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Windows 10 Upgrade Problems: My Experience So Far

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Windows 10 upgrade problems surfaced almost the moment Microsoft unleashed the free Windows 10 upgrade. Windows 10, is Microsoft’s last stand, it’s latest attempt to create one operating that’s perfectly usable on notebooks, desktops and tablets. A new Start Screen/Start Menu lets users navigate Windows the way they want. A new personal assistant named Cortana helps users stay productive and handles searches.

The theory is that these details and other exciting new features are contributing to Windows 10 problems in some way. Allegedly, millions of users are all upgrading to Windows 10 every day. Because there are so many people, it only appears like an abnormally high number of users are having issues, when millions more are getting the upgrade just fine.

How to Watch Videos in Windows 10 (8)

Read: Windows 10 Upgrade Guide: What You Need to Know

I decided to put that theory to the test, updating a smattering of eligible PCs to see if there were any Windows 10 upgrade problems. I can’t say that none of these devices walked away completely unscathed.

Windows 10 Upgrade Problems – Surface Pro 3

The first device I updated was Microsoft’s own Surface Pro 3 Windows 2-in-1. Being a Microsoft product itself, I expected less issues for this device than any other. Unfortunately, that wasn’t exactly the case. I made it without running into any series Windows 10 Upgrade problems.

SurfacePro3Primary_Page

I’ve run into some nagging bugs that just can’t be ignored though. I never once had an issue with the Surface Pro 3 performing a task just after waking it up from sleep with Windows 8.1, but I do now. The Bluetooth connection for my Arc Touch Mouse has dropped once or twice a day lately too, and it’s also made by Microsoft. The Start Menu/Start Screen sometimes fails to surface when I click or tap on it. Sometimes there’s a huge delay in between the time I tap or click on the button for Cortana and when she responds.

Microsoft is slowly squashing these issues with fixes pushed out through Windows Update. Though they aren’t strictly Windows 10 upgrade problems, I think they are worth acknowledging in case you decide to upgrade your Surface Po 3 in the coming days.

Windows 10 Upgrade Problems – Dell XPS 13

Dell XPS 13 Ultrabook

I didn’t run into any Windows 10 upgrade problems with the Dell XPS 13 notebook I purchased back in 2013. Instead of waiting for the update to get pushed automatically, I used the Windows 10 Download Tool to get the installation going.

I didn’t notice any of the Bluetooth or connection issues that I noticed on the Surface Pro 3. Dell seems to have stayed on top of any driver issues.

Windows 10 Upgrade Problems – Dell Venue 8 Pro

My Dell Venue 8 Pro Windows 10 update went very badly. The Dell Venue 8 Pro represents a fairly new breed of Windows devices It’s an 8-inch tablet, meant as a media device and e-book reader. It has an Intel processor inside so that users can install programs like iTunes and be productive when they connect a mouse, keyboard and monitor. A compression technology that Microsoft uses, squeezes the operating system to make way for story other stuff.

Dell Venue 8 Pro 32GB windows 8 tablet

The first Windows 10 upgrade problem I noticed was with Windows Update itself. Microsoft lets users reserve Windows 10. Before starting the update, Microsoft downloads the upgrade over Windows Update for the coming upgrade. Even after reserving the upgrade, Windows Update refused to store the update. A progress bar throwing strange error code kept popping up. To fix this issue I had to dive inside the folder structure and Command Prompt. It’s one of the fixes listed in GottaBeMobile’s guide on Windows 10 Upgrade problems. I also had to clear out some space to make sure I could store the upgrade.

Read: 7 Windows 10 Upgrade Problems & How to Fix Them

After the Windows 10 upgrade finished I noticed some very glitchy graphics performance and bug that prevents the Dell Venue 8 Pro from waking up from sleep mode. Checking for Windows Updates if this happens to you is critical. Downloading new updates fixed the terrible graphics performance for me, but still hasn’t solved the waking issue.

Windows 10 Upgrade Problems – Lenovo IdeaPad 100

Ideapad_100_14_Black-8-Outlook

Lenovo’s IdeaPad 100 is an amazing value. It’s not a notebook built for media creators or gamers. Instead, Lenovo focused on delivering great battery life, a decent screen and an attractive price.

I didn’t run into a single Windows 10 upgrade problem. The update did take an ungodly amount of time to finish it’s work, but that is it. Performance isn’t the best, especially when using Cortana, the aforementioned digital assistant. Apps generally don’t perform well. Again, that’s to be expected. This is a cost-conscious PC, but it shouldn’t have been this bad. I’m betting Lenovo has an updated drivers for the IdeaPad 100 on the horizon.

Windows 10 Upgrade Problems – Should You Update?

