Updated BIOS to get Windows 10 from Build 1511 to current Build 1703 on an old Pavilion PC?

[PurpleHelen]

(I asked this in Hardware & Updates, but probably should have asked it here, so I am copying it across)

Trying to set up an old Pavilion Desktop, which is already running Windows 10 but not used for a year. 

It has updated itself a bit, but stuck at Windows 10 build 1511, whereas the current version I believe is 1703. 

"Check for updates" in System tells me it is fully up to date.

Microsoft support tell me I need to update the BIOS (currently American Megatrends 6.12 12/07/2010) before I can update Windows 10 any further.

The HP website warns I should probably not even be running Windows 10 on a machine before 2013 (though when the free upgrade came out, Windows 10 was happy to install itself).

My question is whether I am OK to leave it at build 1511 - what are the implications? - will I still get security patches?

If I need to get it right up to date, where should I look for the correct new BIOS (and simple instructions to install it!)

Any guidance gratefully received, many thanks, Helen.

[Paul_Tikkanen]

Hi, Helen:

The BIOS revision that your PC has is the latest one. 

However, I don't know why you can't update to the latest version of W10 (Creator's Edition).

I have a couple of HP desktop PC's older than yours, and they work fine on the latest W10 CE.

I would just go ahead and update to the latest version.

If for some reason, things don't work as expected, you have 30 days to roll back to the version you have now.

You can install the update by going to the link below, and click on the 'Update Now' button.

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10

[Grzwacz]

Hi Helen

I responded your question in the Hardware board.

You certainly can try to update. 

Please create a windows 10 system image on external media, create a bootable USB recovery drive.

The update could potentially render your PC unbootable. Have seen this happen.

Have a backup plan in place. Do you have HP recovery discs in case you have to rebuild the system back to the factory image?

Grzy

[PurpleHelen]

Thanks for the advice Paul.  Glad to hear my machine is not the only old one!

Unfortunately that hasn't worked.  I've tried 3 times, running as administrator, with and without Windows Defender switched on, and each time it gets to 100% download, starts the update, but at 2% it fails, saying "Something went wrong.  You can try with your firewall switched off (I have) - error 0x80070005"

Googling that error it suggests it is a privilege issue, but I am logged on as administrator, and have run the .exe file as administrator, so I don't think that can be the issue.

Any suggestions?

[Paul_Tikkanen · Accepted solution]

You're very welcome.

Unfortunately, I do not know what you can do about that error, since I have never encountered it during any of the upgrades I did.

The only other option I can think of to get the latest version on there, would be to try to clean install the new W10 CE by booting from the W10 CE installation media.

You would use the second option on the page I posted to make your own W10 installation media.

This approach would cause you to have to reinstall all files and programs on the clean installation.

If you would want to do that, then I suggest you make an image of your current installation that you can restore it to, in case even the clean install doesn't work.

I use the free Macrium Reflect software to create system images and the bootable recovery disk you need to access the image.  I store the image on a portable hard drive and then when I need to restore the image, I boot from the rescue media that Macrium prompts me to create.

https://www.macrium.com/reflectfree

[PurpleHelen]

Many thanks for the swift reply Paul.  I'll have to think about whether to do that, or just stick with 1511 for the time being.

Much appreciate your time.

Helen.

[Paul_Tikkanen]

Anytime, Helen.

Glad to have been of assistance.

BTW, as for getting continued updates to Build 1511, those should continue for the foreseeable future, unless Microsoft issues a statement regarding when updates to Build 1511 will end.

Paul

[PurpleHelen]

Perfect.  By the time that happens, I'll probably be ready for a new PC myself and pass my current one to my non-techy husband again (to replace the 1511 one I'm passing to him now!)