Windows 10 Anniversary update problem

Ron Leinweber

Honorable Member
Joined
Sep 12, 2016
I have tried multiple times to upgrade my Windows 10 (Build 10240) Dell XPS8900 PC to the anniversary edition only to have the update fail with the error 0x80073B92 – 0x20009. It says the system failed in the safe_OS with an error during prepare_rollback operation. I get the message when the computer restarts and always have Internet Explorer ask if I want to use new settings or use existing settings. I should note this computer dual boots Windows 10 and Windows 8.1. I don’t think the dual boot is the problem since I have a Gateway S5405D dual booting with Windows XP and Windows 10, a Gateway FX530XM dual booting Windows 7 and Windows 10, and a Dell XPS8500 dual booting Windows 8.0 and Windows 10. The other three computers did the anniversary update successfully with no problems, it is only the XPS8900 which refuses to update the 10240. I attempted to lookup the problem on the Internet. I disconnected all the USB devices and tried without an Internet connection, only to have the same issue. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
 
For the most part, the newest AU update (v1607 b14393.321) has been getting better than the previous 9 or so earlier AU updates released since Aug. 2nd from MS. However, you were very luck with your other 3 machines. Upgrades via the AU update from versions v1511 and v10240(2015) have been notorious at crashing Windows and killing computers. Before the 3 PCs you mentioned that did the update Ok; we have only gotten 4 PCs that did this since Aug. 2nd without issue that I know of. We literally have thousands of computers here that have had issues; and all of them normally require a Clean Install from W10 bootable media. We have multiple threads on the subject, several here I contributed to.

I happen to have a Customer with an XPS8900 and that's a very expensive high-performance machine that's a modern-era computer (made in 2009 or after) and should have no problem with running W10 (as you mentioned). However, this computer did come with Win7 and so is a few years old. I have dual boots of Windows-Ubuntu Linux, however, our testing here has shown that there are issues with the AU update on machines with dual-boot configurations of Windows such as W8.1 & W10, W7 & W10, etc. What I would suggest on that 1 machine you are having the problem with (the XPS8900), is that you FIRST BACKUP ALL OF YOUR PERSONAL DATA TO EXTERNAL MEDIA! THIS WOULD INCLUDE YOUR LIBRARY FOLDERS FOR DOCUMENTS, PHOTOS, MUSIC, VIDEOS, AND ANY SAVED E-MAILS OR ATTACHMENTS TO AVOID IRRETRIEVABLE DATA LOSS!!!

Next, take a look at this Post I wrote that covers most of the steps you have to take in order to try and fix this issue: Cant update
Take a look at my POST #7 specifically. It's important to go into your Windows Update History and look for the 3 latest components of the AU update from Oct. 11th. If they are not there, you need to follow the instructions to get them there. If this does not work, after backing up this machine as mentioned above, you should do a Clean Install with W10 bootable media also as mentioned and get that machine running the latest version (without the dual-boot). This should be: (v1607 b14393.321). I would then wait for the machine to get the latest AU update which should come into your computer tomorrow or next Tuesday 10/25. If the computer updates to the next AU update, then your Windows Updates are working and so is that machine. You could then install the W8.1 alongside the updated W10 and hopefully it continues to update with future AU updates. If it does not, that machine may just not like dual-boot and have a hardware incompatibility with it. If you followed all the instructions in my post above, including the Hardware Testing that would be the most likely conclusion (possibly a failure in it's Motherboard). If you skip the Hardware Testing and the install of the 2nd Windows *8.1* causes the AU update to fail, you could have a faulty hard drive or RAM stick(s). Until you find which component(s) have failed, the dual-boot may never work. :waah: If you did do the required Hardware testing and it still fails; THAT PARTICULAR DELL DESKTOP (XPS8900) has a hardware failure most likely and would need to be replaced. :waah:

It's also a recommended practice to run the W10 COMPATIBILITY TEST during the W10 install. Don't know if you did this or not when you originally installed the v10240 W10, but that should have been done to identify any incompatible components, drivers, or apps. If you get to this point and haven't fixed it, you should run that program during another Clean Install as here: Get Windows 10 app - Check Compatibility Report for Windows 10
Remove all found issues from the Compatibility Report and proceed with the AU update as above.

