Do NOT install Windows 10 Creators update download, Microsoft warns some users
(6 posts) (3 voices)-
mikiem2
ModeratorThanks!
Probably pretty practical advice, especially nowadays when product design is so uneven, support often nonexistent, and big companies are only interested in their numbers for Wall St., not their customers. It's also interesting in light of Microsoft bragging about the higher than expected numbers of users that have already upgraded to 1703.
By suggesting caution I think Microsoft is trying to avoid more Windows 10 users reporting problems &/or horror stories online when an upgrade like 1703 breaks stuff. Hard numbers are difficult to come by, but it seems Windows 10 adoption has slowed if not stalled, and they don't want anything to encourage that trend. I think they also want to avoid people going back to their previous versions of Windows if/when 10 breaks... there are a couple of companies that track the OSes that people are using, and while those numbers aren't 100% accurate, 10 dipped & 7 spiked earlier this year [if I remember the time frame correctly]. With a slight uptick in PC sales this year you would think that 10's numbers would have spiked again, but I haven't that reported -- maybe going back to earlier versions of Windows is a emerging but under-reported trend?
I've not had many problems on average upgrading to Windows 10 1703 [I've done it 14 times], and really don't want to sound like I'm knocking [or being a cheerleader for] 10. I've had 2 instances of unknown errors, where the upgrade failed the 1st time, I restored a backup image [though I didn't really have to], & it worked the 2nd go round. I had one instance where there was a problem with the USB stick storing 1703's setup files -- I suspect a hardware compatibility issue with that stick -- and for the third try performed the upgrade using the Media Creation tool, which worked. So somewhere between 1 and 3 failures were not caused by Windows upgrade setup, while the 4th problem, with my 2 year old tablet, was the fault of Intel, Microsoft, or both.
The longer you wait to upgrade to 1703 the safer, because that increases the odds that if there was a problem, Microsoft's found & fixed it. I couldn't wait to perform the 1703 upgrade on the tablet, because Microsoft already broke it -- mandatory updates getting devices ready for 1703 effectively bricked it [10 v.1607 would run, but spent all its time trying - and failing - to update]. I assume that since that tablet uses off-the-shelf components, others are in the same boat. I did the upgrade as soon as I could with our other devices because I needed to know if we had to budget for new hardware if it didn't work... they all did work, so we bought 2 toys on sale that would have gone back *Immediately* if the 1703 upgrade failed. [I have trust issues with manufacturer support]
So I guess it's a case of Do like I say, not as I do... ;) Wait if you can -- it's wiser.
And now I'm [hopefully] all right until this fall, when everyone gets to do this upgrade dance again. [Oh joy.]
Posted 6 years ago # -
I hate when websites do this..
There was a work-around, for people who wanted to jump the line, to get the update ahead of your PC's scheduled download. However, by using the work-around it bypassed system checks that looked to see if your PC was likely to have any problems with the update.
In the post that the article is talking about (but hasn't linked to) Microsoft warned people not to jump ahead and download the update before your system had been checked unless you really knew what you were doing.
So while I agree with Mikie that people should wait as long as possible, the article is just scaremongering clickbait.
___
By the way, if your W10 Home machine is wireless, you can turn off automatic updates by telling your computer you're on a metered connection. This waits until you tell your PC you're ready to download updates.Turn this on by searching for the word 'metered' in your global search, then click on 'Change Wi-Fi Settings' when it comes up. Then click on the name of your network, i.e. 'CiscoXXXX | Connected, Secured'. Then scroll down and you should spot where you can turn on the metered connection.
For those who are wired and on W10 home the only way to block updates is to completely disable the Windows Update service. (Services> Windows Update 'wuauserv'> Properties> Startup Type> Disabled)
Posted 6 years ago # -
Tiffany
MemberI have three computers in this house, out of all of them only my desktop updated. I got a pop saying yes your computer can do it, or words to that effect. Two other laptops have yet to update and I wont force it. One laptop is older and slow than my desktop and the other laptop is faster and newer than my desktop. The two laptop have the last Win10 updates. Again I wont be forcing it, no rush.
Posted 6 years ago # -
mikiem2
ModeratorIn theory BentlyTCow, you should be able to turn off version or build upgrades by adding a portable key to the registry. Windows 10 will run fine on a USB drive, & like 7 & 8, will run in a VHD [since Windows 7 you can set the boot loader to see a VHD as if it was a real drive partition], but while 10 will get updates in both of those situations, it will never upgrade -- that portable key is apparently how Windows tells that it's not installed normally on a real, internal hard drive.
I say *in theory* because while I've deleted the key to upgrade builds, & it's worked, I've never added the key to prevent an upgrade. Anyway...
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control]
"PortableOperatingSystem"=dword:00000001
Again I wont be forcing it, no rush.
I KNOW I tend to be a worrywart, which is why I admire your calm. ;)
Posted 6 years ago #
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