows 11 Pro
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Surface Laptop 7 Copilot+ PC
    CPU
    Snapdragon X Elite (12 core) 3.42 GHz
    Memory
    16 GB LPDDR5x-7467 MHz
    Monitor(s) Displays
    15" HDR
    Screen Resolution
    2496 x 1664
    Hard Drives
    1 TB SSD
    Internet Speed
    Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4
    Browser
    Chrome and Edge
    Antivirus
    Microsoft Defender
  • Like
Reactions: OAT
That’s what I figured. How long was it until after the enablement package for 23H2, that the first 23H2 ISO became available? I can’t remember.
 

My Computers

System One System Two

  • OS
    Windows 11 Pro 25H2 Build 26200.8655
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Sin-built 2013
    CPU
    Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-4770K CPU @ 3.50GHz
    Motherboard
    ASUS ROG Maximus VI Formula
    Memory
    32.0 GB of I forget and the box is in storage.
    Graphics Card(s)
    Gigabyte nVidia GeForce GTX 1660 Super OC 6GB
    Sound Card
    Onboard thingy
    Monitor(s) Displays
    5 x LG 25MS500-B - 1 x 24MK430H-B - 1 x Wacom Pro 22" Touch Screen Tablet
    Screen Resolution
    All over the place
    Hard Drives
    Too many to list.
    OS on Samsung 1TB 870 QVO SATA
    PSU
    Silverstone 1500
    Case
    NZXT Phantom 820 Full-Tower Case
    Cooling
    Noctua NH-D15 Elite Class Dual Tower CPU Cooler / 6 x EziDIY 120mm / 2 x Corsair 140mm somethings / 1 x 140mm Thermaltake something / 2 x 200mm Corsair.
    Keyboard
    Corsair K95 / Logitech diNovo Edge Wireless
    Mouse
    Logitech: G402 / G502 / Mx Masters / Mx Air Cordless
    Internet Speed
    2000/500Mbps
    Browser
    All sorts
    Antivirus
    Kaspersky Premium
    Other Info
    ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
    TP-Link BE9300 WiFi 7 Bluetooth 5.4 (Archer TBE550E)
    TP-Link TX201 V1 2.5GB Lan

    Grandstream HT812 - VoIP
    ASUS DSL-AX82U - Mesh
    ASUS RT-AC68U - Mesh
    ASUS RT-BE88U Router

    Brother MFC-L2880DW Printer

    I’m on a horse.
  • Operating System
    Windows 11 Pro 25H2 Build 26200.8655
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    LENOVO Yoga 7 14IRL8 - 7i EVO OLED 14" Touchscreen i5 12 Core 16GB/512GB
    CPU
    Intel Core 12th Gen i5-1240P Processor (1.7 - 4.4GHz)
    Memory
    16GB LPDDR5 RAM
    Graphics card(s)
    Intel Iris Xe Graphics Processor
    Sound Card
    Optimized with Dolby Atmos®
    Screen Resolution
    QHD 2880 x 1800 OLED
    Hard Drives
    M.2 512GB
    Antivirus
    Defender / Malwarebytes
    Other Info
    …still on a horse.
Dirtyflash said:
Can 25H2 be repaired with a 24H2 iso ? I suspect so, but thought better than to assume it's correct.
Click to expand...
Brink said:
Sorry, but no. You'll need a 25H2 ISO if option one is not available to you.

The Windows 11 installation media (ISO or USB) must be the same edition, same version, and same or higher build as the currently installed Windows 11.

Click to expand...
Are you sure? 25H2 and 24H2 share a common set of system files with only the enablement package to set them apart.

It should be possible to repair 25H2 with a 24H2 ISO. Lets see.....

...yes, seems to be happy enough with a 24H2 26100.4349 ISO, as made by the MCT.

1756919726061.webp
 

My Computers

System One System Two

  • OS
    Windows 11 Home
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Acer Aspire 3 A315-23-R9VY
    CPU
    AMD Athlon Silver 3050U
    Memory
    8GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    Radeon Graphics
    Monitor(s) Displays
    laptop screen
    Screen Resolution
    1366x768 native resolution, up to 2560x1440 with Radeon Virtual Super Resolution
    Hard Drives
    1TB Samsung EVO 870 SSD (from April 2026: 250GB EVO 850)
    Internet Speed
    150 Mbps
    Browser
    Edge, Firefox
    Antivirus
    Defender
    Other Info
    fully 'Windows 11 ready' laptop. Windows 10 C: partition migrated from my old unsupported 'main machine' then upgraded to 11. A test migration ran Insider builds for 2 months. When 11 was released on 5th October 2021 it was re-imaged back to 10 and was offered the upgrade in Windows Update on 20th October. Windows Update offered the 22H2 Feature Update on 20th September 2022. It got the 23H2 Feature Update on 4th November 2023 through Windows Update, 24H2 on 3rd October 2024 through Windows Update by setting the Target Release Version for 24H2, and 25H2 on 30th September 2025 through Windows Update by setting the Target Release Version for 25H2.

