Update Windows 10 using an external hard drive?

Anonymous
2017-10-20T15:56:25+00:00

So I was told that I can use the storage on an external hard drive to update Windows 10, which would make sense. I even saw on other Windows Community Forums that it is possible, however there aren't any tutorials or anything online that I could find. I've tried but the update page tells me I need more space, I really hope I didn't waste money on an external hard drive, it would have taken 3 weeks for an internal. So if it is possible to use the space on the hard drive to update Windows please guide me through.

Thank you.

Windows for home | Windows 10 | Windows update

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Anonymous
2017-10-21T06:12:09+00:00

Hi Adam,

There will be an option to use an external drive to temporarily extend the storage space of your computer while the update is being installed if your device doesn't have enough space for the update. We recommend that you check this article as a guide on how to use an external storage device to install updates for your Windows 10.

Let us know whenever you need further assistance.

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  1. Anonymous
    2018-05-22T10:38:01+00:00

    Hi Mark,

    Can you tell us what exact error message you are getting when it fails to boot? A screenshot would be very much appreciated. In the mean time, you can perform a startup repair, this can be performed by accessing the Advanced Startup Options. Here's how:

    1. Power on your computer and power it off as soon as you see the Windows logo.
    2. Do it three times.
    3. After the third time, Windows 10 will boot into diagnostics mode. Click Advanced options when the recovery screen appears.
    4. Select Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Startup Repair.

    Let us know how it goes.

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  2. Anonymous
    2018-05-21T12:38:21+00:00

    Consider yourselves lucky... I was able to get the update to kick off using the external USB.  It took hours of spinning doing preparation for the update, rebooted to complete the install, and then proclaimed that it couldn't find the USB stick that was still plugged in.  Kept prompting me to plug it back in.  I tried unplugging and re-plugging, tried different ports but to no avail.  It then stopped retrying and said something about trying to recover.  Now it's a brick and won't boot at all... just comes up and says contact my system admin.

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  3. Anonymous
    2018-05-16T14:46:56+00:00

    That is evidently the crux of it, forcing us to buy new computers. Yes, let's fill the seas and landfill sites with millions of perfectly good yet unusable machines.  Well done, MS (slow clap).  I told them to sod off with that solution and now I continue to just dismiss the update messages every time they come up.  The laptop is fine for now, I'll continue to do that until such time as I'm ready to replace it.  Because I actually care about the planet we all (including MS) live on.

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  4. Anonymous
    2018-05-16T14:40:38+00:00

    You are absolutely correct, it doesn't make sense at all!  I spoke to MS support who confirmed that it is impossible to install updates to a 32GB laptop.  I asked what the solution was and he told me to buy a new one!!!  I said that was absolutely ridiculous in this age of waste, litter and pollution to expect me to throw away a perfectly good laptop and buy a new, completely unnecessary machine just because I couldn't update Windows. (Facepalm)

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