Windows 10 upgrade fails with error message "we couldn't update the system reserved partition"

[Gesmer1]

HP and Microsoft both indicated my notebook was ready for upgrade to Windows 10, but when I tried to do the upgrade it failed - repeatedly - with the error message from Microsoft that "we couldn't update the system reserved partition."

What to do?

[TheOldMan · Accepted solution]

Other threads for that error indicate the system reserved partition needs to be made larger.  Typically that partition is small.  Try making it at least 400MB instead of the 100MB to 250 MB that it probably is now.

[Gesmer1]

Thank you! I think your analysis is correct. I opened disk management and found that the "Data" volume - which includes system - is only 100 MB and that 99 MB of that is in use. But so far I've been unable to figure out how to extend that volume. I started by shrinking the general volume by 500 MB. Then i right clicked on the Data volume expecting to be able to extend it by the same 500 MB. But the Extend option was greyed out. What am I doing wrong?

[TheOldMan]

Your thinking is correct - shrink the main and then extend the system reserved partition.  Try doing those operations with "Administrator rights"

[Gesmer1]

I had Administrator rights when I attempted to expand the System volume.

The problem may lie elsewhere: I looked in Microsoft Help for the disk management console and it states that you cannot extend the existing System volume or existing Boot volume.  That seems strange!

[Gesmer1]

Problem solved. I downloaded a freeware partition management app, MiniTool Partition Wizard, and used that to resize the "data" volume from 100 MB to 600 MB. As soon as the computer rebooted, the Windows update process took over. A few hours later Windows 10 was up and running.

[TheOldMan]

Glad it is sorted.  I was going to advise that you try to do the resize outside of Disk Management because it sometimes does not allow much control.

[CanhThanh]

  MiniTool Partition Wizard

1. delete paration " reserved partition"

2. increase size partition " capacity 100mb" about 200mb

[TheOldMan]

The system reserved partition serves a purpose.  If it is deleted, then the OS will not boot back up.  In which case you are toast.

ON THIS PAGE, it tells what the partition is used for.-

The Boot Manager and Boot Configuration Data : When your computer boots, the Windows Boot Manager starts up and reads the boot data from the Boot Configuration Data (BCD) Store. Your computer boots the boot loader off the System Reserved partition, and it boots Windows from your system drive.

I advise that you not do what CanhThanh is instructing

[CanhThanh]

My computer was active when used this way.