Latest Windows 10 update issues cause more freezing problems
This news brief details the additional issues around the April 9 Windows 10 update as well as provides a look at Microsoft's Edge browser, built using Google's open sourced web browser Chromium.
The latest Windows 10 update may be a cause for more concern for IT admins as Microsoft provided a list of known issues, as well as workarounds.
The April 9 Windows 10 update was already creating problems for IT. The patch caused devices with Sophos Endpoint Protection to freeze upon restarting. Similar issues of computers freezing and locking up after the patch occurred for users of Avast for Business and CloudCare applications.
"This is why you have a process and do a staged rollout," said Dave Sobel, senior director and managed services provider evangelist at SolarWinds, an IT service management vendor in Austin, Texas. "When you back systems up and back data up in the event something happens, you're able to roll back."
When you back systems up and back data up in the event something happens, you're able to roll back.
Dave Sobel Senior director and managed services provider evangelist, SolarWinds
The latest Windows 10 update issues come just weeks before Microsoft's biannual Windows 10 upgrade, scheduled for late May. Microsoft made a substantial change in how the Windows 10 upgrade can be updated, giving the control back to IT admins on installing the latest version of Windows 10.
It's been a tough year for Windows 10 upgrades, with the October 2018 version of Windows 10 causing users to lose files after updating. Microsoft pulled the update three days later to fix the bug and ultimately released the October 2018 update in January 2019.
Still, Sobel sees notices on patch problems from Microsoft as a positive.
"Microsoft is doing their best to give us some level of transparency," Sobel said. "The fact they value quality over speed is something I'm good with."
Windows 10 update released to developer community
While the public release of Windows 10 is still scheduled for late May, Microsoft community developers received a surprise on Thursday when the Windows 10 update was generally available for those with a Microsoft Developer Network (MSDN) subscription.
Microsoft released the Windows 10 update to the MSDN the same day it released the Windows 10 software developer kit so that developers building apps that target new Windows 10 features can submit them to the Microsoft Store.
This comes after Microsoft stated in a blog post that commercial customers could expect the update in late May. The big change to the Windows 10 1903 update is it gives IT admins control of downloading and installing the update, something Sobel said customers have been asking for.
"This has been a request feature from IT admins for a while," Sobel said. "That level of control is important for [managed service providers] and IT admins."
A list of features that Microsoft turned off or replaced from Edge.
Microsoft removes Google features from Edge browser
Microsoft also recently previewed its version of an open source web browser. Microsoft Edge uses Google's Chromium open source web browser project. Early public reports indicate it's performing well, but Microsoft is on populating the Chromium-powered Edge browser with Microsoft-based features by removing more than 50 Google services that were prepackaged on Chromium, according to Sobel.
Popular Google tools such as Google Cloud Messaging, Google Translate, ad blocking and dozens of other Google services were removed from Microsoft's Edge browser.
Microsoft may be looking to build out its Edge browser from the ground up and used the most basic form of Chromium as a starting point, according to Sobel.
"Microsoft is looking to use the components they already have," Sobel said. "The best way to do that is go down to the basics, figure out the core I have to work with and then build it back up."
The Chromium-powered Edge browser is currently only available for developers as Microsoft continues to build out its browser.
