Microsoft Stops Windows 10 October 2018 Update Distribution Due to Major Bugs and Issues
UPDATE 2: Windows 10 October 2018 Update has been re-released to public.
SUMMARY: Recently released Windows 10 October 2018 feature update contained some serious bugs and issues such as automatic deletion of users personal files and data from user profile folder. To fix these bugs and issues, Microsoft has pulled the update from its servers. Now Windows 10 October 2018 update is no longer available for download and upgrade at the moment.
UPDATE: Following article describes the reason behind automatic files deletion bug in October 2018 feature update:
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Reason Behind Users Files Deletion Bug in Windows 10 October 2018 Update
On October 2, 2018, Microsoft released the latest October 2018 feature update version 1809 for Windows 10. It was a new feature update for Windows 10 containing several new features, enhancements, bug fixes and improvements. It was under development and testing since 6 months. Microsoft was regularly releasing new builds of October 2018 update to Windows Insiders so that they can test and report bugs and issues to Microsoft.
When Microsoft finalized a solid build which was not containing any bug or known issues, the company released it to public as October 2018 update. The feature update was released via Windows Update. Since the update was distributed in phases, not all Windows 10 users received the update.
For people who prefer clean/fresh installation of operating systems, Microsoft also provided standalone offline ISO files of Windows 10 October 2018 update via Update Assistant, Media Creation Tool and direct download from Microsoft servers.
As soon as users started upgrading to the October 2018 update, reports started coming about several serious bugs and issues found in this new feature update.
The major bug was the deletion of users personal data present in default users folders such as documents, downloads, pictures, music, videos, etc. Many Windows 10 users reported that when they upgraded their Windows 10 machines to new October 2018 update, it automatically deleted all files/folders present in Users folders. They were unable to find their personal documents and files. The users folders were empty. Many users claimed that they lost several GBs of data due to this bug or issue.
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There was no way available to get the deleted data back. Users were unable to restore their valuable data using all built-in features. Even restoring/rollback Windows to previous version didn’t restore the removed files.
Some users were able to get the deleted files back using a free data recovery software called Recuva but it’s not 100% working method. There are very less chances to get the deleted files/folders back using such data recovery software.
Some users suggested that the bug/issue was caused by an option enabled in Group Policy Editor (gpedit.msc). The option name is “Delete user profiles older than a specified number of days on system restart” and it’s present under “Computer Configuration -> Administrative Templates -> System -> User Profiles” section. If the feature was enabled, the October 2018 update automatically removed users files and folders present under their user profile folder. But many users claimed that they were using Windows 10 Home/Core edition which doesn’t come with group policy editor and they also faced this automatic data deletion bug. So it’s not confirmed what caused this major bug happening to many users.
When lots of users reported this major issue, Microsoft finally acknowledged the issue and pulled the October 2018 update from servers. Now it’s no longer available on Windows Update. Also the ISO files have been removed from the servers. Now the previous April 2018 update is being distributed from Microsoft servers.
Microsoft has posted information about this move at official Windows 10 Update History page. It mentions:
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. If you have manually downloaded the Windows 10 October 2018 Update installation media, please don’t install it and wait until new media is available. We will provide an update when we resume rolling out the Windows 10 October 2018 Update to customers.
So if you downloaded Windows 10 October 2018 update ISO files via any means, DO NOT install or upgrade your computer using it. Wait for the official announcement and new release of the same feature update which will come with fixes to these bugs and issues.
Other bugs and issues found by some users in October 2018 update are as following:
- The upgrade to October 2018 update automatically deleted all existing System Restore points and also disabled System Restore functionality.
- Task Manager reports inaccurate CPU usage.
- The arrows to expand background processes in Task Manager blinks constantly and weirdly.
- Compatibility problem with Intel Display Audio device drivers (intcdaud.sys version 10.25.0.3 to 10.25.0.8) which causes excessive processor demand and reduced battery life.
- All scheduled tasks created by the users in Task Scheduler deleted.