    UPDATE - 11 April 2026: due to mechanical deterioration this PC has been retired from active duty. The OS with all software and files has been migrated to my System Seven below to carry on as my general purpose 'main machine'.

    My SYSTEM THREE is a Dell Latitude 5410, i7-10610U, 32GB RAM, 512GB NVMe ssd, supported device running Windows 11 Pro.

    My SYSTEM FOUR is a 2-in-1 convertible Lenovo Yoga 11e 20DA, Celeron N2930, 8GB RAM, 256GB ssd. Unsupported device: currently running Win10 Pro, plus Win11 Pro RTM and Insider Dev, Beta, and RP 24H2 as native boot vhdx.

    My SYSTEM FIVE is a Dell Latitude 3190 2-in-1, Pentium Silver N5030, 8GB RAM, 1TB NVMe ssd, supported device running Windows 11 Pro, plus Insider Beta, Dev, and Canary builds (and a few others) as a native boot .vhdx.

    My SYSTEM SIX is a Dell Latitude 5550, Core Ultra 7 165H, 64GB RAM, 1TB NVMe SSD, supported device, Windows 11 Pro 24H2, Hyper-V host machine. Updated to 25H2 on 30th September 2025.

    My SYSTEM SEVEN is a Lenovo Thinkpad T580, Intel Core i7-8650U, 16GB RAM, 512GB NVMe SSD + 2nd 512GB NVMe SSD, a supported device for Windows 11. This is my current general purpose 'main machine'. The installed Windows 11 Home from my System One has been migrated to this machine.
  • Operating System
    Windows 11 Pro
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Dell Latitude E4310
    CPU
    Intel® Core™ i5-520M
    Motherboard
    0T6M8G
    Memory
    8GB
    Graphics card(s)
    (integrated graphics) Intel HD Graphics
    Screen Resolution
    1366x768
    Hard Drives
    500GB Crucial MX500 SSD
    Browser
    Firefox, Edge
    Antivirus
    Defender
    Other Info
    unsupported machine: Legacy bios, MBR, TPM 1.2, upgraded from W10 to W11 using W10/W11 hybrid install media workaround. In-place upgrade to 22H2 using ISO and a workaround. Feature Update to 23H2 by manually installing the Enablement Package. In-place upgrade to 24H2 using hybrid 23H2/24H2 install media. Upgraded to 25H2 by Enablement Package. Also running Insider Dev, and Canary builds and Windows 10 as native boot .vhdx.

    My SYSTEM THREE is a Dell Latitude 5410, i7-10610U, 32GB RAM, 512GB NVMe ssd, supported device running Windows 11 Pro.

    My SYSTEM FOUR is a 2-in-1 convertible Lenovo Yoga 11e 20DA, Celeron N2930, 8GB RAM, 256GB ssd. Unsupported device: currently running Win10 Pro, plus Win11 Pro RTM and Insider Dev, Beta, and RP 24H2 as native boot vhdx.

    My SYSTEM FIVE is a Dell Latitude 3190 2-in-1, Pentium Silver N5030, 8GB RAM, 1TB NVMe ssd, supported device running Windows 11 Pro, plus Insider Beta, Dev, and Canary builds (and a few others) as a native boot .vhdx.

    My SYSTEM SIX is a Dell Latitude 5550, Core Ultra 7 165H, 64GB RAM, 1TB NVMe SSD, supported device, Windows 11 Pro 24H2, Hyper-V host machine. Updated to 25H2 on 30th September 2025.

    My SYSTEM SEVEN is a Lenovo Thinkpad T580, Intel Core i7-8650U, 16GB RAM, 512GB NVMe SSD + 2nd 512GB NVMe SSD, a supported device for Windows 11. This is my current general purpose 'main machine'. The installed Windows 11 Home from my System One has been migrated to this machine.
Bree said:
Are you sure? 25H2 and 24H2 share a common set of system files with only the enablement package to set them apart.

