Two weeks after Microsoft began rolling out the latest version of Windows 10, the Creators Update is now running on around 10 percent of all PCs using the operating system, according to the Windows Store cross-promotion network AdDuplex.
During the phased rollout, Microsoft has also been watching for ways to improve future updates and avoid or fix compatability issues. One strategy involves using a “block” to prevent ongoing updates on problem devices until an issue can be resolved.
On Monday, Microsoft also released its latest Insider Preview Build for Windows 10 Mobile users. However, the Creators Update will be available to only 60 percent of existing phones running Windows 10, with the remaining, usually older, devices ineligible for the new OS, according to data collected Monday from 5,000 Windows Store apps running AdDuplex software.
Feedback To Help Improve Future Rollouts
The AdDuplex April statistics report noted that Microsoft’s Creators Update rollout doesn’t appear to be proceeding much differently from the Anniversary Update that arrived in August.
“It isn’t easy to compare the velocity with Anniversary Update (due to release timing), but it seems to be more or less similar,” the AdDuplex report stated. “So, we can assume that Microsoft is rolling out the update with caution as they did the last time.”
As the Creators Update continues to be installed on more devices, Microsoft is watching feedback from users to adjust future rollouts, said John Cable, director of program management for Windows servicing and delivery.
Writing yesterday on the Windows 10 blog, Cable said the phased rollout for the Creators Update is starting with newer devices first, as those are likely to have “the best possible update experience.”
Microsoft will work to diagnose and resolve any problems using data provided by users via its Feedback Hub app, Cable noted. In addition to using that information to resolve issues with the Creators Update, the company will also work to fine-tune future rollouts, he added.
“While it is fantastic to see all the positive feedback on the new features and update experience in the Creators Update, we actually focus more on the issues users are reporting so we can improve the overall experience over time,” Cable said.
User Options To Avoid Update Problems
So far, the Creators Update has seemingly caused issues for only a few devices. Cable said the feedback from users helped Microsoft identify a Bluetooth connectivity problem the update is causing for PCs using “a specific series of Broadcom radios, ultimately resulting in devices not reconnecting as expected.”
After identifying that issue, Microsoft put a block on other devices using such Bluetooth radios to prevent the problem from appearing for more users. “Once a solution is available, we will update our forum post and remove the block,” Cable said.
Other ways in which Microsoft might respond to update issues is by providing users with documentation for troubleshooting or workarounds, or by creating updates in partnership with device and accessory partners.
For example, with the latest Insider Preview Build rolled out to Windows 10 Mobile users Monday, Microsoft has updated its privacy page and upgrade controls to prevent a problem that some users had seen with devices crashing or rebooting after updates.
Windows Business users might also see some changes in how Microsoft handles future updates. In a TechNet blog post Monday, senior product marketing manager Michael Niehaus noted that the company will begin routinely offering one or more updates each month in addition to the major security update released on the second Tuesday of every month.
Users can either deploy these additional updates in the same way as the Tuesday security updates, deploy them to only some devices to identify potential issues before an organization-wide rollout, or hold off on the additional updates until the following month’s Tuesday update.
[Source:-CIOToday]
