14 DAY TRIAL // Microsoft re-released Windows 10 version 1809 (October 2018 Update) last week after previously pulling it in early October due to critical bugs.
Here’s the story so far in just a few words. Microsoft rolled out Windows 10 version 1808 on October 2, and users were allowed to get it from Windows Update with a manual check for updates, from the Media Creation Tool, and using the dedicated ISOs.
Only a few days later, Microsoft took the decision to pull the plug on the new OS feature update due to a bug that may have caused the removal of user files stored in libraries, including the Documents folder.
However, some users did manage to install version 1809 during the few days of availability, and Microsoft pulling the update and focusing on fixing bugs internally left them with no patches until the rollout resumed.
Microsoft fixed Windows 10 version 1809 as part of the Windows Insider program, and a solution for the data removal issue was tested with help from users enrolled in the Slow and Release Preview ring.
This was without a doubt the correct approach. What was wrong was Microsoft skipping the Release Preview ring when it rolled out version 1809, a decision that made everyone think the update was stable and reliable enough for everyone to install it.
It wasn’t, and what happened next turned version 1809 into the buggiest Windows update in a long time. Furthermore, most users criticized Microsoft not only for needing more than a month to re-release version 1809, but also for remaining completely tight-lipped during this whole time.
While everyone at Microsoft refused to discuss any potential ETA regarding the fixed Windows 10 version 1809, bugs discovered by users who updated their systems made the rounds occasionally, confirming that the October update should have been tested more thoroughly.
Now that version 1809 is once again ready for prime time, Microsoft is using a more cautious approach and is carefully analyzing every piece of feedback. Not everyone can download the update right now from Windows Update, as even manual updates are enabled by Microsoft only when the Windows team is sure no harm would be done on each system.
But despite this, advanced users can update their systems with the Media Creation Tool, which helps bypass the checks and the restrictions and makes it possible to install Windows 10 version 1809 on pretty much any system.
At this point, it’s not yet known how many Windows 10 devices are already running version 1809, but there’s no doubt the adoption of this particular update is increasing every day. Microsoft itself hasn’t announced an ETA as to when version 1809 is set to become broadly available for everyone, but it’s pretty clear that this time the company sees to reason to rush the rollout.
In the meantime, as part of the software giant’s pledge for transparency, the company itself has already acknowledged some other bugs in version 1809, including issues hitting Apple customers. Certain iCloud for Windows versions are not supported just yet, and Microsoft is working with Apple to deliver an update that would address these errors.
After updating my work computer to Windows 10 version 1809, I can confirm that minor bugs still exist, but there’s nothing that could break down the system or anything like that. It looks like critical issues have been resolved, though as we all know, every little glitch can end up becoming a nightmare when it affects our productivity.
Have you updated your system to Windows 10 version 1809? Are there any bugs that Microsoft has somehow missed in the re-released version?
As always, let us know what you think in the box below.