Windows Upgrade Help and more

You could also use a local group policy editor to lock down those settings if you have Windows Pro. Another option is to create a system restore point right after you get everything configured.

+1 Yeah, that CPU check is a real wall. If you're feeling adventurous, there are unofficial workarounds, but they can be a hassle. Hope that helps.

Yeah, Agreed, that image backup is your best safety net. A quick extra tip: also manually copy any super important folders, like your Documents or Desktop, to a separate USB stick just for peace of mind. Let me know if that works.

Can confirm. This happened to me. I fixed it by signing out of my Microsoft account in the activation settings, rebooting, and signing back in.