Don't rush to install the Windows 10 Creators Update
Most tech sites report that the Windows 10 Creators Update is out, and many don't fail to mention that the release is the official one.
The problem is, that Microsoft has not confirmed that yet, and the past has shown that the first release version is usually not the build that users will get when Microsoft unveils the new version officially.
When? Microsoft has not said so yet, but all things point to April 11, 2017 as the official release date.
The Windows 10 Creators Update brings along with it lots of changes and improvements; that's probably one reason why Windows 10 users are interested in upgrading their machines to the latest version of the operating system.
Another is probably that there is still a drive to get the latest version as soon as it is available, even if it means downloading it before Microsoft confirms that the release is indeed the RTM version of the Creators Update.
There is a high chance that version 15063 is the RTM, but to my best of knowledge, Microsoft has not made an official announcement yet that confirms that.
But even if it is the RTM, it does not mean that it will be the version that Microsoft is going to push out when the Creators Update is unveiled officially. The build has not even reached the Release Preview channel of the Windows Insiders program yet.
The Anniversary Update
It is probably best to look back at the release of the Anniversary Update back in 2016 to understand how Microsoft operates, and what is likely going to happen in the coming weeks.
The release build of the Anniversary edition of Windows 10 was version 14393. It was available prior to release, and users downloaded it in droves just like they do right now. Microsoft did update the build before release, and then again to version 14393.10 as the final release version on August 2, 2016.
Woody over on Infoworld notes that the final release brought along with it a massive number of bugs and issues, and Microsoft pushed out cumulative update after cumulative update to fix those issues.
It seems likely that Microsoft will do the same for build 15063. This means on the other hand that the current build may not be the final build that Microsoft will release. Users who download and install the build will have to download and install cumulative updates that Microsoft releases to update the operating system again if that is the case.
They will also have to deal with bugs and issues in the meantime that get patched before release.
So what should you do?
While you can go ahead and download and install the available build right now on your machine, you better make sure you have created a full backup of the system before you run the upgrade.
There will be reports of bugs and issues, and if you are unlucky, you are hit by one or multiple bugs during or after installation.
It is best to wait in my opinion. You can wait until Microsoft reveals the Creators Update officially, or even better, until it is promoted to the Windows Branch for Business. Yes, that means waiting another four or so months before installation, but it ensures a higher grade of quality as well.
Things may be different if you require access to one of the features introduced in the Creators Update.
Now You: Do you wait, or download the update right away?
Interesting! I killed Cortana by renaming the folder, and that has held up for me. But I am frozen on 1607, so I guess I got the killing-timing right.
I never liked Cortana. Talking to my computer is sort of stupid IMHO. Maybe for a tablet, but not a desktop. I want to use the computer for what it is, but talking to it? I doubt it! I have a desktop. Come on! Cortana is kiddy stuff. Again, my personal opinion. The only reason why I’d install the creator’s update is so I can postphone all the other updates other than critical or security updates. Absolutely no driver updates. Microsoft hasn’t got that down pat yet. Probably never will. Across platforms Microsoft has done the impossible. No other better operating system can rival that accomplishment. Again, my personal opinion. I also dislike live tiles, so I installed classic shell which made the start menu look like windows 7 (which I liked). Worked perfect. I even use Bing as my search engine. Got very tired of Google, but use google chrome. Liked Firefox, but it became a resource hog. You can’t really get rid of cortana (wish you could) but you can minimize her. I turned off everything I could that effected performance and privacy. That’s what I want is performance. Not all the eye candy and bulls__t. To sum it up: Microsoft has built a remarkable os. Linux is to dependent on sudo commands. Hell, sometimes it’s impossible to get a driver for your sound card. Plus you have to recompile and jump through the hoop for just about everything. Mac, you have to be entrenched into the apple eco system. In other words pay for everything and have stuff jammed down your throat. What’s not to like about Microsoft? Download and use anything you want free of charge or go to the store and pay for it! Bashing Microsoft is totally ludicrous! Bet you used windows 3.0 or 3.1 to start with. Not Apple or Linux. Come on!!! I’m not a Microsoft fanboy, but what you have is chrome os, linux, Microsoft, or Apple to choose from. Which do you prefer?
