Microsoft makes major changes to the Windows 10 update



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In a surprising and unexpected change, Microsoft no longer forces feed updates on Windows 10 users. Instead, it will take a more measured approach that balances the needs of its customers with its desire to keep the database up to date. Users secure and up to date.

"We are excited to announce important changes in the Windows update process, designed to improve the experience, give more control to the user and improve the quality of Windows updates" Microsoft Vice President Mike Fortin announced in an unexpected context. face. "We heard clear comments that the Windows update process itself could be disruptive, especially for Windows users who would like more control over the timing of updates."

As you may know, Microsoft has long claimed that it can successfully update Windows 10 as if it were an online service, a system it calls Windows as a service or WaaS. Unfortunately, WaaS has been a problem from the beginning: Microsoft has delivered two major feature updates every year – in fact, Windows version upgrades – and its scheduled monthly quality updates have exploded to include several updates in some months. Users are forced to restart their PC much more often than before.

But it's worse than that: The ability of a user (or his or her business) to defer updates at a later date varies greatly depending on the edition of Windows 10 products they use. Windows 10 Enterprise and Pro users may, for example, postpone quality and feature updates for extended periods of time, unlike Windows 10 Home users. Even worse, anyone who was stupid enough to check for updates – long considered cautious – was considered a "researcher" by Microsoft, and then was forced to feed all available updates, including important and disturbing updates. where appropriate.

I will write separately about my attempts for several years to get Microsoft to change this behavior. For the moment, I will simply say that these changes prove that Microsoft was listening. And that's finally acting.

Here is what changes.

Starting with Windows 10 version 1903 (the feature update for which Microsoft is now calling the May 2019 update), the software giant will let its customers decide when the updates will be installed.

"We will provide a notification that an update is available and recommended based on our data, but it will be largely up to the user to initiate this update," says Fortin. "All customers will now have the option of explicitly choosing whether to update their device when they are looking for updates or suspending updates for up to 35 days."

This confirms a suspicion I had in March that Microsoft would finally let Windows 10 Home users postpone updates in the same way as adults using Windows 10 Pro. Now, everyone using Windows 10 will be treated fairly, as appropriate.

For feature updates, Windows Update displays a text explaining the update and a link allows you to download and install it. All users can now postpone both types of updates up to 35 days, 7 days at a time.

Microsoft is also working to ensure the quality of this update, which is important given the two disastrous updates that Microsoft and its users have experienced in 2018.

"We are going to increase the time spent in the May 2019 update during the preview phase of the releases," says Fortin, without specifying that the previous feature update was actually jumped up the version preview phase, contributing to its reliability issues.

And yes, the May 2019 update is now complete. That's what we called RTM. It will be made available to Windows Insiders next week in the Release Ring version. Microsoft plans to release this update at the end of May for commercial customers, those who choose to install it via Windows Update, and customers whose devices are coming in late. support supported for a given version. "

This last bit is rather interesting because it represents an exception to the new update scheme. In other words, the end-user PCs will be updated using the original forced WaaS approach.

"When Windows 10 devices are about to finish or will soon reach the end of the service, the Windows update continues to automatically launch a feature update," says Fortin. "Keeping the machines supported and receiving monthly updates is critical to device safety and ecosystem health."

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