Upgrading to Windows 10 Version 1809 from an Older Build of Windows

This Build of Windows 10 is Obsolete. For up to date instructions see

Tutorial Video


Eligible Operating Systems to Upgrade From

You can perform an upgrade install to Windows 10 Version 1809 from:

  • Windows 7 OEM/Retail
  • Windows 8 OEM/Retail
  • Windows 8.1 OEM/Retail
  • Windows 10 Version 1507-1803 OEM/Retail

Ignore any reference to the "1 Year Free Upgrade" it was just a marketing ploy to entice as many people to upgrade as soon as possible. All activation mechanisms for Windows 10 involving Windows 7 and Windows 8.x for OEM and Retail Licenses still work and will likely always work.


Check Windows Version

If you are running Windows 10 already right click the start button and select system.

This will tell you your Version. If it is not Version 1809 (September 2019) then you should perform an in place upgrade installation:


Beginning the Setup from Windows 10 Installation Media

There are three ways to perform an in place upgrade using installation media, the first couple of steps to begin the install are different for the three methods but after the first few steps the instructions become identical.

Bootable USB

This is the most recommended method as you will have a Bootable USB to fall back on, on the rare cases when the Windows 10 Upgrade Installs go sour. To Download a Windows 10 ISO and make a Bootable USB see Windows OEM FAQs and Downloads.

Insert the Bootable USB.

Simply open the USB within Windows explorer and select the setup.exe.

Installation ISO

You can also update from the Installation ISO. To Download a Windows 10 ISO see Windows OEM FAQs and Downloads.

Windows 8 and later can mount installation ISO files directly in Windows explorer. The setup.exe can be launched from the mounted virtual drive. Right click the ISO and select mount.

Once you have mounted the ISO launch the setup.exe in the virtual drive.

Note: Windows 7 cannot mount an installation ISO and using third party tools to mount the ISO will result in the ISO being lost when the Windows 7 installation restarts to begin the Windows 10 install; the Windows 10 will fail as the installation media is lost. One can use the third party tool 7zip in Windows 7 to extract the ISO to a folder and launch the setup.exe from it.

Media Creation Tool

Alternatively launch the Windows 10 Media Creation Tool. Get the tool from the Windows 10 Media Creation Tool Page on the Microsoft Website. Select Download Now and Launch the Media Creation Tool:

Accept the User Account Control Prompt

The Windows logo will show:

The Windows 10 Setup will get a few things ready:

You'll need to accept the License Agreement:

It will get a few things ready:

The next screen will only show if you have launched the Media Creation Tool, select Upgrade this PC Now:


Windows 10 Upgrade Install

Not all these screens will show if you are updating using the Media Creation Tool directly as you'll have just seen very similar screens in a slightly different order.

Accept the user account control prompt:

Select Download Updates, Drivers and Optional Features and select Next:

It will now Check for Updates:

The Windows splash logo will then show:

The Windows setup will prepare:

The Windows 10 setup will restart, it should restart maximised but sometimes it will restart minimised – if it does you'll need to click on the icon on the taskbar:

Accept the License Agreement:

You will then be shown a screen briefly Choose what to keep (you'll see it in more detail later):

The Making sure you're ready to install screen will then show up:

It will now check for updates:

You'll see Making sure you're ready to install show again:

It will check that you have enough storage space for the upgrade install on your C:\ Drive:

By default it will Install Windows 10 Edition and keep your personal files and apps. You can select enxt here or change what to keep:

You can instead only choose to keep files which will remove Apps and Settings or choose the third option to remove your files as well as the Apps and Settings (similar to a clean install but no options to re-partition the drive during setup). Once you've made your choice select next:

You'll see Making sure you're ready to install show again:

It'll check for the updates again:

You'll return to this screen. Select install:

The setup will go full screen:

Your computer will then restart:

You'll see the UEFI BIOS splash screen:

Windows will work on the updates:

It'll restart again so you'll see the UEFI BIOS splash screen again:

You'll be taken to the lock screen, where you will need to sign in:

You'll see the last stages of the Windows Upgrade:

Microsoft Edge will be opened informing you, that you have the October Update:

You can right click the start button and select system just to be sure:

As you can see it is now Version 1809:


System Drivers

Driver Installation

Windows 10 will have basic functionality without any installation of additional drivers giving it basic internet connectivity. Moreover it automatically obtains a multitude of drivers from Windows Update.

OEM Driver Update Utility

The major OEMs such as Dell, HP and Lenovo have created driver update utilities which will scan the system and compare the driver version Windows 10 has inbuilt or installed from Windows Update to the latest version the OEM has on their servers. These tools should be installed and ran. More details here:

It is also recommended to launch the Intel Driver & Support Assistant as most Dell, Lenovo and HP systems prebundled Intel hardware and prebundled Intel Drivers. As a result Intel may have a driver released to address an issue before your OEM does.

For older systems, Windows 10 will have most system drivers inbuilt or obtain them from Windows Update automatically, you can launch the OEM driver update utility but it may not find anything if Windows 10 has already obtained drivers for your hardware.

Touchpad Driver

When Windows 10 is installed on older Dell/HP/Lenovo systems that were designed for Windows 7, a generic Touchpad Driver is installed. In many cases, this driver is severely lacking and the driver released by the Touchpad vendor was for an older version of Windows such as Windows 7. Many of these Touchpad drivers don't install correctly on Windows 10. As Touchpads haven't changed that much over time, the solution is often to install a Touchpad driver available for a newer model of Touchpad. As this Touchpad driver isn't designed for your hardware, it needs to be force installed via the Device Manager. See my popular guide Dell Touchpad Drivers for more details.

With newer (>2016 Hardware) there is a future push for Microsoft to natively support new Touchpads, so called “Precision Touchpads” which should alleviate any OEM driver issues.

Problem Devices

If you have a Device where Windows couldn't find a driver automatically you can examine it in more detail via the Device Manager for more details see my guide Checking Hardware IDs using the Device Manager.


Windows 10 Features

With Windows 10 Version 1809 comes the new paste clipboard, the Emoji Panel was also introduced in Windows 10 Version 1803. For more details about these see Features to Enable in Windows 10.


Office 365

If you already had Office 365 it should still be installed. If you need to install Office 365, see my guide Installing Office 365 (2019)


Security

Windows 10 by default has Windows Defender giving base system security. If you want to install another security product then I recommend Malwarebytes' AntiMalware. There is a free version which only does an on demand scan or a paid version which does Realtime Protection. Below is an affiliate link:

Malwarebytes for Home | Anti-Malware Premium | Free Trial Download


Setting to Enable in Windows 10

Microsoft have created a Windows 10 Clipboard which allows you to Copy and Paste multiple items.

Press [Windows] and [ v ] to open the Windows Clipboard. This will allow you to paste not only the last text you have copied but all text before hand. The first time you will launch this, you will need to turn it on.

Microsoft also have an emoji panel.

Press [Windows] and [ . ]


UEFI Boot and Secure Boot

For those who have Upgraded from Windows 7 to Windows 10 because Windows 7 did not support all modern security technologies in the systems UEFI BIOS, you may be running Windows 10 with lower security settings. To rectify this see Enabling UEFI and SecureBoot after an Upgrade from Windows 7 to Windows 10.


Free Up Disc Space

After a Windows 10 Upgrade Install a Windows.old folder is created. You can save space by removing it see Free Up Disc Space by Removing the Windows.old Folder but you should only do so once you are happy that your system is running stably on Windows 10 Version 1809 as removing this folder will stop you from using the Rollback feature.

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