Microsoft recently announced it’s pulling the plug on Windows 7, forcing many users to install or upgrade to Windows 10. Many of these users are facing an error where the Windows 10 installation gets stuck during the upgrade process. There are several ways to fix this error that we will discuss in this post.
Some users complained that the Windows 10 installation specifically stopped at 46%, but such cases are not uncommon. And while this is frustrating, the only way forward is to fix the error.
Let’s start.
1. System Requirements
While the system requirements for installing Windows 10 aren’t huge, it’s a good idea to start here. Check if your computer meets the Windows 10 running criteria.
2. Disk Space
Press Windows key+E to launch File Explorer and click This PC to check how much space is left on the drive where you installed Windows 10.
Compare with the minimum system requirements at the point above.
3. Faulty RAM
Is your computer’s RAM working properly? There are ways to check what I suggest before jumping into this guide. Faulty RAM can cause BSOD or Windows upgrade to hang for hours.
4. Check the Internet
Make sure you’re connected to the Internet, possibly a stable Wi-Fi broadband connection. This is true even if you have already downloaded the Windows 10 package to a flash drive or CD.
5. Battery Installed
You don’t want your computer to shut down during the Windows 10 upgrade process. Make sure the battery is fully charged and the laptop is connected to a power source.
6. Remove External Peripherals
External hard drives, flash drives, Bluetooth dongles, etc. Unplug any external peripherals you don’t need. I recommend removing the external mouse and keyboard. Use the trackpad and laptop keyboard for now. Try again and check if the Windows 10 upgrade is still stuck.
7. Windows Update Troubleshooter
Press Windows key+I to open Settings and search for Find and fix problems with windows update.
In the popup that follows, select Apply repairs automatically and click Next.
After that follow the on-screen instructions and reboot once the process is complete. Check again if the Windows 10 installation is stuck.
8. Reset the Windows Update Component
Search and open Command Prompt with administrative rights in the Windows Start menu.
Issue the following commands in order and press enter after each one.
net stop wuauserv
net stop cryptSvc
net stop bits
net stop msiserver
net stop AppIDSvc
Ren C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution SoftwareDistribution.old
Ren C:\Windows\System32\catroot2 Catroot2.old
net start wuauserv
net start cryptSvc
net start bits
net start msiserver
net start AppIDSvc
After all commands are given and run, restart your computer and try to upgrade your Windows 10 computer.
9. Update Drivers
Search for and open Device Manager from the start menu.
Expand the categories one at a time to see if there is an exclamation point next to the driver entry. If yes, you need to update.
You can also check and update all drivers using driver software utilities, which will save you time and effort.
Restart your computer once to check if the installation gets stuck anywhere, then try upgrading to Windows 10 again. The process should take less than two hours to complete. Also, a lot will depend on your internet speed and the HDD or SSD installed on your computer.
10. SFC Scan
Open Command Prompt again with administrative rights and issue the following command.
sfc /scannow
System File Checker or SFC scan checks all protected system files on your computer for errors and corruption. It automatically replaces the corrupted files with a cached copy to make sure everything works again.
Do not close the CMD window until the scan is complete and 100% appears in it.
11. Clean Boot
A recently installed application or some software program may be responsible for a conflict that causes the Windows 10 upgrade to be interrupted. Do a clean boot on your computer and see if you can find the culprit.
12. Uninstall Third-Party Apps
Uninstall the apps found guilty in the last step. If that doesn’t work, uninstall any third-party apps installed on your computer. Remember to write down their names in a safe place and back up data to an external hard drive if needed. You can also back up your app settings so you don’t have to redo everything once you get Windows 10 up and running.
being stranded in the rain
Upgrading to Windows 10 is now more important as Microsoft has pulled support for Windows 7. The good news is that this will be the last time you will have to upgrade. Microsoft will not release Windows 11, but will push incremental updates to Windows 10 itself. This will make life easier for millions of Windows users. But upgrade now.
Next: Still unable to upgrade to Windows 10 or not sure how? Click the link below to learn how to upgrade to Windows 10 using the Media Creation tool.
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