[Solved] Issues installing Win 10

[sean_p]

All - I'm trying to upgrade an existing Win 7 VM to Win 10. I've tried several things, including running the install program from within win 7 and loading the install ISO into the optical drive and booting from that. The result is always the same: the install gets to the point where it wants to boot Win 10 for the first time, the black screen with the blue Window logo appears, and then... nothing. The CPU appears to be busy and I hear hard drive activity, but I get no progress indications, no indications of any sort on the screen to tell me that anything is happening, even if I wait for hours.

Has anyone else seen this? Any thoughts on how to proceed?

[sean_p]

I'm running VBox 5.2.16 on a MacOS High Sierra host, if that matters.

[andyp73]

This may not be a VirtualBox issue per se but it is too early to tell. We will need to see the VBox.log file from the guest in question. Boot the guest, make sure the problem occurs then shut the guest down (by force if necessary). zip the log file and post it.

-Andy.

[socratis]

Did you change the OS template in the VM settings?

[sean_p]

For Andy: I'm also on the line with MS tech support, and they have me doing some things. If that's not successful, I'll make the zip file.

For Socratis: hmmmm... no, it's still set for Win 7, because the installer itself is a Win 7 application. I had it in my head (based on my quite vague memory of upgrading this VM from XP to win-7 years ago) that it wasn't necessary to do this manually. But perhaps this isn't true? If I have to change the OS template in advance, won't I run into issues booting Win 7 to get the installer going?

I appreciate the insight so far.

[sean_p]

Ok, I've had a different result this time: now the Windows installer is telling me that the VBox graphics adapter isn't compatible with this version of Windows. That certainly seems like it could be related to the issue of the incorrect OS template. So... the installer is giving me an option to continue anyway (I think - the dialog is a little vague). Should I just abort and try again after changing the OS template, or try to forge on and fix the template after the fact?

[socratis]

Change the template before the installation.

[sean_p]

I'll give that a try.

[sean_p]

Update: changed the OS template to Windows 10 and restarted the VM. Windows 7 booted just fine. I kicked off the installer, which proceed through its steps, and then again told me that the video system wasn't up to snuff, and that I'd "have problems with my display". It offered to continue, though, so I pressed on. Just as before, the installation proceeded until the point that Win 10 needed to boot for the first time to continue the installation, and the machine once again froze up at the screen with the black background and blue windows logo.

I zipped up the log file and attached it here. Nothing in it leapt out at me as an explanation, but I'm not an expert at this (obviously).

I'd appreciate your further thoughts.

[sean_p]

One further thought: I looked up the video specs for Win 10, which said simply "needs to support Directx 9 or later and with WDDM 1.0 driver". The settings for the graphics card within VBox don't provide any options for this, at least none that are evident to me.

[Martin]

Do you really need to update an existing Win 7 installation? A fresh Win 10 installation would be a bit easier.

[socratis]

I've just successfully upgraded my Win7 VM to a Win10. Unfortunately you didn't included the proper logs so I can't see what's going on. Save only the first "VBox.log", ZIP it and attach it to your response.

[sean_p]

Ok, let's try this one. I have a couple of different VMs, and VB seems to put logs all over the place, but hopefully this is it.

[socratis]

Your configuration seems to be quite different from the default template. Can you right-click on the VM, Show in Finder. ZIP that .vbox file and attach it here please.

[sean_p]

I'm getting increasingly baffled here. I've followed your instructions: right-clicked the VM, opened in finder... and it took me to the folder I just got the last file from. It's attached.