Lets see.....

...seems to be happy enough with a 24H2 26100.4349 ISO, as made by the MCT.

View attachment 144260
Click to expand...

Usually it needs to be the same version, but may get lucky.
 

My Computers

System One System Two

  • OS
    Windows 11 Pro for Workstations
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Custom self build
    CPU
    Intel i7-8700K 5 GHz
    Motherboard
    ASUS ROG Maximus XI Formula Z390
    Memory
    64 GB (4x16GB) G.SKILL TridentZ RGB DDR4 3600 MHz (F4-3600C18D-32GTZR)
    Graphics Card(s)
    ASUS ROG-STRIX-GTX1080TI-O11G-GAMING (11GB GDDR5X)
    Sound Card
    Integrated Digital Audio (S/PDIF)
    Monitor(s) Displays
    2 x Samsung Odyssey G75 27"
    Screen Resolution
    2560x1440
    Hard Drives
    1TB Samsung 990 PRO M.2,
    4TB Samsung 990 PRO M.2,
    TerraMaster F8 SSD Plus NAS
    PSU
    Seasonic Prime Titanium 850W
    Case
    Thermaltake Core P3 wall mounted
    Cooling
    Corsair Hydro H115i
    Keyboard
    Amazon Basics Wired Full Keyboard MD005
    Mouse
    Logitech MX Master 4
    Internet Speed
    2 Gbps Download and 100 Mbps Upload
    Browser
    Chrome and Edge
    Antivirus
    Microsoft Defender
    Other Info
    Logitech Z625 speaker system,
    Logitech BRIO 4K Pro webcam,
    HP Color LaserJet Pro MFP M477fdn,
    CyberPower CP1500PFCLCD
    Galaxy S23 Plus phone
  • Operating System
    Windows 11 Pro
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Surface Laptop 7 Copilot+ PC
    CPU
    Snapdragon X Elite (12 core) 3.42 GHz
    Memory
    16 GB LPDDR5x-7467 MHz
    Monitor(s) Displays
    15" HDR
    Screen Resolution
    2496 x 1664
    Hard Drives
    1 TB SSD
    Internet Speed
    Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4
    Browser
    Chrome and Edge
    Antivirus
    Microsoft Defender
Bree said:
Are you sure? 25H2 and 24H2 share a common set of system files with only the enablement package to set them apart.

It should be possible to repair 25H2 with a 24H2 ISO. Lets see.....

...yes, seems to be happy enough with a 24H2 26100.4349 ISO, as made by the MCT.

View attachment 144260
Click to expand...
Inquisitive minds just got to know?
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 11
Brink said:
Usually it needs to be the same version, but may get lucky.
Click to expand...
That's the thing with these enablement package feature updates. The small increase in the major build number, 26100 to 26200 in this case, is an artificial addition. The base system files are still all 26100. Same holds true for Windows 10, 22H2 can be repaired with any ISO back to version 2004 as the all share a common set of 19041 system files. Why anyone would want to do a repair install with an ISO that old is another matter :D

1756921034402.webp


1756922828814.webp
 
Last edited:

My Computers

System One System Two

  • OS
    Windows 11 Home
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Acer Aspire 3 A315-23-R9VY
    CPU
    AMD Athlon Silver 3050U
    Memory
    8GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    Radeon Graphics
    Monitor(s) Displays
    laptop screen
    Screen Resolution
    1366x768 native resolution, up to 2560x1440 with Radeon Virtual Super Resolution
    Hard Drives
    1TB Samsung EVO 870 SSD (from April 2026: 250GB EVO 850)
    Internet Speed
    150 Mbps
    Browser
    Edge, Firefox
    Antivirus
    Defender
    Other Info
    fully 'Windows 11 ready' laptop. Windows 10 C: partition migrated from my old unsupported 'main machine' then upgraded to 11. A test migration ran Insider builds for 2 months. When 11 was released on 5th October 2021 it was re-imaged back to 10 and was offered the upgrade in Windows Update on 20th October. Windows Update offered the 22H2 Feature Update on 20th September 2022. It got the 23H2 Feature Update on 4th November 2023 through Windows Update, 24H2 on 3rd October 2024 through Windows Update by setting the Target Release Version for 24H2, and 25H2 on 30th September 2025 through Windows Update by setting the Target Release Version for 25H2.

