Windows Update

Updates released for Windows 10, Windows 11 and Windows Server back in January proved problematic for many users. There have been widespread reports of 0x80070643 errors, and Microsoft acknowledged the issue some time ago.

But for anyone holding out for a fix, there's some disappointing news. The company says that it will not be releasing a fix for the problem, but is instead expecting users to follow instructions to sort things out for themselves.

Having already taken steps to decrease the size of updates for Windows 11, Microsoft is doing the same for Windows 10.

The company describes this by suggesting that "Windows 10 is becoming more like Windows 11", although this is something of a stretch. What it means in practice is that Microsoft has used various techniques, including removing reverse differentials from the cumulative update package, to shrink update sizes quite considerably.

While Microsoft releases updates for Windows 11 every month, some are more significant with others. The company has taken to releasing 'moment' updates from time to time, and these are where more interesting changes and additions are to be found.

Earlier this week, Microsoft released the eagerly awaited Moment 5 update for Windows 11 when it unleashed the KB5036893 update on April's Patch Tuesday. But just what is included in Moment 5, and is it worth installing? In short, there's a lot to be found in the update and, yes, it is definitely worth installing now. Let's take a look.

Microsoft has acknowledged that update released for Windows 10 this year may have resulted in unwanted side effects for some users. Specifically, enterprise users may have found that update released in 2024 have results in an inability to use Microsoft Connected Cache.

This affects how updates for Windows are delivered across networks and means that sysadmin may well have noticed spikes in download traffic as a result. For now, Microsoft has a workaround that those affected can try.

Windows 10 may be in the later stages of its life, but Microsoft has still not given up on it. With just 18 months of support left, the company has released the KB5035941 update which adds Windows Spotlight to your desktop background as well as new lockscreen widgets.

The new additions come despite Microsoft's previous assertion that nothing new would be added to Windows 10. This non-security update also includes a number of fixes and changes, such as updates for Windows Hello for Business.

It is the time of the month when Microsoft releases preview versions of the next month's updates for Windows 10 and Windows 11. And for Windows 11 users, the newly launched KB5035942 update is an exciting one.

As this is an update preview, there are no security fixes included in the patch but there is a lot more. With the KB5035942 update, Microsoft is enabling all of the features of the Moment 5 update for all users by default. There are also fixes for a range of non-security issues.

Following complaints from large numbers of system administrators, Microsoft has finally acknowledged that there are problems with the recently released KB5035857 update for Windows Server.

The March 2024 security update was released 10 days ago, and it did not take long for users to start experiencing problems. Now Microsoft has confirmed that it is aware of an issue with Kerberos requests on domain controllers which may cause LSASS memory leaks. [UPDATE: there is now a fix available]

It is a rare month in which Microsoft releases an update for Windows that doesn't cause problems, and March sees the company maintaining this habit. The KB5035853 update released last week was supposed to fix a number of issues, including a persistent 0x800F0922 error, but it seems to have introduced problems of its own.

The KB5035853 update is a security update so it is being automatically installed for the majority of Windows 11 users, and this means that the issues associated with it are hitting a lot of people. Among the problems users are experiencing are BSoDs, slow boot times and reduced system performance.

Microsoft has released a new update for Windows 10 users in the form of KB5001716. While the company is promoting this as an update that refreshes the UI for Windows Update, there is rather more to it than that.

The release notes point out that after installing this update "you may see a notification informing you that your device is currently running a version of Windows that has reached the end of its support lifecycle ". In other words, expect Windows 11 upgrade nags. Oh, and if the slightly predictable underhand tactics were not enough, the installation of the KB5001716 update is proving problematic for some users, with numerous instances of 0x80070643 errors.

Continuing to prove that it has not forgotten about Windows 10, Microsoft has released the KB5034843 update. It not only addresses a number of issues, but also adds new features to the operating system.

The most significant change to be found in this update is the ability to share web links to a number of social platforms directly. There is also the promise that expanded support is on the horizon.

Microsoft has released the preview version of the KB5034848 update for Windows 11. One of the biggest changes introduced by this non-security update is the addition of support for the USB 80Gbps standard, but there is much more too.

There are also numerous changes and additions relating to mobile devices, not least of which is the ability to use the Snipping Tool in Windows 11 to edit recent photos and screenshots on Android devices. The KB5034848 update also addresses a number of issues with the operating system.

A reboot is required after the installation of many updates for Windows. This is definitely the case for the monthly cumulative security updates, but also for other updates. Windows 11 displays popups to the user when a restart is required, which can be disruptive.

Sometimes, Windows may even restart the computer automatically, which can lead to data loss and other unwanted outcomes. At other times, it may not give the user a choice to reboot without installing the update.

Anyone signed up to the Release Preview Channel has a little treat from Microsoft. The company has just released the KB5034848 update to Windows 11 22H2 and 23H2 giving the first proper look at what appears to be the Moment 5 update which is due for release later this year.

KB5034848 is a big update, bringing a host of new features to Windows 11. As well as fixing a series of problems with the operating system, the update also includes major improvements and additions to Voice Access, the arrival of WhatsApp support for sharing, and new suggestions in Snap Layouts.

If you were waiting for another problematic Windows update to brighten up your week, Microsoft has come up with the goods again.

The KB5034765 update was released for Windows 11 earlier this week and it seems to be causing more than its fair share of issues for a lot of people who have installed it. Microsoft is yet to acknowledge any problems, but users on Reddit have a litany of complaints.

It's the time of the month when Microsoft releases its latest preview updates for Windows 10 and 11 and, sure enough, we have the preview version of the KB5034203 update for Windows 10.

This cumulative update addresses a number of issues including problems with printers, and it also lays the groundwork for the arrival of a "richer weather experience" on the lock screen. It is not long since the last problematic update for Windows 10,  and while the KB5034203 update does not (yet) appear to introduce any new issues, some familiar problems persist.