Lastly, it's important to note that you also remove any secondary drive storage devices internal to the machine that connects to your Motherboard via SATA, eSATA, Firewire, or USB ports prior to attempting the Clean Install. Many of our users here with failed updates are not aware that this can cause problems with the AU update since they don't do this for a living. Usually, it's not for days or weeks of trying to help someone and they finally post back BSOD dumps or full hardware specs that we glean they have a 2nd or 3rd drive hooked into the Motherboard while they are trying to repair their problem only to see this. Usually, they forget it about it or just don't think it's important. YOU MUST DISCONNECT ALL THESE EXTRA DRIVES *INCLUDING ANY NAS OR SAN DEVICES TOO* when troubleshooting this type of problem. You must be only repairing the C: bootdrive single drive that W10 is booting from--NO OTHER PHSYICAL DRIVES OR STORAGE DEVICES. Since you have 3 other computers, I'm guessing you have a fair bit of experience with computers as you dual-boot experience says; but make sure that this XPS8900 complies with using only a single bootdrive and no other storage devices when attempting to fix this type of problem.

Let us know how it goes.
Best,:encouragement:
<<<BIGBEARJEDI>>>
 
There is a lot of stuff here. I will attempt to see what I can find. Since 10240 runs flawlessly, I know there are no issues with the hardware. As I stated, I disconnected everything other than mouse and keyboard with no luck. The computer keeps attempting the upgrade with the same result. There is too much stuff on the computer to do a clean install. Microsoft seems to create more and more problems for consumers, and it appears their ultimate goal is to end up with a version of Windows where the consumer will pay either a monthly or annual fee to use Windows. I will piece meal the things you suggested and let you know how it works out. From what you described, I was lucky the other three machines updated correctly.
 
For the most part, the newest AU update (v1607 b14393.321) has been getting better than the previous 9 or so earlier AU updates released since Aug. 2nd from MS. However, you were very luck with your other 3 machines. Upgrades via the AU update from versions v1511 and v10240(2015) have been notorious at crashing Windows and killing computers. Before the 3 PCs you mentioned that did the update Ok; we have only gotten 4 PCs that did this since Aug. 2nd without issue that I know of. We literally have thousands of computers here that have had issues; and all of them normally require a Clean Install from W10 bootable media. We have multiple threads on the subject, several here I contributed to.

I happen to have a Customer with an XPS8900 and that's a very expensive high-performance machine that's a modern-era computer (made in 2009 or after) and should have no problem with running W10 (as you mentioned). However, this computer did come with Win7 and so is a few years old. I have dual boots of Windows-Ubuntu Linux, however, our testing here has shown that there are issues with the AU update on machines with dual-boot configurations of Windows such as W8.1 & W10, W7 & W10, etc. What I would suggest on that 1 machine you are having the problem with (the XPS8900), is that you FIRST BACKUP ALL OF YOUR PERSONAL DATA TO EXTERNAL MEDIA! THIS WOULD INCLUDE YOUR LIBRARY FOLDERS FOR DOCUMENTS, PHOTOS, MUSIC, VIDEOS, AND ANY SAVED E-MAILS OR ATTACHMENTS TO AVOID IRRETRIEVABLE DATA LOSS!!!

