Windows 10 Feature Update 2004 Fails to Install

[JFMorris]

Hi everyone,

I've bought an HP Omen laptop about a week ago, and so far, really like it, and have had no issues until yesterday.

Windows Update has offered me the Windows 10 Feature Update 2004 to install (I am currently on 1909). I've tried to install it every which way, and each time, after several reboots, around 85% the system very briefly (like a half second) displays a screen with a barcode and an error message, then reboots and proceeds to start rolling back everything to the 1909 version of Windows 10.

I've disabled all startup items, uninstalled antivirus (it came with a trial of McAfee), and also tried using the Windows 10 Update Assistant instead of the control panel. No dice.

My wife's answer was to "take it back" i.e. return the computer. I don't want to do that as I've spent the past few days installing software and loading data over from another computer.  Right now this is a little frustrating, as some software I use (VMWare Workstation) requires Windows build 2004 to run the latest version of their software.

Any advice is appreciated.

[WAWood]

@JFMorris 

Your wife is actually providing the best advice -- if you can return it for a full refund, then do so.

Why?

Because a new laptop SHOULD run Win10 v20.04 without issues, especially if it is being OFFERED the update since MS claims that means that Windows Update has confirmed there are no hardware issues with the update and that model PC.

So, if the update is failing, there is something else at work, and since this is usually a failing drive, that should definitely NOT be happening with a new PC -- which is a bad omen for more failures down the road.

I would return it and get something else.

[JFMorris]

@WAWood

I am sure my wife appreciates someone backing up her opinion, but unfortunately, I got this computer for $300 off on a sale that is now over, and short of exchanging for the same model, which I could probably do, won't find anything else right now that will match the price/performance ratio of the Ryzen 7 and Nvidia GPU on this Omen laptop.

I've gone through some diagnostics, and see no evidence of hardware issues, and can dual boot to Ubuntu Linux on the same system.  I feel like I am running into a software or driver compatibility issue with Windows Update. This is why Build 2004 has only started being offered as an optional update as of August. It sure seems there may still be issues with it.

I've got another week to return it within the 15 day return period at Best Buy, so if I don't figure out an answer - either that there is a driver that needs to be updated, and to wait a while, or something else, I'll pursue that option. I am using this for personal and consulting work, and a return means another several evenings of installing software, deactivating licenses for this one and activating on a new one, and so on.  For what its worth, my desktop system is still on 1909 too, I just noticed.

[JFMorris]

Ok, this makes things more interesting.

Brand new HP Omen 15-En0xxx laptop with the brand new Ryzen 7 4800H processor, Nvidia GTX-1660 Ti, etc.

It is not listed as compatible with Windows 10 version 2004 in the table at the following web page:

https://support.hp.com/us-en/document/c05195282

Does this mean HP is releasing products in this calendar year that do not support the May release of Windows 10, or does it mean they just haven't gotten around to testing it on this system yet?  These systems first started shipping around June 2020.

[WAWood · Accepted solution]

@JFMorris 

MS is fixing issues with the v20.04 update on an ongoing basis, although they are finding new ones, as well.  So they have released it to a lot more PCs than before.  But they initially did not offer it to ANYONE because they didn't want a repeat of what happened last time -- with folks rushing to update only to trash their PCs in the process.

I have one desktop that I MISTAKENLY updated to v20.04 and had issues with it so much that I reinstalled v19.09.  That was months ago -- and I continue to be surprised that MS is STILL updating v19.09 -- as build 1049 only came out about a week ago.  So, I'm going to keep that system on v19.09 until MS forces me to upgrade.

As to yours, if it is running 19.09 just fine, you can ignore the Windows Update prompt and leave it at that.  But, you might want to keep current on the 19.09 Windows Updates.

Also, you should look into using Macrium Reflect to make an image backup of your PC; that way, if MS forces 20.04 on you, have something that works to restore FROM...

------------------------

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.

Plus, MR has the option to Add a Recovery Boot Menu entry. This allows you then to boot into WinRE, and you can then use that to do a restore -- when you can't boot into Windows!

NOW, you have the means to restore a full working system from the external drive or USB stick in only a few minutes.

[JFMorris]

Thanks - I think I will do as you suggest and stay on build 1909 for the time being. It was an optional update anyway, and interestingly, now that the 2004 update failed several times, it no longer shows as available in Windows Update. I hope this means Microsoft received the error log of myself or others with similar systems,  and is working on fixes that will show up down the road.

I was able to download an earlier version of VMWare Workstation that doesn't require Windows 10 2004, and am able to do the work I need to do, so considering the issue over until such time as the update is mandated.

Also, I use Macrium Reflect to image drives all the time - never thought to use it for backing up my system. I've been using it to image SSD's for new PC's and tablets that use M.2 drives.

Anyway, my issue is not resolved, but I will mark this as solved, and let things roll along until Microsoft, HP, etc. get the underlying issue resolved.