Windows could not complete the installation

Sometimes, installing a new version of your current operating system or even an upgrade to a brand new one cannot be done without several errors occurring. One of these errors is definitely the error message “Windows could not complete the installation”.

As usual, occurs on Windows computers 10 while users try to install updates manually, but it also happens when the computer is upgraded from an older version of Windows to Windows 10. There are several methods that can be used to solve this and they are presented in this article.. with special attention to the most successful.

Solution 1: fix the error

This problem is sometimes caused by an error and can be avoided by simply running the setup file without receiving the error message directly.. This method is applicable to users who use an external DVD or USB to install a new update or to update their PC.

First, we will have to create a bootable USB or DVD with Windows 10 to be able to recover the equipment and also install the latest updates and improvements.

You can use the media creation tool to create a bootable USB drive in no time that will boot to a device using UEFI.

1. Download the Media Creation Tool from Microsoft's official website. Double click on the file named MediaCreationTool.exe that you just downloaded to start the tool. Click ok.

2. Select the Create installation media option (usb flash drive, DVD or ISO file) for another PC from the first screen displayed in the tool.

1. Language, the architecture and edition of the boot drive will be selected based on your computer configuration, but you can uncheck the option Use the recommended options for this PC configuration to select the appropriate configuration if the computer you want to use the USB has a different configuration.

2. Click Next and click the USB flash drive option when prompted to choose between USB or DVD.

1. Click Next and choose the removable drive from the list showing the storage devices connected to the computer.

2. Click Next and the Media Creation Tool will proceed to download the files necessary to install Windows 10, and will continue to create the bootable media, which should work on most devices that use the legacy BIOS, as well as newer ones that use UEFI. .

When you finish creating a bootable USB, you can proceed to boot your computer with it. The reason we chose a bootable USB over a DVD is because the process is somewhat easier and you won't have to go through the hassle of buying a dual-layer DVD..

1. Once you get the error message on your PC while the external storage device is still connected to your computer, use the Shift key combination + F10 to open a command prompt window.

2. Thereafter, you can insert the DVD or USB you used to create a Windows portable storage media 10 and wait for your computer to recognize it.

3. Type D: [TO ENTER] to navigate to partition D: from the hard disk and type «configure [TO ENTER] to run the update installer. Depending on the team, the letter D: it may be another letter that should correspond to your portable USB.

Solution 2: advanced startup solution

This method sounds a bit strange, but it seems that it tricks Windows into installing its components on a regular basis. If you have trouble installing the latest update, you can always use this method and check if it works. What's more, you have nothing to lose if it doesn't work, since it won't change anything on your computer.

1. Turn the computer off and on about three times until you are prompted to open Advanced Recovery options. On the Choose an option screen, Click on Troubleshoot and choose the Reset Computer option.

1. Choose the option Keep my files, but click Cancel on the next screen and keep choosing Cancel until you return to the Choose an option screen, where you should now choose Continue.

2. Check if you still have problems with the same installation

Solution 3: for AMD users version 1709 Windows 10

This was posted as an official Microsoft answer for AMD users with the older version of Windows 10, as these users got stuck with this error trying to install or infinite loop when trying to install updates. Many users claim that simply installing the update provided by Microsoft for these specific cases was more than enough to solve the problem..

1. What we are going to do is install several updates from the Windows Update Catalog. This download brings various fixes to your computer and is quite easy to install. Here is the KB number you will need to look for: KB4073290.

2. Open the Microsoft Update Catalog and search by clicking the search button in the upper right corner.

1. Click the download button on the left and choose your PC architecture (32 O 64 bits). Make sure you know your PC's processor architecture before choosing this option.

2. Run the file you downloaded and follow the onscreen instructions carefully to complete the update process. Do the same for the two files you need to install.

3. After the update is complete, make sure to restart your computer and try to run the same installation that caused you an error in the first place. Check if the same error occurs.

