Windows 10 Pro December update with strange message on blue screen


  1. Posts : 50
    Windows 10 Pro
       #1

    Windows 10 Pro December update with strange message on blue screen


    What is this strange message on blue screen? Last week I heard someone mention it on a podcast - if not for that, I would have been sure my system had been hacked! Read on ...

    Have Lenovo Thinkpad W550s that was upgraded to Win 10 Pro from Win 7 Pro a few months ago. Hadn't used my computer for a few days (it was probably in sleep mode). On Tuesday eve, 15 December 2015, try to start up and see blank screen; had to hold down power button and then reboot. Here's where it gets interesting ...
    I get a blue screen (not BSOD) with a message in large letters (like 10 mm high) that says something to the affect of "Don't worry, your files are still safe". The blue screen background slowly cycles between dark and light. After more than 2 minutes the screen displays a new message, I don't recall what it was. And finally my computer boots into Windows.

    Sorry, I am not at my computer now, so cannot tell you what version it is currently running or what the update history is.

    So what happened?
      My Computers


  2. Posts : 5,169
    64bit Win 10 Pro ver 21H2
       #2

    Hello and welcome to the tenforums!

    You were updated to the latest Windows 10 Ver 1511

    Hopefully everything will work as before but you will notice a few changes. You can see more details about this here:

    First Major Update for Windows 10 Available
      My Computers


  3. Posts : 50
    Windows 10 Pro
    Thread Starter
       #3

    @philc43 Thanks for that info. I wonder why Microsoft chose the mysterious, alarming, even vaguely threatening message that they put on my screen? At the very least, where is it documented that this was their intended display. What's wrong with "Windows Update is running, XX% complete, may take a few minutes"?
      My Computers


  4. Posts : 5,169
    64bit Win 10 Pro ver 21H2
       #4

    What you saw was the end of the update process, most of which had taken place in the background during those few days when you had not used your laptop but left in a state where it could still download. The process automatically schedules a time to install, usually 3:30am and then the laptop has probably rebooted two or three times and your restart probably just completed the last stage.

    The message is actually to reassure you that your files are still all there, the next message was probably "just tidying up a few things..." and then you would have seen background picture before the login screen.

    I agree, if you are not expecting it you are completely thrown and I guess many people in a panic might switch off their machines. Of course this can then corrupt the files and cause problems so that the update fails. I'm not sure what the answer is but I think MS will have to give more control to the users so that they can manage these major updates at a time which is convenient and with full information about what is happening. The actual process can take an hour from start to finish.
      My Computers


  5. KWD
    Posts : 1
    Windows 10
       #5

    Just went through the same thing. With all the reports you see on ransomware, this is not really a good message to present especially as just it remains on the screen for some time. I kept expecting some other popup to be presented. It really should also have a Windows update logo or something on the screen explaining it.
      My Computer


 

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