Dependent on sudo commands?! Completely trivial and irrelevant.
in the creators update, if you kill cortana and then rename the folder to kill it, windows 10 grays out your start menu and nothing is clickable. it just wont work unless you let cortana have her way. I wish they would make a desktop os like windows 7 with the security improvements of windows 10. no mobile, no store, no metro-app bullshit. just a plain functional non touch os for desktop keyboard & mouse users. I ditched windows 10 after the creators update and went back to 8.1 pro. I have stability and control over my pc again.
What did you expect? You kill an essential process tied to the Start Menu, rename the folder and still complain that it should work?
You have the option to kill Cortana and use a different Start Menu – there are better ones anyway.
killing cortana by renaming the folder worked fine prior to the creators update. it reset all the privacy settings made prior, including un-doing the renamed folder to bring cortana back to life.
My recomendation: Move to Linux. Microsoft suck everyday more and more.Windows 10 sucks. Microsoft believes that they are allowed to invade your computer when they want, steal your data, spy you and block your internet connection when they want installing bulshit called updates. Even more, they decide to restart your computer when they want to and to implement new “versions” as they want. Well, Microsoft, listen a bit to an IT engineer with 27 years of experience from the beginning of the computers world. You Microsoft are committing suicide. Remember I am the customer that pays for your garbage, don’t forget. If you deliver garbage you will be paid with garbage too. You Microsoft with your stupid mental retarded engineers already fucked my work of months a couple of times due to you decided to install updates (remember that your updates are patches to correct the garbage you program, I did not ask for them) and restart my computer. Well, my computer is running programs with very complicated prime numbers calculations for month but suddenly you decide that my work needs to be fucked off and you restart my computer after implementing your latest garbage called updates.
Think of a computer taken care a nuclear weapon , or a satellite, or any sophisticated system that runs dangerous control processes. You suddenly stopped because you decide that is more important install your bullshit updates and restart my computer. Remember Microsoft that I paid for your bullshit O.S. but you dont pay my ADSL connection so I suppose to expend my internet bandwidth the way I want and when I want, but you decide to lock my internet link downloading garbage or new update without asking for it.how long? Not anymore, I move to Linux. Many flavours. free and more privacy…. Bye bye MS, have a nice suicide in the near future. Expensive prices for garbage and spy for free.
You know whats crazy about Win10?
Windows Update has a self healing agent built into it, the reason you can’t disable Windblows Update is because of the self healing agent. Discovered this while fooling around in NtLite, their practically not letting the consumer shut off updates. To which the impracticality of the os is entirely tied to, if you could turn off bob the magnet it would render apps and cortana’s cock useless. Thus it is nothing more than toe jam for “We’re fuck’n pricks!” because gaming and office programs in M$ land are now cloud services.
The privacy utilities aren’t working anymore? I do know Spybot Anti-Beacon refreshes after every restart.
On 2017-04-05 I thought I would not jump the gun by installing Creators Update, but today I changed my mind. It only took 41 minutes from download to completion of the last restart on my Home laptop. There is a lot to explore, and so far I am pleasantly surprised to get the feeling it is actually a polished product – no bugs seen so far.
I’ll wait… b/c
1) last update (anniv update) was rocky; it reset a lot of my UI settings and stuff, and that’s a major headache to deal with when deadlines for work/school are pressing.
2) I’m not really interested in all the new features they keep adding, especially if they’re auto-start / no way to turn them off sorts of things. I like to keep my PC trimmed down for what I want to do with it, but MS keeps rolling out more features in “you will take it whether you like it or not, b/c we’re forcing it on and you have no way to turn it off” fashion. Not a fan of that.
3) Only thing I’m really interested in is performance improvements… but, I don’t really hear anything about that on this update. So, less inclination to care.
4) there’s very basic issues with the OS as it is that they’re not fixing, like the initial login picture sync’ing up with what you set to the lock screen.. or the fact that you can’t disable the lock screen w/o going through gpedit.msc (and even then it doesn’t work sometimes). Until they fix these basic issues, I really don’t care about them adding more major features…b/c more major features means minor issues are not getting fixed, and major features means more minor issues rolling in.
5) I want them to stop treating my PC like a tablet.. or like a VR space now. I don’t do VR on my pc. I’m glad that some folks do. But, I don’t. I know VR is the latest fad, especially for gaming… but like with 3D, I don’t care. My PC should still work like a PC and be stable in doing so without them slapping another fad’s coat of paint all over it. It was bad enough when in XP they were trying to make XP look and work like a web browser. Then in 8,1 they forced touch-style interface bullshit onto PC users. Now in 10 I worry they’re going to get caught up in trying to force VR-centric UI onto us non-VR users. I don’t want that. I just want my basic PC enviornment without feeling like it was meant for something else (web, tablet, etc).
