Update Win10 to Win11 using latest vbox

Discussions about using Windows guests in VirtualBox.
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aussie
Posts: 5
Joined: 17. Apr 2023, 11:26

Update Win10 to Win11 using latest vbox

Post by aussie »

First off I ported my virtual disc from vmware without issue.

I'm running Win10 and would like to upgrade to Win11. I changed the OS to Win11 in settings, but in Win10 it says I don't meet Win11 requirements to update. I thought that changing the OS in settings would give me TPM 2.0 and secureboot. What do I have to do meet Win11 requirements? BTW: I did install Win11 from an Win11 ISO file without issue, but I have an old Win10 installation that I have used for a number of years and would like to update this Win10 installation to Win11.

aussie
mpack
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Primary OS: MS Windows 10
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Re: Update Win10 to Win11 using latest vbox

Post by mpack »

Is your processor from a supported generation? Did you select EFI?

If no to the first question then search online for how to bypass Win11 compatibility checks.

And I suggest that you back up your Win10 VM before doing anything you can't undo.
aussie
Posts: 5
Joined: 17. Apr 2023, 11:26

Re: Update Win10 to Win11 using latest vbox

Post by aussie »

Thanks for responding mpack. I tried enabling EFI and secure boot and I now end up in the boot loader. I tried setting the the keys to default with the same result. This Win10 installation is years old and probably doesn't have what secure boot is looking for. Is there anything else I can try?

The processor is supported because I was able to install Win11 ISO from scratch with no issues. I downloaded the ISO file from the Microsoft site and purchased the Win11 keys online.

aussie
mpack
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Primary OS: MS Windows 10
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Re: Update Win10 to Win11 using latest vbox

Post by mpack »

If Windows 10 was installed without EFI then it won't be bootable with EFI enabled, since EFI requires a completely new partitioning system (GPT) and boot method. Conversion may be possible, try Google. Secure Boot (and I believe Win11 in general) requires and expects (U)EFI/GPT.

This is sounding like a faff to me. Perhaps you should just bite the bullet and install Windows 11 from scratch in that VM, you should be able to reuse the product key from that Win10 license.

And please bear in mind that these are really Windows 10/11 support questions, there's not much here that is unique to VirtualBox.
multiOS
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Re: Update Win10 to Win11 using latest vbox

Post by multiOS »

@aussie,

Have you tried to run any of the Windows 11 compatibility checking software inside the Windows 10 VM? That should report the compatibility issues that need to be resolved before an upgrade is possible; and without that it's all just guesswork.

I would suggest WhyNotWin11 (freeware) - https://github.com/rcmaehl/WhyNotWin11 in preference to Microsoft's own Health Check report as IMO it provides a more detailed compatibility check list. but there are also other options. Once the blockers are known we should be able to point you to which of those can be resolved via VM settings and which would need action within the Windows operating system, e.g. converting the disk partitioning from MBR to GPT if your Windows 10 VM doesn't currently use EFI.
sixeyes
Posts: 12
Joined: 7. Nov 2019, 19:55
Primary OS: MS Windows 10
VBox Version: OSE other
Guest OSses: Windows 10 Pro

Re: Update Win10 to Win11 using latest vbox

Post by sixeyes »

I had to migrate my ancient VM from MBR to GPT years ago (Windows 10 not Windows 11) when I migrated from SSD to NVMe (which only works with GPT).

The only hassle I had was that my disk had 4 partitions and in order to migrate you can only have 3. Once I deleted one of the partitions I was able to migrate and then restore the 4th partition after the migration.

Once you've migrated to GPT you can enable EFI etc.
aussie
Posts: 5
Joined: 17. Apr 2023, 11:26

Re: Update Win10 to Win11 using latest vbox

Post by aussie »

I was able to run mbr2gpt within Win10 and convert to a GPT. I was able to boot with efi enabled. However when I enabled secure boot I couldn't boot. I wanted to try clicking on "Reset Keys to Default" and I cloned the VM. In the clone I clicked on "Reset Keys to Default" and was able to boot, so I have a VM with secure boot enabled. However I think I have found a bug. I attempted to make another clone and enabled secure boot and clicked on "Reset Keys to Default" but this clone would not boot. It would seem the boot loader is damaged, as I can not disable secure boot and be able to boot. I found if I clicked on "Reset Keys to Default" a second time I would end up with a completely blank screen when attempting to boot with no messages whatsoever. I have tried several times to clone the original VM and get a working secure boot but all attempts have failed.

aussie
scottgus1
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Re: Update Win10 to Win11 using latest vbox

Post by scottgus1 »

I have absolutely no experience with running and debugging a TPM and Secure Boot. But the "T" in TPM (for "Trusted") and "Secure" in Secure Boot make me think that the whole idea of these systems are to make sure the computer hasn't ben footled with, and not booting is the result, so folks can't get at the data or apps. I'd guess that clones and mbr2gpt'ing and key resetting look too much like trying to steal the OS to the security features, and they may be doing just what they were designed to do. Just a guess.

You may have to drop back and punt, like Mpack suggested above:
mpack wrote:bite the bullet and install Windows 11 from scratch in that VM, you should be able to reuse the product key from that Win10 license.
mpack
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Re: Update Win10 to Win11 using latest vbox

Post by mpack »

If you are at least semi-organized then reinstalling windows from scratch isn't really that big of a deal.

Pre-requisites:
1. A folder containing all of your software installers, with notes on product keys where necessary.
2. A screenshot of your desktop, if you want to get things exactly back to where they were.
3. A Macrium or similar backup of the current PC before you start - so you can always revert.

Procedure:
1. Make any VM settings changes you need to make.
2. Boot the VM from an ISO and run the Windows installer, let it wipe and repartition the virtual system drive.
3. Using the Macrium backup, restore the <user>\Documents and <user>\Desktop contents, along with any other personal folders you created in the root and in <user>.
4. Go ahead and install any core software you need, e.g. Microsoft Office and your preferred PDF reader.
5. Step 3 here also gave you a desktop filled with orphaned shortcuts. Use them as a guide to the software you need to reinstall. Use step 2 of prerequisites to put the icon back where it used to be.
6. You don't need to do all this once. You can start using Windows right after the core software is installed. Do the rest when you feel the need. In some cases you probably won't bother, which is good - you are clearing away the dead wood.
aussie
Posts: 5
Joined: 17. Apr 2023, 11:26

Re: Update Win10 to Win11 using latest vbox

Post by aussie »

Thanks for the advice scottgus1 and mpack. I already have an Win11 installation I did from an .iso file. I did my 2022 USA taxes on this Win11 VM installation. I'm trying to convert my old Win10 installation to Win11 because the tax software I install every year to do the taxes mostly didn't come with an installation install file, it was installed directly from the internet. Although I have the keys for all this software I'm lacking the install file. I only use Windows once a year for about a week to do my USA taxes. Going back to the problem at hand. I do have a working Win10 VM with secure boot turned on. I Reset the Keys to Default the first time and it worked. On this VM, Windows no longer says I don't meet the Win11 requirements, but hasn't offered to update me to Win11. That is a problem for another day.

Thanks again for your advice.
aussie
aussie
Posts: 5
Joined: 17. Apr 2023, 11:26

Re: Update Win10 to Win11 using latest vbox

Post by aussie »

UPDATE: Win10 has since offered to update me to Win11. The update went smoothly and I'm now running Win11.
Many thanks to everyone on this forum that helped me achieve this milestone.

aussie
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