    UPDATE - 11 April 2026: due to mechanical deterioration this PC has been retired from active duty. The OS with all software and files has been migrated to my System Seven below to carry on as my general purpose 'main machine'.

    My SYSTEM THREE is a Dell Latitude 5410, i7-10610U, 32GB RAM, 512GB NVMe ssd, supported device running Windows 11 Pro.

    My SYSTEM FOUR is a 2-in-1 convertible Lenovo Yoga 11e 20DA, Celeron N2930, 8GB RAM, 256GB ssd. Unsupported device: currently running Win10 Pro, plus Win11 Pro RTM and Insider Dev, Beta, and RP 24H2 as native boot vhdx.

    My SYSTEM FIVE is a Dell Latitude 3190 2-in-1, Pentium Silver N5030, 8GB RAM, 1TB NVMe ssd, supported device running Windows 11 Pro, plus Insider Beta, Dev, and Canary builds (and a few others) as a native boot .vhdx.

    My SYSTEM SIX is a Dell Latitude 5550, Core Ultra 7 165H, 64GB RAM, 1TB NVMe SSD, supported device, Windows 11 Pro 24H2, Hyper-V host machine. Updated to 25H2 on 30th September 2025.

    My SYSTEM SEVEN is a Lenovo Thinkpad T580, Intel Core i7-8650U, 16GB RAM, 512GB NVMe SSD + 2nd 512GB NVMe SSD, a supported device for Windows 11. This is my current general purpose 'main machine'. The installed Windows 11 Home from my System One has been migrated to this machine.
  • Operating System
    Windows 11 Pro
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Dell Latitude E4310
    CPU
    Intel® Core™ i5-520M
    Motherboard
    0T6M8G
    Memory
    8GB
    Graphics card(s)
    (integrated graphics) Intel HD Graphics
    Screen Resolution
    1366x768
    Hard Drives
    500GB Crucial MX500 SSD
    Browser
    Firefox, Edge
    Antivirus
    Defender
    Other Info
    unsupported machine: Legacy bios, MBR, TPM 1.2, upgraded from W10 to W11 using W10/W11 hybrid install media workaround. In-place upgrade to 22H2 using ISO and a workaround. Feature Update to 23H2 by manually installing the Enablement Package. In-place upgrade to 24H2 using hybrid 23H2/24H2 install media. Upgraded to 25H2 by Enablement Package. Also running Insider Dev, and Canary builds and Windows 10 as native boot .vhdx.

    My SYSTEM THREE is a Dell Latitude 5410, i7-10610U, 32GB RAM, 512GB NVMe ssd, supported device running Windows 11 Pro.

    My SYSTEM FOUR is a 2-in-1 convertible Lenovo Yoga 11e 20DA, Celeron N2930, 8GB RAM, 256GB ssd. Unsupported device: currently running Win10 Pro, plus Win11 Pro RTM and Insider Dev, Beta, and RP 24H2 as native boot vhdx.

    My SYSTEM FIVE is a Dell Latitude 3190 2-in-1, Pentium Silver N5030, 8GB RAM, 1TB NVMe ssd, supported device running Windows 11 Pro, plus Insider Beta, Dev, and Canary builds (and a few others) as a native boot .vhdx.

    My SYSTEM SIX is a Dell Latitude 5550, Core Ultra 7 165H, 64GB RAM, 1TB NVMe SSD, supported device, Windows 11 Pro 24H2, Hyper-V host machine. Updated to 25H2 on 30th September 2025.

    My SYSTEM SEVEN is a Lenovo Thinkpad T580, Intel Core i7-8650U, 16GB RAM, 512GB NVMe SSD + 2nd 512GB NVMe SSD, a supported device for Windows 11. This is my current general purpose 'main machine'. The installed Windows 11 Home from my System One has been migrated to this machine.
Bree said:
That's the thing with these enablement package feature updates. The small increase in the major build number, 26100 to 26200 in this case, is an artificial addition. The base system files are still all 26100. Same holds true for Windows 10, 22H2 can be repaired with any ISO back to version 2004 as the all share a common set of 19041 system files. Why anyone would want to do a repair install with an ISO that old is another matter :D

View attachment 144266
Click to expand...
Why? I went straight from 26100.1150 to 26100.5074 and used Brink's eKB to upgrade to 25H2, it was quick and painless. Just wanted to find out if I really needed to download the new 25H2 ISO once MS releases it in the event a need for a repair became necessary.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 11
Dirtyflash said:
Why? I went straight from 26100.1150 to 26100.5074 and used Brink's eKB to upgrade to 25H2, it was quick and painless. Just wanted to find out if I really needed to download the new 25H2 ISO once MS releases it in the event a need for a repair became necessary.
Click to expand...