6) Win 10 PC version still is a different animal then Win 10 smartphone/tablet version. Unless they’re magically going to sync those together soemtimes soon, so app developers that make a Win 10 smartphone app can simply provide 1 app that will also work seemlessly on Win 10 PC version without having to port their smartphone version to PC version… then I don’t care. MS is trying to act like Win 10 is a seemless experience between PC, tablet and phone, but it’s not. It’s superficial in nature; just UI smoke and mirrors. The back-end workings of the OS is different between PC and phones, and developers are tired of still having to support 2 different OS’ while MS is strutting around acting like they’re just maintaining one.
7) Over April Fools, Windows Defender was reporting a false positive virus that Microsoft themselves caused. So, maybe they need to focus less on adding new features if they can’t even keep their security updates and their security software from wigging out of dumb things they’re doing on their own.
So.. yeah.. unless this update makes my PC faster, or actually makes the leap to merge PC and smartphone Windows 10 versions into a real, unified OS, or stops crapping all over my UI with whatever latest interface fad is abound (VR in this case) ….
I really just don’t give a shit. In fact, I’m actually worried about the stupid thing auto-updating itself like Anniv Ed. did, and fucking up my OS settings and making me lose a day’s worth of productivity having to go through and set everything back the way I had it.
So… I started typing this a bit light-hearted, but after running through all that minutia of shit I just type, now I’m jsut pissed off, and wish there was some way to keep this new update from hitting my pc.
WOW, Dan Dowling…..my thoughts exactly.
I’m sick to death of Windows bashing. Everyone running Windows should be upgrading to Windows 10 by now. Windows 10 is far better “under the hood” then Windows 7. The Windows developers are some of the best in the world and have worked very hard to improve Windows. They deserve credit for their work. I like Linux, but it’s just too difficult for your average user. There are only two realistic OS opitions for most people, Windows, and MacOS. The disadvantages of MacOS anyone reading this already knows, so I will not get into it. As for Windows 8.1 I simply can’t understand why anyone would run that instead of Window 10. Windows 8.1 was an Alpha release of Windows 10. Window 10 fixes so many of the issues with Windows 8.1 it’s not even funny. Nobody should be running 8.1 anymore.
As for the looks of Windows 10, it’s a personal choice and if you don’t like it, then change it. There are all sorts of ways to change the looks of Windows. Personally, I like most of it. Some of the interface changes for touch devices are a bit annoying, but I think Microsoft makes a good compromise between touch and mouse. It would be unreasonable to expect Microsoft to create different interfaces for everything so that there is one for touch and a second for mouse. One of the big things that people think they don’t like about Windows 10 is the Start Menu. This is one item I really like about Windows 10. I can see and start all the applications on my computer with one click on the Start button and one click on the program. No scrolling or submenu clicking needed. Try starting any application on a Windows 7 like Start Menu without scrolling and see how far you get. Try using the new Start Menu long enough to get used to it, most of you will not go back.
Now lets talk about the biggest complaint Windows bashers have. Stability, drivers, and device support. Anyone reading ghacks should be able to build a computer. So now consider all the many different combinations that are possible with Motherboard, Processors, Graphics cards, etc. If you could add up the combinations, it would probably be in the 10’s of billions. For most of the people, most of the time, Windows works like it’s supposed to. It’s remarkable that this one OS is able to handle so much like it usually does. No other OS even comes close to handling the same variety hardware. Most major Windows problems result from driver issues, and most of the time it’s the manufacturer of some device that screwed up the driver, not Microsoft. Actually, the most common reason for Windows issues is that the user did something dumb due to ignorance or stupidity. So what has Microsoft done to improve the stability of Windows? How about creating the largest group of beta testers in the history of computing! The insider program just hit 10 million. Again, no other OS even comes close.
So give credit where credit is due. By and large, Microsoft is doing a hell of a job. They’re not perfect, nobody is. If you like another OS better, that’s fine. Use whatever OS you like. However, there is no good reason to flood the internet with how much you think Windows “sucks”. If your average user does an internet search for Microsoft Windows, all they are going to find is article after article about how “bad” Windows is. I feel that’s a real shame as the developers and all the other people that work hard to make Windows as good as they can don’t deserve to be treated that way.
