Windows 10 Update Issue Shows That Microsoft Got It Wrong With Mandatory Updates [UPDATED]
When I reviewed Windows 10, one of the things I pointed out was this:
Speaking of updates, you have to take them as Microsoft no longer allows you to not accept updates to your computer as they clearly think it’s for your own good. I’m torn on that one. I see their point, but I’d like some choice in the matter as well.
Here’s a perfect example of why Microsoft got this wrong. Last week, Microsoft pushed a cumulative update which incorporates all of the bug fixes previously released for the new OS. The problem was that it wouldn’t install properly on some computers, that in turn forces the OS to try and roll back the changes. But the computer tries to install the update again and the in effect, the computer gets stuck in a reboot loop as a result.
#fail
The update in question is KB3081424, not that it matters because Windows 10 users are forced to take updates whether they want them or not. At least in the past, I could tell you to disable Windows Update until this gets sorted. But you don’t have that option with Windows 10.
#fail
The cause of the problem according to a article from Forbes, is a bad entry in the Registry. Now the fix involves deleting certain keys in the Registry. But even though I have linked to the article, I do not recommend that you do this as I have seen really bad things happen when people edit the registry. Thus I would recommend waiting for an official fix from Microsoft to address this.
Meanwhile, Microsoft should rethink their forced update strategy as clearly it is not without risks and clearly is not in the best interests of their users.
UPDATE: Mashable is reporting that Microsoft has issued a new update that fixes the bug caused by the mandatory KB3081424 update.
December 13, 2016 at 9:02 am
[…] users cannot stop Windows 10 updates from installing (which underlines yet again why I thought that forced Windows 10 updates were a horrible idea), but if you run one of the corporate versions of Windows 10, you may want to block this update […]
December 14, 2016 at 2:15 pm
[…] Of course, Microsoft assumes that people would see this on their discussion boards and take action by downloading this on a computer that was still on the Internet, sticking the update onto a USB stick to install onto the malfunctioning computer. Because they’re sure not getting this via Microsoft’s Software Update mechanism seeing as the computer was knocked off the Internet. But that isn’t what happens of course. I say that because in this case, the computer gets punted off the Internet. The person who owns the computer can’t fix it and someone like me gets a phone call. I fix it and hand the person who owns the computer (or in some cases computers) a bill. Maybe those bills should go to Microsoft as this could have been easily mitigated if users had the ability to not be force fed updates as forced Windows 10 updates are a horrible idea. […]