Solution 4: update BIOS

Definitely, the BIOS is somewhat sensitive and you don't want to have anything with it until you are forced to fix some major problems that could also include the BIOS. Sometimes, the error appears on PC whose BIOS is very out of date and Microsoft has suggested that everyone should update their BIOS firmware to the latest version before installing the updates.

Updating the BIOS can help you resolve certain issues related to Windows settings and users have reported that updating the BIOS has allowed them to proceed without seeing this particular error message..

1. Find out the current BIOS version that you have installed on your computer by typing msinfo in the search bar of the start menu.

2. Find the BIOS version just below your processor model and copy or rewrite anything to a text file or sheet of paper.

1. Find out if your computer was packaged, pre-engineered or hand-assembled by purchasing all components individually. This is important because you do not want to use the BIOS created for a component of your PC when it does not apply to your other devices and it will overwrite the BIOS with the wrong one, which will lead to big errors and system problems.

2. Prepare your computer for the update. If you are updating your laptop, make sure the battery is fully charged and plug it in just in case. If you are upgrading a computer, it is recommended to use an uninterruptible power supply (UPS) to ensure that the computer does not shut down during the update due to a power outage.

3. Follow the instructions we have prepared for various desktop and laptop manufacturers, like Lenovo, Gateway, HP, Dell and MSI.

Solution 5: change additional BIOS settings

Even if your BIOS firmware is up to date, you may notice that the error remains unresolved. There are many reasons for this, but one of them is definitely the fact that there is a certain setting in the BIOS that works great for older versions of Windows 7, but it's bad for windows 10 and can often cause this error. Follow the steps below to fix it.

1. Shut down your computer by going to the Start menu >> Power button >> Delete.

2. Power on your PC again and enter BIOS by pressing BIOS key while system boots. BIOS key usually appears on boot screen, saying “Press ___ to enter setup”. Common BIOS keys are F1, F2, Of, Esc and F10. Note that you will have to be quick as the message disappears quite quickly.

1. The SATA option you will need to change is on different tabs in different manufacturers' BIOS firmware tools and is not a single way to find it. As usual, found under Embedded Devices, Integrated peripherals or even the Advanced tab. Whatever happens, option name is SATA operation.

1. Once you find the option, switch from AHCI or RAID to ATA. ATA is the most reasonable option for the new update or update installation process. Navigate to the Exit section and choose Exit saving changes. This will proceed with the boot. Make sure to try running the update again.

2. Don't forget to change the settings back to their original state after finishing the process.

Solution 6: MMC command and configuration suggestion

The following solution was suggested by Microsoft officials who posted it on a forum dealing with these kinds of issues and users were delighted to hear it and it solved the problem for most of them. Check if this works for you too.

1. Once you get the error message on your PC while the external storage device is still connected to your computer, use the Shift key combination + F10 to open a command prompt window.

2. Type MMC in the command window and click File >> Add or remove plugin … You can also use the CTRL key combination + M.

1. Double click the Computer Management option and choose the Local Computer option before clicking Finish.

2. Click OK and double click the Computer Management option (local) which should appear in the MMC window and go to System Tools >> Local users and groups >> Users.

3. Double click Administrator and uncheck the Disabled Account entry before clicking OK.

   

4. Now right click on “Administrator” and click “Set password”. Choose a password you want to use and restart your computer. The problem should be solved now.

If the problem is still not resolved, you can move on to the second part of the solution that, one more time, relies on using command prompt to navigate from install screen to command prompt window.

1. Once you get the error message on your PC while the external storage device is still connected to your computer, use the Shift key combination + F10 to open a command prompt window.

2. Type the following commands and be sure to click Enter after each one:

CD C: N-Windows System32N-oobe

msoobe

1. Create a generic account and password before clicking “Finalize” (if you request a product key and have a, enter it now. If you are running a process that does not require a key, it can just end). Set the correct date and time and click Finish. Restart your computer to see if the problem is resolved.