The next six monthly update of Windows 10 (the 1809 update) is due.
https://support.microsoft.com/en-au/help/4028685/windows-10-get-the-update
Already this has had some issues and Microsoft has paused the rollout until these are addressed.
https://support.microsoft.com/en-au/help/4464619/windows-10-update-history
As there are often lots of issues and problems with these major updates this message answers some common questions about this update and what you need to do.
Why do I need to do this?
These ‘feature updates’ from Microsoft occur about every six months and while they often add new features, they are mainly security and bug fixes, which are required to ensure both the security and stability of your computer.
What to expect
Microsoft rolls these updates out progressively across both machines and countries over a two month period. Australia is often later than most, so we get a bit more time to prepare.
- You may be prompted to install the update, but often it happens without any notification.
- Your machine will download the update. This is a very large download (several GB) and your machine and/or internet may be very slow for several hours or even a whole day while this happens.
- The update will be installed. You will NOT be able to use your machine while this happens and it may reboot several times. This can take up to four hours (or more).
- Once the update has been installed there is very little indication that it has occurred. The only way to determine if it has been installed is by checking the update logs.
- If there are problems and the installation fails, it will try again repeatedly until it succeeds.
This is too much hassle. Can I skip it?
Sorry, no. Microsoft have made these mandatory updates so your machine will keep trying until it is installed.
How can I make this easier?
If you get prompted, you can defer it for a little while (several hours). Then make a time when you will not be using the machine (say overnight) and start the installation then.
If you don’t get prompted and it just starts anyway it is best to just leave it and do something else until it is finished (which may take the rest of the day).
I know this is really inconvenient – sorry, talk to Bill Gates.
Whatever you do, do NOT interrupt the installation as this can corrupt Windows and may require a complete wipe and re-install of Windows and your other software.
I heard people have lost all of their files?
Yes, during the initial rollout people reported that the update deleted all of their data (ie: photos, videos, documents, etc), which is why Microsoft has temporarily paused the rollout.
MAKE SURE YOU HAVE AT LEAST ONE BACKUP BEFORE THE UPDATE.
If you already have a regular backup process in place then you should be okay – just be sure to backup before the update.
If you don’t have a backup process – NOW would be a good time to set this up.
I hope this helps and if you need any assistance please let me know.