Revised upgrade articles

Author: Manika Dhiman

azure-local/upgrade/install-solution-upgrade.md

@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ title: Install solution upgrade on Azure Local
 description: Learn how to install the solution upgrade on your Azure Local instance.
 author: alkohli
 ms.topic: how-to
-ms.date: 02/28/2025
+ms.date: 03/14/2025
 ms.author: alkohli
 ms.reviewer: alkohli
 ms.service: azure-local
@@ -31,9 +31,9 @@ Before you install the solution upgrade, make sure that you:
 - Verify that latest `AzureEdgeLifecycleManager` extension on each machine is installed as per the instructions in [Check the Azure Arc extension](./validate-solution-upgrade-readiness.md#remediation-9-check-the-azure-arc-lifecycle-extension).
 
     :::image type="content" source="media/install-solution-upgrade/verify-lcmextension-installed.png" alt-text="Screenshot of Extensions page showing AzureEdgeLifeCycleManager extension install on an Azure Local machine." lightbox="./media/install-solution-upgrade/verify-lcmextension-installed.png":::
-
+- Have failover cluster name between 3 to 15 characters.
 - Have an Active Directory user credential that's a member of the local Administrator group. Work with your Active Directory administrator to obtain this credential.  
-- Have IPv4 network range with six, contiguous IP addresses available for new Azure Arc services. Work with your network administrator to ensure that the IP addresses aren't in use and meet the outbound connectivity requirement.
+- Have IPv4 network range that matches your host IP address subnet with six, contiguous IP addresses available for new Azure Arc services. Work with your network administrator to ensure that the IP addresses aren't in use and meet the outbound connectivity requirement.
 - Have Azure subscription permissions for [Azure Stack HCI Administrator and Reader](../manage/assign-vm-rbac-roles.md#about-builtin-rbac-roles).  
 
     :::image type="content" source="media/install-solution-upgrade/verify-subscription-permissions-roles.png" alt-text="Screenshot of subscription with permissions assigned to required roles for upgrade." lightbox="./media/install-solution-upgrade/verify-subscription-permissions-roles.png":::

azure-local/upgrade/upgrade-22h2-to-23h2-other-methods.md

@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ title: Upgrade Azure Stack HCI OS, version 22H2 to version 23H2 via other method
 description: Learn how to upgrade from Azure Stack HCI OS, version 22H2 to version 23H2 using other manual methods on Azure Local.
 author: alkohli
 ms.topic: how-to
-ms.date: 03/10/2025
+ms.date: 03/14/2025
 ms.author: alkohli
 ms.reviewer: alkohli
 ms.service: azure-local
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ The Azure Stack HCI operating system update is available via the Windows Update
 To upgrade the OS on your system, follow these high-level steps:
 
 1. [Complete prerequisites.](#complete-prerequisites)
-1. [Update registry key.](#step-0-update-registry-key)
+1. [Update registry keys.](#step-0-update-registry-keys)
 1. [Connect to your system.](#step-1-connect-to-your-system)
 1. Install new OS using one of the other methods:
    1. [Manual upgrade of a Failover Cluster using SConfig.](#method-1-perform-a-manual-os-update-of-a-failover-cluster-using-sconfig)
@@ -49,15 +49,23 @@ Before you begin, make sure that:
 - You have access to the Azure Stack HCI OS, version 23H2 software update. This update is available via Windows Update or as a downloadable media. The media is an ISO file that you can download from the [Azure portal](https://portal.azure.com/#view/Microsoft_Azure_HybridCompute/AzureArcCenterBlade/~/hciGetStarted).
 - You have access to a client that can connect to your Azure Local. This client should be running PowerShell 5.0 or later.
 
-## Step 0: Update registry key
+## Step 0: Update registry keys
 
-To avoid issues with Resilient File System (ReFS) during OS upgrade, run the following command on each machine in the system to update registry key:
+To avoid issues with Resilient File System (ReFS) during OS upgrade, run the following commands on each machine in the system to update registry keys:
 
 ```powershell
 # Set RefsEnableMetadataValidation to 0
 Set-ItemProperty -Path "HKLM:\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\FileSystem" -Name "RefsEnableMetadataValidation" -Value 0 -Type DWord  -ErrorAction Stop
 ```
 
+```powershell
+# Create the parameters key if it does not exist. If it does already exist, the command may fail with an error, which is expected.
+New-Item -Path HKLM:\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Vid\Parameters
+
+# Set the SkipSmallLocalAllocations value to 0
+New-ItemProperty -Path HKLM:\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Vid\Parameters -Name SkipSmallLocalAllocations -Value 0 -PropertyType DWord
+```
+
 ## Step 1: Connect to your system
 
 Follow these steps on your client to connect to one of the machines on your system.

