Windows 10: How **exactly** do I upgrade Win10 from v.10240 to the current version while preserving...

My Thinkpad T410 has been stuck on version 10240 of Win 10 Pro 64-bit since I upgraded it from Win7 when it first came out. Windows updates have always been turned on.


Yesterday I decided to try "refreshing" it following a suggestion I found which was to upgrade it in-place by installing the current version of Win10 over it. Please note, this T410 has literally dozens of applications installed including a number which are copy-protected by being tied to a particular local account on it called "MA".


So, starting with an exact clone (made using Acronis TrueImage) of the hdisk, this is what I did:


1. I downloaded the current (as of yesterday) version of Win10 and used the media creation tool to burn it onto a DVD.


2. I attempted to use the "Trouble-shooting" boot-up option to "repair" my Windows set-up.


3. When given the option, I managed to do the "install" using the MA local account.


4. When the PC finally brought up the Desktop I found that although the desktop retained all the shortcuts to all the apps which were not installed under C:\Program Files and C:\Program Files (x86), all the apps which were originally installed in those two folders, including MS Office and MS Sql Server 2014 had completely vanished. I assume that this is because the install process has completely replaced those directories. Presumably I must have taken a wrong turning from the "Troubleshooting" Win10 boot menu which I used to start the process.


So, my question is, how exactly do I upgrade from version 10240 to the current Win10 version without losing all my apps in C:\Program Files and C:\Program Files (x86), starting with a new clone of my hdisk?


I hope this q is clear enough to answer.

:)

 

Build 10240 - Any expiry on ACTIVATED versions??

I was going to do that for my benefit because of the way I have my partitions setup and to be legal with the EULA that isn't a step by step instruction. Right now I am waiting to see if build 10240 is actually the release build and yes I know at lot of people don't believe 10240 is the release version. I still may need to do that if build 10240 is not the release version.

 

Build 10240 - Any expiry on ACTIVATED versions??

Ok, thanks - I was commenting on your steps you listed in post# 76

Suggesting that you might be able to skip the step highlighted above. I don't know if this will work or not, but suspect that it might. Curiosity is all - if you feel like testing that (skipping the restore image to Win7 step), great - otherwise I'll try it when I get around to upgrading in 2016.

 

extract and preserve folders and pathways?


Extract All has always preserved folder structure for me. I don' t use it any more as I prefer 7-ZIP. It's Extract here and Extract to always preserver folder structure.

Edit: I just tested this by creating a zip file with several folders in it, each of which has a couple files. There were also files not in those folders.

I then copied the zip file to another location then did a Extract all and everything was exactly as the source. Folder strusture and content was exactly the same as the original.

Don't know what your customers are doing or how they are doing it but you need them to provide a step by step scenario so you or someone here can try to recreate it.