Windows 11 will soon leverage Windows Update to make system recovery faster

[Cal Jeffrey]

In context: Repairing a Windows install is a chore we all dread. Aside from the "my computer is all f*ed up" factor, the recovery process is time-consuming, potentially tying up your PC for hours. Microsoft hopes to alleviate the stress of reinstalling or recovering your system with a new tool that leverages Windows Update to streamline the process.

Windows 11 will soon have a new system option that allows users to recover or reinstall the OS using Windows Update. The tool is already in the Recovery section of the Win11 Insider Preview Build 25905 System menu under the placeholder name "Fix problems using Windows Update."

Microsoft first mentioned the feature in a July breakdown of the Insider Preview Build. The Blog post explained that users could employ the tool to download and install a repair version of Windows 11. The process completely restores Windows without overwriting settings, files, or applications.

Although the developers did not mention a potential release date, the fact that it's been in a Canary build since July indicates it's nearly ready. It might find its way into the next cumulative update – Windows 11 Moment 5 – which launches to the general public in February.

Microsoft's wording hinted that it intends this to be a permanent feature and that it may go into past or future versions of Windows.

"This operation reinstalls the OS that you have and will not remove any files, settings, or apps," the preview release notes state [emphasis ours].

Describing it generically rather than saying it "reinstalls Windows 11" suggests it may come to Windows 10 before it sunsets in 2025. Of course, we could be reading more into it than is justified. The blog post might have used general language to indicate it reinstalls whatever build you have installed (Windows 11, Insider build 25905, etc), or it might simply be referring to future Windows versions.

Whatever the case, Microsoft hopes to replace the current "in-place upgrade" option in its Media Creation Tool because it says using Windows Update for reinstallation and recovery is much faster. Microsoft didn't specify how much time the new process could save, but if you have ever had to recover your Windows install, you'll know what a time-consuming pain it can be.

If any readers are Insiders and have tested this feature, let us know how much faster it is in the comments.

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https://www.techspot.com/news/101329-windows-11-soon-leverage-windows-update-make-system.html

 

[TheBigFatClown]

Sounds like another BULL$H1* move to push end-users into a completely dependent state of requiring a connection to the Internet to fix your messed up Windows install. What is wrong with just repairing using the original ISO that you installed the OS to begin with?

I find this utterly bizarre, to be touted as something that is desirable. I think it's being spun in a positive way and I just don't see it as a positive improvement.

 

[VitalyT]

Windows 11, the fastest self-crippling OS on the market.

 

[VariableSpike]

Doesn't this already exist with the online options for tools like sfc or dism? More nonsense peddling by MS as usual it looks like, as if windows update wasn't enough of a pain already to deal with, now if your system is broken you get to deal with it again

 

[3volv3d]

I want windows xp or 7 back. I want to be a potato.

Where's the best Linux distro 2023 and how to run steam/wine on it?

 

[MisterSpock]

I want windows xp or 7 back. I want to be a potato.

Where's the best Linux distro 2023 and how to run steam/wine on it?

I dont know about ‘best’ due to the relative nature of the word, but I’d suggest looking at Pop!OS. They have two install images based on whether or not you use nVidia, which helps ensure a good level of compatibility. It also supports reinstalling-in-place gracefully for if/when you bork your first installation - I know I have!

As far as wine and Steam goes, Pop! is ready for Steam out of the box, and you can use Lutris or Heroic Games Launcher for non-Steam-based gaming services. Lutris will let you install Epic Games Store, Battle.net app, and other game managers to get most titles working okay.

In regards to wine, you may want to look up an application called ProtonUp-QT. It can download and set up gaming-oriented branches of wine called Proton, optimized for converting Direct3D to Vulkan.

If you have Radeon graphics, specifically, and you just wanna use Steam, ChimeraOS (a third-party install for Steam OS) may be a good choice for a dual-boot system using a second hard drive. I was extremely impressed with its out of the box performance and it even ran a few games that recently hadn’t worked or were problematic otherwise.

The main annoyance of Linux gaming involves tweaking settings, sometimes per game, in order to get it to run. This is common with extremely old titles (pre-DirectX 9.0) that are a pain to run well.

Good luck! A nice thing about Linux - you could install Pop!OS to a decent, large capacity (edit to add: *external*) drive to test out how well games could work.

 

[envirovore]

Microsoft: Hey, we're adding an option that you don't even have to use at all unless you want to, but if you happen to hose part of your OS in the process of stripping/stopping the bloat and still have an Internet connection you can now fix it without hosing all the custom settings you have for Firefox, OBS, your video editing software, saved games profiles and information...all the stuff thats a pain in the *** to back up/recover easily. Enjoy, should you decide to use it if the need arises.

Users on this site: OMFG F*CK you M$ you're such sh*t for giving another recovery option that'll save me some hassle that I don't even have to use if I don't want to!

 

[yRaz]

I want windows xp or 7 back. I want to be a potato.

Where's the best Linux distro 2023 and how to run steam/wine on it?

I've been daily driving Mint for almost a year now although I don't game much anymore. But the games I do play run fine one Mint. ESO and EvE but Steam makes it easy. It should only take about a month to become competent in Linux

 

[DrkKnight]

Use good backup software and backup your system regularly .
If I have any issues with my pc , I can be back up and running in less than twenty minutes with no loss of data using Macrium, one just needs to have a good backup strategy.

Do yourself a BIG favor, don't leave your system recovery options to MicroBS , you'll only be asking for trouble.

 

[Superconductor]

Macrium F T W

 

[3volv3d]

Macrium F T W

I've used acronis, macrium is reflect? Jeez these are old apps. Macrium I didn't get on with and acronis was so easy then they dicked with it and that was the end of them too. I just start from scratch now.

Good luck! A nice thing about Linux - you could install Pop!OS to a decent, large capacity (edit to add: *external*) drive to test out how well games could work.

I did have pop, but then wanted to test some music applications. Maybe I can find Linux versions. I want to dual boot my craptop. But it has 500gb nvm. Trying to talk myself into a 4tb for the ps5 and stick the 2tb I put in there into the lappy.
But its just a smidge too pricey.

Pop seemed quite nice. So I'll definitely give it another crack. And the proton app. Ty

 

[MisterSpock]

I've used acronis, macrium is reflect? Jeez these are old apps. Macrium I didn't get on with and acronis was so easy then they dicked with it and that was the end of them too. I just start from scratch now.



I did have pop, but then wanted to test some music applications. Maybe I can find Linux versions. I want to dual boot my craptop. But it has 500gb nvm. Trying to talk myself into a 4tb for the ps5 and stick the 2tb I put in there into the lappy.
But its just a smidge too pricey.

Pop seemed quite nice. So I'll definitely give it another crack. And the proton app. Ty

I don’t do anything with audio - my needs are fulfilled by Spotify through flatpak. I hope you find something