Next, take a look at this Post I wrote that covers most of the steps you have to take in order to try and fix this issue: Cant update
Take a look at my POST #7 specifically. It's important to go into your Windows Update History and look for the 3 latest components of the AU update from Oct. 11th. If they are not there, you need to follow the instructions to get them there. If this does not work, after backing up this machine as mentioned above, you should do a Clean Install with W10 bootable media also as mentioned and get that machine running the latest version (without the dual-boot). This should be: (v1607 b14393.321). I would then wait for the machine to get the latest AU update which should come into your computer tomorrow or next Tuesday 10/25. If the computer updates to the next AU update, then your Windows Updates are working and so is that machine. You could then install the W8.1 alongside the updated W10 and hopefully it continues to update with future AU updates. If it does not, that machine may just not like dual-boot and have a hardware incompatibility with it. If you followed all the instructions in my post above, including the Hardware Testing that would be the most likely conclusion (possibly a failure in it's Motherboard). If you skip the Hardware Testing and the install of the 2nd Windows *8.1* causes the AU update to fail, you could have a faulty hard drive or RAM stick(s). Until you find which component(s) have failed, the dual-boot may never work. :waah: If you did do the required Hardware testing and it still fails; THAT PARTICULAR DELL DESKTOP (XPS8900) has a hardware failure most likely and would need to be replaced. :waah:

It's also a recommended practice to run the W10 COMPATIBILITY TEST during the W10 install. Don't know if you did this or not when you originally installed the v10240 W10, but that should have been done to identify any incompatible components, drivers, or apps. If you get to this point and haven't fixed it, you should run that program during another Clean Install as here: Get Windows 10 app - Check Compatibility Report for Windows 10
Remove all found issues from the Compatibility Report and proceed with the AU update as above.

Lastly, it's important to note that you also remove any secondary drive storage devices internal to the machine that connects to your Motherboard via SATA, eSATA, Firewire, or USB ports prior to attempting the Clean Install. Many of our users here with failed updates are not aware that this can cause problems with the AU update since they don't do this for a living. Usually, it's not for days or weeks of trying to help someone and they finally post back BSOD dumps or full hardware specs that we glean they have a 2nd or 3rd drive hooked into the Motherboard while they are trying to repair their problem only to see this. Usually, they forget it about it or just don't think it's important. YOU MUST DISCONNECT ALL THESE EXTRA DRIVES *INCLUDING ANY NAS OR SAN DEVICES TOO* when troubleshooting this type of problem. You must be only repairing the C: bootdrive single drive that W10 is booting from--NO OTHER PHSYICAL DRIVES OR STORAGE DEVICES. Since you have 3 other computers, I'm guessing you have a fair bit of experience with computers as you dual-boot experience says; but make sure that this XPS8900 complies with using only a single bootdrive and no other storage devices when attempting to fix this type of problem.

Let us know how it goes.
Best,:encouragement:
<<<BIGBEARJEDI>>>
 
I am starting to wonder if the problem is the partition the boot sector is on. Since the other three computers updated with no issues, there must be something different with this computer. Drive designations are the same on all three, peripherals are all the same, the only difference is that this computer refuses to update. It seems to do the usual updates, just not the anniversary update. It appears the problem is with the boot up after the update so it rolls back.
 
It still sounds to me like a hardware failure. Complete the testing of your Hard Drive bootdrive and all your RAM sticks as per my Troubleshooting Guide here: Windows 10 - Unclickable Task Bar
If we take your word that all 4 of these PCs are IDENTICAL hardware, then there are usually 2 reasons why the v1607 might still fail.:waah:

1.) Even though the Hard Drive tests in my Troubleshooting Guide are very good, they are not perfect.:andwhat: I've had a couple of laptops (Acer's) which passed all the tests I could throw at it, replaced the Motherboard and all RAM Sticks; and the laptop still froze after 15 min. no matter what.:waah: After several weeks of tearing my hair out, I finally REPLACED THE HARD DRIVE, and reloaded Win7 on this machine and did a scratch rebuild. It finally resolved the problem.:applaud: Turns out that my Customer had like 5 other Techs attempt to repair this laptop, and none of the other Techs in my Community were able to resolved it but me. :rolleyes: There are instances where the hardware component, especially the hard drive, can fail in a way that does not show up in any Test. This is extremely unusual, but as my story demonstrates it can happen.