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I’m still a little weary of declaring that users shouldn’t download the free Windows 10 upgrade at all. There are too many advantages to snagging the update. A week ago I did recommend that users wait a few weeks to install the update. I stand by that completely, even after another round fixes. Windows 10 upgrade problems are starting to ease, but the operating system itself still has more bugs than I’d prefer.

24 Comments

24 Comments

  1. Davin Peterson

    08/18/2015 at 4:37 pm

    I didn’t have any problems upgrading my 1 year old HP PC that was running Windows 8.1. HP provided updated drivers through the HP Support Assistant software that came preinstalled.

  2. frances evans

    08/19/2015 at 2:43 am

    I had no problems upgrading my HP ultrabook but I am having enormous problems upgrading my Surface 3 tablet. First the download took nearly a day and now the installation has been running for at least 6 hours and shows no sign of finishing anyway soon. I cannot believe that I am having this problem with a microsoft product

    • Mfgillia

      08/19/2015 at 4:12 am

      Have a Surface 3 too which I love. Thinking I’m going to wait a long time before upgrading it to Windows 10.

  3. Hosting_Guru

    08/19/2015 at 5:03 am

    My biggest concern is AND real experience is this.
    When is an update actually not an update but an upgrade?

    You see the latest 50215 said it was an update, but its actually not, its not an insignificant minor update, its a full upGRADE…. all over again. 40mins later and its rebooted twice and is only at 48%.

    To me thats unacceptable, especially when it insists that it has important updates that need to be installed. I hadnt planned to waste an hour to reboot my machine for “updates” that should take no longer than 5 mins.

    If it has to do what amounts to an upgrade every two weeks, just for an update then im afraid win 10 is a big fat fail! I like the idea of keeping my machine uptodate, but not if it forces an upgrade process every 2 weeks, or for that matter, even twice a year.

    Upgrades are risky, things go wrong, and i want to know if its an update of an upgrade, and choose when to i stall it. Minor updates, sure i can live with the odd reboot here and there, but not when it turns into a marthon upgrade where i have to grit my teeth, hoping it finishes without errors and screwing up my system.

    Microsoft better rethink there upgrade strategy or ill be going back to windows 7 until something better comes along. And it probably wont be windows, even though i like windows 10 alot. Its just too time consuming and risky, and a massive backward step for MS in terms of maintenance.

    No way would i recommend windows 10 to my business customers yet.

  4. Hosting_Guru

    08/19/2015 at 5:07 am

    Sorry that should have read as update 10525. (Typed on my android tablet while i pray to the windows 10 update Gods)

  5. Dan

    08/19/2015 at 2:23 pm

    Windows 10 email is seriously flawed! It is problematic and should not have been released.

    • vicki green

      08/23/2015 at 4:43 pm

      I can neither get into my Windows live email nor my Yahoo email. Also, since I did the Windows 10 upgrade, I can’t see videos either from facebook or my personal videos.

  6. Sandy Conaty

    08/20/2015 at 3:47 am

    I upgraded to Windows 10 on my Surface 3. The process was very easy. Then I noticed my WiFi was gone – gone so that it did not pick up any networks and had a big red X on the icon. When I went into Settings, Network and Internet the Wireless was off. I pushed the “switch” to on, but it either would not stay in the on position or if it did, it would do nothing. When I left the page and went back, it was off again. All the fixes I found online started with updates, but without WiFi that was not going to work. My fix after a couple of days and a couple of people trying to get the wireless back on was to re-install Windows 8.1. My WiFi is back.

    • Pilus

      08/24/2015 at 3:00 am

      Me too have similar problem with Wifi and Bluetooth. Revert to windows 8.1 – Wifi and Bluetooth restored

    • Gary Roberts

      09/14/2015 at 9:40 am

      I lost Wifi on my Surface Pro 3 when I first upgraded. However, I found the problem was caused by my anti virus security software, which works great, in fact too great. I tuned down the more invasive features and that solved my wifi problem.

  7. P

    08/23/2015 at 10:28 am

    I updated from 7. Major problems with apps that did not work, or could get to work .I gave up and restored to 7. I now have issues with 7, but workable. I retried 10 a few days later same issue ,cortana not working, sync disabled by MS, no media center. Media player lib were now corrupted. Restored back to 7 and now have major issues. Have spent days correcting them.MS help is backed and tech support is not aval. after 5. Real bad idea! I would wait for a program that’s works .