It's in the gray area right now due to the enablement package. It may work, it may not. To be sure, I'd use the 25H2 ISO.
 

My Computers

System One System Two

  • OS
    Windows 11 Pro for Workstations
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Custom self build
    CPU
    Intel i7-8700K 5 GHz
    Motherboard
    ASUS ROG Maximus XI Formula Z390
    Memory
    64 GB (4x16GB) G.SKILL TridentZ RGB DDR4 3600 MHz (F4-3600C18D-32GTZR)
    Graphics Card(s)
    ASUS ROG-STRIX-GTX1080TI-O11G-GAMING (11GB GDDR5X)
    Sound Card
    Integrated Digital Audio (S/PDIF)
    Monitor(s) Displays
    2 x Samsung Odyssey G75 27"
    Screen Resolution
    2560x1440
    Hard Drives
    1TB Samsung 990 PRO M.2,
    4TB Samsung 990 PRO M.2,
    TerraMaster F8 SSD Plus NAS
    PSU
    Seasonic Prime Titanium 850W
    Case
    Thermaltake Core P3 wall mounted
    Cooling
    Corsair Hydro H115i
    Keyboard
    Amazon Basics Wired Full Keyboard MD005
    Mouse
    Logitech MX Master 4
    Internet Speed
    2 Gbps Download and 100 Mbps Upload
    Browser
    Chrome and Edge
    Antivirus
    Microsoft Defender
    Other Info
    Logitech Z625 speaker system,
    Logitech BRIO 4K Pro webcam,
    HP Color LaserJet Pro MFP M477fdn,
    CyberPower CP1500PFCLCD
    Galaxy S23 Plus phone
  • Operating System
    Windows 11 Pro
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Surface Laptop 7 Copilot+ PC
    CPU
    Snapdragon X Elite (12 core) 3.42 GHz
    Memory
    16 GB LPDDR5x-7467 MHz
    Monitor(s) Displays
    15" HDR
    Screen Resolution
    2496 x 1664
    Hard Drives
    1 TB SSD
    Internet Speed
    Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4
    Browser
    Chrome and Edge
    Antivirus
    Microsoft Defender
Dirtyflash said:
Just wanted to find out if I really needed to download the new 25H2 ISO once MS releases it in the event a need for a repair became necessary.
Click to expand...
I always download the latest ISO as a matter of course, so I'll be downloading the 25H2 one as soon as it's officially released. Always best to use the latest one, old ones are only OK for emergencies.
 

My Computers

System One System Two

  • OS
    Windows 11 Home
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Acer Aspire 3 A315-23-R9VY
    CPU
    AMD Athlon Silver 3050U
    Memory
    8GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    Radeon Graphics
    Monitor(s) Displays
    laptop screen
    Screen Resolution
    1366x768 native resolution, up to 2560x1440 with Radeon Virtual Super Resolution
    Hard Drives
    1TB Samsung EVO 870 SSD (from April 2026: 250GB EVO 850)
    Internet Speed
    150 Mbps
    Browser
    Edge, Firefox
    Antivirus
    Defender
    Other Info
    fully 'Windows 11 ready' laptop. Windows 10 C: partition migrated from my old unsupported 'main machine' then upgraded to 11. A test migration ran Insider builds for 2 months. When 11 was released on 5th October 2021 it was re-imaged back to 10 and was offered the upgrade in Windows Update on 20th October. Windows Update offered the 22H2 Feature Update on 20th September 2022. It got the 23H2 Feature Update on 4th November 2023 through Windows Update, 24H2 on 3rd October 2024 through Windows Update by setting the Target Release Version for 24H2, and 25H2 on 30th September 2025 through Windows Update by setting the Target Release Version for 25H2.

    UPDATE - 11 April 2026: due to mechanical deterioration this PC has been retired from active duty. The OS with all software and files has been migrated to my System Seven below to carry on as my general purpose 'main machine'.

    My SYSTEM THREE is a Dell Latitude 5410, i7-10610U, 32GB RAM, 512GB NVMe ssd, supported device running Windows 11 Pro.

    My SYSTEM FOUR is a 2-in-1 convertible Lenovo Yoga 11e 20DA, Celeron N2930, 8GB RAM, 256GB ssd. Unsupported device: currently running Win10 Pro, plus Win11 Pro RTM and Insider Dev, Beta, and RP 24H2 as native boot vhdx.

