Windows 8.1 Upgrade (on SCSI) - Solution

[otterit]

Symptom - Windows 8 to Windows 8.1 Upgrade fails

Warnings: Microsoft technician identified the upgrade was not accepting SCSI. Microsoft error logs showed an error with the SCSI drive.

Possible Solution:

1. Backup existing VM

2. Delete all snapshots (Fusion does not allow HD type to change when there are snapshots.)

3. Settings - Change Hard Drive type from SCSI to IDE

4. Turn On VM

5. Start upgrade inside Windows 8

6. Select keep files, applications, settings

[billearl]

Amazingly, that worked! Thank you very very much!

I wish I knew the solution was so simple before wasting two days trying other suggestions, and I curse Microsoft for allowing this problem to happen in the first place. They're arrogant and irresponsible IMO. Thousands of others in Windows land still flying blind searching for their particular solution...

Now I need to decide if I want to keep IDE or go back to SCSI.

[billearl]

It turns out that, after reinstalling VMware Tools, shutting down, and switching Settings back to SCSI, the VM won't boot. Only switching again to IDE allows it to boot.

Assuming SCSI is better than IDE, how do I reinstall the SCSI driver so it will boot in SCSI mode?

[dariusd]

Wow.  Somehow I overlooked this thread (where you'd already found a workaround), as did almost everyone else on the other big thread: Can't Upgrade to Windows 8.1 on Fusion 5.  This quiet little thread is a hidden gem!

To fill in the details, over in the other thread, this post of mine describes what went wrong and why.  In summary, Windows 8.1 no longer includes the driver for the SCSI controller that would be used for certain virtual machines (mostly those upgraded from even older Windows versions), but the Windows 8.1 Upgrade Assistant doesn't warn you that installing the update would leave the OS without a driver able to access its boot disk.  (I thought that's exactly the sort of thing that the Upgrade Assistant is supposed to warn about, but maybe that's just me...)

Cheers,

--

Darius

[billearl]

Thanks, Darius. I didn't check the other thread since I'm running Fusion 6.

I had done a fresh installation of Windows 8.1 (SCSI) in a new VM, and decided to try copying the vdmk from my upgraded Windows 8.1 (IDE) to it. That had the effect of changing to a vmx file with the correct scsi0.virtualDev = "lsisas1068". So I'm back to SCSI, without knowing exactly what changed until I read your post in the other thread. And yes, my upgraded Windows 8.1 VM probably started life as a Windows XP VM.

Glad this is solved.