Which version of Windows 10 will my machine update to?

ArthurDent · 12 Aug 2019

Hi,

First post so apologies if this has already been asked.

I have an old DELL Inspiron 1525 laptop that was updated/upgraded (?) from Windows 7 HP to Windows 10 back when the upgrade was free. This machine is a 'spare' and I can live without it and have done so (see below) for the last 11 months.

It had been running Win 10 quite happily.

Last year, I heard about the October update farce (was it build 1809?) and didn't (as far as I remember) update the machine. I have been waiting for the dust to settle!

I have a couple of questions.

1) Is the latest version of WIndows 10 (sorry, don't know the build number) stable and bug-free*
(* I know that no version of the Windows software is completely bug-free, I mean usable and not a huge problem lat last year's October update)

2) If I now turn the machine on and run Windows Update, which update will my machine download?

I can't remember the current build number of the OS on this machine as I haven't turned it on incase the update scrambled things so much as to make the machine unusable. As I said, it is an old DELL Inspiron 1525 and has been running Win 10 quite happily (apart from the itegated graphics card being rather slow).

Thanks in advance,

Art

dalchina · 12 Aug 2019

Hi, the blocks MS applies to a particular build- current is 1903 (2019, March=3- although it came out a couple of months later...!) are quite widely known now.

As has been said here many times, roll-out is slow, phased and higher risk PCs have upgrades delivered later.
There is no guarantee as to when or even if your PC will be offered 1903.

That said, things are changing in some cases -- see the start of this:
How to get the Windows 10 May 2019 Update version 1903
and articles like this
Microsoft is starting to auto-update Windows 10 Home, Pro users on 1803 or older to 1903 | ZDNet

The current build can be determined using Settings, About, or Windows key + r, winver.

You can of course disconnect the internet before turning your PC on to prevent it updating.

You can disable windows update if you wish. (search this site for 'completely' or perhaps 'How do I disable windows update completely' and you will find a tool to do that.

As is very widely publicised, there are better controls for Windows Update in build 1903, even for Home.

Search e.g.
What's new in build 1903

Build 1809 is pretty good, and 1903 is too- just 2 or 3 minor things which many people won't notice.

Bree · 12 Aug 2019

ArthurDent said:

2) If I now turn the machine on and run Windows Update, which update will my machine download?

Unless MS have a block in place for a specific issue on machines like yours then windows update will deliver the latest build, 1903. The exception would be if you have W10 Pro and have set it to defer feature updates for more than 3 months. In that case windows update would only see 1809 as currently available.

* I know that no version of the Windows software is completely bug-free...

I completely agree with dalchina's assessment. Both 1809 and 1903 are pretty good now. You'll likely find as many minor issues in your current build as in ether of them.

ArthurDent · 16 Aug 2019

Thank you for the replies folks.

Art