Windows 10 is a success but it still has problems

As we approach the third anniversary of the release of Windows 10, most in the industry agree that it’s been Microsoft’s most successful operating system to date. Sure, there are still stalwarts stuck on Windows 7, but those are few and far between. Still, Windows 10 is not without problems, a couple of which can be alleviated with a little fore­thought.

First and foremost are problems with Windows Updates. Over the life span of Windows 10, Microsoft has gone from forcing updates and required restarts to allowing more and more control of when updates get applied and when associated restarts should happen.

Initial versions of Windows 10 would apply updates and force a system restart in “off-hours.” While this was, and continues to be, fine for a lot of folks, for others it’s maddening. If your files weren’t saved, then you ran the risk of losing data, especially for non-Microsoft applications.

The most recent versions of Windows 10 Pro allow you to defer feature updates for up to a year, and security-related updates for up to 30 days. It also allows you to choose whether to be on the “bleeding edge” of updates or more conservative. Go to Windows->Settings->Update &Security->Advanced options. Tip: If you can’t understand the options, leave them the way they are.

But therein lies the rub. The last couple of major updates, Nos. 1709 and 1803, have caused difficulty for many folks. 1709 particularly has a relatively high failure rate, and, even more annoyingly, when it fails, it keeps trying over and over again, sucking up resources and slowing systems to a crawl. While there are many suggested fixes that can be Googled, field experience shows that the most efficient solution is to reset the PC to factory settings.

This statement is not made lightly. A factory-reset requires backup of any data and reinstallation of any applications that did not come with the computer. Furthermore, many folks are running PCs that shipped with Windows 7 or 8 and ran the free upgrade to Windows 10. Although technically the PC is licensed for Windows 10, that upgrade is much more difficult to find nowadays.

WINDOWS 10 Home doesn’t allow you as much flexibility as the Pro version. Although sometimes derisively referred to as Windows 10 Cheap, the Home version is fine for most folks to use … at home. Most laptops sold in big-box or warehouse stores come with Windows 10 Home. In this age of BYOD (bring your own device), we often see folks buying their own laptops and bringing them into the office. And Windows 10 Home can be difficult, if not impossible, to integrate properly into an office network.

As luck would have it, Microsoft provides for an easy upgrade from Home to Pro, for $99. Keep this in mind if you are buying an inexpensive PC for the office; you might need to factor in this extra cost. As of this writing, it is possible to upgrade from Home to Pro for “free” by using an old Windows 7 or 8 Pro (or better) license key. It is not clear whether this is a Microsoft-approved approach or merely a loophole, so proceed with caution. Detailed instructions to perform this upgrade can be found by Googling “Windows 10 Home to Pro free upgrade.”

John Agsalud is an IT expert with more than 25 years of information technology experience. Reach him at jagsalud@live.com.