I don’t work for, know anyone, or have any relation to anyone at Microsoft. Now or in the past. I’m just another Windows user. I also understand how much is sucks to get blamed for things that aren’t your fault or you have no control over.
@ Dan – No…sorry…I’ve just read you again.
You are so patronising when you say : ‘One of the big things that people think they don’t like about Windows 10 is the Start Menu. ‘
I mean, who are you to tell me what I think I don’t like. I KNOW what I like and what I don’t like, and I can tell you that the Windows 10 Start menu is pretty poor, and I don’t use it on my Win10 PCs.
I don’t need anyone to tell me what I think I might think, I might think wrongly. Everyone has to do think their way, and personally I don’t like the Start menu in Win10 at all, but I accept if someone else does!!!
Also, don’t please talk to others about stability. This is crazy!!! Windows 10 testing procedures are deeply and fundamentally flawed. Just you try telling something like this to someone that one night, had a perfectly functioning PC, and then the next morning, they had nothing but a BSOD.
Then pretend for a minute, that they have not a clue what to do about that? That would be a bad place to be.
Honestly, its some time since I read such words from a fellow Ghacks reader/contributor. I’m tempted to suggest that you actually DO work for Microsoft, but I won’t patronise you, and just accept your words that you don’t.
Let everyone do what’s right, and actually, I think Microsoft deserve quite a lot of bashing, and that’s coming from someone that uses Win10 and actually likes a lot of what’s on offer.
@Dan – …..Dan, to be really honest with you – I wouldn’t have pitched my thoughts quite as you have, though you are of course entirely right to see things just as you wish.
The problem is that your words are too opinionated. They don’t leave any “wriggle room” for anyone else to have a different view.
Many of the things you say are likely correct, but you (IMO) need to have a little more subtlety and a little less forcefulness (I think so anyway), if you are to get people on board.
Everyone has to do things “their way”, and your words leave no space for that to happen.
Agreed.. People need to can the conspiracy theories and BS, and get over it. Windows 10 works fine, as does the Creators update, which I am running.
I would agree with you if Microsoft didn’t force upgrades on unsuspecting users, lying and making dialog boxes deliberately unclear, erred on turning telemetry “up to 11,” and not having a central location to turn off ALL telemetry. Indeed, there are improvements, especially on the security end. Another insult to injury, though, is smashing the mobile “apps” on the desktop with no choice, two control panels, and a safe mode requiring more clicks to get running.
I believe the word “not” is missing from the first sentience of the article.
We should have stayed with window version 1 and worked out all the bugs.
https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2014/oct/02/from-windows-1-to-windows-10-29-years-of-windows-evolution
Still no tabs for explorer :(
https://i.imgur.com/qp1oVZO.png
You want tabs? Have you tried Q-DIR?
Actually, Microsoft just announced that the Creators Update will be coming April 11th: https://blogs.windows.com/windowsexperience/2017/03/29/windows-10-creators-update-coming-april-11-surface-expands-markets
Thank you for the confirmation.
We have a saying in my country:
“Those in a hurry, usually eat raw and hot.”
So… be careful
My Spanish girlfriend said there’s a saying in Spain: What doesn’t kill you, makes you fat. Us Finns say: Don’t eat the yellow snow where the Huskies go. The Swedes have a saying: all muslim rapists welcome! The list goes on and on.. but yours was very good. What does it have to do with Windows 10 Creators update? Testers will get the runs and burn their tongue?
Creators update still running fine on my testing machines, will wait a few days until all major software vendors update their stuff so I can start MOLESTING this thing.
I’ve decided right here and now to stop following this kind of Win10 topics. That so-called “Creators Update” and more, it’s all just a ruse of Microsoft to somehow keep its Windows 10 crap pile in the center of everyone’s attention, but without them ever making any kind of substantial improvement — on the contrary, I would say.
Really, I’m getting so sick and tired of all this inflated nonsense, this continuous stream of completely non-substantial attention-keepers from Microsoft. Update my **s. You know what? I’m going to wait for the rumored successor of Windows 10. That would be Windows 9, right?
Goodbye, farewell, and may God bless you all.
I have permanently abandoned Windows over the W10 dirty tricks one of which partially caught me on Swambo’s laptop. But I follow the foibles and follies of MS as I suspect I will need to be aware of what is happening with W10 to help others.
The problem I see with W10 (and all other available OSes) is that OSes are mature products with no real incentive for users to upgrade other than to have a currently supported version – there are solid reasons to use a supported version. Otherwise, any new OS version will not offer any new features other than some minor niche features which most will never use. If you are W7 or W8.1 I do not see any compelling to upgrade/downgrade to W10 as they are supported versions.