    My SYSTEM FIVE is a Dell Latitude 3190 2-in-1, Pentium Silver N5030, 8GB RAM, 1TB NVMe ssd, supported device running Windows 11 Pro, plus Insider Beta, Dev, and Canary builds (and a few others) as a native boot .vhdx.

    My SYSTEM SIX is a Dell Latitude 5550, Core Ultra 7 165H, 64GB RAM, 1TB NVMe SSD, supported device, Windows 11 Pro 24H2, Hyper-V host machine. Updated to 25H2 on 30th September 2025.

    My SYSTEM SEVEN is a Lenovo Thinkpad T580, Intel Core i7-8650U, 16GB RAM, 512GB NVMe SSD + 2nd 512GB NVMe SSD, a supported device for Windows 11. This is my current general purpose 'main machine'. The installed Windows 11 Home from my System One has been migrated to this machine.
  • Operating System
    Windows 11 Pro
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Dell Latitude E4310
    CPU
    Intel® Core™ i5-520M
    Motherboard
    0T6M8G
    Memory
    8GB
    Graphics card(s)
    (integrated graphics) Intel HD Graphics
    Screen Resolution
    1366x768
    Hard Drives
    500GB Crucial MX500 SSD
    Browser
    Firefox, Edge
    Antivirus
    Defender
    Other Info
    unsupported machine: Legacy bios, MBR, TPM 1.2, upgraded from W10 to W11 using W10/W11 hybrid install media workaround. In-place upgrade to 22H2 using ISO and a workaround. Feature Update to 23H2 by manually installing the Enablement Package. In-place upgrade to 24H2 using hybrid 23H2/24H2 install media. Upgraded to 25H2 by Enablement Package. Also running Insider Dev, and Canary builds and Windows 10 as native boot .vhdx.

    My SYSTEM THREE is a Dell Latitude 5410, i7-10610U, 32GB RAM, 512GB NVMe ssd, supported device running Windows 11 Pro.

    My SYSTEM FOUR is a 2-in-1 convertible Lenovo Yoga 11e 20DA, Celeron N2930, 8GB RAM, 256GB ssd. Unsupported device: currently running Win10 Pro, plus Win11 Pro RTM and Insider Dev, Beta, and RP 24H2 as native boot vhdx.

    My SYSTEM FIVE is a Dell Latitude 3190 2-in-1, Pentium Silver N5030, 8GB RAM, 1TB NVMe ssd, supported device running Windows 11 Pro, plus Insider Beta, Dev, and Canary builds (and a few others) as a native boot .vhdx.

    My SYSTEM SIX is a Dell Latitude 5550, Core Ultra 7 165H, 64GB RAM, 1TB NVMe SSD, supported device, Windows 11 Pro 24H2, Hyper-V host machine. Updated to 25H2 on 30th September 2025.

    My SYSTEM SEVEN is a Lenovo Thinkpad T580, Intel Core i7-8650U, 16GB RAM, 512GB NVMe SSD + 2nd 512GB NVMe SSD, a supported device for Windows 11. This is my current general purpose 'main machine'. The installed Windows 11 Home from my System One has been migrated to this machine.
Bree said:
I always download the latest ISO as a matter of course, so I'll be downloading the 25H2 one as soon as it's officially released. Always best to use the latest one, old ones are only OK for emergencies.
Click to expand...
Yes, you're right. In the meantime, between now and when MS releases the 25H2 iso, I have another way to do a repair if need be.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 11
Brink said:
It's in the gray area right now due to the enablement package. It may work, it may not. To be sure, I'd use the 25H2 ISO.
Click to expand...
I started doing a repair using the Windows recovery option (fix problems with Windows update) but it started downloading 26200.5761 (Dev?)
I'm on RP 26200.5074

Stopped the download and restored a backup
Looks like the Windows repair isn't an option until final release of 25H2
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 11 Pro 25H2 (RP channel)
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    MSI
    CPU
    AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D 8-core
    Motherboard
    MEG X870E Godlike
    Memory
    64GB Corsair Titanium 6000/CL30
    Graphics Card(s)
    MSI Suprim 5080 SOC
    Sound Card
    Soundblaster AE-9
    Monitor(s) Displays
    ASUS TUF Gaming VG289Q
    Screen Resolution
    3840x2160
    Hard Drives
    Samsung 9100 Pro 4TB (gen 5 x4, system drive/games)
    Samsung 990 Pro 2TB
    Samsung 980 Pro 2TB
    Samsung 870 Evo 4TB
    Samsung 870 Evo 2TB
    Samsung T9 4TB
    PSU
    Seasonic PX-2200
    Case
    Bequiet! Dark Base Pro 901
    Cooling
    Noctua NH-D15S Chromax black
    Keyboard
    Logitech G915 X (wired)
    Mouse
    Logitech G903 with PowerPlay charger
    Internet Speed
    900Mb/sec
    Browser
    Microsoft Edge
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender
Option 1 worked like charm! Thank you!
 
