I'm having issues upgrading a set of Lenovo laptops and mini devices from Windows 11 version 23H2 to 25H2. The installation fails with the error message "The installation in the SAFE_OS phase with an error during MIGRATE_DATA operation." These are basic setups, and it seems not to be application-related since other machines are upgrading without any problems. I've tried a few things:
- Suspending and disabling BitLocker
- Using different installation sources
- Running the full installer directly from the local drive
- Initiating the upgrade while logged into an admin profile
I also checked the Panther folder but couldn't pinpoint the issue. Any advice on how to resolve this would be greatly appreciated. Thanks for your help!
3 Answers
Isn't it required to be on 24H2 before you can upgrade to 25H2? I remember reading that the August 2025 update for 24H2 was necessary, but I could be wrong.
Correct! 24H2 and 25H2 use the same code base after the August update. The requirement applies mainly to enablement packages, but a full upgrade package doesn’t have that version limit.
Thanks for clarifying! That helps a lot. I’ll focus on the full upgrade package instead.
You might want to remove all profiles except the primary one. I've seen that specific error pop up when there are broken profiles messing things up. It could help simplify the upgrade process!
I appreciate the suggestion! I deleted about 7 profiles, but it still didn’t work. I’m considering renaming the primary profile to see if that helps me bypass the issue and get the upgrade through.
Have you thought about this error occurring due to EDR or EPP software? I had SentinelOne cause problems during upgrades between versions before. It only happened on some machines, though, so it’s worth checking if it affects you too.
Actually, you can move from 23H2 to 25H2 directly. It's a longer process due to the size of the upgrade, but it should work fine. Just might take a bit longer than the usual upgrade.