2.) Even though your Hard Drive and RAM ran Ok with v10240; that version is over 1 year old; you could have experienced a hardware failure since that time in THAT particular XPS8900. I see this frequently with Customers who buy multiple identical machines such as for a spouse or the spouse and the kids. You must complete the Hardware testing as I describe, and then the software repair up to and including complete Windows10 reinstallation first before giving up. If that still fails to install W10, the only thing you can do is to replace the Hard Drive and RAM sticks both. If you do that, and the problem persists, I would say that your Motherboard is defective and most likely experienced a failure since you installed W10 v10240. So you can either junk that particular XPS8900 or replace it's Motherboard. That's gonna be expensive, as that's a high-performance PC; could be several hundred dollars to do that, even if you buy the part and do the replacement yourself.

You also mentioned that a rebuild is not possible on that machine because of all the stuff you have installed on it. It's your PC and your Choice; but if you don't exhaust all avenues of repair it will never get fixed and it will be running v10240 a decade or two from now, sort of like some of my older computers that are W95 or W98. They still work, but are pretty much worthless unless you are typing up a letter in Word or playing Solitaire, certainly not able to do anything on the Internet without severe wait times of 30 min. between tasks. In other words, it could wind up being a doorstop or a permanent closet denizen.

[I happen to have a Customer with this exact PC, but he's not ready for me to upgrade him to W10 yet. If he changes his mind and let's me do the upgrade on it, I'll let you know if I'm successful at getting W10 v1607 AU latest update installed on it and report back to this thread.]

I guarantee that either of these solutions, #1 or #2 should produce a positive result. We'll wait to hear back from you. :up:

<<<BBJ>>>
 
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Not a drive issue. I have an SSD drive, with the capability to boot either the hard drive or SSD. Before you say that's the problem, I removed the SSD and attempted to update the hard drive with the same result, so the drives are not the issue. Both times I disconnected everything other than the mouse and keyboard and tried updating with and without downloading updates during the install. When I get the time I will do the memory test thing. I still don't think that's the problem since everything works fine and no errors of any kind. I have too many programs to reload from scratch, particularly since I would have to reload both the SSD and hard drives. Windows updates everything other than the anniversary update. It updates frequently, so the only thing I don't have is all the stuff they've added that I don't use anyway. I still think this is an issue with how Windows handled the original dual boot in the boot sector. That's also eluded to in the message "failed in the safe_OS with an error during prepare_rollback operation".
 
Update: The problem was the partition that the Windows programs were installed on. Even though you can't physically see where the files are stored on the hard drive, I reinstalled both Windows 8.1 and Windows 10 on both the hard drive and the SSD drive, on the opposite partitions where originally stored and that solved the problem. Since the SSD was cloned from the hard drive, they both exhibited the same issue. The problem was not hardware but where the operating systems were actually stored on the drives.
 
Have you from poweshell(admin) Tried a sfc /scannow and a dism /online /cleanup-image /restore health before attempting the update. Though as a reinstall fixed it alls good. Thank you for updating the thread with your fix.
 
Update: The problem was the partition that the Windows programs were installed on. Even though you can't physically see where the files are stored on the hard drive, I reinstalled both Windows 8.1 and Windows 10 on both the hard drive and the SSD drive, on the opposite partitions where originally stored and that solved the problem. Since the SSD was cloned from the hard drive, they both exhibited the same issue. The problem was not hardware but where the operating systems were actually stored on the drives.
I have had the same problem trying to install Version 1607 on two of my PC's that have a partitioned boot drive. I spent several hours on the phone with Microsoft Tech Support who tried to install the upgrade using different tactics. They all failed. I was then told the problem was due to the fact that the drive was partitioned. The solution was to delete the partition and reinstall Win 10 from scratch. That also means reinstalling all apps and reconfiguring Windows to my tastes. Not an option!

Why can't Microsoft fix the upgrade process so it works on partitioned drives?
 
I have had the same problem trying to install Version 1607 on two of my PC's that have a partitioned boot drive. I spent several hours on the phone with Microsoft Tech Support who tried to install the upgrade using different tactics. They all failed. I was then told the problem was due to the fact that the drive was partitioned. The solution was to delete the partition and reinstall Win 10 from scratch. That also means reinstalling all apps and reconfiguring Windows to my tastes. Not an option!

