Possibly the most controversial feature of Microsoft Windows 10 is the regular update service that is forced upon users. Sure, it is good to have your desktop operating system receive whatever regular feature updates and security updates that that come with the latest update. The flip of this, however, is that for too long Microsoft was forcing these updates upon us when we weren’t ready, getting in the way of whatever we were doing at the time. Even worse, in many cases Windows updates haven’t worked properly, Windows update problems are very common. If you’ve ever encountered a Windows update error, or if you’re annoyed because you tried to run Windows update and it failed, fear not; don’t go back to Google, we’re here to help.
Common Windows update errors and problems
As Microsoft has been updating Windows every six months or so since midway through 2015, there are many updates we could get into. We’re going to concentrate on the recent updates from October of last year (2018) and May of this year (2019). For clarity these are Windows versions 1809 and 1903 respectively. We’ll start with the most recent update, Windows 10 version 1903. This is how to fix Windows.
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Windows 10 version 1903 update issues
The recent Windows 10 May update has caused quite a few problems for users despite Microsoft trying to reboot its reputation and going to great pains to try and prevent similar issues to those cause by the October update from 2018. Microsoft has even created a dedicated webpage that lists all recorded Windows update 1903 issues. The page also includes a list of known fixes to each issue.
There are many different types of Windows 10 update error codes that could be behind your problem. You could see error codes like “windows 10 error code 0xc00000e9”, “windows 10 error code 0xc00000f”, “windows 10 error code 0xc004c003”, or “windows 10 update error 0x8000ffff”. If the sight of such codes gives you a headache, don’t worry. There is simple way to address many different types of Windows update errors. Step forward the Windows 10 update troubleshooting tool.
Windows Update Troubleshooter
The Windows Update Troubleshooter will analyse your system files, search for the problem that has stopped the Windows 10 update working, and then try and find a fix. All it takes is a simple click here and a right-click there. If you’re looking to fix Windows update without getting into the command prompt, this is what you need to do. When trying this fix remember to run as administrator.
To start the Windows update troubleshooting tool, open the Windows Settings , then hit Update & Security , and then finally select the Troubleshoot option. Find the Get up and running menu and then hit Windows Update at the bottom of the list. Click the Run the troubleshooter button to start the tool. The troubleshooter will then investigate what’s blocking your update and may offer a solution. If it does, click Apply this fix . Follow all the instructions the tool gives and then restart your device. This should have fixed your problem.
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More ways to fix your Windows update problems
Obviously, the Windows update troubleshooting tool we walked you through above can also be used to address common issues that’ll mean your Windows update won’t work. There are a number of other tricks you can use to try and sort out your update error codes.
One of the most common Win 10 update problems is not enough disk space . Windows 10 updates are very large these days meaning, if you don’t have plenty space on your hard drive, they won’t work properly. Check how much space you have on your drive , free up some disk space , and then try again when you have more free space.
Another problem, which you might not have considered is that your antivirus program might be interfering with the Windows update and causing errors. If you’ve run into problems updating Windows 10, try disabling your antivirus program and then running the update again . In extreme circumstances you may even need to delete your antivirus software temporarily while you update to the latest version of Windows 10.
Windows 10 update 1809 issues
You may remember that the Windows October 2018 update caused a lot of problems for the first people to download it. We specifically warned you not to install updates until, because they were deleting people’s files! Microsoft ended up pausing the roll-out of the update so that they could address the main issues.
If the update deleted any of your files, you need to contact Microsoft that says it is able to help you reclaim your lost files. You can find out all the necessary contact details on the Microsoft support website .
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Windows 10 Error Recovery
We’ve tried to walk you through the common tools and solutions Windows 10 has for fixing update errors. We’ve also shown you how to find official extensive lists of known Windows 10 update problems and potential fixes in case the common solutions won’t deal with your Windows 10 update error code. All of this, however, can seem a bit daunting and if your Windows 10 update fails every time, you may decide that you want to uninstall your Windows 10 update. If you can’t fix problems, reset them.
To uninstall your Windows 10 update if you have your login details, all you need to do is go to Settings , then Update & Security , look for Recovery , and then find Go back to the previous version of Windows 10. Finally, click Get started . You’ll see your update history and need to answer a quick question to help Microsoft improve future updates and then click No thanks when it asks you if you want to check for updates. Then keep clicking next until you get the option Go back to earlier build . Following these steps will revert Windows back to the previous version. This option is only available for ten days after you’ve updated Windows.
One thing you need to consider, however, on top of the ten day period is that if you’ve deleted the previous versions to free up space on your hard drive, this option won’t be available. This means you need to be sure you’re happy with the update you’ve installed before you delete previous versions.
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