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Upgrading Windows 8.1 to Windows 10

Posted: 30. Jun 2015, 14:09
by simendsjo
I'm running a Windows 8.1 guest and would like to upgrade to
Windows 10. The problem is that the Virtualbox graphics adapter
isn't compatible. The message is:
Here's why Windows 10 can't be installed on this PC.

VirtualBox Graphics Adapter for Windows 8
Your display won't work.
All my google-fu turns up fruitless, and I cannot find anything
remotely related to this issue (that I can tell at least).

Any idea how this can be resolved?

Host: Arch Linux
Kernel: CK 4.0.6
VirtualBox: 4.3.28
Guest Additions: 4.3.28r100309

Re: Upgrading Windows 8.1 to Windows 10

Posted: 30. Jun 2015, 14:52
by scottgus1
This may help, I don't know if it will:
viewtopic.php?f=2&t=68348&start=15

There are plenty of folks running 10 on Virtualbox as fresh installs.

Re: Upgrading Windows 8.1 to Windows 10

Posted: 30. Jun 2015, 17:06
by loukingjr
I don't know that there is a definitive answer to your question or if users will be able to update a guest. But as scott said, plenty of users are running Windows 10 as a guest so worst case scenario, you could create a Windows 10 guest and migrate any files over from your Windows 8.1 guest.

Re: Upgrading Windows 8.1 to Windows 10

Posted: 16. Jul 2015, 14:02
by bbrownkzo
I too have a problem getting the upgrade from Win8.1 to Win10. The problem is as stated above:
VirtualBox Graphics Adapter for Windows 8
Your display won't work.

Does anyone have a work around for the graphics adapter problem??

There is a lot of discussion in another post about a CPU problem but nothing relevant to the graphics adapter problem.

Re: Upgrading Windows 8.1 to Windows 10

Posted: 16. Jul 2015, 15:19
by BlueLagoon
Yes loukingjr we could create a new Guest using windows 10 but that would mean that we'd have to buy a windows 10 activation code. Why would we want to do that when MS will upgrade our windows 8.1 installations for free?
There's a lot of us out there who need a solution to this problem.

Re: Upgrading Windows 8.1 to Windows 10

Posted: 16. Jul 2015, 15:26
by loukingjr
Actually it doesn't mean you have to purchase a Windows 10 license. You could sign up as an insider and download the installer for free. Then you would get Windows 10 for free. Unless Microsoft stopped accepting new Insiders.

Edit: Nope, they stopped accepting new insiders.

Re: Upgrading Windows 8.1 to Windows 10

Posted: 16. Jul 2015, 17:32
by Legorol
There are two solutions you can try:
1) Uninstall the VirtualBox guest additions, then try to update to Windows 10 again. You can reinstall the guest additions after the update succeeds.
2) Use Device Manager to manually roll back the driver for the graphics adapter, from Virtualbox graphics adapter driver, to the Microsoft supplied default driver. Then try to update again. After the update, reinstall the guest additions to restore the Virtualbox graphics adapter driver.

Re: Upgrading Windows 8.1 to Windows 10

Posted: 16. Jul 2015, 17:35
by Legorol
loukingjr wrote:Actually it doesn't mean you have to purchase a Windows 10 license. You could sign up as an insider and download the installer for free. Then you would get Windows 10 for free. Unless Microsoft stopped accepting new Insiders.

Edit: Nope, they stopped accepting new insiders.
You won't get the final, released consumer version of Windows 10 for free just by being part of the Insider program, Microsoft has been very clear on that. To qualify, you do have to update from a genuine copy from Windows 7 or 8. Hence recommending to clean install Windows 10 from the Insider program is not a solution for the OP.

To be clear: as an Insider, you can get the current build of Windows 10, and you will be able to continue receiving Insider builds, for free, without a genuine copy of Windows 7 or 8. However, those builds won't be the same as the consumer build.

Re: Upgrading Windows 8.1 to Windows 10

Posted: 16. Jul 2015, 17:39
by Perryg
However, those builds won't be the same as the consumer build
Is this your speculation or can you point me to a Microsoft location that states this?

