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October 8, 2018

Microsoft Freezes Windows 10 Update After Files Reported Missing

Windows says it is investigating "isolated reports" of users missing some files after installing the Windows 10 October 2018 Update

By jonathan chadwick

Microsoft has put the rollout of its latest monthly Windows update on ice after users said it led to files missing, including photos, music, and documents.

“We have paused the rollout of the Windows 10 October 2018 Update (version 1809) for all users as we investigate isolated reports of users missing some files after updating,” Windows said in a post.

“If you have manually checked for updates and believe you have an issue with missing files after an update, please minimise your use of the affected device.”

Windows Update: “Documents are DELETED”

Some Windows users took to Reddit to complain about the effects of the version 1809 update. WeirdoShaw: “I lost my D:\Document folder. It is not configured as a documents library and it’s not even in system drive! I do not have backup for this because I think the system upgrade should never ever touch non-system drive.”

Another Reddit user: “The upgrade wiped %$userprofile%\documents and \pictures, which were not used as the default folders (i.e as part of the “My documents”, “My pictures” libraries). My default folders have been and are still within OneDrive and weren’t touched by the upgrade. Only the folders within %userprofile% were deleted, even though they were not empty.”

Another user on the Windows community page: “Last night I updated to 1809, and it all went smoothly, but then I find that all my files in Documents are DELETED. Gone. Poof. This included many crucial documents and financial info.”

https://twitter.com/WithinRafael/status/1048649580600950784

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Windows also warned users who have manually downloaded the Windows 10 October 2018 Update installation media to avoid installing and instead to wait until new media is available.

Windows, which made the update available just last week, didn’t give any reason for the botched update or when it would be fixed, but said it would provide let users know when it resumes the update.

Microsoft executive Dona Sarkar advised users with issues over missing files to contact their support line. Sarkar also said that if users who have updated still have files in their Docs folder, then none were deleted.

On Saturday, independent blogger Rafael Rivera posted to Twitter screenshots from Windows’ Feedback Hub stretching back as far as three months.

https://twitter.com/WithinRafael/status/1048473218917363713

Posts on the hub say data deletion was a problem in the preview version, suggesting this was something that was previously brought to Windows’ attention in the run-up to the release. Windows 7 devices had update problems only last month, due to missing servicing stack updates.

Read this: Microsoft Demands “Digital Peace” – What Does It Really Want?

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