Last edited by a moderator:

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 11 Pro
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    ASUS Rog Crosshair VIII Formula
ImBenny said:
Option 1 worked like charm! Thank you!
Click to expand...
@ImBenny, When you do a quote you don't have to quote the whole post when it's not needed. All you have to do is highlight the part you want to quote and you will see the option for quoting just the highlighted part
ImBenny said:
Option 1 worked like charm! Thank you!
Click to expand...
@ImBenny, When you do a quote you can quote just the part you want by using the mouse to highlight the part you want to quote. This will give you the option to quote just that part. I was typing this a few minutes earlier but had a power outage happen. Just as soon as I shutdown my computer the power came back on. I see that in that short of time a moderator fixed your post. My guess is that our favorite space alien moderator @Brink is up and about and busy moderating.
 

My Computers

System One System Two

  • OS
    Windows 11 Pro 25H2
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    PowerSpec B746
    CPU
    Intel Core i7-10700K
    Motherboard
    ASRock Z490 Phantom Gaming 4/ax
    Memory
    16GB (8GB PC4-19200 DDR4 SDRAM x2)
    Graphics Card(s)
    NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 TI
    Sound Card
    Realtek Audio
    Monitor(s) Displays
    #1. LG ULTRAWIDE 34" #2. AOC Q32G2WG3 32"
    Screen Resolution
    #1. 3440 X 1440 #2. 1920 x 1080
    Hard Drives
    NVMe WDC WDS100T2B0C-00PXH0 1TB
    Samsung SSD 860 EVO 1TB
    PSU
    750 Watts (62.5A)
    Case
    PowerSpec/Lian Li ATX 205
    Keyboard
    Logitech K270
    Mouse
    Logitech M185
    Browser
    Microsoft Edge and Firefox
    Antivirus
    Webroot SecureAnywhere CE 26.1
  • Operating System
    Windows 11 Canary Channel
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    PowerSpec G156
    CPU
    Intel Core i5-8400 CPU @ 2.80GHz
    Motherboard
    AsusTeK Prime B360M-A
    Memory
    16 MB DDR 4-2666
    Monitor(s) Displays
    23" Speptre HDMI 75Hz
    Screen Resolution
    1920x1080
    Hard Drives
    Samsung 970 EVO 500GB NVMe
    Keyboard
    Logitek K270
    Mouse
    Logitek M185
    Browser
    Firefox, Edge and Edge Canary
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender
windows.old - windows 11 upgrade / repair

Hello fellow IT people. I just wanted to share my experience similar to this doing an in-place update from windows 10 to 11 (and repairs too... ) for a medium size company (health care practice actually) and one note that may help others.

at the very top of this post they explain

"When you perform a repair install (in-place upgrade), the previous version of Winows in the Windows.old folder (up to 10 days after upgrade) will automatically get replaced by the current Windows. It is recommended to create a system image first if you would like to be able to go back to current previous Windows before it gets replaced."

if you're in or joined a company with older PCs where some (many?) barely have enough free disk space to stay alive on windows 10 (or 11) this caused failures. freeing up the required 9GB for the windows 11 upgrade was not enough.

