Updating Lumia 640

[njstol01]

Greetings, I'm attempting to update my old 640 to use when recreating. (its the smallest, lightest working phone I currently have) Last build was Insiders preview fast ring 1703 10.0.15230 from 2017. I upgraded to a 950 phone later in 2017 because the 640 stopped taking updates mainly due to storage issues. (not enough. After deleting apps and files I'm currently at 6.35GB used of 7.28 GB). Likewise, all my apps are circa 2017 and they don't seem to update either- when I go to the Microsoft Store there are 15 pending, but they never do download and install. When I check for updates, it says I have the latest version (which of course is not true!)

So is there any way to try to install the latest public update? And hopefully it fixes the Store problem of updating apps.
I'm probably okay with a factory reset if that will do it.

TIA

 

[njstol01]

well since I hadn't seen a response, I decided to reset the phone, since I didn't really care about the previous settings, etc. Seemed to go fine doing the initial setup, but when it was finally done, the only apps I had was Cortana and something else. Even Settings did not work, with the phone asking if should search the Store for that app! Power cycled it, and now the phone doesn't even come back up when powered back on- I'll see the Microsoft logo, followed by the Windows logo for about a minute, and now the screen remains blank. I'll try the Windows Device Recovery Tool to see if that works.

 

[njstol01]

Windows Recovery Tool worked......although it installed W8.1!!:amaze:
At least the phone works and some of the apps appear to work.
(wow, I kind of forgotten what W8.1 looked like)

 

[njstol01]

With a stable 8.1 now installed, the OTC Updater worked and installed W10 version 1511 10.010586. Microsoft Store appears to be updating apps.
Progress!

 

[RTGent]

With a stable 8.1 now installed, the OTC Updater worked and installed W10 version 1511 10.010586. Microsoft Store appears to be updating apps.
Progress!

Good work, njstol: Warms my WM-lovin heart! Welcome back.

 

[njstol01]

Good work, njstol: Warms my WM-lovin heart! Welcome back.

Thanks, got the update to 1703 15063.297 overnight. The handful of apps that I need all work, and the phone is pretty snappy...happy camper!

 

[kwarner]

I hope your experience bodes well for my Lumia 735. It really needs a reset but I'm afraid I'll lose everything. I have a Moto Android ready to go but my old Lumia still works and it is smaller and slimmer than most Android phones out there.