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Microsoft yanks the document-destroying Windows 10 October 2018 Update (#1809)
The Register ^ | Oct 8, 2018 | Richard Speed

Posted on 10/09/2018 10:23:42 AM PDT by dayglored

Day four exceeds all expectations as Microsoft steps back from brink

Microsoft has taken the unprecedented step of pulling a Windows 10 release a mere four days after its arrival amid a clamour of users complaining about files not being where they had left them.

Windows Insider supremo Dona Sarkar took to Twitter to announce that Windows fans would no longer be able to get their hands on the afflicted build. Redmond said the automatic rollout would also be paused until it works out just what in blue blazes is going on.

#WindowsInsiders If you've run into the "missing files after update" issue for 1809/October 2018 Fall update, please call our support line. They have the tools to get you back to a good state. This build is no longer available to download manually: https://t.co/Ce9WVILknp pic.twitter.com/fvisQi1c8g — Dona Sarkar (@donasarkar) October 6, 2018

Microsoft's advice to those who have downloaded the build is: for goodness' sake, don't install the thing. However, if you have gone ahead and allowed the update to do its stuff and been hit by the missing files issue, leave your PC alone and give Microsoft a telephone call for help.

The update made an appearance on 2 October, having gone directly into the hands of users rather than spending some time in the Windows Insider Release Preview ring first. If you have installed it, and everything is hunky dory (as it is for us), then there is no need to worry.

In her tweet, Sarkar said the person at the other end of the phone will have "the tools to get you back to a good state". Presumably either a file recovery application or a handy install of Linux. At this point we don't know. We contacted our local Microsoft support office and found it was closed. Because, hey, who installs this stuff outside of office hours, right?

Users in Canada have reported being instructed to take their afflicted PCs to a Microsoft store in the hope that some of their files can be restored. How that will work in regions that lack a Microsoft retail presence is unclear. Perhaps Honest Bob's Backstreet Windows Wrangler?

Called your support line for Canada. His best solution was "Take it to my nearest Microsoft Store". I'm in Ottawa Ontario. Nearest store in Canada is Toronto. I do not drive. There has GOT to be a better solution than that. As an Insider, it pains me. Beyond belief. — Abby Jane Hicks (@AbbyJaneHicks64) October 6, 2018

It is not a good look for the Windows Insider programme. Its more light-hearted tone has come in for some flack over the last year or so. One Microsoft Most Valuable Professional (MVP) for the programme, Kari Finn, went public after being defrocked following criticism of the way things were going.

In his July post, Finn reckoned the programme had "turned into a playground", commenting that: "Developing Windows and getting serious feedback is hidden under a coat of ninja cat and taco hat jokes."

Finn, who described himself to The Register as a "Microsoft and Windows 10 fan boy" expressed concern that feedback was going unanswered and "professionalism is now forgotten".

Preaching to converted. I lost believe in insider programme a year ago. Too much "fun" and ninja cat and not enough hard graft and data. — Stephen (@StephenCWLL) October 6, 2018

Some would say those concerns have come home to roost as the current woes had been reported in the Windows Insider hub, and yet the release proceeded regardless.

The Reg has dropped Microsoft a line to find out what the recovery process is going to be and where Windows 10 goes from here. If you've had to pick up the phone to one of Redmond's support team, let us know how you got on in the comments below. ®


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Computers/Internet; Hobbies
KEYWORDS: microsoft; windows; windows10; windowspinglist; windowsupdate
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To: CaptainPhilFan
"Liberal government backed monopoly for control of serfs."

My new pc is twice as powerful as the old one and was an "upgrade" in OS yet runs half the speed. Microsoft Parasite 10 is nothing but spyware. With all the recent talk about busting up monopolies I couldnt help but to notice Microsoft being lrft out. Remember when they "were" a monopoly until Bill became a globosocialist? Time to look at that situation again.

41 posted on 10/09/2018 2:09:38 PM PDT by gnarledmaw (Hive minded liberals worship leaders, sovereign conservatives elect servants.)
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To: CaptainPhilFan
> In less than 10 words, can anyone explain the reason why Windows has gone from reliable and affordable with almost zero updates required - to a steaming pile of pig poo that is so unreliable and a major hassle that lots of people are turning elsewhere? I mean, what happened?? Why?? It was an excellent product. Why can’t they repeat Vista or the like? What are they doing?

I don't know about "less than 10 words". But my take is this:

Microsoft had the world by the short hairs with MS-DOS and all the Windows releases through WinXP. Up until maybe 2002, there simply was no competition worth talking about. MacOS/OSX machines were a few percent of the market; Linux and everything else was another maybe percent or two.

