**Windows Setup** is a bootable program that installs [[Windows]].^[[Windows Setup Technical Reference | Microsoft Learn](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-hardware/manufacture/desktop/windows-setup-technical-reference?view=windows-11)] # Windows Setup Command-Line Options List of most useful options - [/Compat](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-hardware/manufacture/desktop/windows-setup-command-line-options?view=windows-11#compat) - Instructs Windows Setup how to handle compatibility scans and messages. - [/CopyLogs](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-hardware/manufacture/desktop/windows-setup-command-line-options?view=windows-11#copylogs) - Windows Setup will copy or upload compressed logs upon failure to the specified location assuming machine/user has permission and network access to location. # Windows Upgrade Log Files Several log files are created during each phase of the upgrade process. The most useful log is **setupact.log**.^[[Log files and resolving upgrade errors - Windows Deployment | Microsoft Learn](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/deployment/upgrade/log-files)] ## Log Locations Windows Setup log files are available in the following directories:^[[Windows Setup Log Files and Event Logs | Microsoft Learn](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-hardware/manufacture/desktop/windows-setup-log-files-and-event-logs?view=windows-11#log-locations)] | Log file location | Description | | :------------------------------------------------------------------ | :------------------------------------------------------ | | X:\Windows\panther\|Log location before Setup can access the drive. | | | %WINDIR%\Panther | Log location of Setup actions after disk configuration. | | %WINDIR%\Inf\Setupapi_.log_ | Used to log Plug and Play device installations. | | %WINDIR%\Memory.dmp | Location of memory dump from bug checks. | | %WINDIR%\Minidump.dmp | Location of log minidumps from bug checks. | | %WINDIR%\System32\Sysprep\Panther | Location of Sysprep logs. | ## Analyze log files To analyze Windows Setup log files: 1. Determine the Windows Setup error code. This code should be returned by Windows Setup if it isn't successful with the upgrade process. 2. Based on the [extend code](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/troubleshoot/windows-client/deployment/windows-10-upgrade-error-codes?toc=/windows/deployment/toc.json&bc=/windows/deployment/breadcrumb/toc.json#extend-codes) portion of the error code, determine the type and location of a log file to investigate. 3. Open the log file in a text editor, such as notepad. 4. Using the [result code](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/troubleshoot/windows-client/deployment/windows-10-upgrade-error-codes?toc=/windows/deployment/toc.json&bc=/windows/deployment/breadcrumb/toc.json#result-codes) portion of the Windows Setup error code, search for the result code in the file and find the last occurrence of the code. Alternatively search for the "abort" and abandoning" text strings described in step 7 below. 5. To find the last occurrence of the result code: 1. Scroll to the bottom of the file and select after the last character. 2. Select **Edit**. 3. Select **Find**. 4. Type the result code. 5. Under **Direction** select **Up**. 6. Select **Find Next**. 6. When you've located the last occurrence of the result code, scroll up a few lines from this location in the file and review the processes that failed prior to generating the result code. 7. Search for the following important text strings: - `Shell application requested abort` - `Abandoning apply due to error for object` 8. Decode Win32 errors that appear in this section. 9. Write down the timestamp for the observed errors in this section. 10. Search other log files for additional information matching these timestamps or errors. ## Windows 10 Upgrade Error Codes If the upgrade process isn't successful, Windows Setup will return two codes: [[Windows Setup#Result Code|result codes]] and [[Windows Setup#Extend Code|extend codes]]. ### Result Code The result code corresponds to a specific [Win32](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/openspecs/windows_protocols/ms-erref/18d8fbe8-a967-4f1c-ae50-99ca8e491d2d) or [NTSTATUS](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/openspecs/windows_protocols/ms-erref/596a1078-e883-4972-9bbc-49e60bebca55) error. The following set of result codes is associated with Windows Setup compatibility warnings^[[Windows 10 upgrade error codes - Windows Client | Microsoft Learn](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/troubleshoot/windows-client/deployment/windows-10-upgrade-error-codes#result-codes)] ### Extend Code The extend code contains information about both the phase in which an error occurred, and the operation that was being performed when the error occurred. ## Windows 10 Upgrade Resolution Procedures [This article](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/troubleshoot/windows-client/deployment/windows-10-upgrade-resolution-procedures) provides some common causes and solutions that are associated with specific upgrade error codes. # Resources [Windows Setup Command-Line Options | Microsoft Learn](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-hardware/manufacture/desktop/windows-setup-command-line-options?view=windows-11) [Windows Setup Scenarios and Best Practices | Microsoft Learn](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-hardware/manufacture/desktop/windows-setup-scenarios-and-best-practices?view=windows-11) [Windows Setup Log Files and Event Logs | Microsoft Learn](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-hardware/manufacture/desktop/windows-setup-log-files-and-event-logs?view=windows-11) [Log files and resolving upgrade errors - Windows Deployment | Microsoft Learn](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/deployment/upgrade/log-files) [Windows 10 upgrade error codes - Windows Client | Microsoft Learn](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/troubleshoot/windows-client/deployment/windows-10-upgrade-error-codes?toc=%2Fwindows%2Fdeployment%2Ftoc.json&bc=%2Fwindows%2Fdeployment%2Fbreadcrumb%2Ftoc.json#extend-codes)