Possible to upgrade Windows using NTLite?

tired-it

tired-it

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Perhaps I missed this answer somewhere, but here is some context. I have a custom build of LTSC 2019 on a test PC. Is it possible to use NTLite to upgrade it to LTSC 2021 if I have the ISO? I would prefer to avoid reinstalling for the upgrade, but I understand that LTSC versions are not like the usual Windows feature updates.
 
NTLite is basically serving as a front-end to DISM. If the upgrade path can't be satisfied by dropping the latest CU, and adding an Enablement Package, then you must do a formal upgrade with Setup.exe.
 
garlin said:
NTLite is basically serving as a front-end to DISM. If the upgrade path can't be satisfied by dropping the latest CU, and adding an Enablement Package, then you must do a formal upgrade with Setup.exe.
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That's what I feared. So, is it possible to upgrade the LTSC version through Setup.exe? I thought it had to be a full reinstall?
 
The rule of thumb is to clean install if you're jumping Windows build families, just in case you end up dragging incompatible drivers or app settings over.
 
tired-it said:
That's what I feared. So, is it possible to upgrade the LTSC version through Setup.exe? I thought it had to be a full reinstall?
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Yes, setup.exe is the Windows way, NTLite has some help in a form of a Host refresh wizard, but it's more about returning components and such.
If you just need an official straight upgrade, running setup.exe is it.

garlin said:
NTLite is basically serving as a front-end to DISM. If the upgrade path can't be satisfied by dropping the latest CU, and adding an Enablement Package, then you must do a formal upgrade with Setup.exe.
Click to expand...
In other words when changing Windows versions, DISM in not used. The whole Windows gets overwritten with the one from the image, with settings and apps auto-migrated after.
 
Just to clarify my previous answer. Some "upgrades" like W11 22H2 to 23H2 don't require changing Windows.

23H2 is actually 22H2 + latest CU + 23H2 Feature Enablement. A fully updated 22H2 can be flipped to 23H2 by applying the Enablement package. The reason this works is the 23H2 features are hidden in the same CU shared by both releases. W10 21H2 to 22H2 upgrades are done in the same way.

Other Windows upgrades normally involve replacing all the packages, or regrouping existing features into different ones. This require a full clean or upgrade install.
 
garlin said:
23H2 is actually 22H2 + latest CU + 23H2 Feature Enablement. A fully updated 22H2 can be flipped to 23H2 by applying the Enablement package. The reason this works is the 23H2 features are hidden in the same CU shared by both releases. W10 21H2 to 22H2 upgrades are done in the same way.
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I haven't used this feature before. Do you mean the increase or decrease of functions? Is it okay to reduce 23h2 to 22h2, and ltsc2021 to 2019 as well?
 
22H2 & 23H2 are a special case, because they have the same kernel. Everything the Enablement package does can be done thru ViveTool, by enabling specific Feature controls to unlock new UI features. Uninstalling KB5027397 leaves the kernel intact, but disables all 23H2 features by hiding them.

LTSC 2019 & 2021 are two different platforms which don't share components.
 
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