On my old laptop, which I switch on at least once a week to fall back on, early this year I noticed the monthly Windows updates that require a restart weren't happening, but somethings no doubt were getting tuned up going by the data consumed. However, checking for the updates used to confirm on being up-to-date. Looked weird compared to the new device that followed the monthly routine.

On checking, the old was on version 23H2 and the new, 24H2. Having been busy, hadn't really bothered on these, and when checked, the 23 version had already reached the end of life last November, and the newer 25H2 was already in place from the same time, which somehow, wasn't figuring on the newer. Since the old couldn't support the hardware specs, decided to do it on the less than a year old shiny new one with a bootable USB.

The process, some time in April, which I thought would get over in an hour proved me wrong when trying it at 10 in the night. First, though thankfully the installation could be run within Windows, after a huge download, stopped with an error on the lack of disk space. These branded laptops come with the OS pre-loaded, but with the entire disk as the System Drive. A hindrance if you need separate partition for your work and another for the backups that need playing around with third-party tools that do an excellent job. Luckily I had set aside 32GB for the Recovery drive which turned out unnecessary, with the needed files taking up a little over half a gig.

Restructuring the partition by extending the main drive to 20 more, seemed to solve, but with a repeated huge download again (don't know where the first went off!), that ultimately exceeded the last and stopped again demanding more space that needed another extension keeping the RE to just one Gigabyte. From then on it was smooth, though time consuming, ending at 1.30 early morning. Ugh! The additional extra space seemed to keep a copy of previous OS folder to go back to if needed within a week or so (which no one does any way) to automatically clear if sticking to the new.

So, recently on learning the latest 26 version being rolled out, was quite worried over the repeat stuff when encountered. Yesterday all of a sudden the update icon appeared with a blue dot on the system tray than the usual yellow, got to know of the latest going to be in place. Decided to keep it for today morning over the weekend than venture at the night like last time. And guess what? It was over in no time with a very small download and a quick restart that didn't even open the browser to tell what's new. I believe the required package was already in place during the monthly update, with this acting as an activator to unfold new features. So much for all the anxiety and preparedness!

This post like XMPP turned out Extensible despite making it as much crisp, purely from the point of conveying the whole process of not keeping one intimated on the space requirements and data transfers prior to proceeding.