Windows 10 Unsupported upgrade path

[Tripredacus]

I had until the end of the year to put Windows 10 on my gaming computer to maintain Steam compatibility, but I didn't want to go about having to reinstall everything. So I had set out to determine how it would be possible to do an in-place upgrade from Windows 7 to a version of Windows 10. And the main issue was that the version of Windows 10 I wanted to use did not support an in-place upgrade from Windows 7. I ran tests for about 3 months with various different OS versions and even attempts to modify files and images and attempting to follow tutorials posted online. In the end I didn't need to do any fancy modifications. The key to this is one particularly bugged release of Windows 10 Enterprise. I don't have a license for this version but it is just installed temporarily.

For the sake of reference, I wanted to post this unsupported upgrade path. I do not know if the bugged version of Enterprise is still available online. I just happened to have found it in my software archives. Again, this is for in-place upgrades without modifying the install.wim, and/or dealing with the upgradematrix.xml.

1. Starting from Windows 7 Pro SP1 OEM (like what you'd find on a Dell or HP) or System Builder Kit. SBK not tested but it should work the same.

2. Install KB2990214 - https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=46434

3. Copy full install (not just sources folder) from Windows 10 Enterprise 2015 LTSB (X20-26562) to disk.

4. Run the setup.exe in the main folder (not sources) to perform in-place upgrade

5. Repeat #3 but with the target OS (in my case Windows Enterprise 1809 LTSC) to disk.

6. Run setup the same as #4.

Now to be clear on things. the 2015 install does not ask for a product key, so it is ideal to use as a stop-gap in between Windows 7 and an OS that you want to go to that you do have a license for. The main issues I ran into during testing was that the test hardware (I don't use VMs) did not support the target OS, but I didn't figure this out until later. So you may run into problems upgrading from 2015 to a newer version.

[erpdude8]

15 hours ago, Tripredacus said:

For the sake of reference, I wanted to post this unsupported upgrade path. I do not know if the bugged version of Enterprise is still available online. I just happened to have found it in my software archives. Again, this is for in-place upgrades without modifying the install.wim, and/or dealing with the upgradematrix.xml.

 

the 2015 ltsb version isos are still online after doing various google searches

Edited December 6, 2023 by erpdude8

[Tripredacus]

Wanted to report a few thing after having used it for a couple of days.

1. At first boot after login, the computer is INSANELY slow. Using Perfmon I found that this was caused by the Search Indexer. Turning that off for the Users folder (the only thing that was enabled besides Start Menu) solved that issue.

2. First launch of already installed programs such as Steam or Chrome were very slow as well. Going to some sites were slow the first time. I think this is because technically it is the first time those programs have been opened or those sites have been visited on the new OS.

3. All pre-existing hardware works fine and all drivers were accounted for except for video, which I had to reinstall. I was concerned for the soundcard, fully preparing on having to buy a new one and/or speaker setup. In the end the SB0090 works fine in Windows 10 and the 5.1 works properly as well. The software for the sound card or for the mouse did not need to be reinstalled. Also the drivers for the gaming controllers didn't need to be fiddled with but I suspect that they just have better support in Windows 10 as I make sure to only use Xbox 360 compatible USB controllers.

[Sergiaws]

I have some questions. Doing this it is possible to upgrade directly from Windows 7 to Windows 11, or even upgrade from Windows Vista to Windows 10/11?

[Tripredacus]

There is no direct update happening here. Using an intermediary version of Enterprise that doesn't block and in-place upgrade like it should. Using it to go from Pro to a later Enterprise version that doesn't support the upgrade.

It may be possible to use the 2015 Enterprise version as the go-between from 7 to 11 Enterprise, but I'm pretty sure you can't do an in-place upgrade from Enterprise to Pro, so you wouldn't be able to use it for that. Vista, idk, someone would have to try it. I don't think that Vista is present in the upgradematrix.xml in the install.wim. Even if it actually starts the upgrade process, it may not even work. There is another XML that handles the migration actions that Setup performs, and it may not support Vista or may not work. It is expecting the host OS to be Windows 7. Someone could certainly try it, but I can't think of the amount of work and testing to make the appropriate Migration XML for Vista Business (or whichever) would be worthwhile.

[D.Draker]

17 hours ago, Sergiaws said:

upgrade from Windows Vista to Windows 10/11?

Unfortunately, Microsoft doesn't provide a direct path to upgrade to Windows 10

https://www.windowscentral.com/how-upgrade-windows-vista-windows-10

[D.Draker]

"What You Need to Know About Upgrading a Windows Vista PC to Windows 10"

"Microsoft won't be offering a free Windows 10 upgrade to any old Windows Vista PCs you might have around. Only Windows 7 and 8.1 PCs get to join the new Windows 10 era for free.

Upgrading a Windows Vista PC to Windows 10 will cost you. Microsoft is charging $119 for a boxed copy of Windows 10 you can install on any PC."

https://www.howtogeek.com/220996/what-you-need-to-know-about-upgrading-a-windows-vista-pc-to-windows-10/