Misc. updates to the upgrade articles

Manika Dhiman · Manika Dhiman · commit e0cd41ed9467 · 2025-03-03T16:28:45.000-08:00
diff --git a/azure-local/upgrade/post-upgrade-steps.md b/azure-local/upgrade/post-upgrade-steps.md
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ title: Post-upgrade steps on Azure Local via PowerShell
 description: Learn how to perform the post-upgrade tasks for Azure Local using PowerShell.
 author: alkohli
 ms.topic: how-to
-ms.date: 10/22/2024
+ms.date: 03/03/2025
 ms.author: alkohli
 ms.reviewer: alkohli
 ms.service: azure-local
@@ -31,6 +31,20 @@ Before you begin, make sure that:
 - Make sure that all the machines in your system are healthy and show as **Online**.
 - You have access to a client that can connect to your system. This client should be running PowerShell 5.0 or later.
 
+## Step 0: Update registry keys
+
+Post-OS upgrade, update registry keys on each node to ensure ReFS volume upgrade is enabled and metadata validation is turned on.
+
+Run the following command on each node to update registry keys:
+
+```powershell
+# Set RefsDisableVolumeUpgrade to 0
+Set-ItemProperty -Path "HKLM:\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\FileSystem" -Name "RefsDisableVolumeUpgrade" -Value 0 -Type DWord -ErrorAction Stop
+
+# Set RefsEnableMetadataValidation to 1
+Set-ItemProperty -Path "HKLM:\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\FileSystem" -Name "RefsEnableMetadataValidation" -Value 1 -Type DWord  -ErrorAction Stop
+```
+
 ## Step 1: Connect to your system
 
 Follow these steps on your client to connect to one of the machines of your system.
@@ -86,41 +100,50 @@ InstallResults           : Microsoft.ClusterAwareUpdating.UpdateInstallResult[]
 
 ## Step 3: Perform the post-OS upgrade steps
 
-Once the new OS is installed, you need to upgrade the *cluster functional level* and upgrade the storage pool version using PowerShell in order to enable new features.
+Once the new OS is installed, you need to upgrade the *cluster functional level* and the storage pool version using PowerShell to enable new features.
 
 > [!IMPORTANT]
 > - Post-OS upgrade steps are essential for the stability and performance of your system. Make sure to follow these steps after the OS upgrade.
 
-
 1. Upgrade the cluster functional level.
 
    > [!WARNING]
    > After you upgrade the cluster functional level, you can't roll back to the previous operating system version.
 
    We recommend that you upgrade the cluster functional level as soon as possible. Skip this step if you installed the feature upgrades with Windows Admin Center and checked the optional **Update the cluster functional level to enable new features** checkbox.
 
-   1. Run the following cmdlet on any machine in the system:
+   1. Run the following cmdlet on any machine in the system to check the current cluster functional level:
 
       ```PowerShell
-      Update-ClusterFunctionalLevel      
+      Write-Host "Cluster Functional Level = $((Get-Cluster).ClusterFunctionalLevel)"
       ```
 
-   1. You see a warning that you can't undo this operation. Confirm **Y** that you want to continue.
+   1. Run the following cmdlet on any machine in the system to update the current cluster functional level:
+
+      ```powershell
+      Update-ClusterFunctionalLevel -Verbose   
+      ```
+
+   1. You'll see a warning that you can't undo this operation. Confirm **Y** to continue.
+
+   1. Run the following cmdlet to check the new or updated cluster functional level:
+
+      ```powershell
+      Write-Host "Cluster Functional Level = $((Get-Cluster).ClusterFunctionalLevel)"
+      ```
 
 1. Upgrade the storage pool.
 
-   1. After the cluster functional level is upgraded, use the following cmdlet to identify the `FriendlyName` of the storage pool representing your system.
+   1. After upgrading the cluster functional level, use the following cmdlet to identify the `FriendlyName` of the storage pool representing your system.
 
       ```PowerShell
-      Get-StoragePool
+      Get-StoragePool | Where-Object -Property FriendlyName -ne "Primordial"
       ```
 
-      In this example, the `FriendlyName` is **S2D on hci-cluster1**.
-
-   1. Run the `Update-StoragePool` cmdlet to upgrade the storage pool version.
+   1. Use the following cmdlet to update the storage pool. Use the pool name from the previous output.
 
