Feature update to Windows 10, version 1709 fails to install

I don't know about booting a .vhd or using Hyper-V.

That's what I thought, you never did a clean install on that computer. I did it twice on this Dell Inspiron 3542, once into a dual boot fearful a Dell wouldn't like it. But all my Dell/Intel/Realtek drivers came in nicely on their own during the process. (OK, the Realtek drivers had to be updated, so did the Dell Ethernet driver. They had installed & functioned - but kept asking for a "reboot to complete".) A couple of Dell partitions & an extraneous Win 10, v.1511 recovery partition were wiped the second time. (But now I've got an extraneous v.1703 recovery partition after the upgrade to v.1709). Anyway, the process was 24 minutes/so each time, & Cortana was speaking after 17. I did lose a powerful Dell WiFi toggle keyboard key, but don't miss it. The installation is half the size it was, at least. I don't miss Dell Support Assist, Dell Update or any of the rest - not that I hated Dell. Also, it got rid of every last bit of McAfee.

But yours being a Microsoft computer may not gain so much in cleanliness.

hi ROBERT.

thank you for your time in looking at this. Here are the rest of CBS files

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/k2zlwsbbpkvnuhk/AAAmcpf-StdF9V9\_EybbXcxNa?dl=0

Now, I can't quite recall whether I had a "badmemorylist", though. Maybe run a RAM test, & delete the entry, if you pass. (I do recall running a RAM test once/twice, but not having the list.)

Good idea.  I wasn't aware of this at all.  So far this Surface 2 Pro has just been updated progressively from W8.1 to W10 FCU -- all naturally.  Occasionally I wonder about doing a clean install but then find better things to do.   E.g. I still want to native boot my .VHD for a preview instead of using Hyper-V.   ; )

Thanks for your feedback.

Im a bit confused on

(1) UEFI must be set to boot the Windows Boot Manager during an upgrade.

              are you saying my laptop is not set on UEFI on boot? If not, how do i enable it?

(2) C:\Windows.old should not pre-exist the upgrade.

             this folder has been deleted some time ago.

I entrust the study of his CBS.log to you, Robert. I saw your work in another thread. Good going to see a wrong drive was getting accessed. My current thoughts...

(1) UEFI must be set to boot the Windows Boot Manager during an upgrade.

(2) C:\Windows.old should not pre-exist the upgrade.

(3) Could be problematic to have a clone attached during an upgrade. Windows may seek to pull it into a dual-boot & may have trouble with its system & recovery partitions.

Regarding your RAM Defects...

PS>bcdedit --% /enum {badmemory}

RAM Defects

identifier              {badmemory}

badmemoryaccess         Yes

badmemorylist           0x199105

IIRC, that's a Win 8.1 phenomenon. An upgrade to Win 10 doesn't wipe it. It was my clean install of v.1703 that made that go away, & it hasn't returned after an upgrade to v.1709. See...

https://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/49abeeb2-f2c3-44c1-b9ee-d4faf0c7de91/why-badmemoryaccess-yes?forum=WinServerPreview

Why "badmemoryaccess yes"?

Now, I can't quite recall whether I had a "badmemorylist", though. Maybe run a RAM test, & delete the entry, if you pass. (I do recall running a RAM test once/twice, but not having the list.)