    • Dave C

      09/07/2015 at 1:07 am

      Upgrade installs are invariably messy but this one is unavoidable…at least temporarily. I also had a hell of a mess after the upgrade from W7, some programs didn’t run well, graphics driver issues on dual monitor, Start menu failed to populate sometimes, setting sliders missing or disappear after a few seconds…it was bloody hell.
      So after a backup of all my data and program config/data files (AppData/Roaming, Program Data, both hidden folders), I d’loaded the W10 ISO and performed a clean install of W10.
      What a difference, everything works now, no freezes or missing items, dual monitors work fine…in other words, doing a clean install afterwards is the only way to go IMHO. Once you’ve done the upgrade install, W10 is now registered to your hardware and will activate just fine on a clean install now.
      Good Luck

  8. Rockin

    08/23/2015 at 12:53 pm

    Has anyone have Bluetooth issues? I have a Toshiba Satellite with initially Windows 7 upgraded it to 10 and now I can send files via Bluetooth but, cannot receive files.

  9. Rockin

    08/23/2015 at 1:03 pm

    By the way keep those old boot disks handy, if you have them, I may have to factory reset or reformat the HD.

  10. AnupliftedHeart

    08/23/2015 at 3:35 pm

    Had constant internet disconnection issues…was terrible and very annoying. For 20 or so minutes it was fine and then the horrid red X over my internet icon. After rebooting, internet was fine but then the vicious cycle kept going. Became tired and fed up…went back to Windows 7 (with problems), had to end up doing a factory restore and wala…no issues, everything back to normal. Will definitely be waiting when Microsoft can fix their very buggy Windows 10. I will tell anyone…hold off and wait to do the upgrade. Will save you from headaches.

  11. s m w

    08/24/2015 at 6:28 am

    wish I had never upgraded to windows 10. most of my games freeze hp pavilion 23. most of the apps do not work/store/contina/search and on and on. would like to go back to windows 8.1 but am afraid it will be messed up also. this is another if only I had let well enough alone. but I wasn’t in love with 8.1 either. Microsoft please help me. if I bought windows 10 would it work????or same problem??

  12. brian.

    08/24/2015 at 7:34 am

    Updated to windows 10. Took forever, only to find touchpad driver was uninstalled.Very difficult to reinstall driver with no mouse or pointer working . Not happy .After receiving tech support was able to reinstall drivers, Running windows 10 on Toshiba s 50 lap top.Hoping Ihave no more issues.

  13. Tammy

    08/27/2015 at 12:46 am

    I have a HP 15in touchsmart It worked great up intill I up dated to the window 10 and now I cant open my store.I have tried so many things to help but nothing will I have even googled and and looked on youtube someone help me .I’m am very disaponted

  14. Ed Tkr

    08/30/2015 at 12:38 pm

    I got 26 days of running with windows 10 and did have two problems that were solved with updates. On day 26 windows 10 would not let me use start, apps, any buttons on the screen, so I was unable to even get into settings to reset the entire OS. I did manage two attempts to revert to a previous date but both failed. So a $750 computer is done for. Thanks to the chromebox and its non windows os because I am not going to be a windows user again. Windows 10 is a bad recipe and is disabling folk’s computers by the hundreds. A look at microsoft community forums shows a lot of desperate people trying to undo what windows 10 has done.

  15. Dave C

    09/07/2015 at 1:13 am

    Once you’ve done the upgrade install and activated W10, you’re probably having some weird issues that you can’t fix because upgrade installs are messy and should be avoided at all costs.
    This one however, is unavoidable if you want W10…so, once you’ve activated it, back up your stuff, d’load the W10 ISO from MS and perform a CLEAN install! Your issues will most likely disappear, mine did and I had MANY, many issues but now everything is snappy and works perfectly. Reinstalled all my programs, copied the old config files to the new install so they’re exactly where I left off with them and now I’m actually enjoying W10!

    CLEAN installs are a must!

    • Rich

      09/13/2015 at 10:47 am

      When you clean install, do you go and get a download for Windows 10 onto disk? Ive always done installs with disks, my first over the air upgrade

      • Dave C

        09/13/2015 at 1:33 pm

        Hi Rich
        Yes, you can d’load the W10 ISO here – https://www.microsoft.com/en-ca/software-download/windows10
        I’ve done upgrade installs only as a part of a testing process, both for MS beta’s and a couple of the tech sites I administrate…all of them are/were terrible!!! I have never had a good experience with upgrades so I always do clean for my personal systems. The experience I had with the W10 upgrade was horrible but this clean install is humming along beautifully, I’m really starting to like 10. Unfortunately, you have to do the upgrade install 1st to be able to activate the clean install later.
        I also recommend burning the ISO with ImgBurn and not the built-in burner in W10.
        Good luck!

        Dave

        • Rich

          09/13/2015 at 5:07 pm

          Thanks, your time is appreciated.

  16. S Worthington

    10/30/2015 at 7:20 pm

    I upgraded to Win 10 on a dell Venue 8 pro 3845 and lost wifi connectivity. The driver for network was updated, still does not connect. All other PC s. Do connect.

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