Windows 10 1903 questions

Bree said:

Yes, the C/D releases have always been optional. Until recently the way it worked was that windows update would not find them automatically, but would find and install them if you declared yourself a 'seeker' by manually checking for updates. Now it is made more obvious that they are optional.





The C/D releases are not 'untested' or ' beta'. Microsoft say that... "These are validated, production-quality optional releases, primarily for commercial customers and advanced users “seeking” updates."

They are a preview of the non-security fixes to be included in the next Patch Tuesday update, so if you do nothing you'll get them in the next B release (the letters refer to the week of issue, so the B release is the 'Patch Tuesday' one).

Yeah I read that B release are Patch Tuesday, C release the third week of the month and so on. But thanks very much for explaining in more detail. It seems that installing them when offered wouldn't be risky at all then. Im guessing if you don't install the when they're offered that they just disappear from the screen when you get them in the B release when it is installed on Patch Tuesday?

sportsfan148 said:

Hi, That brings up a question.. How necessary/important is it to set an amount of time to Defer a feature update? I ask because from the screenshots Bree shows on here you have to manually select Download and Install now in order for it to be installed anyway. I have Windows Home so I don't know how differently this option behaves to other Windows versions such as Pro etc

The only Settings 'extra' that Pro has over Home in 1903 is the ability to defer Feature updates by up to 365 days and Quality updates by up to 30 days. Updates will install automatically after the defer period, so it's a more convenient method. You set it once and leave it, rather than having to remember to manually pause updates.

Pro also has Group Policies you can set for windows update, most notably one to notify you that updates are available, but not download and install them until you say so.

dalchina said:

If I understand correctly (and I probably don't as I don't yet have 1903- 3rd party compatibility issue mostly at present) then with Home you can delay the feature update installation once offered by simply not clicking to accept it, with the appropriate setting set.

Yes, that's the way it works. There's nothing you need to set, it's the default behaviour.

For how long? My guideline is to wait until the first major update following the feature update release, further qualified by reports of bugs and problems.

If you ignore it 'forever' then the Features update will eventually install automatically a month or so before your current version reaches the end of its supported life.

When Windows 10 devices are at, or within several months of reaching, end of service, Windows Update will begin to automatically initiate a feature update.

Cumulative Update KB4497934 Windows 10 v1809 Build 17763.529 - May 21

Bree said:

The only Settings 'extra' that Pro has over Home in 1903 is the ability to defer Feature updates by up to 365 days and Quality updates by up to 30 days. Updates will install automatically after the defer period, so it's a more convenient method. You set it once and leave it, rather than having to remember to manually pause updates.

Pro also has Group Policies you can set for windows update, most notably one to notify you that updates are available, but not download and install them until you say so.

That why I was asking Bree for how it applies to Windows Home version. You show the Download and Install link in your screenshot so the feature update has to be manually selected to be downloaded and installed. So are you saying that if you don't set the option to defer feature updates that you don't see that screen at all and the feature update gets installed automatically?...OR.. if you don't set the option to defer feature updates do you still get the download and install now option but it only holds off for a certain length of time before you must install it ?

sportsfan148 said:

So are you saying that if you don't set the option to defer feature updates that you don't see that screen at all and the feature update gets installed automatically?...OR.. if you don't set the option to defer feature updates do you still get the download and install now option but it only holds off for a certain length of time before you must install it ?

Home doesn't have any 'defer' settings, so what you saw in my screenshot is how a Features Update will be offered from now on. You can ignore it in Home (and Pro, for that matter) for (almost) as long as you want. Only when your current version is at its 'end of life' will it install automatically.

Microsoft said:

When Windows 10 devices are at, or within several months of reaching, end of service, Windows Update will begin to automatically initiate a feature update.

Cumulative Update KB4497934 Windows 10 v1809 Build 17763.529 - May 21

Bree said:

Home doesn't have any 'defer' settings, so what you saw in my screenshot is how a Features Update will be offered from now on. You can ignore it in Home (and Pro, for that matter) for (almost) as long as you want. Only when your current version is at its 'end of life' will it install automatically.

Thanks for explaining that the defer settings aren't relevant in Windows Home