The October rollout of the update to Windows 10 as part of the SaaS model has been suspended due to reports that some customers have experienced mass file deletions.
Eating Files
It has been reported that the rollout of version 1809 October 2018 update for Windows 10 has been temporarily halted after users reported that files had been deleted and over-written.
The update rollout (which is due to be happening in waves over the course of this month) was stopped after users took to Microsoft’s support site and social media to complain, express their anger, and warn other users of what appears to be quite a serious fault.
For example, one user warned others that if documents are saved in the user directory, i.e. users/John, and not on OneDrive, the update deletes everything in that location. Similarly, another user reported that the whole of their “My Documents” folder was deleted by the update, including all of their personal documents (Word docs, spreadsheets, etc). Other issues such as incorrect CPU usage in Task Manager and broken audio drivers have also been reported.
What’s Causing It?
Some tech commentators are blaming the fault on OneDrive, Microsoft’s online file hosting and synchronization service, and a bug in its user profile settings. Engadget, for example, has said that the bug may have slipped through early testing despite reports of the issue appearing on Microsoft’s Feedback Hub some months ago.
The official word is that the exact cause is, as yet, unknown and that users who have already downloaded the update or are enrolled in programs like Windows Insider shouldn’t proceed with version 1809 until Microsoft has released a fix. For the rest of us, it’s a case of making sure that we haven’t downloaded the broken version yet, backing up files now as a precaution, and waiting for the automatic update as normal (which should contain the fix).
On The Upside – More Android Compatibility
Even though the technical fault in the update has dominated the news, with the fix in place, there are some positive aspects and improvements in the update, most notably in Android compatibility. For example, the update allows a better connection between your phone and your Windows desktop by enabling photo syncing and a direct interface to send and receive text messages via your device.
Other Good Points
Also, the latest update will bring a cloud clipboard (across devices), allowing you to copy more than one thing at a time. This will be included as part of Windows Timeline. There will also be new extensions for both Chrome and Firefox to give them the same functionality as Edge.
What Does This Mean For Your Business?
Many tech commentators had predicted that it was likely that there would be some kind of problem with the latest update, but this file-deleting bug is probably much worse than they were expecting and could be devastating, disruptive and costly to businesses that have installed the update but haven’t recently backed-up their files. It is worth, therefore, taking the official advice of backing up files now as a precaution and if you’re part of the Windows Insider programme, not proceeding with version 1809 until the fix has been released.
The Android OS has the biggest worldwide market share, just ahead of Symbian, thanks to its extensive app availability, easy interface, functionality and affordability. With more of us spending more time away from the desktop in the working day, it is helpful, therefore, that the latest Windows 10 update will help sync our Android phones with our desktops.
Since many people don’t use Edge as their main browser, its also good news that the latest Windows update (extensions) will bring greater functionality to Firefox and Chrome.