# Windows Feature Upgrade Guidelines

> Actions to work through when a Windows feature upgrade fails, ordered from most to least common.

Source: https://docs.capaone.com/capainstaller/capawinupgrade/windows-feature-upgrade-guidelines/  
Product: CapaInstaller — a separate CapaSystems product; do not apply this page to any other.

The purpose of these guidelines is to troubleshoot Windows Feature Upgrade issues.

Most of the actions are recommended by Microsoft, and are not specific to CapaWinUpgrade.

💡 It is always recommended to reboot the workstation after having performed one of the actions below.

---

### Common Solutions

<details>
<summary>Click here to expand...</summary>

**Unplug external devices**

Disconnect all external devices that are not strictly necessary.

**Update hardware drivers**

Update all hardware drivers and execute the command below, from an elevated command prompt, to clean the driver store.

```
rundll32.exe pnpclean.dll,RunDLL_PnpClean /DRIVERS /MAXCLEAN
```

**Update Windows**

Download and install all available updates from Windows Update, including optional updates.

**Uninstall security software**

Uninstall third-party antivirus and security software.

**Use the newest installation files**

Always use the newest content package available.

</details>

---

### Uncommon Solutions

<details>
<summary>Click here to expand...</summary>

**Upgrade BIOS**

Upgrade the system BIOS and related firmware.

**Repair System Files**

Repair the system files by executing the commands below, in the specified order, from an elevated command prompt.

```
DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-image /Restorehealth
SFC.exe /scannow
```

**Disable Roaming User Profiles**

Disable roaming user profiles and folder redirection to ensure that user profiles are stored in `C:\Users`.

</details>

---

### Rare Solutions

<details>
<summary>Click here to expand...</summary>

**Delete Obsolete User Profiles**

Delete obsolete user profiles from the workstation.

</details>

---

### Various Information

<details>
<summary>Click here to expand...</summary>

**Command line vs. graphical user interface**

The upgrade process behaves differently, depending on whether you run it using command line options or using the graphical user interface.

This causes many people to consider the upgrade process to be "unstable" when using the command line.

The CapaWinUpgrade service provided by CapaSystems uses command line options to perform upgrades, and is also affected by the circumstances described above.

**References**

- [Get help with Windows upgrade and installation errors](https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/get-help-with-windows-upgrade-and-installation-errors-ea144c24-513d-a60e-40df-31ff78b3158a)
- [Resolution procedures - Windows Deployment](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/deployment/upgrade/resolution-procedures)
- [Use the System File Checker tool to repair missing or corrupted system files](https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/topic/use-the-system-file-checker-tool-to-repair-missing-or-corrupted-system-files-79aa86cb-ca52-166a-92a3-966e85d4094e)
- [Troubleshooting Windows 10 IPU](https://www.capasystems.dk/troubleshooting-windows-10-ipu/) — CapaSystems technical blog post

</details>

## Related

- [Windows 11 In-Place Upgrade Is Stuck](/capainstaller/capawinupgrade/windows-11-in-place-upgrade-is-stuck/) — a specific stuck-upgrade issue from 2023
- [CapaWinUpgrade - Computer Packages](/capainstaller/capawinupgrade/capawinupgrade-computer-packages/) — the Check PreRequisites package that runs the compatibility scan
- [CapaWinUpgrade Installation Screen Error](/capainstaller/troubleshooting/capawinupgrade-installation-screen-error/) — troubleshooting a failing installation screen