Can HP Stream run latest Windows 10 updates?

[RogerM-Ohio]

When running Windows update it tells me I need 8GB of free space.

This is the new "Media Creation" update.

Has Microsoft turned the Stream 11 line into door stops? If we can't run Windows 10 update we are no better off than if we were running Windows 7.

There is a downloadable file HERE but I am concerned that after doing the install there will be no space for any other programs on the HP laptop.

Solutions?  Ideas?

[WAWood]

@RogerM-Ohio

The basic problem with the Stream 11 line is that when it was designed, no one knew that later on, Microsoft would be pushing out HUGE updates -- some of which require 10GB of free space, or more! Thus, using Microsoft's previous history of much smaller Updates, at the time, a 32GB drive seemed a reasonable amount.

Fast forward to today, when MS is working on YET ANOTHER major Update to Win10, and you see that a 32GB drive simply does not provide the room needed for HUGE updates.

SOME folks have reported that using large MicroSD card (i.e., 32GB or larger) allows this additional space to be used for Windows Update -- but that was a while back, and I don't know if this is STILL the case with more recent major Updates.

[RogerM-Ohio]

Ya I understand this isn't basically a problem caused by HP but I see they are still happy to sell this model laptop.

Have to wonder why they seem to care so little about their customers that they don't at least work out a clear step by step solution. Heck they could even make some money by selling some stuff for those that are less than teckcomfortable.

I think the solution is to:

1. Make a full backup of the current Win 10 partition

2. Delete any recovery partition still on the SSDD

3. Download a small program from HP that would manage the software on the stream and do the steps outlined by Microsoft HERE

4. Create a bootable USB  (HP could sell this USB drive)

5. HP could provide clear instructions on how to boot from USB

5. Create the install file for Win 10 Creator on a large (16GB or 32 GB?) USB from the Microsoft site

5. Delete the old Windows partition and run the Creator update/install file onto the now empty SSDD

[pjc123 · Accepted solution]

Can HP Stream run latest Windows 10 updates?

Yes, with a bit of a hassle.

I agree that this laptop should never have been sold, but I knew the limitations when I bought it, as I just needed something temporarily quick and cheap.  I bought a real laptop from another company since then, but that all said, I was able to update to the Creators Update on my HP Stream 11 using the following method.  I am also fully up to date with all Microsoft updates as of today as well.  I suspect I will have to use this method for the Fall Update as well, which will probably be another large update:

From the link you posted, the Update Assistant failed, so I had to use the Media Creation Tool method.

First thing is to make as much space as possible by doing various cleanup tasks.  That is discussed multiple times on this forum.  Then, the following method uses external storage to do the update, however it reports that some space is needed locally on the main drive although it does not say how much, but rather just reports if there is enough space or not.

Anyway, here goes:

1) I downloaded and installed the Media Creation Tool onto a different computer (Desktop).

2) Inserted a USB flash drive.

3) Ran the Media Creation Tool program.

a) Selected "Create Installation Media for Another PC".

b) Selected the proper Language, Edition, Architecture (For the HP Stream Laptop, NOT the desktop).

AND un-selected "use the recommended options for this PC". (Because it is the Laptop I am installing this on).

c) Selected "USB flash drive" to install it to.

4) Moved the USB flash drive to the Laptop. 

5) Booted into Windows.

6) Plugged in my external USB hard drive so it could use its space for the update.  Never tried it, but you might be able to use a second USB flash drive or SD card for this.

7) Ran the setup program from the USB Flash drive.

😎 It allowed me to use the External Drive for the 10GB that it needed for temporary files. It also stated that I had enough space on the laptop itself (4.5GB).

9) 6 Hours later I had the Creators Update.

10) A subsequent Windows Update then brought me up to the most current updates.

11) I ran a system cleanup (Including System Files), to get rid of all the update data in order to free up space.

12) I started with 4.5GB free space on the laptop and ended with 6GB space.

[RogerM-Ohio]

Thanks for the more detailed  outline the steps. My list was my initial line of thought.

[pjc123]

Well, since my last post it has become completely impossible to update my 2 year old laptop....sad, and yes I have tried every method. So yesterday I was forced to replace Windows with Linux Mint because I refuse to run an operating system without security updates. I now have plenty of storage for updates, memory and CPU are not maxed out all the time, and the laptop is much speedier. As an added bonus it fixed my screen flickering problem and videos don't buffer any more. I was also forced to buy a real laptop from Lenovo for when I need Windows.

[Joe2345]

I was able to update my 1 year old Stream 11-y010wm to the latest Windows 10 update by first resetting it to the factory default Windows which for my computer is Windows 10 v1511.  I did the reset in Settings-Update&Security-Recovery-ResetThisPC.  When it was reset, then I ran Windows update as normal with a 32 GB thumb drive inserted.  It took about 24 hours to download and run through everything and rebooted a few times.  At one point it says to insert the thumb drive.  Seems like I could have used a 16 GB thumb drive but already had the 32 and didn't want to run short.

Prior to doing the above process the Windows update insisted on 8 GB free space on the C: drive and I had unsuccessfully tried other suggestions in this forum to free up space.  It wouldn't use the USB thumb drive either.  It was very frustrating.

However, once the machine was back to factory default then the Windows update process understood that it needed a USB thumb drive and provided the option to insert one during the process.

[Twiffer]

When you used your external drive (Step 6) was it a fresh drive with no files on it?  I want to use this method but I want to make sure that the files currently on my external drive are not deleted in the process.  I also have a 32GB SD with nothing on it plugged into the Stream that I could point to.  The external drive is larger (has 36GB free).  Before I start this process, I want to ensure that no data will be lost from my external drive.  Thank you.  I'm trying to update a Stream 14 that I just bought a few months ago without looking at reviews because I needed something quickly and cheap.  I got it.  🙂  

[pjc123]

The drive was half full. No files were erased.

[BeenBefudled]

IMPORTANT TO POINT OUT:  the "other" computer cannot be your husband's HP Stream as it will never have the 8GB necessary.  You must have a computer with the necessary space for this to work.  Thank heavens we still have a loptop that works on random occasions.   

I suspect this is the last HP I buy.