Can’t install Windows 10 on your computer? Read the full fix

by Milan Stanojevic

Deputy Editor

March 28, 2020

Loading Comments

Download PDF

Affiliate Disclosure

---

If you’re having trouble trying to install Windows 10, you’ll be relieved to know there are working solutions to get you out of the rut.

To understand why you cannot perform a Windows 10 install, here is a list of the commonly experienced errors that hinder the installation:

• Driver errors such as incompatibility with Windows 10 upgrade
• A file needed by Windows Update is missing or is damaged
• Interrupted upgrade process due to restarting your PC or you’re signed out
• Your PC couldn’t connect to Windows Update servers
• Not enough free space in the System Reserved partition
• Your PC doesn’t have the required updates installed
• Incompatible apps installed block the installation
• Your PC doesn’t meet the minimum requirements to install Windows 10
• Your PC doesn’t have enough space to install Windows 10

Each of these errors have a solution, so you need not worry about upgrading or getting to finally install Windows 10.

1. Fix Driver errors
2. Keep your PC on and try installing again
3. Turn off VPN software and increase the size of System Reserved partition
4. Check for pending updates
5. Uninstall incompatible apps
6. Check if your computer meets the minimum requirements
7. Free up space on your hard drive
8. Run DISM tool

How do I fix Windows 10 won’t install on my computer?

1. Fix Driver errors

Sometimes you can’t install Windows 10 because of driver errors such as incompatibility with Windows 10 upgrade.

This solution helps fix the driver errors so you can try the installation again.

How to fix driver errors before performing a Windows 10 install

• Ensure your computer has enough space, at least 16 GB, to upgrade a 32-bit operating system, or 20 GB for a 64-bit OS
• Run Windows Update to download and install available updates including software, hardware and third-party drivers.
• Check for third-party drivers and download any updates available. You can find these on the manufacturer’s website.
• Unplug excess hardware such as external storage device and drives, docks, and any other hardware not necessary for basic functioning of your computer.
• Check Device Manager for drive errors by doing the following:

1. Right click Start
2. Select Device Manager
3. Look for devices with a yellow exclamation mark next to it
4. Right click the device
5. Click Update Driver Software or Uninstall to fix the error

• Remove third-party security software, and use Windows Defender to protect your computer
• Repair hard-drive errors by doing the following:

1. Click Start
2. Type CMD in the search field box
3. Click Command Prompt app from the search results
4. Type chkdsk/f C: in the window that pops up
5. Press Enter. Repairs will start automatically on your hard drive.
6. Restart your computer once complete.

2. Keep your PC on and try installing again

When you can’t install Windows 10, it could also either be due to an interrupted upgrade process from accidentally restarting your PC, or you could also be signed out.

To fix this, try performing the installation again but make sure your PC is plugged in and stays on through the process.

3. Turn off VPN software and increase the size of System Reserved partition

Performing a Windows 10 installation can also fail when the computer can’t connect to Windows Update servers.

Not having enough free space in the System Reserved partition also causes difficulty installing Windows 10.

If you’re using a VPN connection to connect to a work network, disconnect from the network then turn off the VPN software.

To fix the limited space issue, you can use a third-party software to increase the size of the System Reserved partition.

Try installing Windows 10 again.

4. Check for pending updates

Use this solution when your PC doesn’t have the required updates installed.

For a healthy computer, you need to keep updating Windows with the latest system updates, and drivers. This also helps resolve any issues or difficulties you may be experiencing.

Check to ensure all your computer’s important updates are installed before you try to install Windows 10 again.

Here’s how to check and install Windows Update (manually)

1. Go to Start
2. In the search field, type Windows Updates
3. Click on Windows Updates Settings from the search results
4. Click Check for updates
5. Install the latest Windows Updates

5. Uninstall incompatible apps

This solution works when incompatible apps installed block the Windows 10 installation.

Check to ensure you’ve uninstalled incompatible apps before trying to install Windows 10 again.

In order to find incompatible apps, check Device Manager by using these steps:

1. Right click Start
2. Select Device Manager
3. Look for devices with a yellow exclamation mark next to it

Once you identify any incompatible apps, uninstall them by doing the following:

1. Right click Start
2. Select Control Panel
3. Select Program
4. Click Programs and Features
5. Click Uninstall a program
6. Select the app you want to uninstall
7. Click Uninstall

Check if you’re able to install Windows 10 after uninstalling the incompatible apps.

• ALSO READ: How to remove software leftovers

6. Check if your computer meets the minimum requirements

Use this solution when your PC doesn’t meet the minimum requirements to install Windows 10.

Go to this link to get more information about the minimum requirements for installing Windows 10.

7. Free up space on your hard drive

This solution works when your PC doesn’t have enough space to install Windows 10.

Free up some space on the drive then try to install Windows 10 again.

Follow these steps to check the available disk space:

1. Click Start
2. Select Settings
3. Go to System
4. Click The used disk space for each drive will be displayed. What you need is enough space on your hard drive.

Other solutions to use when you can’t install Windows 10 on your PC are described below.

8. Run DISM tool

If you still cannot install Windows 10, run the DISM tool, or Deployment Image Servicing and Management tool.

The DISM tool helps fix Windows corruption errors when Windows Updates and service packs fail to install due to corruption errors, like if you have a damaged system file.

Here’s how to run the DISM command on your PC to check if it helps you when you can’t install Windows 10:

1. Click Start
2. In the search field box, type CMD
3. Click Command Prompt in the search results list
4. Type Dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /ScanHealth
5. Type Dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth

Once the repair is complete, reboot your computer and try to install Windows 10 again.

We love feedback. Let us know in the comments section whether any of these steps did the trick for you.

FAQ: Read more about installation problems

Editor’s Note: This post was originally published in April 2019 and has been since revamped and updated in March 2020 for freshness, accuracy, and comprehensiveness.