Windows 10 major version upgrade best practice?

[Andrew Gresbach1709152664]

Our Windows 10 OS is based on 1803 from the start and I am looking to do my first major upgrade (1809) and wanted to see if i'm missing anything w/ steps to follow....

 

1.  Add a new version to existing OS layer; manually upgrade to 1809

2. Fix recovery partition per https://support.citrix.com/article/CTX226407

3. Finalize (which should automatically cleanup the .old folder)

 

-I read that i may need to completely redo a new platform layer, is that correct? (based on the new version of course)

 

-Existing app layers (non platform) need to be redone or are those typically fine to use in the new version i hope?

 

 

anything else i'm missing?

[Rob Zylowski]

Yes you are correct. I have never needed to do the recovery partition thing.  Your platform layer may be fine you can just try it first. Test tour images well it’s possible other layers could be affected but they normally are fine.   

[Andrew Gresbach1709152664]

Thanks Rob!  so typically safe to assume if i just try the existing platform layer and it looks fine and lets me log in alright probably good to go?  maybe isnt terrible idea to just do it over just in case too

 

I usually run a Spiceworks decrapifier scripts in the OS layer to clear out the junk apps (and keep a couple useful ones.....calc, store, onedrive) and then run the citrix optimizer in the platform layer .  i know i'll probably need to rerun the decrapifier script in the new OS revision but i wonder if the optimizer should be run again since its an OS upgrade

[Rob Zylowski]

You could probably just wait for the optimizer until you create a new platform layer the templates do change by version but not alot. 

[Andrew Gresbach1709152664]

Thanks Rob! i just saw theres a similar thread on this same topic so sorry for thread clutter!   i saw theres an Update Now button under the Media Creation Tool site (where we'd get the ISO) so giving that a shot now.....i would think that would accomplish the same as downloading the ISO maybe? or any reason to avoid that method?

[Andrew Gresbach1709152664]

So i finished the upgrade, ran the que'd up ngen, rebooted a few times and finalized.  I spun up another revision and it looks like the .old folder is still there.  wasnt that supposed to get cleaned up during the finalization stage?

[Rob Zylowski]

Yes I think so. I would open a case on that. 

[Andrew Gresbach1709152664]

alright so looking into it more (and tried it over again using the iso method just for good measure) and it leaves the windows.old folder but it looks like it DID clear out 99% of the contents.....only thing left is an appdata\local folder for the local admin).  I saw that the free space went up by 10gb pre-finalize to when i start another new revision on the os layer w/ the updated OS so i think i'm fine.   so far it seems like it didnt bring back any crapware and platform layer seems to work too so maybe nothing major enough from 1803 to 1809

 

thanks for the input here!

[Rob Zylowski]

There must have been files in there that couldnt be deleted 

[Andrew Gresbach1709152664]

On 4/28/2019 at 2:54 AM, Rob Zylowski1709158051 said:

There must have been files in there that couldnt be deleted 

yup thats what it looks like so i'd say its probably fine.  given the small size i probably could delete it from the image......i'll do some more testing with that.  thanks for the help!

[Akinola Oke]

I am just upgraded my Windows 10 OS base from 1803 to 1909, but decided to check some folder thoroughly before proceeding.

However I observed that "c:\Windows\Setup\Scripts", where Applayering scripts are located is totally empty. Though there are in available in "Windows.old" folder.

 

Do I have to reinstall "os machine tool" or just copy the files over. 

 

Thanks

[Raymond Colon]

If you are looking in the vm, packaging machine, before the layer is finalized, that is expected. We will copy the data to the proper location as part of the finalization process. You should not need to update the os machine tools, unless you are having an issue specific to the tools, scripts, or have been advised to do so.

[Rob Zylowski]

No when you finalize the layer that folder will be copied from the old then we will delete the old.  Just make sure you don't run the cleanup to delete the old before you finalize.

[Akinola Oke]

Thanks

Would this action "Fix recovery partition per https://support.citrix.com/article/CTX226407" still be required or "AppLayering" will also handle that?

[Rob Zylowski]

If the extra partition is created i think you still have to remove it before finalizing.