       ```PowerShell
-       Update-StoragePool -FriendlyName "S2D on hci-cluster1"
+      Update-StoragePool -FriendlyName "<name of the storage pool>" -Verbose
       ```
 
    1. Confirm the action when prompted. At this point, new cmdlets are fully operational on any machine in the system.
diff --git a/azure-local/upgrade/upgrade-22h2-to-23h2-other-methods.md b/azure-local/upgrade/upgrade-22h2-to-23h2-other-methods.md
@@ -31,14 +31,14 @@ 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 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)
    1. [Offline manual upgrade of all machines in a system.](#method-2-perform-a-fast-offline-os-update-of-all-machines-in-a-system)
 1. Check the status of the updates.
 1. [Perform post-upgrade steps, after the OS is upgraded.](#next-steps)
 
-
 ## Complete prerequisites
 
 Before you begin, make sure that:
@@ -49,6 +49,20 @@ 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 keys
+
+To avoid issues with Resilient File System (ReFS) during OS upgrade, update registry keys on each node to ensure ReFS volume upgrade is disabled and metadata validation is turned off.
+
+Run the following command on each node to update registry keys:
+
+```powershell
+# Set RefsDisableVolumeUpgrade to 1
+Set-ItemProperty -Path "HKLM:\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\FileSystem" -Name "RefsDisableVolumeUpgrade" -Value 1 -Type DWord -ErrorAction Stop
+
+# Set RefsEnableMetadataValidation to 0
+Set-ItemProperty -Path "HKLM:\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\FileSystem" -Name "RefsEnableMetadataValidation" -Value 0 -Type DWord  -ErrorAction Stop
+```
+
 ## Step 1: Connect to your system
 
 Follow these steps on your client to connect to one of the machines on your system.
@@ -131,7 +145,6 @@ If there's a critical security update <!--ASK-->that you need to apply quickly o
 
 You're now ready to perform the post-upgrade steps for your system.
 
-
 ## Next steps
 
 - [Learn how to perform the post-upgrade steps for your Azure Local.](./post-upgrade-steps.md)
diff --git a/azure-local/upgrade/upgrade-22h2-to-23h2-powershell.md b/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: 02/03/2025
+ms.date: 03/03/2025
 ms.author: alkohli
 ms.reviewer: alkohli
 ms.service: azure-local
@@ -31,6 +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 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)
@@ -53,6 +54,20 @@ Before you begin, make sure that:
 
 Follow these steps to install the solution upgrade:
 
+## Step 0: Update registry keys
+
+To avoid issues with Resilient File System (ReFS) during OS upgrade, update registry keys on each node to ensure ReFS volume upgrade is disabled and metadata validation is turned off.
+
+Run the following command on each node to update registry keys:
+
+```powershell
+# Set RefsDisableVolumeUpgrade to 1
+Set-ItemProperty -Path "HKLM:\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\FileSystem" -Name "RefsDisableVolumeUpgrade" -Value 1 -Type DWord -ErrorAction Stop
+
+# Set RefsEnableMetadataValidation to 0
+Set-ItemProperty -Path "HKLM:\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\FileSystem" -Name "RefsEnableMetadataValidation" -Value 0 -Type DWord  -ErrorAction Stop
+```
+
 ## Step 1: Connect to Azure Local
 
 Follow these steps on your client to connect to one of the machines of your Azure Local instance.
diff --git a/azure-local/upgrade/upgrade-22h2-to-23h2-windows-admin-center.md b/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: 02/03/2025
+ms.date: 03/03/2025
 ms.author: alkohli
 ms.reviewer: alkohli
 ms.service: azure-local
@@ -31,6 +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 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)
@@ -49,6 +50,20 @@ 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 keys
+
+To avoid issues with Resilient File System (ReFS) during OS upgrade, update registry keys on each node to ensure ReFS volume upgrade is disabled and metadata validation is turned off.
+
+Run the following command on each node to update registry keys:
+
+```powershell
+# Set RefsDisableVolumeUpgrade to 1
+Set-ItemProperty -Path "HKLM:\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\FileSystem" -Name "RefsDisableVolumeUpgrade" -Value 1 -Type DWord -ErrorAction Stop
+
+# Set RefsEnableMetadataValidation to 0
+Set-ItemProperty -Path "HKLM:\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\FileSystem" -Name "RefsEnableMetadataValidation" -Value 0 -Type DWord  -ErrorAction Stop
+```
+
 ## 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.
