Does Updating to Windows 11 Fix Corrupted Files?

Keelan Balderson

The main way to fix a corrupted Windows system is to replace the damaged files with clean copies. This can be done by using the System File Checker utility, doing a full system reset, or using a third-party Windows repair tool.

Does updating to Windows 11 fixes corrupted files

However, what if your Windows 10 system is corrupted and you want to upgrade to Windows 11?

Does upgrading to Windows 11 fix corruption?

You might think the process of upgrading to Windows 11 will replace anything damaged on Windows 10, but that’s not necessarily the case. It all depends on how damaged the system is. This is because:

  • Windows relies on certain system files to perform the upgrade. If these are corrupted, the upgrade will fail and potentially cause even more problems.
  • Both operating systems share some system files. So, if you do a standard upgrade, the corrupted files will carry over and continue to cause problems for Windows 11.

In short, upgrading to Windows 11 is not a quick fix for a corrupted Windows 10 system.

If your goal was to always upgrade to Windows 11, the safest option is to repair Windows 10 first. Alternatively, you can back up important personal files and overwrite the operating system with a completely fresh version of Windows 11.

How do I repair Windows 10 before updating to Windows 11?

The best way to get your system in the best shape to upgrade to Windows 11 is to use an all-in-one tune-up tool like Fortect.

Fortect repair Windows

This repairs the registry, replaces any corrupted system files with fresh copies, and cleans out any unneeded junk files. All you have to do is:

  1. Download and Install Fortect on your PC.
  2. Open the software and run a scan, which takes less than 5 minutes.
  3. Click Start Repair to repair all Windows problems.
  4. Wait for the automatic process to complete and restart your PC.

You will no longer experience the errors and instability from corrupted files, leaving the system clean to update to Windows 11. Alternatively, you may simply choose to stay on the tuned-up Windows 10.

How do I do a fresh install of Windows 11?

If your system is severely damaged, you may decide to install a completely fresh copy of Windows 11, erasing the corrupted Windows 10 system altogether. Here’s what you need to do:

  1. Ensure that your computer meets the minimum system requirements for Windows 11.
  2. Perform a backup of your important data, as the clean install process will erase all data on the system drive.
  3. Download the Windows 11 installation media creation tool from the official Microsoft website.
  4. Follow the on-screen instructions to create bootable media, such as a USB drive, using the tool.Windows 11 boot media
  5. Connect the bootable media to your computer.
  6. Restart your computer and enter the BIOS or UEFI firmware settings.Bios boot order
  7. Configure your computer to boot from the bootable media (such as a USB drive) instead of the internal hard drive.
  8. Reboot and follow the on-screen prompts to select language, time, and other settings.
  9. Do not choose the option to upgrade, if available.
    Windows 11 select drive
  10. Select the drive where you want to install Windows 11 and begin the process.
  11. Follow the on-screen prompts to complete the Windows 11 installation, including setting up a user account and other settings.
  12. If you backed up your data in Step 2, you could now restore your data to your newly installed Windows 11 system.
  13. You will need to reinstall any third-party software on the new operating system.

Unfortunately, updating to Windows 11 will not always fix corrupted files from Windows 10. Instead, you should repair Windows 10 using built-in tools like the System File Checker or use a third-party tool like Fortect.

Alternatively, you can back up your personal files and perform a clean install of Windows 11 to replace the corrupted Windows 10 system. However, you will lose personal settings and installed software.

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About the author
Keelan Balderson
About the author | Keelan Balderson
Keelan is a trained journalist from the UK with a passion for all things tech and security. He likes to dig into the latest tools and software to see what really works, so others can make an informed choice.

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