Re: Upgrading Windows 8.1 to Windows 10

Posted: 16. Jul 2015, 17:42
by loukingjr
Actually I would like to see a source as well. That is not my understanding.

Re: Upgrading Windows 8.1 to Windows 10

Posted: 16. Jul 2015, 23:00
by Legorol
Perryg wrote:
However, those builds won't be the same as the consumer build
Is this your speculation or can you point me to a Microsoft location that states this?
loukingjr wrote:Actually I would like to see a source as well. That is not my understanding.
Source is this official Microsoft post: http://blogs.windows.com/bloggingwindow ... ew-builds/

The gist of the post is that:
1) You can be a part of the Insider program and keep receiving updated, but time-bombed preview builds, even after 29 July. This is free and doesn't require a previous Windows license.
-or-
2) You can stick to consumer release builds. This is free if you have a previous qualifying Windows license ( 7 or 8 ).

Essentially Microsoft is offering a free copy of Windows 10 to anyone who is willing to keep updating it to the latest preview build and act as a tester, before the rest of the consumers get it. I hope this clarifies the situation.

Re: Upgrading Windows 8.1 to Windows 10

Posted: 16. Jul 2015, 23:10
by loukingjr
I love how disingenuous your replies are. :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen:

The gist of the blog is you will continue to have free use of Windows 10 including new features before consumers get them.

Nice try though.

Re: Upgrading Windows 8.1 to Windows 10

Posted: 16. Jul 2015, 23:43
by Legorol
loukingjr wrote:I love how disingenuous your replies are. :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen:
What are you talking about, why the personal comments? I have stated facts and when asked for a source, I provided one. I have clearly summarised what the situation is, and supported it with an official post.
The gist of the blog is you will continue to have free use of Windows 10 including new features before consumers get them.
That's true as well, and does not contradict in any way what I have posted, but comes at a cost.
Nice try though.
What does this even mean? I am not trying anything, just stating facts.

To emphasise some of the points:
- You can opt in to the Insider program for free. Insiders will keep getting access to preview builds. This doesn't require a previous Windows license. Preview builds are time-bombed though: you must keep updating to the latest preview build.
- You can leave the preview builds and stick to consumer builds only. This however requires a genuine Windows license. You can qualify for this for free, if you have a previous genuine Windows license, or you can buy Windows 10

I personally like what Microsoft is doing, I think it's a great move and I fully support it.

Re: Upgrading Windows 8.1 to Windows 10

Posted: 16. Jul 2015, 23:55
by loukingjr
Legorol wrote:However, those builds won't be the same as the consumer build.
They won't be the same in what way? I guess you meant the insider version would have new features first.

And as I mentioned. It's too late to join the insider program.

Re: Upgrading Windows 8.1 to Windows 10

Posted: 17. Jul 2015, 00:25
by Legorol
loukingjr wrote:
Legorol wrote:However, those builds won't be the same as the consumer build.
They won't be the same in what way? I guess you meant the insider version would have new features first.
Insiders get preview builds. Preview builds are time-bombed: they expire after a while. You have to keep updating to the latest preview build. Quoting from the Microsoft post:
"This is prerelease software and is activated with a prerelease key. Each individual build will expire after a time, but you’ll continue to receive new builds so by the time an older prerelease build expires you’ll have received a new one."
And as I mentioned. It's too late to join the insider program.
It's not. You can still sign up for the Insider program right now. Downloads for the PC version and new activations on PC are temporarily halted at the moment, but they will be back. Source: 13 July update of http://blogs.windows.com/bloggingwindow ... ild-10166/
Quoting from that source:
"We’re suspending the availability of Windows 10 builds briefly while we prepare for that, and the next build that we flight to you will be delivered using the production channels. Starting tomorrow, we will also not be delivering any additional ISOs at this point as we really need Insiders to be using, stressing, and validating our distribution and upgrade processes. We’ll make ISOs available again in the future, but for now we ask you to upgrade your current build via Windows Update once the next build is released."
As a side note: while it's great that Insiders get free preview builds that are further ahead of the consumer builds, bear in mind that preview builds are pre-release software. For many people, in many situations, it's not a solution to run preview builds. Therefore the Insider program and preview builds are not a one-size-fits-all solution.