If you have encountered Windows Upgrade error 0x800700B7- 0x2000A when you try to upgrade to Windows 11 or to the latest version/build of Windows 10; there’s no cause for alarm as you’re in the right place! This post is intended to help you with the most suitable solutions you can try to successfully resolve this issue.
The error description reads as follows;
The installation failed in the SAFE_OS phase with an error during PREPARE_FIRST_BOOT operation
This error means that Windows Setup terminated unexpectedly due to another process running in the background.
Fix Windows Upgrade error 0x800700B7- 0x2000A
If you’re faced with this issue, you can try our recommended solutions below in no particular order and see if that helps to resolve the Windows Upgrade error 0x800700B7- 0x2000A on your device.
- Check system requirements
- Run Windows Update Troubleshooter
- Run SFC and DISM scan
- Check User Account/Profile
- Disable/Uninstall Security software
- Check connected peripheral support
- Update device drivers
- Disable Legacy USB support
- Disable Fast Startup
- Upgrade in Clean Boot state
- Upgrade using Windows 11/10 ISO
Let’s take a look at the description of the process involved concerning each of the listed solutions.
1] Check system requirements
The first action you can take to resolve the Windows Upgrade error 0x800700B7- 0x2000A on your device is to check system requirements for Windows 11 or check if your device can run Windows 10 as the case may be.
Although, you can install Windows 11 on unsupported hardware. However, if you tick all the boxes for system requirements but the issue is unresolved, proceed with the next solution.
2] Run Windows Update Troubleshooter
This solution requires you to run the inbuilt Windows Update Troubleshooter and then try the upgrade operation again and see if it completes without the error. If it does, try the next solution.
3] Run SFC and DISM scan
This solution requires you to run SFC scan and DISM scan – both are utilities in Windows that allows users to scan for corruptions in Windows image and system files and restore corrupted files.
For ease and convenience, you can run both scan in tandem using the procedure below.
- Press Windows key + R to invoke the Run dialog.
- In the Run dialog box, type notepad and hit Enter to open Notepad.
- Copy and paste the syntax below into the text editor.
echo off date /t & time /t echo Dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /StartComponentCleanup Dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /StartComponentCleanup echo ... date /t & time /t echo Dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth Dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth echo ... date /t & time /t echo SFC /scannow SFC /scannow date /t & time /t pause
- Save the file with a name and append the .bat file extension – eg; SFC_DISM_scan.bat and on the Save as type box select All Files.
- Repeatedly run the batch file with admin privilege (right-click the saved file and select Run as Administrator from the context menu) until it reports no errors.
- Restart your PC.
On boot, try the upgrade again. If unsuccessful, proceed with the next solution.
4] Check User Account/Profile
You may encounter the error if there is a problem with the user profile. It could be that your user profile is corrupted. In this case, you can repair the corrupt user profile and then try the upgrade again. Or you can backup your files to an external storage device and then create a new user account/profile then try the upgrade again. Also, delete any unnecessary accounts.
5] Disable/Uninstall Security software
Security software, especially from third-party vendors, installed on your device can trigger this error. In this case, you can disable or uninstall the security software, and then try the upgrade operation again.
To disable your antivirus software, locate its icon in the notification area or system tray on the taskbar (usually in the lower right corner of the desktop). Right-click the icon and choose the option to disable or exit the program.
To uninstall the third-party antivirus programs from your PC, we recommend using the dedicated removal tool to remove all files associated with your antivirus program.
6] Check connected peripheral support
If you try to upgrade to Windows 11/10 with hardware that is not supported by Windows connected to your computer, the upgrade operation may fail. In this case, you can disconnect all hardware and try the upgrade again. Check with your PC manufacturer to see if they support the hardware. Also check with your device manufacturer to see if it supports Windows 11/10.
7] Update device drivers
This solution requires you to either update your drivers manually via the Device Manager, or you can get the driver updates on the Optional Updates section under Windows Update. You may also download the latest version of the driver for any device from the manufacturer’s website.
Once you have all outdated device drivers updated on your system, you can try the upgrade again, and if the process fails, you can try the next solution.
8] Disable Legacy USB support
Some PC models may fail the upgrade when Legacy USB Support is enabled in the BIOS. In this case, you can disable Legacy USB support in BIOS and see if that helps with the issue at hand.
To dIsable Legacy USB support on your computer, do the following:
- Boot into BIOS.
- Once in the BIOS setup, check the menus for an option to enable or disable the onboard USB ports. Make sure all USB options and Legacy USB support options are disabled or off.
- Save and exit the BIOS after making the changes.
After the computer has rebooted, try the Windows upgrade again and see if the issue is resolved.
9] Disable Fast Startup
Fast Startup is designed to help your computer startup faster after you shut down your computer. When you shut down your computer, your computer actually enters a hibernation state instead of a full shutdown.
This solution requires you to disable Fast Startup and retry the upgrade. If the operation completes successfully, then good; if not, try the next solution.
10] Upgrade in Clean Boot state
Since the error in view mean that the Windows Setup terminated unexpectedly due to another process running in the background, you can clean boot your system and then try the upgrade operation in that state.
A Clean Boot is performed to start Windows by using a minimal set of drivers and startup programs. This helps eliminate software conflicts that occur when you install a program or an update or when you run a program in Windows 11/10.
11] Upgrade using Windows 11/10 ISO
If you’re encountering this Windows upgrade install error using the Windows Update Assistant, you can instead, directly download the Windows ISO image file from the Microsoft website. Once you have downloaded the ISO to a location (preferably the desktop) on your device, mount the ISO image, then double-click the setup.exe file to start the Windows in-place upgrade process. If this procedure fails too, you can clean install Windows on the device.
Hope this helps!
Related post: Error 0x8007007f when using Windows 11 Installation Assistant
How do I fix error code 0x800700b7?
PC users that have encountered the error code 0x800700b7 on their Windows 11/10 computer, can fix the System Restore error 0x800700b7 by applying any of the following solutions:
- Uninstall and reinstall software.
- Run a System File Checker scan.
- Run the Check Disk utility.
- Restore Windows.
- Turn off the antivirus software.
- Delete any Scheduled Task on the system.
Read: Installation of a provisioning package failed, Code 0x800700b7
How do I fix Microsoft update error?
In some cases, the Update Troubleshooter can help PC users resolve the problem if you get an error code while downloading and installing Windows updates on your device. To run the troubleshooter, do the following: Select Start > Settings > Update & Security > Troubleshoot > Additional troubleshooters. Next, under Get up and running, select Windows Update > Run the troubleshooter.