azure-local/upgrade/upgrade-22h2-to-23h2-powershell.md

@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ title: Upgrade Azure Stack HCI OS, version 22H2 to version 23H2 via PowerShell
 description: Learn how to use PowerShell to upgrade Azure Stack HCI OS, version 22H2 to version 23H2.
 author: alkohli
 ms.topic: how-to
-ms.date: 03/10/2025
+ms.date: 03/14/2025
 ms.author: alkohli
 ms.reviewer: alkohli
 ms.service: azure-local
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ The Azure Stack HCI operating system update is available via the Windows Update
 To upgrade the OS on your system, follow these high-level steps:
 
 1. [Complete the prerequisites.](#complete-prerequisites)
-1. [Update registry key.](#step-0-update-registry-key)
+1. [Update registry keys.](#step-0-update-registry-keys)
 1. [Connect to Azure Local, version 22H2.](#step-1-connect-to-azure-local)
 1. [Check for the available updates using PowerShell.](#step-1-connect-to-azure-local)
 1. [Install new OS using PowerShell.](#step-2-install-new-os-using-powershell)
@@ -54,15 +54,23 @@ Before you begin, make sure that:
 
 Follow these steps to install the solution upgrade:
 
-## Step 0: Update registry key
+## Step 0: Update registry keys
 
-To avoid issues with Resilient File System (ReFS) during OS upgrade, run the following command on each machine in the system to update registry key:
+To avoid issues with Resilient File System (ReFS) during OS upgrade, run the following commands on each machine in the system to update registry keys:
 
 ```powershell
 # Set RefsEnableMetadataValidation to 0
 Set-ItemProperty -Path "HKLM:\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\FileSystem" -Name "RefsEnableMetadataValidation" -Value 0 -Type DWord  -ErrorAction Stop
 ```
 
+```powershell
+# Create the parameters key if it does not exist. If it does already exist, the command may fail with an error, which is expected.
+New-Item -Path HKLM:\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Vid\Parameters
+
+# Set the SkipSmallLocalAllocations value to 0
+New-ItemProperty -Path HKLM:\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Vid\Parameters -Name SkipSmallLocalAllocations -Value 0 -PropertyType DWord
+```
+
 ## Step 1: Connect to Azure Local
 
 Follow these steps on your client to connect to one of the machines of your Azure Local instance.

azure-local/upgrade/upgrade-22h2-to-23h2-windows-admin-center.md

@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ title: Upgrade Azure Stack HCI OS, version 22H2 to version 23H2 via Windows Admi
 description: Learn how to upgrade Azure Stack HCI OS, version 22H2 to version 23H2 using Windows Admin Center.
 author: alkohli
 ms.topic: how-to
-ms.date: 03/10/2025
+ms.date: 03/14/2025
 ms.author: alkohli
 ms.reviewer: alkohli
 ms.service: azure-local
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ The Azure Stack HCI operating system update is available via Windows Update and
 To upgrade the OS on your Azure Local, follow these high-level steps:
 
 1. [Complete the prerequisites](#complete-prerequisites).
-1. [Update registry key.](#step-0-update-registry-key)
+1. [Update registry keys.](#step-0-update-registry-keys)
 1. [Connect to the Azure Local, version 22H2](#step-1-connect-to-azure-local-via-windows-admin-center).
 1. [Check for the available updates using Windows Admin Center.](#step-2-install-operating-system-and-hardware-updates-using-windows-admin-center)
 1. [Install the new OS, hardware and extension updates using Windows Admin Center.](#step-2-install-operating-system-and-hardware-updates-using-windows-admin-center)
@@ -50,15 +50,23 @@ Before you begin, make sure that:
 > [!NOTE]
 > The offline ISO upgrade method is not available when using Windows Admin Center. For these steps, see [Upgrade the operating system on Azure Local via PowerShell](./upgrade-22h2-to-23h2-powershell.md)
 
-## Step 0: Update registry key
+## Step 0: Update registry keys
 
-To avoid issues with Resilient File System (ReFS) during OS upgrade, run the following command on each machine in the system to update registry key:
+To avoid issues with Resilient File System (ReFS) during OS upgrade, run the following commands on each machine in the system to update registry keys:
 
 ```powershell
 # Set RefsEnableMetadataValidation to 0
 Set-ItemProperty -Path "HKLM:\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\FileSystem" -Name "RefsEnableMetadataValidation" -Value 0 -Type DWord  -ErrorAction Stop
 ```
 
+```powershell
+# Create the parameters key if it does not exist. If it does already exist, the command may fail with an error, which is expected.
+New-Item -Path HKLM:\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Vid\Parameters
+
+# Set the SkipSmallLocalAllocations value to 0
+New-ItemProperty -Path HKLM:\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Vid\Parameters -Name SkipSmallLocalAllocations -Value 0 -PropertyType DWord
+```
+
 ## Step 1: Connect to Azure Local via Windows Admin Center
 
 Follow these steps to add and connect to an Azure Local machine via Windows Admin Center.