Updating Windows 8 to Win 8.1 Preview

Question

Level 1

0 points

Updating Windows 8 to Win 8.1 Preview

I have an Apple iMac 27" with Windows 8 Pro on a bootcamp partition with all the latest updates installed.

I downloaded the KB2849636 Update, and Win 8.1 appeared in the Store.

I downloaded the Win 8.1 update and went through several restarts with the "beta fish" startup screen, from "setting up" to "getting devices ready" to "applying changes".

But then, after the last restart the screen just went blank black with no response.

I forced one more restart, and got a startup screen which said "restoring your previous version of Windows".

After Windows was restored to Win8.0, there was a popup "Sorry, we couldn't complete the update to Windows 8.1 Preview. We restored your previous version of Windows to this PC.

0xC1900101-0x40019."

Have anyone else experienced same issues? Does it in any way have smth to do with BootCamp?

iMac, Windows 8

Posted on Jul 1, 2013 6:37 AM

Reply

Answer 1

Csound1

Level 9

59,973 points

Jul 1, 2013 6:42 AM in response to arvidsever

8.1 is not yet supported, it is a beta. Wait until Apple add support for it.

Reply

Answer 2

arvidsever Author

Level 1

0 points

Jul 1, 2013 6:46 AM in response to Csound1

Hey, captain obvious!

I'm trying to test the Preview, of course it's got issues. But that's why I'm writing about them!

Or do you think full compatibility comes out of nowhere?

Reply

Answer 3

Csound1

Level 9

59,973 points

Jul 1, 2013 6:47 AM in response to arvidsever

Then you have a problem to report to MS from your test.

Reply

Answer 4

arvidsever Author

Level 1

0 points

Jul 1, 2013 6:55 AM in response to Csound1

I reported it there already in the first place.

I'm cross-posting here to verify that it's not connected with the Boot Camp.

Reply

Answer 5

Csound1

Level 9

59,973 points

Jul 1, 2013 6:59 AM in response to arvidsever

It's almost certainly connected to Boot Camp (the BC Windows Support software for 8.1 does not exist)

Reply

Answer 6

gothamxl

Level 1

0 points

Jul 1, 2013 10:37 AM in response to arvidsever

If your install failed you probably were using a preview version of Windows 8 or a borrowed Windows 8 key. If you had a properly activated version of Windows 8, you would not face the issue.

The work around is to download the ISO version http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-8/preview-iso and find the product key in FAQ or NTTX3-RV7VB-T7X7F-WQYYY-9Y92F to activate Windows Blue.

You dont need a bootable disc - run ISO directly from its downloaded folder. I've done this on my iMac and Macbook Air.

Macs are the best thing that have happened to Windows 8 and vice versa.

Reply

Answer 7

arvidsever Author

Level 1

0 points

Jul 1, 2013 10:39 AM in response to gothamxl

No, I neither was using a preview version, nor a borrowed key.

As I wrote before, I have a full licensed version of Win 8 Pro with all the latest updates.

Reply

Answer 8

Jul 1, 2013 11:33 AM in response to arvidsever

I very much doubt this has anything do to with Boot Camp as I'm experiencing the exact same issue on a DIY PC I built about a year ago. You may want to look in C:\$Windows.~BT\Sources\Panther\setuperr.log to check if anything obvious pops up.

Reply

Answer 9

Jul 3, 2013 11:29 AM in response to Device_Piledriver

Just to follow-up: By running MSCONFIG, selecting a "Diagnostic" startup which loads only basic drivers and services, and then rebooting with that configuration, it allowed me to run the upgrade without error.

...Not entirely sure it was worth all the hassle - explorer.exe acts strangely when booting, and it would appear that all programs set to start via the HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run registry hierarchy is completely ignored.

Anyway, your mileage may (hopefully) vary, I wish you the best of luck. 🙂

Reply

Answer 10

arvidsever Author

Level 1

0 points

Jul 6, 2013 9:29 AM in response to gothamxl

Tried to install the upgrade via ISO image.

Ended with exactly same result as with the Store 😟

Reply

Answer 11

thirith

Level 1

0 points

Jul 14, 2013 9:11 AM in response to arvidsever

On my Dell laptop, I was facing the same problem as yours, if I am installing from the KB file. But I installed sucessfuly from ISO.

On my Mac book Retina, I can upgrade to win8.1 from KB file without any problem. But after I installed, the speaker sound difference compare to MacOS and previous Win8.

So your issue is MS installation issue not Bootcamp.

Reply

Answer 12

The hatter

Level 9

60,990 points

Jul 31, 2013 9:00 AM in response to arvidsever

I always do a clean install of Preview, works fine, love IE11.

But it may have an issue if you intended to dual boot and keep 8 and 8.1, or have limited free space on your Windows partition, not sure but always check.

8.1 is Preview at this stage.

Reply

Answer 13

Nov 29, 2013 11:29 PM in response to arvidsever

Well, I have the exact same issue when I tried updating today from the free update on the Microsoft store site. No preview, the released version

Reply