Windows 10 Windows 10 install error

[Dozer99]

I came here for some assistance regarding a problem I can't seem to overcome. We're a VERY SMALL company with only seven PCs and three laptops, and since I guess I'm the only one with ANY 'knowledge' whatsoever about such things (and I am not, in all truth, all THAT 'knowledgeable' in any real world concept), I need some input. One of the 'primaries' of the firm has finally decided to retire, so I'm attempting to 'rescue' his system in such a manner that might allow us to retain not only all his data, but ALL the installed software and configuration currently on this desktop PC (a "white box" i5-2500K w/ 16 GB RAM, 256 SSD & 1TB SATA disk, Nvidia GT710, & Windows 7 Pro 64-bit), and here's my problem:
Not long after I first came to the firm, Windows 10 "free upgrade" was still happening, so I convinced the firm to upgrade all the computers to Win10 from Win7 and Win8.1. But this currently retiring 'primary" (partner) absolutely DETESTED Win10 with a passion. And I mean VEHEMENTLY detested it..
So, I rolled him back to Win7, and got back to "happier times" for "Mr. S". And that was, what? Three years ago? So now I want to make this Win7 PC be like all the others, and run Win10, again.... And therein lies my problem.
And please bear in mind that his PC WAS activated in Win10 and he operated the OS for something like three weeks, before our "Mr. S" demanded I "..give him back.." his Win7.
So, is it in any way possible to return this to Win10 WITHOUT having to do a 'clean install'?... which will mean I'll then need to re-install all 60-some pieces of software too? (ie: MS Office, AutoCAD and all 40-some "libraries", Revit and all its 'add-ons', all the scanner, printers and plotters, all the customized database stuff that they contracted out for, the firewall stuff, the remote access software, the "video library" and photo stuff, the VPN, blah-blah-blah ... Cripes, I mean, the list seems almost freaking endless, actually..). And to say nothing of all the setup and 'config' we've accomplished in the four years I've been here before "Mr. S" finally left.
I've done my best to keep things as 'clean' as possible, and this PC runs like a champ, but how do I get this on back Win10 again, and yet save my sanity?
I downloaded the Win10 ver.1903 Media Creation Tool, which asks me if I want to upgrade this now, but this fails routinely, and "errors-out" on "Windows Server Update Services", which is weird because we do not have a Windows Server (I got shot down on that too..). So I'm lost, I guess. And I don't have enough hair to pull out, in the first place, so... Anyone have any good ideas that might not require a full-out rebuild of this PC, and the days of re-loading and re-configuring all this? I do not look forward to doing a 'full reconfiguration' of this whole software collection to say the very least.
Please.. someone help (save) me!

 

[livix07]

My recommendation to you is to try to upgrade using Win10 released in October 2018 (see image below).
This is the link: Download Windows 10 Disc Image (ISO File)

 

[Dozer99]

Thanks for the input.. Would you know which version that is (Oct 2018)? I mentioned my problem to a good friend that owns a local computer service shop, who suggested something similar, and he has (from what he told me) all of the "..most recent iso's " from ver. 1709 and onward. For which he volunteered to 'burn' to a flash drive (not the right term, 'burn'. I would surmise, eh...? 'burn a DVD, yes.. but to a flash? ... but whatever... Semantics.. ).
Is it 1809..? He gave me this on a flash I had in the car, yesterday, but said he wasn't sure when he actually downloaded it as (from what he told me) he grabs 'em as soon as he can and then saves them as 'version numbers', but this may not reflect date of download. The date I see on this "1809" version reflects Jan 2019, so after your response, I called him to ask and he said he had a 'problem disk' in his NAS in January and had to rebuild it then, so this arguably would reflect when he restored from backup. I just 'googled' "Win10 809 release date" and this reflected Oct. 2, 2018 so I'm going to presume this is what you're suggesting. Regardless I'll give it a go and post results when I try this in about 30 minutes...
Thanks again for the help

 

[livix07]

Would you know which version that is (Oct 2018)?... I just 'googled' "Win10 809 release date" and this reflected Oct. 2, 2018 so I'm going to presume this is what you're suggesting.

Yes, it is 1809 as I can remember.

 

[bhmtns1]

Right, 1809. The numbering is year and month of release although actual availability may be a little later. Current is 1903 but lots of speculation 1909 may be soon.

 

[Dozer99]

Well.. No-go... Same error message about haviing to manually uninstall "Windows Server Update Services" (WSUS) - which I simply do not see any means of accomplishing. I've done more than few online searches about "removing WSUS" - none of which seem to have any effect, using either the PowerShell or registry editor or services.msc. What I do not understand is how this was somehow installed in the first place, since (as I mentioned) we have never had any sort of Windows Server system connected to our network. If memory serves, I do seem to remember a Windows Update that related to a 'security update' for Windows 7 and Server 2008 - which must obvisously be the offending update. Trouble is... Once installed it appears to be impossible to remove

 

[Dozer99]

More research shows that there are SEVERAL of these "Windows 7 and Server 2008" updates, and I suppose only MS knows which is which... and most likely how to get beyond this "failure to install' situation as it pertains to "WSUS". In any event I'm still unable to install Win10 regardless of version, SO... If I cannot get any resolution to this by the end of this weekend, I am faced with the inevitable... Which seems to come down to backing up Windows 7, 'cleaning' the disk and then installing Windows 10 1903 to this now empty disk. And then making an effort to restore what I can from the backup, and simply spending the 30-some odd hours re-installing everything from scratch, re-configuring all four color plotters and printers, installing the entire 'library' of software we all use, and the collection of support files and software required for 'normal' operations. Not a happy person....
If only our estimable "Mr. S" was not one of the owners of this firm, and was not so totally resolute to keep Windows 7 for these past three or four years, POTENTIALLY this would not have ever happened and I may have retained some of my disappearing hairline. (Arguably not, I am sure, but its a great concept..).