- Events information from Event Viewer program erased.
- Many personalized settings in Settings app were restored to defaults.
- Several error messages and error codes such as 0x80070003, 0x80070070, 0x2000D, 0xC1900101, 0x80072EFD, etc were encountered during upgrade process.
- Microsoft Edge not usable after upgrade.
- Microsoft Edge deleted bookmarked websites after upgrade.
- Microsoft Store and other UWP apps such as Microsoft Edge, Mail, Calendar, News, etc unable to connect to Internet after upgrade.
- Computers connected to local network no longer visible after upgrade.
- Lots of UI issues in new Dark Theme in File Explorer and other areas.
So wait for the new media release of Windows 10 October 2018 Update and then upgrade your computers to the new feature update. We hope the new media release will come with fixes to all known bugs and issues and users will be able to enjoy the new features and improvements introduced in new feature update.
Stay tuned with us. We’ll keep you informed when Microsoft starts distributing October 2018 Update again.
Also Check:
How to Prevent or Skip Feature Update Installation in Windows 10
Wow! Your article made the hair stand up on the back of my neck. Fortunately, I installed the October update with no problem. I’ve checked and everything here is fine, thank goodness! I never allow automatic updates anymore. I update manually. I have an up to date recovery drive and updated the driver needed for this update.
The manual update (not ISO) checks for compatibility which was fine. The update was not any faster than previous ones though. Right now I feel as though I dodged a bullet! It would be interesting to know if the age of the affected computers is a factor. Mine is a Dell XPS 8910 less than two years old. I bought it after build 1511 destroyed my old computer which was completely unrecoverable. Hope this never happens to anyone else. I have an external hard drive here so backup all of the user files on a regular basis. It is sad that we have to be afraid to update our computers.
Reply to “Robert Zito,” widely quoted as to his shock and horror at losing “23 years worth of files, 220 gb, in my documents folder!”
In all of those 23 years, NOT EVEN ONCE did you consider to make a backup?
How long would it have taken you to copy those 220gbs onto an external drive.
A trifle!
“The upgrade to October 2018 update automatically deleted all existing System Restore points and also disabled System Restore functionality.”…What a bug, I wonder why this wasn’t picked up through the ‘Windows Insider Program’.
Lesson learned, always backup prior to any windows updates rolled out from now on.
There has been a problem with Insider Updates since build 17713. Same bug from then to Release build. I guess that Microsoft did not read the Feedback furnished by Insiders like myself. There has been a problem with Update and Install beginning with the 17713 build for me. These reports of missing personal files is not new. Every time I upgraded the to current Insider Release I had to do a Clean Install. Learned many years ago to not place my personal files on the same drive with the OS. I have always stored my personal files on an external drive. I ended my Insider Program and have decided to stay in the just updates and apps. Really a bad way to end a program that started out so well.
I run into problems with Excel’s TEXT function not being able to convert year and month correctly.
I also got problems with some VBA code I use for Outlook, causing out of memory errors. The code got stuck on this row:
Set wdDoc = objOpenInspector.WordEditor
After going back to previous Windows 10 version 1803 things are working again. Office version (Office 2016 or Office 365) 16.0.10827.20138 and 16.0.10730.20127 both work fine on Windows 10 1803.
thank god im in the fast lane of previews and now on rs6. which runs really well. but yeah i never save files to users/etc. i always save to another drive.
October 9, 2018—KB4464330 (OS Build 17763.55) is released.
This update includes quality improvements. No new operating system features are being introduced in this update. Key changes include:
Addresses an issue where an incorrect timing calculation may prematurely delete user profiles on devices subject to the “Delete user profiles older than a specified number of day” group policy.
Security updates to Windows Kernel, Microsoft Graphics Component, Microsoft Scripting Engine, Internet Explorer, Windows Storage and Filesystems, Windows Linux, Windows Wireless Networking, Windows MSXML, the Microsoft JET Database Engine, Windows Peripherals, Microsoft Edge, Windows Media Player, and Internet Explorer.