Microsoft kills Windows 10 update that ‘deleted’ users’ files – did you download THIS version?
Microsoft have ditched the Windows 10 update that deleted the files and photos of some users
MICROSOFT has stopped the rollout of the latest Windows 10 update, after multiple reports that it was deleting users' files.
The tech company will freeze the update until it has resolved the problem, and is currently advising people to "minimise" their use of affected computers and to contact Microsoft customer support directly.
Microsoft released the update - version 1809 - last week, all with the promise of "empowering a new era of personal productivity".
But despite enabling greater connectivity between users' various devices, some customers have complained that the update has deleted all the files in their Documents and Pictures folders.
Microsoft is describing such reports as "isolated," and assure customers that they will provide an update on the situation once they continue rolling out version 1809.
"Microsoft has paused the rollout of the update while we continue to investigate reports from some customers," a spokesperson for Microsoft told the Sun.
Microsoft is also advising customers who have downloaded the installation software for the update not to go ahead with installation, if they haven't done so already.
Such recommendations haven't satisfied many of those who've been affected by deleted files, with the hosting a number of irked Windows users.
"Thanks a lot MS!," said one poster on the forum. "I did install and downloaded it before any of this warning was available. I've lost all my files from My Documents, Pictures and videos! Now, every time I reboot my computer I lose all files over again! What tha hek! Push a fix asap!!!!"
Other users are smugly taking the opportunity to remind each other that the safest thing to do is to back up your computer regularly, regardless of whether you're about to install a new software update.
"People don't understand the value of backups until they login one day and their drive has crashed and or the OS blew up," said another user. "I do system images twice a week to a separate drive and my 4TB data drive gets backed up to a WD external 4TB [data drive] twice a month."
Windows 10 update 'deletion' issue – what went wrong, and how to stay safe
Here's what Tim Mackey, senior technical evangelist at Synopsys, told The Sun...
"This issue illustrates part of the problem when vendors rely heavily on automated testing – detecting unintended consequences can be a challenge.
"Automation requires a test framework to run a sequence of actions and detect that the result was either expected.
"If it wasn’t expected, then a defect can be logged. Detecting any unexpected actions, in this case the deletion of user content, requires the test developer to first recognize the potential for the unexpected outcome, and then detect it.
"Since this is a complex process, most vendors use a mix of automated tests and humans when testing complex systems.
"In this case part of what we’re seeing with the update to 1809 are experiences from those early adopters who are manually updating their systems.
"The core lesson for everyone is that before installing or updating any software, including Windows, make certain you have a current backup of your data.
"An update to Windows may be the current problem, but so too could a hardware failure on your computer."
This isn't the first time that a Windows update has turned out embarrassingly for Microsoft.
In fact, it's easier to search the web for info on "bad" or "bungled" software updates than for successful ones, as the following rundown of some of the more memorable updates will show.
- August 2013: Microsoft admitted that at least six automatic Windows patches were faulty, and it removed four of them immediately.
- May 2014: Microsoft gave Windows 8 users a hard deadline of May 13 to install a new version of the operating system, but u-turned after some people experienced problems installing it.
- August 2015: One forced update for Windows 10 got caught in an endless loop, as the update failed to install, required the user to restore their PC, and then attempt to install again automatically after the PC was restored.
- December 2016: A Windows 10 update caused some users to lose internet connectivity, with Microsoft simply advising customers to restart their PCs.
- October 2017: A number of security patches caused business PCs to crash, with affected computers freezing during the booting up process.
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How to check which version of Windows 10 you're running
If you're uncertain whether or not you've downloaded version 1809 of Windows 10, you can check the version you're running by doing the following:
- On the Windows 10 desktop, go to Start and type "about."
- Click About your PC.
- Under the PC subheading, look for the number next to "Version." This is your current version of Windows 10.
If you do have version 1809, it may not be necessary to panic, since some posters to the official Microsoft forums have reported that they're running the latest version without any issues.
However, it would be sensible to backup your files, or to perform a system restore so that your PC returns to an earlier version of Windows 10.
Has the latest Windows 10 update caused you any problems? Let us know in the comments!
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