UKC

Hi,

can somebody advise why any windows 10 updates take so long...

I am trying to download/ install a available updates...not only do they take an age to download/ install(sit on the same % stage for a while) my PC is practically rendered useless whilst doing it...this has been going on all morning to early arvo.

I am writing this on my iPhone as my pc has almost become unusable (everything is not responding).

this seems to happen every time I have a windows update...

any help/ tips out there? Hopefully I will get more sense and a quicker reply from UKC than I do from Microsoft help...!

thanks in advance!

Two questions:

1. Is your OS on an SSD?
2. Is this one of the major updates?

If 1 is false, you should put your OS on an SSD in general, you will see a massive performance increase across the board.

If it is one of the major updates, it's actually more a complete re-installation of the OS than an update, hence why it takes this long.

I had quite a few updates to do yesterday when I wound my computer back 5 mouths.

Even with the updates running I was still able to use my computer.

Or were your updates forced on reboot/shut down?

If this is the case, you have my sympathies.

As Alkis mentioned, the way MS do it with Win10 is to completely re-install Windows every so often.  This is typically twice a year, but the exact timing can vary and some systems will skip one now and then.  Usually, the wording of the prompt asking to reboot is a bit different, so I tend to watch for them and set them off just before I leave the office or go to bed. The wording is something like "Feature update to windows 10 version 2004".

Edit: to be clear: this is in addition to the once a month bugfixes and security updates.

The length of time taken to perform a windows update has a direct correlation to the importance of the task you need to perform and the time frame you have to perform it in. 

Hi, is this like one of those Xmas quizzes you get where you need to fill in the gaps...

Operating System on a SSD????

Yes, it could be one of the big updates ' Cumulative updates for Windows 10....'

Yes, it seemed to have completed now, but quire frustrating, as it seemed to not be able to install/ download...

Why does that happen?

Bizarrely, I didn't need to restart my PC, but whle they were installing/ downloading, everything was very slow...

Seemed to work their way through now, after a few attempts....

Yes, I will do that later...thanks...

I did a monthly update yesterday

• 2020-11 Cumulative Update for Windows 10

it didn't take that long (about 15 mins including download, install, and reboot; OS is on an SSD).

There is an update pending:

• Feature update to Windows 10, version 20H2: The next version of Windows is available with new features and security improvements. When you're ready for the update, select "Download and install".

I'm leaving this for a while and will wait while MS iron out any glitches.  I suspect it'll be a big update.

It's their way for preparing you the eventual performance of the OS once the "updates" have successfully "installed".

Unfortunate timing? 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/amp/technology-54917363

I find it's really important to clean up after windows updates and then also clean up with the system files option once I'm happy with the updates, followed by a defrag.  Repeat every time your machine seems less nippy.

If you keep your disk with plenty of room in reserve and defragmented then even an old machine like this Dell E4300 will be reasonable to use  with Win 10 (look it up to see how old it is, upgraded to a whole 4Gb of main-store!)

Is that easy to do...In theory I have Dell Support which should clean up any old stuff..

Looking at my OS space..I have only used .15 of a TB I have 1.65TB left...

To be fair, once the updates all went through - took a best part of the day, the PC runs quite quickly...And last week I uninstalled Firefox, and now use Edge..that seems to have helped...

Another joy of solid state drives so no defeats.

Sodding  predictive text.

Defrag. NOT defeats.

When it comes to free-will computers using unfair tactics against users perhaps you were close to the mark.

Talking about 'Edge' I uninstalled it on my new pc, but it had reappeared after a Windows update. Is this not annoying?

Basically Microsoft can install and remove what ever it wants from any Window's 10 computer.

No national security issues, to see here. Move along now.