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How to Troubleshoot Windows 11 Upgrade Issues A Practical Guide

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Upgrading to a new operating system can be exciting—new features, better performance, and a modern UI. But when things go wrong during a Windows 11 upgrade, the experience can quickly become frustrating. Whether you’re a home user, IT professional, or consultant helping clients through the process, this guide provides a structured approach to troubleshooting and resolving Windows 11 upgrade issues.

🧩 Common Windows 11 Upgrade Issues

Before diving into solutions, let’s look at the most common issues users encounter when upgrading to Windows 11:

  • Incompatibility errors
  • Insufficient disk space
  • Driver conflicts
  • Windows Update failures
  • TPM and Secure Boot issues
  • Stuck at a certain percentage (e.g., 0%, 35%, 100%)
  • Rollback after installation

🔍 Step-by-Step Troubleshooting

1. ✅ Check System Requirements

Windows 11 has stricter hardware requirements than Windows 10. Use the PC Health Check Tool or the third-party tool WhyNotWin11 to verify compatibility.

Key Requirements:

  • TPM 2.0 enabled
  • Secure Boot enabled
  • UEFI firmware
  • Compatible CPU (Intel 8th Gen+, AMD Ryzen 2000+)
  • 4GB RAM and 64GB storage minimum

Tip: Enter BIOS/UEFI to enable TPM and Secure Boot if they’re disabled.

2. 🧼 Free Up Disk Space

Make sure you have at least 25–30 GB of free disk space before attempting an upgrade.

Quick Actions:

  • Run Disk Cleanup
  • Use Storage Sense
  • Uninstall unused apps
  • Move large files to external drives or cloud storage

3. 🔄 Update Drivers & BIOS

Outdated drivers, especially graphics, audio, and chipset drivers, can cause upgrade failures.

What to do:

  • Use Device Manager or OEM support tools (like Dell SupportAssist or HP Support Assistant)
  • Check for BIOS/UEFI updates from the manufacturer’s website

4. 🛠️ Use Windows Update Troubleshooter

Navigate to:
Settings > System > Troubleshoot > Other troubleshooters > Windows Update

This tool detects and fixes common Windows Update problems that might block an upgrade.

5. 🔐 Fix TPM or Secure Boot Errors

If TPM or Secure Boot are missing or disabled:

  • Reboot and enter BIOS/UEFI
  • Enable:
    • TPM (Trusted Platform Module) – sometimes called “Intel PTT” or “AMD fTPM”
    • Secure Boot
  • Save and exit

For systems upgraded from legacy BIOS, you may need to convert the disk to GPT using mbr2gpt.

bashCopyEditmbr2gpt /convert /allowfullos

6. 📥 Use the Windows 11 Installation Assistant or ISO

If Windows Update fails:

Note: ISO-based upgrades bypass some restrictions and can be more successful in stubborn cases.

7. 🔍 Check Logs for Details

Logs can help pinpoint the root cause of the failure.

  • C:\$WINDOWS.~BT\Sources\Panther\setuperr.log
  • C:\$WINDOWS.~BT\Sources\Panther\setupact.log

Search for Error, Fail, or specific codes like 0xC1900101, which often indicates a driver issue.

8. ♻️ Disable Security Software

Third-party antivirus or encryption tools can interfere with upgrades.

Temporarily disable:

  • Antivirus
  • BitLocker (consider decrypting the drive)
  • VPN clients

Re-enable them post-upgrade.

9. 🧪 Perform a Clean Boot

To avoid conflicts during the upgrade:

  1. Press Win + R, type msconfig
  2. Go to the Services tab
  3. Check Hide all Microsoft services
  4. Click Disable all
  5. Go to Startup > Open Task Manager > Disable all
  6. Restart and try the upgrade

10. 💾 Backup and Reset (as a Last Resort)

If all else fails:

  • Backup your data
  • Perform a clean installation using bootable USB media

This ensures a fresh start but should only be done after exhausting other options.

🛡️ Final Tips

  • Create a system restore point or full backup before upgrading
  • Keep all drivers and Windows components updated
  • Double-check device compatibility before investing time

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