Resolving “Something Went Wrong” Error During Windows 10 OOBE (RS2)

Overview / Summary

This document describes a known issue encountered during the Windows 10 Out-of-Box Experience (OOBE) process in the Redstone 2 (RS2) release. The issue results in a “Something went wrong” error after language selection and before Cortana initialization.

A temporary mitigation is available to allow continuation of the setup process. The issue is documented as resolved in subsequent Windows releases (RS3 and later).

Scope

Applies to: Windows 10 RS2 (Redstone 2)
Affected phase: OOBE (Out-of-Box Experience)
Trigger point: After language selection, prior to Cortana voice setup
Environment: Clean OS installation or device first-time setup

Prerequisites / Requirements

Device running Windows 10 RS2 build
Access to OOBE setup interface
User interaction capability during setup process

Background / Context

The OOBE phase in Windows 10 is responsible for guiding users through initial configuration, including language settings, region, network configuration, and user account setup.

In Windows 10 RS2, a defect in the OOBE workflow can cause the process to fail at an early stage. Specifically:

After selecting the system language
Before Cortana begins voice-assisted setup

At this point, the system displays a generic error message:

“Something went wrong”

This failure interrupts standard device provisioning workflows and requires manual intervention to proceed.

Microsoft has acknowledged this issue and addressed it in Windows 10 RS3 (Redstone 3) and later releases.

Detailed Procedure / Implementation Steps

Workaround: Bypass the OOBE Error

Begin the OOBE process as normal.
Select the desired language when prompted.
Proceed until the error message appears:
```
"Something went wrong"
```
When the error dialog is displayed:
- Locate and click the Skip option.
Continue with the remaining OOBE steps as presented.

Technical Explanation

The failure occurs due to an issue within the OOBE state transition logic in RS2 builds. Specifically:

The workflow involving language selection and Cortana initialization fails to properly initialize required components.
The system UI catches this failure and surfaces a generic error instead of a detailed diagnostic message.

The Skip option allows the system to:

Bypass the failed initialization step
Continue the OOBE state machine without invoking the problematic component

In RS3 and later versions:

The OOBE workflow was revised
Error handling and component initialization logic were improved
The failure condition no longer occurs under standard scenarios

Validation / Verification Steps

After applying the workaround:

Confirm that OOBE proceeds beyond the error screen.
Complete remaining steps (e.g., account setup, network configuration).
Verify successful entry into the Windows desktop.

Expected result:

OOBE completes successfully without blocking errors.

Troubleshooting / Known Issues

Issue: Skip option is not available

This document does not provide additional recovery actions.
If unavailable, a system restart or reinstallation may be required.

Issue: OOBE repeatedly fails

This indicates a persistent RS2-specific defect.
Upgrading installation media to a newer Windows release is recommended.

Additional Notes / Best Practices

For production environments, avoid deploying Windows 10 RS2 due to known OOBE instability.
Use updated installation media (RS3 or later) to prevent this issue entirely.
Validate OS build versions before large-scale deployment.