Unable to Update Windows 10 version 1909 to any other version. System tries but fails continually.

[muchococoa]

My HP laptop continuously advises that my SW is not current, yet it updates security SW (Defender) daily without problems. But then continues to say I need updates. Since my Windows 10 is the 1909 version from March 2020, I wonder if I need the latest release. I do not mind using 1909, I just want my laptop to cease reminding me that it is not current and needs updating. I have attempted to download the Windows update from MS a few times. Goes through all the motions and after 2-3 hours says, "Something Went Wrong." As an HP owner, are Windows updates free? Is the issue that I need to purchase it? Thanks. 

[WAWood · Accepted solution]

@muchococoa 

You paid for a license for Windows 10 when you bought the laptop, so Win10 updates are free and will continue to be so.

What I recommend, for a PC this old, is to upgrade to an older version of Win10 and not force the latest version onto it.

I have written this tutorial about obtaining an ISO from MS of older Win10 version. The version you want is build 19042.1055: https://h30434.www3.hp.com/t5/Notebooks-Knowledge-Base/Getting-older-builds-of-Windows-10-from-Micro...

Once you have the ISO file, use the RUFUS utility to create install media. You can get it from here: https://rufus.ie/en_US/

But BEFORE you do the Windows Update, read the instructions below to make an image backup using Macrium Reflect. That way, if the upgrade fails, you have something to restore FROM:

--------------- Doing Image Backup ---------------
I personally prefer to use third-party Backup solutions as they tend to be both more flexible and more reliable than any built-in solutions.

Macrium Reflect (MR) provides a FREE version that can be used to image and restore partitions or entire drives.

What I recommend is the following:
1) Download and install Macrium Reflect (MR) from here: http://www.macrium.com/reflectfree.aspx
2) Run MR and choose the option: "Create an image of the partition(s) required to backup and restore Windows" to write a full backup to an external drive or USB stick
3) Use the option to create a boot USB stick or CD

My experience is that MR, when using the High Compression option, typically can compress the saved image file to about 50% of the USED space in the OS partition. This means if you have an 80GB OS partition, and 40GB is used, MR only needs about 20GB to store the image file.

I use this all the time and it typically takes less than 15 minutes to do the image backup and about the same time or less to do a restore.

NOW, you have the means to restore a full working system from the external drive or USB stick in only a few minutes.
---------------------------------
When done, insert the install media into your PC (do NOT boot from it), find the folder containing the media, select the setup.exe file, right-click that and select Run as Administrator.  This will start an in-place Upgrade which could then take a couple of hours to complete.

If you are presented with a window asking for a product key, down near the bottom is a entry you can click to skip that. Do NOT enter a product key, as it will reuse your existing key and when you finish and get back online, Windows will automatically activate.