Upgrading ZBook15 G1 to Windows10

[UUderzo]

Hello, my ZBook 15 G1 has Windows 7 64 bit Pro installed on it.

Certain software that i'm currently using (for example Davinci Resolve Studio 15.2.3) state that Windows7 is no more supported as host operating system, so if i have issues with the software, the customer support won't be likely to help me in solving.

So i'm looking to upgrade the O.S. to Windows10.

Already tried doing this but at the second boot i get something like "system thread exception not handled" with no more details about the module where it happens. Then the upgrade rollbacks to Windows7.

I asked at the Microsoft Forum and i been replied that the G1 is out of luck with drivers support for the latest Win10 build.

Am i really out of luck, and better keep using my software until it definitely breaks the OS compatibility or is there any chance to upgrade the machine? After all, this laptop ha still more to offer and it would be a pity to change it.

Thank you! Umberto Uderzo

[Huffer]

Windows 10 is fully supported on that model. How are you trying to install? Upgrade or clean install? From what medium? 

HP has a whole Windows 10 driver page for it:

https://support.hp.com/us-en/drivers/selfservice/hp-zbook-15-mobile-workstation/5387800

[UUderzo]

Thanks Huffer for your reply!

The Microsoft support linked this page:

https://support.hp.com/it-it/document/c05201533

Where it looks like the Zbook G1 generation has not supported drivers for the latest Win10 build (1809).

I tried to upgrade by using the MediaCreationTool1809.exe tool, first by letting it upgrade directly the laptop, then tried also by burning a DVD image and setupping from there.

The result is the same, the same exception not handled in system thread without any other information.

For more detail, i get this error at the second boot. The first boot starts a cyan update screen which goes to a certain percentage then calls for a subsequent reboot for the setup to continue. At this second reboot the Win10 logo appears for a couple seconds then the system error. Then the rollback starts and Windows7 reappears.

I must say that i'm not doing a clean install, i want to keep all my apps installed because it would be a paint to reinstall all licenses.

Should i try to install all Win10 drivers into Win7 before the upgrade? Some forums state that they should be backward compatible to 7.

Thanks!

Umberto

[Huffer]

There is no way to install Windows 10 drivers into Windows 7. I would say you should do a full hardware diagnostic, particularly on the hard drive, and memory. Do you have an MXM video card installed? How is the BIOS set to handle the video card? 

If you have an MXM video card it is a candidate for the source of the problem. 

[UUderzo]

Sorry i never heard about MXM technology,

Anyway, looking here and there looks like the Quadro K2100M mounted on the Laptop has not MXM technology.

The BIOS is set to handle hybrid graphics, should i deactivate it and retry installation?

I'll do also a full diagnostic, latest time i went for it (via BIOS tools) memory were ok.

Is there a specific BIOS tool to diagnose hard drive (SSD in my case) of should it suffice Windows checkdisk?

Thanks again!

Umberto

[Huffer]

No the Quadro K2100M is an MXM add-in video card. The laptop can work without it but you likely do not have the right heatsink to run it with only the Intel video. Do you have the option in the BIOS to set it to dedicated graphics only? That is how my Zbook 15 G3 is set with a M2000M MXM card and I have had both Windows 7 and Windows 10 on it set like that.  

[UUderzo]

Hello Huffer,

I checked my BIOS settings and the hibrid graphics option is set to "Enabled" (there is also "Disabled" and "Automatic").

So i suppose it's already the correct setting?

Anyway, after asking to Microsoft forum about the driver compatibility of Windows 10, i was pretty alarmed by the sentence that before upgrading the machine from a previous version of the O.S. i should ensure that the producer will mantain the drivers for the foreseeable future because each build of Windows 10 can require new drivers.

That said, it means to my head that a Windows 10 installation may become a brick whenever a new build requires new drivers and the producer doesn't provide them. Which looks like a mean to obsolete the hardware faster.

I may be wrong but that' what i understood. So i'm no more so convinced to upgrade just because an installed software "may" break the compatibility with Windows 7.

Very puzzled.

Thanks! Umberto

[Huffer · Accepted solution]

I would try installation with hybrid graphics turned off. HP has fully supported this model with the latest Windows 10 Build and since it is a premium product will continue to do so into the future. 

[UUderzo]

Thank you Huffer for your hint and considerations!

Will check again the driver availability for the latest build and in case try the installation with hybrid graphics off.

Cheers! Umberto