Acer aspire m3970 - Windows 10 version 1703 - Can I opt out?

Jupiterfaery · August 2017

Hi, I have an Acer aspire m3970 and am just wondering if anyone knows if it is compatible with Windows 10 version 1703. It's in my Windows update but it freezes in the middle of the install. Another reboot brings back the original Windows 10. Every time I restart the computer it tries to install and fails (losing me hours of time when I wanted to be working). Is there any way to opt out of installing it? I'd rather not install the upgrade because I'm fine with Windows how it is and would rather not have to take all that time again to set up programs and other settings. If not I guess I will uninstall the reinstall the original Windows 10.

IronFly · August 2017

try this suggestion to defer update:

http://pureinfotech.com/prevent-windows-10-installing-creators-update/

Jupiterfaery · August 2017

Thanks but I probably should have specified I have the home edition. So it looks like I can either never restart my computer again, which is not realistic as other updates require restarting, or I have to wait hours between restarts so the install can fail over and over again by giving me a black screen and then maybe let me shut down and restart again...This is unfair and ridiculous. Why can't Microsoft just wait until something works to release it? Don't they do beta testing? I will keep trying tech sites to see if there is some other option and will post it here if I find one.

IronFly · August 2017

yes Microsoft has the insider program to test future windows releases but there are milions of hardware configuration and it's near impossible to nail them all.

i can suggest one thing:

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10

download the media creation tool from Microsoft and follow the instructions to create an USB bootable flash drive with the latest windows 10 release (creators update), then try to update from the USB flash drive.

just browse the USB flash drive, once created and run, setup.exe

Jupiterfaery · August 2017

That's a good idea, thanks. I think I'll do that in the future.

One thing I haven't seen mentioned anywhere online for those who want to defer, is that it actually is possible, once the connection is set to "metered" you have the option to restart without updating, along with restart WITH updating. I'm going to keep deferring the prompts until the update is more stable because I'm not taking the chances of my system being completely messed up as per the horror stories I have heard. I can put up with the hassle if it means my system is safer.

I disagree that beta testing is not enough to make sure the average computer can work after an update. It's unreasonable to expect such a large number of people to buy a whole new system every time they want to update. A new computer twice a year? Most people can't afford that. Most businesses can't either. If Mac and Linux can make secure systems (and they do, I wish I could afford to have a mac and was technically inclined enough to have a Linux), Microsoft really has no excuse. They are just being lazy and greedy. Clearly they expect that people will have to more regularly buy more of their products because they are deliberately leaving it so that lower end systems will break every time they do a manditory update in the new gulag of world computer use. The right thing to do would have been to charge for the operating system in the first place, not treat their customers like garbage. If they still did that they would still be able to make enough money on the markets (as they always have). Hopefully they will lose more of their business clients to Unix with this nonsense and at least the average user can laugh about that.

prh47bridge · September 2017

Beta testing is enough to make sure the averate computer can work but that is very different from making sure that every single computer will work. The M3970 is around 5 years old now so, if it is incompatible with the Creators update, that is hardly "a new computer twice a year". And no, Mac and Linux do not make secure systems. They are no more secure than Windows. The only reason Windows gets more attacks is that it has a lot more users. Mac, of course, has a much easier job with upgrades as they only have a limited number of models to support but they have still got it wrong, producing upgrades that don't work on all models. They have also stopped upgrading some models.

I'm not sure what motivation you think Microsoft has for breaking lower end systems. On the whole they do a pretty good job of keeping their stuff compatible with old systems. But they cannot be expected to do that forever.

The real problem here is Acer, not Microsoft. Acer has decided that the M3970 is old enough to mean they don't need to update the drivers any more. If they did the Creators update would work.

Chastity · November 2017

Solution: Disable your Realtek Ethernet and remove the Ralink Wifi card. Also uninstall their drivers, and all hidden entries in Device Manager. If done properly, this will allow you to install 1703. You can then enable them and install them afterwards.

AChen · November 2017

I have been on the same 1703 update install failure on an Acer M3410 desktop. I have tried disabling firewall, turning off fast boot, running Windows 10 built-in Troubleshoot (and fixed everything it identified), fresh install from an ISO disk by Media Creator app, etc. but none worked passing beyond 75% installation - the screen went dark with no prior indication and just halt there with no activity. After disconnect the power cable for some 5 minutes and then turn it on, the PC would recover to the previous version which is 160x, which works fine. If I leave the power cable connected, the PC will try to reinstall 1703 when it is turned on again followed by the same failure.

Disable the Realtek Ethernet doesn't seem feasible. This is because during the 1703 update installation process the PC is restarted several times and, if I understand it correctly, every time the PC is restarted, it will install hardware (as long as it is physically present) drivers that is missing. The WiFi card can be removed. I am not sure the Ethernet hardware unit can be physically removed - I have the impression that the Ethernet hardware is permanently on the motherboard.

What are the basis of disabling the Ethernet and WiFi (including removing the drivers) would lead to a successful install of update 1703? What is exactly this "if done properly"? An outline of the steps of "done properly" would be helpful.

Thank you.

Samuel87 · January 2018

Alright need some help. Went through with this. I attempted a fresh install of Windows. But now I get to the screen that asks to select the drive and I can't choose a drive due to MBR rather than GPT.