Microsoft is suspending optional Windows 10 updates because of the coronavirus

[midian182]

What just happened? We’ve already seen coronavirus disruption affect software releases, and now another company is changing its plans as a result of the outbreak. Microsoft has announced it will be pausing optional Windows 10 updates from May 2020 as it prioritizes security updates during the pandemic.

The Redmond firm tweeted that it will be suspending all optional non-security releases (C and D updates) for all supported versions of its operating system, from Windows 10 right down to Windows Server 2008.

Starting in May 2020, we are pausing all optional non-security releases (C and D updates) for all supported versions of Windows client and server products to prioritize security and keep customers protected and productive. More information here: https://t.co/G5NcWtIiEQ.

— Windows Update (@WindowsUpdate) March 24, 2020

Microsoft says the decision is a result of the coronavirus and the impact it is having on customers, as it aims to ensure Windows 10 devices remain secure by focusing solely on security updates. That means its monthly Patch Tuesday security updates will continue as normal.

“There is no change to the monthly security updates (B release – Update Tuesday); these will continue as planned to ensure business continuity and to keep our customers protected and productive,” Microsoft explained, in a support document.

While the optional updates are being halted temporarily, Microsoft didn’t indicate when they might return. In all likelihood, we won’t see them again until the coronavirus outbreak is under control and life returns to relative normality, which could be a while.

These updates are optional, of course, so most people probably won’t miss them. It also means that Microsoft will have fewer opportunities to destroy your PC with its notoriously bad updates. One of its more recent attempts to improve Windows 10 managed to cause performance slowdown, boot failures, and a host of other problems for some users.

The coronavirus disruption has also caused Chrome to skip version 82 of the browser, and Microsoft to pause Edge releases.

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https://www.techspot.com/news/84542-microsoft-suspending-optional-windows-10-updates-because-coronavirus.html

 

[Capaill]

May?
I get that they might have done all the work for the April releases. But if the goal is to minimise the disruption from new patches, shouldn't they be pausing it immediately?
On 18 March, I couldn't start Windows and had to do a System Restore to a checkpoint from 12 March. So I guess I'm still at risk from Windows updates for another 6 weeks.

 

[yeeeeman]

They should stop all their updates and go home.
Any update from Microsoft means a possibility of OS breaking down and having to do system restore, etc.

 

[texasrattler]

I still have yet to have any ms update affect my computer. No boot issue, no files missing, my computer working as it always has. I think people tend to forget not everyone has or gets the issues. So for me I dont have any problems with windows updating my computer.

 

[Burty117]

"for all supported versions of its operating system, from Windows 10 right down to Windows Server 2008."

Server 2008 and 2008R2 haven't been supported for a couple of months now.

 

[Yynxs]

I still have yet to have any ms update affect my computer. No boot issue, no files missing, my computer working as it always has. I think people tend to forget not everyone has or gets the issues. So for me I dont have any problems with windows updating my computer.

It's not the ones that don't have a problem complaining, it's the large number of us who do have a problem. I had an MSI notebook with Vista on it. I cleared the auto install stuff and the crapware and set it to only let me choose updates. Then I only installed security updates until MS started lying about what was included in those and stopped those. Never had a moments problem with Vista. It was fast, happy and I used it for 5 years and I was happy. From the complaints on the net, you'd think it was Windows Media O/S crippled and slow.

About a year into my system I bought my daughter the same model and spec notebook with Vista. It went back to the manufacturer 3 times over the space of a year when she was in college, purportedly hardware issues, with MSI pointing to MS and MS pointing to MSI until we gave up and bought her a different brand with W7 on it. She used it for years with no trouble until her work started giving her notebooks. It's still sitting in her house, presumably working.
My wife installed W10 on her older notebook against my advice. Two months later we tossed it and moved back to W7. Blame it on low level hardware, but it froze constantly. Stopped that with W7.

I built a brand new AMD board and CPU system for her last October, dedicated GPU card and 16G RAM 1TB SSD. As chronicled before here, it crashes and locks up the past 3 months. If I could move her to W7 I would.

I'm glad you don't have problems with whatever system you're running (might want to post the specs for reference) but don't for an instant think, W10 isn't bad for a lot of PCs.

This announcement is a sigh of relief for me. At least when I get it stable again, I've got until May before MS starts messing with what works.