14 DAY TRIAL // Microsoft has released a new optional cumulative update for Windows 10 version 2004, or May 2020 Update, ahead of new updates that are shipped automatically to devices on Patch Tuesday.
This month’s Patch Tuesday cycle takes place on September 8.
Windows 10 cumulative update KB4571744 comes with plenty of fixes, and you can check out the full changelog in the box after the jump. However, there are several improvements worth highlighting here, and one of them concerns Windows Update itself.
The software giant says in some cases, Windows Update could just stop responding when checking for updates, something that obviously shouldn’t happen given the update process should be a smooth ride from one end to the other. So after installing this cumulative update, Windows Update should once again work just as expected – as a matter of fact, if Windows Update stops responding and you can’t download this update, just get it manually from Microsoft’s Update Catalog.
Additionally, there’s also a welcome improvement for File Explorer, as Microsoft has resolved a bug that caused the file manager to stop working when directors of raw images are loaded.
The update also addresses a bug causing the sign-in screen to be blurry, as well as a login problem that made it impossible to unlock the device if a blank space was added before the username when the operating system booted.
KB4571744 comes with app improvements as well, with Microsoft explains that some users complained of problems that made it impossible to download, update, or open apps in certain scenarios. While no further specifics have been offered on this problem, everything should now be working correctly after the new cumulative update is installed on the device. At the same time, the patch includes fixes aimed at applications that take a long time to load, so technically, everything should now be much smoother after installing KB4571744 on a Windows 10 May 2020 Update device.
Windows Hello is getting a pack of improvements too, so beginning with this update, setting up the feature with facial and fingerprint recognition so be much smoother. Microsoft hasn’t provided any specifics on how it refined the experience here, but it did say that the enrollment pages have been polished for Windows Hello users.
For IT pros and power users, the new update brings improvements for the Event Viewer, with Microsoft explaining the following in the full changelog:
“Addresses an issue that causes the Event Viewer Microsoft Management Console (MMC) to stop working when the secondary monitor is above the primary monitor. An out of bounds exception appears.”
Those using the Server Message Block, or SMB, are getting improvements as well.
“Addresses an issue with Server Message Block (SMB). This issue incorrectly logs the Microsoft-Windows-SMBClient 31013 event in the Microsoft-Windows-SMBClient/Security event log of an SMB client when an SMB server returns STATUS_USER_SESSION_DELETED. This issue occurs when SMB client users or applications open multiple SMB sessions using the same set of Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) connections on the same SMB Server. This issue most likely occurs on Remote Desktop Servers.”
Today’s update is available only as optional, which means that users need to head over to Windows Update and check for updates manually before they are offered the download. As an alternative, it can also be downloaded from the Windows Update Catalog on devices where updating isn’t possible via Windows Update.
Installing this update increases the OS build number to 19041.488 – to check the OS build number on your device, simply click the Start menu and then type winver.