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Error: 0x800707E7 Breaks Windows In-Place Distribution Upgrade (25H2), Cause: Group Policy Powershell Transcriptions

Hitler 20 Reputation points
2026-03-14T21:24:05.22+00:00

Windows 11 Installation Error Report

Windows 11 25H2 Build 26200.8037 (March 2026)

Log file: C:\$WINDOWS.~BT\Sources\Panther\setuperr.log

Windows Error Message:

We couldn't install Windows 11. We've set your PC back to the way it was right before you started installing Windows 11.

Error code: 0x800707E7 - 0x3000D Phase: FIRST_BOOT Operation: MIGRATE_DATA

The installation failed during the FIRST_BOOT phase with an error during the MIGRATE_DATA operation.

Additional log file: C:\$WINDOWS.~BT\Sources\Panther\setupact.log

Relevant Log Entries

2026-03-13 23:28:52, Warning SP User profile suffix mismatch: upgrade asked for "PC", actual suffix is: "PC.000"
2026-03-13 23:28:52, Info SP Conflicting profile folder content (C:\Users\PC):
2026-03-13 23:28:52, Info SP C:\Users\PC\Documents
2026-03-13 23:28:52, Info SP C:\Users\PC\DocumentsPS
2026-03-13 23:28:52, Info SP C:\Users\PC\DocumentsPS\20260313
2026-03-13 23:28:52, Info SP C:\Users\PC\DocumentsPS\20260313[PowerShell_transcript.DEVICE.2QYvzbjY.20260313232846.txt]
2026-03-13 23:28:52, Info SP C:\Users\PC\DocumentsPS\20260313[PowerShell_transcript.DEVICE.XRNZ6Lb4.20260313232847.txt]
2026-03-13 23:28:52, Error SP User profile suffix mismatch, upgrade cannot continue. [gle=0x00000012]

Timeline of Events

Time/Event
23:28:46 PowerShell transcript file created
23:28:46 PowerShell transcript file created
23:28:47 Second PowerShell transcript file created
23:28:52 Setup fails — "suffix mismatch"---

Analysis

PowerShell transcription was actively writing into C:\Users\PC during the FIRST_BOOT migration phase — just 6 seconds before the crash. Setup tried to take ownership of the profile folder, found it locked by an active transcription session, created PC.000, and then failed because the suffix didn’t match what was expected.

Deleting old transcript files won’t help, because new ones will be created automatically when PowerShell runs during the upgrade.

Temporary Workaround

Disabling PowerShell Transcriptions before retrying the Windows 11 upgrade succeeded.

Mercury is currently in retrograde, expect disruptions for the coming days.

Sincerely,

Adolph.

Windows for business | Windows Client for IT Pros | Devices and deployment | Set up, install, or upgrade
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Answer accepted by question author
  1. Q&A Assist
    2026-03-14T21:24:19.0766667+00:00
    AI generated content. This question contains an answer created with AI from Q&A Assist. Learn more

    The error occurs during FIRST_BOOT → MIGRATE_DATA because the user profile folder expected by setup (C:\Users\PC) does not match the actual profile folder in use (C:\Users\PC.000), and there is conflicting content in C:\Users\PC at the time of migration.

    The log shows:

    • “User profile suffix mismatch: upgrade asked for "PC", actual suffix is: "PC.000"”
    • “Conflicting profile folder content (C:\Users\PC): … PowerShell_transcript…txt”
    • “User profile suffix mismatch, upgrade cannot continue.”

    This matches a general class of in‑place upgrade failures where profile or driver migration cannot complete cleanly and setup aborts with a 0xC1900101‑0x3000D–style failure in the MIGRATE_DATA phase. For Windows 11, such FIRST_BOOT migration failures are treated similarly to other upgrade errors and are typically resolved by removing the conflicting condition and then re‑running setup.

    Based on the logs and the behavior described, the core problem is that PowerShell transcription is actively writing into C:\Users\PC during the migration phase, leaving content in the old profile path while the active profile is C:\Users\PC.000. Setup detects both the suffix mismatch and the conflicting content and fails the migration.

    To allow the in‑place upgrade to complete, the conflicting condition must be removed so that setup can migrate the profile cleanly. The practical mitigation is:

    1. Temporarily disable the Group Policy that enables PowerShell transcription so that no new transcript files are created under C:\Users\PC during the upgrade.
    2. Ensure that no PowerShell sessions are running when the upgrade is started, so that no transcript files are being written during FIRST_BOOT.
    3. Re‑run the in‑place upgrade to Windows 11 25H2.

    This is analogous in spirit to other documented upgrade issues where a system component (drivers, services, or policies) interferes with migration. For example, Windows upgrade guidance for 0xC1900101‑class errors recommends addressing interfering drivers or services and then re‑running the in‑place upgrade rather than attempting to repair the partially upgraded state.

    If the system has additional corruption or servicing issues (for example, if DISM or CBS logs show errors, or if other updates are failing), an in‑place repair/upgrade using the Windows 11 ISO is also a supported remediation path, as shown in similar Windows 11 upgrade/repair scenarios in the references.

    References:

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