Why can't Microsoft fix the upgrade process so it works on partitioned drives?
>>>On those 2 computers, what is the 2nd OS alongside of the W10 v1607? Is it Linux? If so, Ubuntu, Mint, etc. what version? Or is it an earlier version of Windows? If so, which one? i.e. W7, Vista, W8x? There are known problems with dual-boot of W10 and Ubuntu on some machines especially if you are attempting to do a dual-boot W10 with Ubuntu 16.04.1LTS. That's a problem on older netbooks and some laptops. If you are on a desktop PC, I have only recently *the last few months* gotten that combo to work on an old Dell test machine (9.5 yrs. old, Dimension E520). A little more information, and we might be able to provide some suggestions specific to the OSes you are attempting to configure in dual-boot mode. Sounds good?

Thanks---:cheerful:
<<<BIGBEARJEDI>>>
 
I have had the same problem trying to install Version 1607 on two of my PC's that have a partitioned boot drive. I spent several hours on the phone with Microsoft Tech Support who tried to install the upgrade using different tactics. They all failed. I was then told the problem was due to the fact that the drive was partitioned. The solution was to delete the partition and reinstall Win 10 from scratch. That also means reinstalling all apps and reconfiguring Windows to my tastes. Not an option!

Why can't Microsoft fix the upgrade process so it works on partitioned drives?

Most people who have two partitions will have the older version of Windows on the first partition. So, they will have this same problem. I agree that Microsoft should fix this problem since the only work around is reinstalling everything on the opposite partitions. It seems like it would be an easy fix for them, but, like everything else, probably since most people don't experience this issue they won't fix it. Also for most people, they don't have any way to know what partition is where, and wouldn't have a clue that it is the problem. None of the fixes mentioned in any of the responses to this post will work. The only way to fix the problem is to reinstall both operating systems (been there, done that). Sorry for the bad news but you will need to reinstall.
 
" … and it appears their ultimate goal is to end up with a version of Windows where the consumer will pay either a monthly or annual fee to use Windows. "

Ron Leinweber … thanks for your post … never saw this coming. with the way other industry leaders are beginning similar approaches … no doubt this will manifest itself within the next few years.
 
>>>On those 2 computers, what is the 2nd OS alongside of the W10 v1607? Is it Linux? If so, Ubuntu, Mint, etc. what version? Or is it an earlier version of Windows? If so, which one? i.e. W7, Vista, W8x? There are known problems with dual-boot of W10 and Ubuntu on some machines especially if you are attempting to do a dual-boot W10 with Ubuntu 16.04.1LTS. That's a problem on older netbooks and some laptops. If you are on a desktop PC, I have only recently *the last few months* gotten that combo to work on an old Dell test machine (9.5 yrs. old, Dimension E520). A little more information, and we might be able to provide some suggestions specific to the OSes you are attempting to configure in dual-boot mode. Sounds good?

Thanks---:cheerful:
<<<BIGBEARJEDI>>>
Thanks for the information, but I only have a single O/S installed on Drive C: The other partition (D:) is for Data only and is not bootable. The only O/S installed is Windows 10 Pro, Version 1511. I guess I'll be staying with that.
 
Most people who have two partitions will have the older version of Windows on the first partition. So, they will have this same problem. I agree that Microsoft should fix this problem since the only work around is reinstalling everything on the opposite partitions. It seems like it would be an easy fix for them, but, like everything else, probably since most people don't experience this issue they won't fix it. Also for most people, they don't have any way to know what partition is where, and wouldn't have a clue that it is the problem. None of the fixes mentioned in any of the responses to this post will work. The only way to fix the problem is to reinstall both operating systems (been there, done that). Sorry for the bad news but you will need to reinstall.

Thanks for the information, but I only have a single O/S installed on Drive C: The other partition (D:) is for Data only and is not bootable. The only O/S installed is Windows 10 Pro, Version 1511. I guess I'll be staying with that.
 
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