Can you upgrade to windows 10 from windows 8 (not 8.1)

Forums › Microsoft Windows › Can you upgrade to windows 10 from windows 8 (not 8.1)

robjg63

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#181378 13-Oct-2015 12:49

So I have created a USB stick with the MS ISO for windows 10 and updated half a dozen new windows 8.1 PCs.

I have quite a few existing PCs that run windows 8 (I supposed its really 8.0).
Everything I read mentions that you can update from 8.1 - the implication is that I have to install that terrible 8.1 upgrade through the awful windows store - then look at the windows 10 upgrade.

Is this correct?

Has anyone done an upgrade from windows 8.0 to windows 10 without going through 8.1?

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jhsol

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#1404991 13-Oct-2015 12:59

Your upgrade paths are as follows

Win 7 -> Win 7 with SP1 -> Win 10
Win 8 -> Win 8.1 -> Win 10

So you need to get to either Win 7 with SP1, or Win 8.1 before running the upgrade.

I have tried to run the installer on a Win 8.0 and it doesnt allow you to upgrade.

robjg63

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#1404996 13-Oct-2015 13:10

jhsol: Your upgrade paths are as follows

Win 7 -> Win 7 with SP1 -> Win 10
Win 8 -> Win 8.1 -> Win 10

So you need to get to either Win 7 with SP1, or Win 8.1 before running the upgrade.

I have tried to run the installer on a Win 8.0 and it doesnt allow you to upgrade.

OK - not the news I wanted - but it was what I suspected.
Thanks.

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Dingbatt

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#1405006 13-Oct-2015 13:29

Will using an ISO of Windows 10 allow me to update from a laptop with 8.1 that has updates pending? The laptop has a problem whereby it continuously fails updates. I have tried the update troubleshooter and some command line solutions so am down to a complete reset. That will probably take it all the way back to windows 8 which the laptop came with, and so the same problem as the OP. Rather than the nausea of having to install W8 then all its updates, then 8.1, then all its updates, and then finally Windows 10 it would be nice to know if I can skip a few steps (and lots of hours of downloading).
I am assuming the upgrade process from 8.1 to 10 from within windows will be like 8->8.1 where everything had to be up to date first.

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Wade

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#1405009 13-Oct-2015 13:37

Dingbatt: Will using an ISO of Windows 10 allow me to update from a laptop with 8.1 that has updates pending? The laptop has a problem whereby it continuously fails updates. I have tried the update troubleshooter and some command line solutions so am down to a complete reset. That will probably take it all the way back to windows 8 which the laptop came with, and so the same problem as the OP. Rather than the nausea of having to install W8 then all its updates, then 8.1, then all its updates, and then finally Windows 10 it would be nice to know if I can skip a few steps (and lots of hours of downloading).
I am assuming the upgrade process from 8.1 to 10 from within windows will be like 8->8.1 where everything had to be up to date first.

Have you tried the media creation tool straight from current 8.1?

https://www.microsoft.com/en-au/software-download/windows10

jhsol

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#1405010 13-Oct-2015 13:37

Dingbatt: Will using an ISO of Windows 10 allow me to update from a laptop with 8.1 that has updates pending? The laptop has a problem whereby it continuously fails updates. I have tried the update troubleshooter and some command line solutions so am down to a complete reset. That will probably take it all the way back to windows 8 which the laptop came with, and so the same problem as the OP. Rather than the nausea of having to install W8 then all its updates, then 8.1, then all its updates, and then finally Windows 10 it would be nice to know if I can skip a few steps (and lots of hours of downloading).
I am assuming the upgrade process from 8.1 to 10 from within windows will be like 8->8.1 where everything had to be up to date first.

Do you have the start button in your bottom right corner (and you havent installed any 3rd party apps that provide the start button) then you have Windows 8.1 installed. You can confirm this by going to Control Panel -> System and under Windows Edition it will state either Windows 8 or Windows 8.1. If it says 8.1 then the upgrade "should" work for you.

I have personally done a Windows 8 base install from CD, then gone to Win 8.1 via Windows Update, then to Windows 10 upgrade via an ISO install. Regarding the 8 to 8.1 process you do not need to install every update possible before the 8.1 upgrade. 8.1 should download the pre-reqs automatically.

robjg63

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#1405026 13-Oct-2015 14:00

I have tried going to the MS store and hitting the 'upgrade to 8.1' button.
Says its downloading in the background for a while.
After a while it just said it couldnt upgrade.

Have now noticed there are a heap of 'regular' windows 8 updates - so am installing 100 or so of these and hope the 8.1 update will work after that.
Sadly there seem a lot of posts on mr google that seem to indicate the 8.0 -> 8.1 update is not always smooth....

Would have been so much easier if MS had just created an update package or ISO.

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coffeebaron

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#1405030 13-Oct-2015 14:03

I was successful using this: http://windows.microsoft.com/en-nz/windows-8/create-reset-refresh-media to do a fresh install on a machine that was stuck in Windows 8 updating loop. The install must have seen the Windows 8 key in the BIOS and installed Win 8.1 and activated no problem. I then did the Windows 10 upgrade.

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Behodar

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#1405031 13-Oct-2015 14:06

robjg63: Would have been so much easier if MS had just created an update package or ISO.

There is an ISO available from here, but there's a catch: If the site detects that you're on a Windows machine then it'll redirect you to the "media creation tool". You can apparently create an ISO from that tool though.

chiefie

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#1405052 13-Oct-2015 14:59

Behodar:
robjg63: Would have been so much easier if MS had just created an update package or ISO.

There is an ISO available from here, but there's a catch: If the site detects that you're on a Windows machine then it'll redirect you to the "media creation tool". You can apparently create an ISO from that tool though.

Cool, what version of Windows product key does it take? One of my Windows 7 Pro machine cannot be upgraded successfully after Windows 10 upgrade install, it get stuck on booting into Windows 10 then a hard reboot will result in reverting back to Windows 7 again.

From today's Windows Insider announcement for Windows 10 build 10565 that the device activation can now allow activation of Windows 7, 8, and 8.1 keys too. https://blogs.windows.com/windowsexperience/2015/10/12/announcing-windows-10-insider-preview-build-10565/

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Behodar

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#1405072 13-Oct-2015 15:22

chiefie: Cool, what version of Windows product key does it take?

I don't know; I've only tested with an actual Win 10 key.

chiefie

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#1405074 13-Oct-2015 15:25

Anyone know how to get hold of the Windows 10 Insider build 10565 x86 ISO? So far it has made it to Fast Ring but I really want to give it a try with my Windows 7 machine.

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