Windows 24H2 Upgrade Issue Resolution - Inspiron 14 5430

This is a suggested procedure to enable a Windows 11 24H2 upgrade on a Dell Inspiron 14 5430 computer, and perhaps on other related Dell models.  

Problem:  An in-place upgrade (preserving apps and files) to 24H2 consistently fails, when using either the Windows Update, Installation Assistant, or ISO/Media Creation Tool methods.  Clean Boot, using 24H2 Setup.exe command line option to disable driver migration, and other recommended remedies for failed 24H2 upgrade do not resolve the issue on this Dell laptop.  The 24H2 installation proceeds to 100%, but then fails after when restarting and shows an “undoing changes” message or a “Windows 11 24H2 Update Failed - Install error - 0x80070002 / Installation failed in SAFE_OS phase” message.

Diagnosis: In the hidden C:\$Windows.~BT\Sources\panther\setuperr.log file, the critical final error at the end of the log is the “Error SP DRVMIG: Failed to inject driver package in the new OS [driver INF path] Error: 0x80070002[gle=0x0000007a.”  As soon as the Windows installer encounters the first driver that fails to inject into the new 24H2 driverstore, the error is logged and the installation fails.  (Testing shows there appear to be multiple drivers that will cause the upgrade failure.  The Setuperr.log file also shows earlier errors (range errors) but these are not critical.)

Root cause:  The problem preventing 24H2 upgrade appears to be in Intel Smart Sound Technology (SST) audio drivers for Bluetooth and USB.  The problem includes the mid-August 2025 driver updates from Intel (Intel BT 23.160.x driver). 

Resolution scenario: The resolution for completing the 24H2 upgrade is to temporarily remove the Bluetooth device and its drivers, and also the Sound-Video-Game Controller category drivers for Intel audio drivers for USB and Bluetooth.  Do this by uninstalling and deleting the problem drivers, using the Windows Device Manager and also the Driver Store Explorer third party utility (RAPR). The drivers need to be deleted from the driver store (C:\Windows\System32\DriverStore), so that the 24H2 upgrade process doesn’t find them, try to migrate (inject) them, and then fail and abort the upgrade.  With these drivers removed, the 24H2 upgrade succeeds on the Dell Inspiron.

When the new 24H2 upgrade starts, it automatically detects and reinstalls the Bluetooth device with basic MS drivers via PNP, and you can install Intel SST drivers. 

Procedure:  Here is a more detailed procedure to do the 24H2 upgrade.  Various MS and independent tools are used and recommended.  For fallback security, multiple image backups at stages of the process are recommended, requiring storage space on other connected devices (net drive, USB sticks)

Step 1  Update drivers & BIOS, and image C: drive.  To prepare your 23H2 machine for the 24H2 upgrade:
-  Use the Dell Command | Update utility (5.50) to check for available updates.  (This utility is preferred over Dell SupportAssist.)  This should provide the Dell 1.23.00 BIOS upgrade and others.
- Use the Intel Driver & Support Assistant to update video, audio, and system drivers for best 24H2 compatiblity.  (Note you will be uninstalling/deleting some of these to enable the 24H2 upgrade.)
- Use the Update Manager for Windows utility (v0.9) to check for updates, including the most recent monthly cumulative update to 23H2.
- For short term and perhaps long term, it is best to not have the Windows Auto Update service running while resolving this 24H2 upgrade issue.  You may wish to use the Configure Automatic Updates Policy utility (Prodigital) to disable auto updates in the Group Policy, and also to use the Update Manager for Windows utility to disable auto updating.
- Restart and check for stable operation.  If good, use Macrium Reflect (7.2 or other free edition) to make an .IMG image backup of the C: drive, so you can recover to your last known good instance of Win 23H2 if additional problems with the 24H2 upgrade leave the computer unstable. 

Step 2  Uninstall problem drivers preventing 24H2 upgrade.  Now begin uninstallation and deletion of devices and drivers:
- Use the Windows Device Mgr to uninstall Intel and MS device drivers for Bluetooth.  Check the “Attempt to remove the driver” option.  The active Bluetooth device should disappear from the Device Mgr list (it may appear in an temporary Other Devices category of inactive devices).
- use the Windows Device Mgr to uninstall 3 Intel devices under the “Sound, video and game controllers” category:  Intel SST for Bluetooth Audio, Intel SST for Bluetooth LE Audio, and Intel SST for USB Audio. Also check the “Attempt to remove” option.
- To complete, use the Driver Store Explorer (RAPR) third party utility.  Sort the drivers INF list by file name.  Select and use the Delete Drive with the Force Deletion option for the Intel drivers INTCBTAU, INTCBTLE,  INTCDAUD, INTCSST, INTCUSB.  There may be multiple instances of these drivers (version/date), delete all.  With these drivers deleted, the 24H2 upgrade will not find them in the driver store and fail.    
- Note that the 24H2 upgrade process only logs the first problem driver encountered in the SETUPERR.LOG file, before terminating.  If you encounter further problems when upgrading, note the problem driver INF name, return to this step, delete that driver (along with all other problem drives), and then retry the 24H2 upgrade.
- If there is an “Restart needed” message during this step, do not restart now, because this will cause Windows to automatically reinstall the problem devices and drivers by PNP (vicious circle).  Instead, go ahead to Step 3 to run the 24H2 upgrade, with the machine in its prepared state.

Step 3  Run 24H2 upgrade. Recommending the use of the Windows Installation Assistant (along with its preliminary PC Health Check), for direct control, reuse of the download package if needed, and faster overall upgrade processing.  Run the Installation Assistant for an in-place 24h2 upgrade, keeping your existing files, apps and settings.  If the problem devices/drivers have been uninstalled/deleted as wished, the computer should complete the 24H2 upgrade as wanted.

Step 4:  Finishing and cleanup in 24H2.   Some initial chores upon Windows 24H2 startup could include the following.
- Run the SFC /SCANNOW command to check and resolve any component integrity problems.
- If you use Macrium Reflect for routine OS backup instead of than any MS or Dell system backups/restore, you may run a DISM command to clean up and reset the new system base, with a DISM.EXE  /online /Cleanup-Image /StartComponentCleanup /ResetBase command.
- Run the WuMgr and select and install the latest monthly 24H2 cumulative update, to bring your 24H2 installation up to date for security. Note: You will see a “Restart needed” message but do not restart yet.
- Use Macrium Reflect to make an C: drive image backup, so you can restore back to this initial 24H2 stage, in case there is instability when the new 24H2 installation restarts and applies its new updates.
- You can now restart to apply the cumulative updates.  When 24H2 restarts, it will reinstall the Bluetooth device with at least the basic MS driver.  You can then use the Intel Driver & Support Assistant to update Intel drivers for 24H2 as you wish. 

Hope this info and procedure helps others.