Windows 10 Fall Creators Update: don’t be spooked

Windows 10 Fall Creators Update: don’t be spooked.

Today (October 17, 2017) Microsoft released another one of those mammoth Windows 10 updates. The last one, Spring 2017, terrorized unprepared Windows 10 users for several months.

What are these mammoth updates?

Instead of rolling out a new operating system or service pack, Microsoft, starting with Windows 10, now puts out big operating system updates twice a year.  These updates contain security upgrades, feature updates and changes settings and pretty pictures according to Microsoft.

What it means for means for most small businesses: a computer that can’t be used for at least an hour while this update installs. And then it usually breaks customized settings. Example: the Edge internet browser deciding it will open all PDF files to the annoyance of all.

Windows 10 Fall Creator’s Update: don’t be spooked

If you’re more visual, watch my YouTube video. Otherwise read on.

One of the few useful features in the last Creator’s Update is the ability to manage  the updates.

Go to Start, click on Settings (that Gear wheel icon right above the power button) and then click Update and Security (bottom of the list).

Windows 10 Update settingsYou can start by changing the active hours. You can pick up to an 18 hour spread. I usually set my active hours from 8am to 7pm. Once you set the active hours, Microsoft will not restart your computer during those hours.

Once the computer has  started the update process you can change the time it will finish installing the update and rebooting the computer. That is changed via the Restart options. The only caveat with using that function is that invariably certain computer functions are going to be slower or non functional until you restart. The last update disabled the Windows Store features until it was rebooted for example.

Your other option is to force the update on your computers on your schedule. Go to the Microsoft Windows 10 software download page and plan for at least an hour and a half of installing and rebooting. Or get help from your trusted IT consultant.