Windows 10: How to get the Windows 10 Anniversary Update

Copied from my comment above. Also had 1511.

"That link did not work for me because my version was slightly earlier. I downloaded the media creation tool Windows 10 which is version 1607. Imaged the hard drive, upgraded and everything is fine."

 

That link that I posted works just fine.....*Smile I've already used it a couple times. (the ISO)

 

The first option you run into is the immediate online upgrade which may fail on the spot. That starts the upgrade process downloading the files needed as soon as the OS is detected to insure the correct upgrade path is seen. The next option when skipping past that is the choice of creating usb media or saving the iso file where you would then see the "windows.iso" download take place. From there you would either burn the iso disc image to a blank dvd-r or even dual layer dvd-r, see the iso written to a 4gb or larger flash drive, or see the iso mounted on a virtual optical drive where you would be limited to the upgrade type install only.

For a full clean install you would need to boot live from removable media, flash drive, or network type install where nothing on the main OS drive is active and running including the existing Windows install.

With the free offer expired unless 10 has already been on a brand new 10 key would need to be purchased! You can no longer simply upgrade 7, 8.1 and use the previous version's key at now that the offer is over. A new key is now the mandate for the new version. The promotional offer is where you could simply use the OEM or other key from the previous.

The option to skip entering any key however is still there for trying 10 out on a limited trial basis only however. You wouldn't have more then 28 days by default unless able to rearm to extend the trial period as previously seen with 7.

As for the continuing problems seen with the link it has nothing to do with the MS link itself but something recently seen added into the FF and other FF variant browsers I have suspected would be tracking protection now seeing a block or allow prompting on familar sites! You then have to click the Allow or Allow + Remember button for each event. A fast right click to choose open in new private window works every time however as indicated earlier.

 

I have an officially activated wibdows 10 version 1511.

I understand that with the online update you just upgrade the system.

With the offline system, on the contrary, it is like installing a brand new system (with the possibility to keep all the existing files programs and configurations).

This latter thing seems to me somehow dfferent from the online update.

I imagine i get a system with wibdows old directory to clean.

With9 the first online option this should not happen.

 

I think you will find you are in error there! The online upgrade is online while the offline is still an upgrade that offers to keep your files as well as most all programs intact with the default boxes checked off. After numerous Insider Previews builds upgrading over each other haven't lost a single file and the one and only item that needs to be reinstalled has been the software for the sound card!

As seen for the last year the builds lately have been upgrading over each other very smoothly without issues for most. I just finished updating the third desktop I will be delivering back to someone later today as well as one of three laptops with flying colors. I simply mounted the iso download on the flash drive I use to carry the update and Virtual Clonedrive app on since some laptops simply won't boot live from flash drives but would require it on option instead for the update.

With the latest Insider builds on two of the desktops I wasn't expecting it come along with the regular updates since those were also Redstone 1 builds but Preview not RTM. For the 3rd desktop and laptop already having downloaded the update I simply didn't plan on waiting to see if it arrived by WU on those two desktop seeing TH2 update and laptop bought in January also most likely seeing the TH2 update there as well while the OEM info doesn't show version or build information only the edition as well as the version of Windows.

With the manual offline upgrades to update here those went just as if the update had arrived by the WU instead. The main files were updated while everything looks identical for each newer build as well as now seeing the RS1 update going on. Unless you are booting live with intent on seeing a full clean install the update goes on as if you were simply installing a service pack for a previous version except the RS1 will be enabling a few new items as well as offering a few more fixes to the OS itself. There's no drastic changes for anything else seen.

 

I plan to download the full iso and save on a not active partition and mount it with daemon tools.
Then launch the setup from the virtual cd.

So, what option should i select in order to have the system upgraded as if the update came online through WU?

I want possibly to avoid a "install a new system keeping all files".
I would like to get a process as if it was WU, even if i use an offline iso file.

 

Hello Night Hawk, thanks for replying.

I did select the correct edition (Regular Windows 10). I didn't get an error message, it just downgraded my edition from Pro to Home.

I believe the issue may be related to my BIOS, as I have an embedded key for Windows 8 Home Edition. I did a digital upgrade to the Pro version. Therefore the installer may be seeing the Home product key in my BIOS.

