Need help upgrading from Windows 8 to Windows 8.1

[Jesse Williams]

My neighbor has a Dell laptop with Windows 8. She was having issues with it, so I refreshed it. But, we need to get her on Windows 8.1 so that she won't lose the security of updates to her computer. She doesn't know a lot about computers. She can't afford to upgrade to 8.1 via payment options. It should be available from the Store. Can someone help us out here?

 

[KYHI]

download and create windows 8.1 media (link in sig below) create media and run setup from desktop

 

[adamf]

Firstly your neighbour will be supported on Windows 8 until at least November so there is no particular rush.

To upgrade via the store to 8.1 you need to install the required KB through windows update. The easiest is to install everything, reboot and keep on doing this until windows update says there is nothing further to install. for upgrades until you have them all. You can find windows update in the control panel.

8.1 is free for 8 users - there is no paid paid option from 8 to 8.1 - only from core to Pro etc which applies whether you stay on 8 or upgrade.

 

[Jesse Williams]

download and create windows 8.1 media (link in sig below) create media and run setup from desktop

Can I put it on a USB stick?

 

[KYHI]

download and create windows 8.1 media (link in sig below) create media and run setup from desktop

Can I put it on a USB stick?

yes

but if want to run as upgrade - you can run in desktop mode..

 

[Jesse Williams]

Firstly your neighbour will be supported on Windows 8 until at least November so there is no particular rush.

To upgrade via the store to 8.1 you need to install the required KB through windows update. The easiest is to install everything, reboot and keep on doing this until windows update says there is nothing further to install. for upgrades until you have them all. You can find windows update in the control panel.

8.1 is free for 8 users - there is no paid paid option from 8 to 8.1 - only from core to Pro etc which applies whether you stay on 8 or upgrade.

Okay. I will see if she has any updates today. The problem we had with it, was it wasn't wanting to check for updates. It kept saying "Windows couldn't check for updates", and then it gave me an error code.

 

[Jesse Williams]

download and create windows 8.1 media (link in sig below) create media and run setup from desktop

Can I put it on a USB stick?

yes

What size USB stick?

 

[KYHI]

4GB

 

[Jesse Williams]

4GB

Okay

 

[Jesse Williams]

I couldn't get it to upgrade, because it said I needed administrator privileges to do the update from the Store. I was signed in to an Administrator account. Why would it say this?

 

[popeye]

To fix the problems running Update try this fix-it tool: How do I reset Windows Update components?

 

[Jesse Williams]

To fix the problems running Update try this fix-it tool: How do I reset Windows Update components?

I have the updates installed, and it's ready to be upgraded to 8.1 via the Store. But, it said I needed administrator privileges and to sign in to an administrator account to update. But, I was signed into an administrator account, so I don't know why it said that.

 

[Jesse Williams]

I am downloading the files to my USB stick now. When I insert the USB drive to my neighbor's computer, what will it do? I am going to try and download it and install it from the Store, first though.

 

[Jesse Williams]

Installing 8.1 on an 8 PC with USB

After I plug in the USB that has Windows 8.1 installed on it, and then I plug it into a Windows 8 computer, what happens? Help and answers needed ASAP!

 

[David Bailey]

But, I was signed into an administrator account...

Does your account look like this---

 

[Jesse Williams]

But, I was signed into an administrator account...

Does your account look like this---

View attachment 56390

Yes, David Bailey, I believe so. It's my neighbor's computer.

 

[Jesse Williams]

If I install it from a USB, is it going to ask for a product key?

 

[crucifier]

If it is bothering you with the admin message. So the following it will fix the problem.
1.On Windows 8 Start screen type powershell
2.Right click on the Windows powershell icon and select run as admin
3.paste the following in the powershell window
Type in the following
powershell -ExecutionPolicy Unrestricted Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register $Env:SystemRoot\WinStore\AppxManifest.xml
4.Hit enter
5.Wait for few seconds and it would flash in yellow
6.Try to upgrade now from Windows Store.

 

[Jesse Williams]

Okay