Latest Feature Updates not available

A Gray · 31 Jan 2021

My small Lenovo Thinkpad X230 laptop appears to be stuck on W 10 version 1909. I keep getting the message that the May 2020 feature update (2004) is on it's way but it never arrives. Is this because my machine lacks some component which is necessary for this update? I'm not particularly bother about not being able to update except that I fear it means my machine is deemed to be obsolescent and will shortly cease to receive any of the regular security updates despite being a fairly modern machine (less than 5 years old). Is it worth my while trying to force this and the susequent feature update (20H2) , or would this be a recipe for disaster?

Ghot · 31 Jan 2021

@A Gray

I had a similar problem last year. I just did an In-Place Upgrade.

Repair Install Windows 10 with an In-place Upgrade

Here is the short version of the In-place upgrade tutorial...

DISABLE non-Microsoft:
a) antivirus software
b) firewall software
c) drive encryption software

Make a full OS backup with a program like Macrium Reflect (free)
Macrium Software | Macrium Reflect Free

Go here and get the Media Creation Tool and save it to your desktop.
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/soft...load/windows10

RUN the Media Creation Tool and use it to: Create an ISO image... save IT to your desktop.
This will be the latest version of the ISO image.

Right click the ISO image and choose: MOUNT
Open File Explorer and you will see a new drive letter. It will look like a DVD optical drive.
Double click the new drive letter to open it.
Find setup.exe and double click it to start the in-place upgrade.

Choose the Keep personal files and apps option.

After it's all done... to UNmount the ISO image, right click the new drive letter and choose: EJECT.

The ONLY thing you will lose is some of your personalizations. Your programs and data will be intact.

A Gray · 02 Feb 2021

Hi Ghot,
I have now got my Lenovo laptop up to date and it is working fine thanks to your suggestion. I took the precaution of creating a backup using Macrium as suggested but so far it's use has not been required. There are one or two personalisations which have been changed but these are minor and I will deal with them in due course.

Ghot · 02 Feb 2021

A Gray said:

Hi Ghot,
I have now got my Lenovo laptop up to date and it is working fine thanks to your suggestion. I took the precaution of creating a backup using Macrium as suggested but so far it's use has not been required. There are one or two personalisations which have been changed but these are minor and I will deal with them in due course.

Now that you are up to the latest version of Windows... and so you won't need to redo what you have just done... make a new backup.
This is the power of backups. We can have more than one.

For example... before I do any monthly Windows updates, I make a backup. Then after the Windows update, when I'm sure everything is running fine, I make another backup.
I do the same for any major program installs, or any major tweaking I am about to partake in.

The object of the backup game is to use backups like System Restore is supposed to work. Have more than one choice IF a Restore becomes necessary.
I'd guess that the most backups I've ever kept at one time would be 5-6. Usually I only keep 3-4.
Usually after a MAJOR thing like an In-Place Upgrade...IF everything is running fine... I toss out all the backups from before the In-Place Upgrade.

Lastly, I ONLY make full OS image backups. I never make incremental or differential backups.
BUT, I only have about 37GB on my C;\ drive so a full OS image backup only takes me about 2.3 minutes.

Ofc, you will have to decide (depending on the time it takes to make a backup), if you will only make full OS image backups yourself.

Glad you got it worked out.

A Gray · 02 Feb 2021

Hi Ghot,
Thanks for the advice, I'll bear that in mind. I usually create a System Restore Point before doing any program updates just in case there is a problem and occasionally this has been very valuable. That of course does not work for system upgrades as it would be over written. The sytem back up that Macrium created was huge however, over 70GB so I would soon be out of capacity If I was to create many. Probably just one before a major system upgrade will have to be my limit.