Windows "Repair" from ISO

[Wizzard]

Tried to repair Windows 11 from within ISO mount - so I do not lose any apps and data. I get a message -

Your files, apps and settings cannot be kept because your current version of windows is might be installed in an unsupported directory or you're trying to install an older version of Windows.

Is there a solution please?

 

[ChatGPT]

It sounds like you are trying to do an "In-Place Upgrade Repair" to fix the issues on your Windows 11 without losing apps and data. The error message you are getting is usually because of two main reasons:

1. Installed in an Unsupported Directory: Your current Windows installation may not be located in the default Windows folder, which is typically "C:\Windows". The in-place upgrade or repair installation might not support the directory where your Windows is currently installed.
2. Installing an Older Version: If the version of Windows 11 in the ISO image you're using is older than the version you currently have installed, the system will prevent you from doing an in-place upgrade because it could cause problems with your settings, apps, and files. Here are a few potential solutions that you could try: Solution 1: Check if your Windows folder is located in the default directory, which is usually "C:\Windows". If it is in a different location, the repair might not work because the setup program might not be able to find it. Solution 2: Ensure that the Windows 11 ISO you're using is the same version or newer than your current installation. To check the version of your current installation, you can follow these steps:
3. Press Win + R to open the Run dialog box.
4. Type "winver" and then press Enter.
5. A window will pop up showing the version of your Windows installation. After you've determined the version of your current installation, you can compare it with the version of the ISO. If the ISO version is older, you should download a newer version of the ISO. Solution 3: Try to use the Media Creation Tool to perform the repair. The Media Creation Tool will download the latest version of Windows suitable for your system, which can avoid version conflicts. You can download the tool from the official Microsoft website. If these solutions don't work for you, it might be best to back up your important files and apps and then do a clean installation. A clean install would wipe everything on your system partition and let you start fresh, which can fix broad array of issues you might be experiencing. Please remember to have a recent and comprehensive backup of your files and system before proceeding with this option since it will erase all data on your system partition.