There are many reasons why you might receive an error message when upgrading or installing Windows 11, but common errors can be fixed with a few steps that you can do on your own. Note: An upgrade takes your device from an older version of Windows, such as Windows 7, Windows 8.1, or Windows 10 to Windows 11.
Things to be noted before upgrading OS and avoid unnecessary errors:
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Make sure that your device has enough space. Your device requires at least 16 GB of free space to upgrade to a 32-bit OS or 20 GB for a 64-bit OS. For more info, see Free up drive space in Windows.
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Run Windows Update a few times. Download and install any available updates in Windows Update, including software updates, hardware updates, and some third-party drivers. Use the Windows Update Troubleshooter to fix Windows 11 Update errors.
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Check third-party drivers and download any updates. You can find third-party drivers and installation instructions for any hardware you’ve added to your device on the manufacturer’s website.
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Unplug extra hardware. Remove all external storage devices and drives, docks, and other hardware you might have plugged into your device that isn’t needed for basic functionality.
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Check Device Manager for errors. In the search box on the taskbar, type device manager. Choose Device Manager from the results. In the window that pops up, look for any device with a yellow exclamation mark beside it (you may have to select each category to switch to the list of devices). Press and hold (or right-click) the device name and select either Update Driver Software or Uninstall to correct the errors.
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Remove third-party security software. Make sure you know how to reinstall your programs and that any necessary product keys are on hand. Windows Defender will help protect your device in the meantime.
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Repair hard-drive errors. In the search box on the taskbar, type the command prompt. Choose Command Prompt from the list of results. In the window that pops up, type chkdsk/f C: and press the Enter key. Repairs automatically start on your hard drive, and you’ll be asked to restart your device.