cleanmgr.exe will delete the windows.old these days (i didn't know, maybe some else didnt).
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows
Hi everyone,
I did an in-place upgrade to my Windows 11 25H2 build 26200.6899 using an ISO file from Rufus (latest ISO from Microsoft.com) for the version 26000.7171, it installed fine but to my surprise I got an older build 26200.6584, does anyone knows what went wrong? Thanks
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 11 Home x64 Version 25H2 Build 26200.8655
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    ASUSTeK COMPUTER INC./N751JX
    CPU
    Intel® Core™ i7-4750HQ CPU @ 2.00GHz
    Motherboard
    ASUSTeK Computer INC., BIOS version AMI N751JX.211
    Memory
    16 GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    NVIDIA GeForce GTX 950M (2 GB); Intel(R) Iris(TM) Pro Graphics 5200 (113 MB)
    Sound Card
    Realtek High Definition Audio
    Internet Speed
    250 Mbps
    Antivirus
    Safe Online (F-Secure)
Until recently I have never run BitLocker.
If in the future I do a repair install using Windows Update, should I turn off BitLocker before starting the repair install?
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 11
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Generic
    CPU
    AMD Ryzen 8700G
    Motherboard
    Gigabyte B650 UD AC
    Memory
    64 GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    Onboard
    Sound Card
    Onboard
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Del U2723QE
    Screen Resolution
    3840 x 2160
    Hard Drives
    Corsiar MP600 1TB
    PSU
    Silverstone 750 GOLD
    Case
    Silverstone FARA 513
EB2XR6 said:
Until recently I have never run BitLocker.
If in the future I do a repair install using Windows Update, should I turn off BitLocker before starting the repair install?
Click to expand...

I would at least suspend BitLocker for the OS drive until finished with the repair install.

www.elevenforum.com

Suspend or Resume BitLocker Protection for Drive in Windows 11

This tutorial will show you how to suspend (pause) or resume BitLocker protection for a drive encrypted by BitLocker or Device Encryption in Windows 10 and Windows 11. Device Encryption is a Windows feature that enables BitLocker encryption automatically for the Operating System drive and fixed...
www.elevenforum.com www.elevenforum.com
 

My Computers

System One System Two

  • OS
    Windows 11 Pro for Workstations
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Custom self build
    CPU
    Intel i7-8700K 5 GHz
    Motherboard
    ASUS ROG Maximus XI Formula Z390
    Memory
    64 GB (4x16GB) G.SKILL TridentZ RGB DDR4 3600 MHz (F4-3600C18D-32GTZR)
    Graphics Card(s)
    ASUS ROG-STRIX-GTX1080TI-O11G-GAMING (11GB GDDR5X)
    Sound Card
    Integrated Digital Audio (S/PDIF)
    Monitor(s) Displays
    2 x Samsung Odyssey G75 27"
    Screen Resolution
    2560x1440
    Hard Drives
    1TB Samsung 990 PRO M.2,
    4TB Samsung 990 PRO M.2,
    TerraMaster F8 SSD Plus NAS
    PSU
    Seasonic Prime Titanium 850W
    Case
    Thermaltake Core P3 wall mounted
    Cooling
    Corsair Hydro H115i
    Keyboard
    Amazon Basics Wired Full Keyboard MD005
    Mouse
    Logitech MX Master 4
    Internet Speed
    2 Gbps Download and 100 Mbps Upload
    Browser
    Chrome and Edge
    Antivirus
    Microsoft Defender
    Other Info
    Logitech Z625 speaker system,
    Logitech BRIO 4K Pro webcam,
    HP Color LaserJet Pro MFP M477fdn,
    CyberPower CP1500PFCLCD
    Galaxy S23 Plus phone
  • Operating System
    Windows 11 Pro
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Surface Laptop 7 Copilot+ PC
    CPU
    Snapdragon X Elite (12 core) 3.42 GHz
    Memory
    16 GB LPDDR5x-7467 MHz
    Monitor(s) Displays
    15" HDR
    Screen Resolution
    2496 x 1664
    Hard Drives
    1 TB SSD
    Internet Speed
    Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4
    Browser
    Chrome and Edge
    Antivirus
    Microsoft Defender
Brink said:
I would at least suspend BitLocker for the OS drive until finished with the repair install.

www.elevenforum.com

Suspend or Resume BitLocker Protection for Drive in Windows 11

This tutorial will show you how to suspend (pause) or resume BitLocker protection for a drive encrypted by BitLocker or Device Encryption in Windows 10 and Windows 11. Device Encryption is a Windows feature that enables BitLocker encryption automatically for the Operating System drive and fixed...
www.elevenforum.com www.elevenforum.com
Click to expand...
Thank you Brink.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 11
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Generic
    CPU
    AMD Ryzen 8700G
    Motherboard
    Gigabyte B650 UD AC
    Memory
    64 GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    Onboard
    Sound Card
    Onboard
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Del U2723QE
    Screen Resolution
    3840 x 2160
    Hard Drives
    Corsiar MP600 1TB
    PSU
    Silverstone 750 GOLD
    Case
    Silverstone FARA 513
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