Articles about Windows Update

We have written a lot about Windows 10 here on BetaNews, and many of these articles have been about problems introduced by new updates. For some time now it has felt as though the updates and patches that are released have not been fully tested, and users of the operating system are being used as guinea pigs when Patch Tuesday rolls around each month.

There is, of course, the argument that Microsoft has an impossible task when it comes to ensuring that patches and updates do not cause problems for people with near unlimited combinations of hardware and software. But that's little consolation if it's your system that gets borked by a patch.

Continue reading →

Many of the updates and patches Microsoft releases for Windows 10 prove to be unpopular, usually because of the new problems they can introduce. But with the KB4023057 update, people have another reason to consider avoiding installing it.

KB4023057 has been pushed out by Microsoft several times before, and the company has just started to push it again. The aim of the patch is to address issues that have been preventing some people from upgrading to newer versions of Windows 10, and also override any blocks that users have put in place to stop feature updates from being installed. The problem is that there are many people with good reason to stick with an older build of Windows 10, but KB4023057 is ready to ride roughshod over such plans.

Continue reading →

Microsoft has pushed out a new cumulative update for Windows 10 version 1903 and 1909 (builds 18362.1049 and 18363.1049). KB4566116 is also the update that sees the company backporting WSL 2 (Windows Subsystem for Linux) to these versions of Windows.

But for many people it is the bug fixes that the update brings that are of more interest -- and this update addresses a large number of problems with Windows 10. Among the issues fixed by KB4566116 are Settings crashing, errors causing hard drives to fill up, and black screens to Windows Virtual Desktop.

Continue reading →

What's that you say? There's a Windows 10 update that's causing problems? Get outta here! Just over a month ago, we wrote about KB4559309 -- the automatic update that gives everyone the Chromium-based version of Microsoft Edge -- and complaints that it was causing systems to slow down.

Well it seems that it wasn't just a few isolated cases. Microsoft has now been hit with enough people complaining about performance issues and slow booting, that the company has been forced to launch an investigation. It is also asking for more feedback from anyone experiencing the slow-down problem or a general reduction in system performance.

Continue reading →

Microsoft is continuing its ongoing game of cat and mouse with itself, releasing updates to fix problems introduced by previous updates. The latest to be released is KB4568831 and it addresses a range of issues.

Among the fixes this particular update brings are issues with LTE connectivity in Windows 10 version 2004, problems with Bluetooth headsets, and issues with printing.

Continue reading →

Microsoft has released a couple of updates that address range of problems in Windows 10 caused by previous updates.

Having already acknowledged that the KB4556799 update led to LTE connectivity issues for some people, the company has now released KB4559004 to fix this and other problems. This update also addresses issues with Magnifier and File Explorer, while another update, KB4559003, fixes a large number of other problems.

Continue reading →

These days it is hardly uncommon to find that an update for Windows 10 ends up breaking something, but the latest problematic update is causing a strange issue by removing components of Windows itself.

Yesterday, Microsoft released KB4565503 to fix various bugs, including problems introduced by previous updates to the operating system. After installing this update, some users are reporting that the Notepad and Paint apps have been removed from their computers.

Continue reading →

On Patch Tuesday last month, Microsoft kept up its track record of problematic updates. Users who installed KB4557957 or KB4560960 found they were plagued by problems with the Local Security Authority Subsystem Service (LSASS) and forced restarts.

Now the company has pushed out a new update, KB4565503, to address these issues and more.

Continue reading →

If you've upgraded to Windows 10 May 2020 Update (or Windows 10 version 2004), you will have noticed various changes, and perhaps encountered a few issues along the way. One thing that some system administrators are noticing is that it is no longer possible to defer feature updates for up to a year.

Instead, the only option available is to pause all updates for a maximum of 7 days.

Continue reading →

It is a while since Microsoft adopted the Chromium engine for the new version of Edge, and reception to the browser has been broadly positive.

Until now, Microsoft has given Windows 10 users the choice between whether they what to use the new Chromium-based Edge, or stick with the old legacy version. But now that's changing. The company is pushing out the browser via Windows Update to Windows 10 versions 1803, 1809, 1903, 1909, and 2004 -- and it is not possible to keep using old Edge, however much you want to.

Continue reading →

Earlier this month Microsoft released KB4556799, an update for Windows 10 that brought important changes to the operating system. But, as has become increasingly common of late, the update has also caused a range of problems for users, including breaking internet connections.

Microsoft has acknowledged that there have been reports of "various issues", and while the company says it has "not seen widespread issues reflected in telemetry", an investigation is underway, and a fix for connectivity problems will be released soon.

Continue reading →

If you were hoping that a spate of problematic updates for Windows 10 might have caused Microsoft to up its game and improve quality control, think again; the KB4549951 update is just the latest to cause issues for users.

And this time around, the problems are pretty serious. In addition to BSoD crashes and connectivity issues, users are also reporting that their settings are being removed and files deleted.

Continue reading →

Microsoft is racing to prepare an out-of-band patch that will hopefully fix VPN problems introduced by February's KB4535996 update. This update was released to address search and print problems in Windows 10, but users complained of slowed performance, issues with sleep.

On top of this, Microsoft also acknowledged that the update could cause connectivity problems for VPN users, as well as for various applications. With so many people currently remote working, there is pressure to get these issues addressed, hence the rush job on an out-of-band fix.

Continue reading →

Microsoft is putting Windows 10 into coronavirus lockdown. The company has announced that from May it will only be releasing security updates for the operating system, as it puts all optional updates on pause.

New versions of Edge have already been put on hold and it is little surprise that, in light of coronavirus, Microsoft is choosing to focus its energy on the updates that matter the most. The decision means that no more so-called "optional C and D releases" will be release from May.

Continue reading →

Microsoft has announced that not only is Windows Subsystem for Linux -- or WSL 2 as it's also known -- soon going to be generally available in Windows 10 version 2004, but also that the Linux kernel will be updated though Windows Update.

The new approach comes as Microsoft removes the Linux kernel from the Windows OS image. The change in update delivery will enable Microsoft to push out updates faster than before, and eliminates the need to user interaction.

Continue reading →