Can't upgrade from XP to Windows 10

regional

Please can you help. I'm not a 'techie' by any means. Yesterday, I bought a copy of Windows 10 from Currys to upgrade from Windows XP. So the first thing I had to learn how to do was to "configure to boot from USB drive". That took a while ! After I had input the product key and accepted the terms and conditions I got the following message: "The computer started using the Windows installation media. Remove the installation media and restart your computer so that Windows can start normally. Then, insert the installation media and restart the upgrade". But...it doesn't tell you how to restart the upgrade. I've tried just plugging in the USB and waiting...nothing happens. I've tried doing everything again from the start...I get the same message. So can anyone help me with an idiots guide in how to get this to work please ? Many thanks in anticipation !

pappa_golf

"Remove the installation media and restart your computer so that Windows can start normally. Then, insert the installation media and restart the upgrade"

when the machine is up and running , insert the dvd , it should autostart , if not look for "setup" on the disk and click it

regional

Thank you for your reply, Pappa Golf. I don't know if they all do but my copy of Windows 10 came on a USB stick. I had a quick look inside the folder to see if there was a start file or and exe file or something to get the process started. But I didn't get anywhere with that either.

Browntoa

does the usb drive have a file ending .iso ??

pappa_golf

ok , sorry I only have the burnt ISO files on pendrive , however I can clearly see a program or file called "setup"

pappa_golf

http://www.computerworlduk.com/tutorial/applications/how-upgrade-from-windows-xp-windows-10-3625768/

regional

@ Browntoad. I've just had a good look and I can't see any files in the folders that end with .ISO, unfortunately.

@Pappagolf. There are three files that are called 'setup.exe'. One is at the top level and the other two are in the x64 and x86 folders. When I double click the first one I get this error message "E:\setup.exe in not a valid Win32 application".

Thank you both for your replies btw.

System

Hi

If you changed the boot order to boot from a USB stick as the first item, then the HDD, Iwould re-order the boot sequence.

If the machine starts without the USB inserted, I would change the boot order back to HDD first.

This means that the USB stick can be inserted before you then switch on, it will be bypassed at boot time but be available to read from as the start sequence of windows progresses.

pappa_golf

"E:\setup.exe in not a valid Win32 application".

O,m just googling that with regard to an xp upgrade

the first question , can xp be upgraded to win 10? , microsoft technical are saying NO on this site https://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/706a687a-65cf-4808-813f-16c652b46e97/not-a-valid-win32-bit-application?forum=WinPreview2014Setup

I thought only win 7 and 8 could be upgraded , or perhaps that was "free" upgrade"

is your copy of win 10n for a clean install or have you bought a cut down upgrade version?

Jivesinger

There was no free upgrade from Windows XP to 10, but if the OP has bought a copy, I don't think that's an issue.

However I also don't think that XP to 10 is a supported upgrade route - even from XP to Windows 8 you needed to reinstall all your software and I think that starting in Windows 8.1, folk upgrading from XP needed to delete everything and do a clean install.

Also, while Windows 10 includes lots of drivers for hardware, it doesn't include everything, especially for old XP-era kit so you may have driver problems.

So I think you'd need to first make sure you have a backup (ideally 2 separate backups) of everything on the computer, and make sure you have all the installation disks for software. A good backup is something which lets you image the whole computer and put it back if it doesn't work. But you'll also want to restore individual files.

Then it's a case of booting from the Setup USB, going into Custom, deleting the C: partition (which deletes everything on there) and then letting Windows 10 install. Then re-install application software and copy data files back in from wherever you saved them.

But it's quite drastic - in practice there are lots of things which can trip you up, you need to be certain of your backups and of your software installers. And it might not work due to some driver issue. It's not for the faint-hearted.

ThemeOne

I think regional is using the word upgrade in the general sense. There's certainly no official "upgrade path" from XP to Windows 10.

I would boot the computer normally back to XP, then my guess is you'd probably need the setup.exe file in the x86 folder.