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Why Does My Windows 11 Upgrade Keep Failing and How Can I Fix It?

January 18, 2026 5 answers
Asked by TechWhiz88
I've been trying to upgrade my PC to Windows 11, but it repeatedly fails at the end, showing a screen that says it's reverting changes. Something else I noticed is that my PC has been freezing a lot, forcing me to do a shutdown and restart. I've also encountered the BSOD with a dpc_watchdog_violation error several times in the past month. Should I use the Windows 11 media installer on a USB drive and reset my PC for the installation? What are the steps I should follow? Should I update my BIOS before or after the reset? I've activated TPM and Secure Boot in the BIOS, but I can't find TPM 2.0 anywhere.
BSOD System Operations tech support troubleshooting upgrade issues Windows 11

Answers

DataSaverAngel
Back up your data just in case you make changes to your BIOS. You never know when things can go sideways!
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InstallMaster99
Follow this guide for installing Windows 11 step-by-step. If you run into errors, make sure to describe them clearly so we can help troubleshoot!
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FixItFrankie
Make sure you're checking logs for any upgrade failures. They can provide clues as to what's causing the issue. Sometimes it's as simple as fixing a minor setting that goes overlooked.
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GadgetGuru42
If you're seeing those errors, it might be best to first collect some crash logs. You can check for dump files in C:WindowsMinidump if you're able to boot your PC normally or in Safe Mode. Zip any files you find and upload them to a file-sharing service like catbox.moe or MediaFire. This can help analyze the BSOD issue more accurately.

User3101: Got it, I'll check for those files! Thanks for the tip.

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DownloadDan
Instead of relying on Windows Update, try using the Windows 11 Installation Assistant directly from Microsoft's website. It worked for me when I upgraded my laptop without a hitch!

TechWhiz88: I was using the Installation Assistant because one update always fails for me, and I wasn’t getting prompted to upgrade. So, I'll give it another shot with that method. Thanks!

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