Microsoft made two huge errors of business judgment which affected Windows, though not immediately:

Then Microsoft lost their focus in the 2002-2006 timeframe under Steve Ballmer's mismanagement, and meanwhile the competition established viable alternatives to Windows. WinXP was successful because it worked well enough. But it took Microsoft 8 years to produce a viable followup (Win7). (Vista, when it finally appeared, was very late, and deeply flawed. Windows 7 was "Vista, fixed", but still way late.)

Win7, in 2009 -- a decade ago -- was the last really good version of Windows. As Linux and MacOS continued to demonstrate that viable alternatives existed, Windows went straight downhill with the "Metro" UI (user interface) of Win8. That was basically the end of Windows as the presumed default operating system, because regular people flocked to MacOS and even Linux picked up a sizable following among regular users.

Since then, Microsoft has basically stumbled from release to release, relying on flawed advice from focus groups, and producing a series of poor UI designs. They have lost their way, and are stumbling through the woods, caught in the underbrush, stepping in sinkholes, walking into tree trunks.

It's a trainwreck in slow motion. They still have the lion's share of the market, but their hold on it has broken, and the house of cards built around the idea that "Windows is the only operating system worth discussing" is collapsing.

This current disaster scenario of humongous, unavoidable Windows 10 Updates that break things is just the latest indication that the Behemoth of Redmond has passed its time of power and is headed for The Fall. It's a damn shame, in my opinion, and it didn't have to happen this way.

Sorry, way more than 10 words.

42 posted on 10/09/2018 2:59:25 PM PDT by dayglored ("Listen. Strange women lying in ponds distributing swords is no basis for a system of government.")
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To: dayglored

As far as I am concerned they should yank win 10 altogether and restore win 7.


43 posted on 10/09/2018 3:25:47 PM PDT by Wuli (u)
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To: dayglored

Is there a way to stop Windows updates?
My laptop had a message on the screen:
“Due to critical updates, you cannot continue”
or something to that nature last Friday, so I STUPIDLY clicked the button to continue.
It updated from Windows 7 to Windows 10. I wasn’t told what the update was other than CRITICAL.,
This should be illegal, now everything is screwed up and I’m now getting a message that my Windows is not activated, I’m not clicking on that button. I HATE MS and WINDOWS.


44 posted on 10/09/2018 4:14:11 PM PDT by conservativesister
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To: conservativesister
If you have a backup image of your Windows 7 system, I'd recommend that you roll back to that, or re-install if necessary. Updating from Win7 to Win10 is not free, and in many cases has caused stability problems later even if successful.

Fingers crossed that you have a backup; a full image is best.

45 posted on 10/09/2018 4:21:04 PM PDT by dayglored ("Listen. Strange women lying in ponds distributing swords is no basis for a system of government.")
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To: CaptainPhilFan

They’re trying to put everything for everybody in one package. Most of the W10 annoyances for desktop users are “mobile friendly” changes.
They’ve also taken away control of the OS to provide security. Following Macintosh’s example.
I prefered Windows because it was “between” Linux and Mac in user control. No more- I have no control, or even idea, of what goes on in my PC anymore. Also makes it harder for third=party SW to run on it.

Instead of catching up they should try leaping ahead.


46 posted on 10/09/2018 4:40:45 PM PDT by mrsmith (Dumb sluts: Lifeblood of the Media, Backbone of the Democrat/RINO Party!)
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To: dayglored
RESOLVED - This was a huge Microsoft screwup.

The file deletion problem (which is quite real and fairly widespread) occurs if you relocated any of the special User-Profile folders (e.g. the "Documents" folder) to some other place using the tools Windows provides to do so.

If you used the Windows folder relocation tool, but there were still files in the original default folder location (this would usually be the case), those files are the ones that get deleted.

This is a major screwup, because:

  1. The deletion wasn't intented to serve any useful purpose -- it was just "tidying up", unnecessarily.
  2. It didn't check to see if any files were about to be deleted.
  3. It didn't copy the files to the new relocated folder to save them.
  4. And worst: Microsoft Engineering KNEW ABOUT THE PROBLEM AND IGNORED IT.
There are plenty of tech articles about this now, here's just one:

https://www.zdnet.com/article/windows-10-1809-bungle-we-wont-miss-early-problem-reports-again-says-microsoft/

And this one you'll have to copy/paste/go because we can't link to it:
https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2018/10/microsoft-suspends-distribution-of-latest-windows-10-update-over-data-loss-bug/

47 posted on 10/10/2018 9:34:26 AM PDT by dayglored ("Listen. Strange women lying in ponds distributing swords is no basis for a system of government.")
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To: HonorInPa

Mine syncs automatically, and I still back up to a separate SD drive. I don’t have a high degree of trust for One Drive.


48 posted on 10/10/2018 12:23:43 PM PDT by Excellence (Marine mom since April 11, 2014)
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