 

Just got my first of five anniversary updates. Not via normal updates, but by the "learn more" method.

 

My upgrade of a Pro system that was previously upgraded from Home attempted to do exactly the same thing. I noticed on the screen that gives you the choice of what to keep that it stated it could not keep all my apps and settings because I was upgrading to a different version of Windows. I cancelled that, and inserted a PID.txt file containing the generic Windows 10 Pro Product Key into the sources folder of my Windows 10 USB flash drive and ran setup again. Then instead of reading the Windows Home product key in bios, it reads the Windows 10 Pro product key in the pid.txt files and moves forward to upgrade to Pro.

 

When mounting the iso and not booting live from removable media made up you would automatically be seeing the upgrade type install where the "Keep all files..." as well as "Go for updates" boxes are already found checked off. Minor items like apps for expansion cards if on a desktop may have to be reinstalled like the software not drivers however but main audio console launcher for the sound card has to be redone each time another build and now the update goes on.

Nothing else generally will see any effect as the only files changed or added are with the main system files not things installed separately or any folders on the drive. And you still see the Windows.old folder created again regardless of the type of install.

OUCH! Now when doing the intial 8 Home? to 10 upgrade were you running the previous version's Home or Pro edition regardless of the OEM key embedded? By default moving into 10 Pro from any previous Home edition wouldn't seem possible as far as the upgrade path goes and you wouldn't have seen the DE at the time. Had to ask that one.

Here I took the 32bit 7 Home Premium laptop to first end up with the buggy upgrade to 10 Home and later the fresh 32bit install until not able to shrink the primary down on the old laptop with the OEM primary present. After having seen the first 64bit clean install go on I ended up wiping the drive for the second when going to replace that first 32bit install. That was last August when that took place until something let go in December. I won't get a chance to see how the upgrade into the RS1 would have gone now however since it would seem the graphics/display chip let go while the laptop otherwise seems to start up normally but nothing onscreen.

The replacement laptop saw the iso mount and upgrade to update go as smoothly as with the three desktops. The 3rd desktop presented the message that I wouldn't be able to revert back to 7 on that once the update was on. No worries! *Biggrin

 

If i choose the online upgrade do i still get the windows old directory?

 

did manual update, went in perfectly, build 14393.sr1.160715-1616. Changes seem to be mainly cosmetic, of no really great value but as long as its solid OS I dont care.

 

Some things have been altered in upgrade, you will need to redo things like removing shortcut arrows (I hate em); remove yellow shield and some other win 10 manager tweaks I did. If you mean the win 7 menu, I think that may have to be returned, but unsure as I have always used win 10 menu's.

Change user is now a little tiny icon in side bar (left) and yes, Win 7 menu is removed and win 10 substituted. Start Menu 8 will fix that. I went into my daughters account (she uses win 7 menu) it wasn't there.

edit: make sure all users are signed out, and the software will close. Menu - downloaded smart menu 8 and set daughters back to win 7/classic style. Mine changed as well, which it shouldn't have done. Went into smart menu 8 and told it to use win 10. Then after it had complied, went back to hers and it was classic windows. Seems to be a few glitches never had before upgrade.

Bug 2: some icons seem to have vanished from users desktops, still working on this.

 

The Window.old folder is still created with each new install whether upgrade or clean install unless the primary or entire drive is wiped clean when the Windows installer then has nothing to find and pack up from Program Files, Program Files)x64 on the 64bit Windows, ProgramData, and users folders. Any folders outside of those are left untouched even with a full clean install without any reformat or wipe of drive having taken place. To prevent any losses you would still see those backed up elsewhere as a routine on either a separate partition or drive.

Here Start10 is the preferred option over any of the previous 3rd party Start menu replacements. I run with the Modern without tiles option not the 7 or 10 Modern with tiles. For seeing the Modern style with tiles only or with the 7 style as the only other option I would simply have remained with the default 10 now sees. The Redstone 1 builds now have seen the newer change of everything in alphabetical and why I stick with the Start10 option.

 

With online update i beleive there is no windows.old