I took that same decision, Henk, last October, with exactly the same feelings you express. Nevertheless I follow Windows 10′ voyage throughout its inflated space of nonsense, but I admit a relief comparable to that of an earthing viewing a rocket’s fiasco. Relief would be greater if so many users weren’t aboard. Also, as I often mentioned it, I am curious to see how this odyssey will evolve. Maybe one day — somewhere, over the rainbow … — Win10 will finally make it in terms of reliability. Whatever, will remain the tracking and advertisement problematic. What will become of Windows 10 within the, say, next two years is unpredictable.
Hank
May the Force be with you. :)
I agree with Jeff. Don’t be a lemming.
I wouldn’t take much notice of anything he has to say, his mum and dad are brother and sister.
Installed on two testing pc’s already, so far no issues whatsoever. In fact, Anniversary Update fully updated and patched had numerous hickups on these machines. Slowly, veeeeeeeery slowly, but surely Microsoft are improving Windows 10. I also installed the excellent StartIsBack++ 2.0.1 and with that onboard and Creators Update I almost dare to recommend Windows 7 users making the jump to Windows 10..almost..
>to recommend Windows 7 users making the jump to Windows 10
Hey, first april is still three days away (;
Good one!
Yuliya,
You can ALWAYS fool some of the people. :)
That’s why I said “almost” =) I am a hardcore Windows 7 fan/Windows 10 hater, but they are slowly improving. The 3 years Windows 7 has left will go by very quickly too, and linux isn’t for everyone, so I am glad to see at least some improvement from Windows 10. Apparently the upcoming NEON will improve the visual side of things as well, so maybe eventually things will be well in Windows-land. But sweet Lord baby Jesus do they move slooooooooow..
I’m going to wait till the update officially releases, with all the bugs fixed hopefully
It’s certainly true that 15063 may not be the release version – running the previews I noticed I think with 15061(?) that the eval watermark vanished, then 15062(?) was released and it was back. With 15063 the watermark has gone again so it could be a sign, but like before could easily revert again.
I just set up Current Branch for Business plus 180 days.
If Neon update turns out to be worth it, I will do a nice clean install in the autumn.
Neon update could be SP2 moment for W10.
I won’t rush. I’ll wait at least two days! :-)
I’m hoping a bug in .NET might have been fixed – affects one of my programs.
And, of course, I’ll imagine my boot drive first.
Idiots have still persisted with Windows 10 after the updating fiasco? Just upgrade to Windows 8.1 or 7 already.
why be so harsh on the poor fellow?He is playing all this shit for benefit of humanity and not himself . So, like most poor people ,a new addition to the family,despite the earlier produced could be dying side by side, and that is what this poor idiot is doing.What a nightmare for people who are mislead to believe that they can safely rely on its gimmicks.So that is the motto and ??????? of this so called charity giver.Decision is your,tolerate him or move away.
If you bought a Kaby Lake or Ryzen CPU then you’d have to upgrade to Linux instead (or FreeBSD if that tickles your fancy). MS has gone out of their way to block the older OSes from updating on the newer CPUs – something I find to be a dangerous decision as far as security goes.
I built a new computer last week with a Kaby Lake Pentium G4560 and I installed Windows 8.1. No issues installing 8.1 via USB and installing drivers/updating UEFI.
I didn’t even bother checking whether Windows Update works and just got updates via Autopatcher (WSUS Offline should work as well). PC runs flawlessly so far.
The only Kaby Lake related compatibility issue is that I can’t install the driver for the internal graphics, but I’ve got a GPU (sucks that I can’t use the IGP in case the GPU dies).
Other than that I say Kaby Lake works perfectly fine on 8.1 (and most likely 7/Vista etc.). No reason to get 10.
Cheers
On 7 you could use Simplix update pack or WSUS offline which also works on 8.1. Windows LTSB is also a choice, as consumer versions of Windows 10 are trash and should be avoided at all costs. If you don’t depend on Windows, then Linux (Debian – Cinnamon) is a better choice.
This particular update brings nothing important (save for regedit’s address bar) but more annoyances, and issues as it seems. Plus I don’t know what sane person wants an OS reinstallation twice a year.
To all Fast Ringers.
Before you install (or let MS auto install) this Update, I STRONGLY recommend that you click on the link above to Woody at Infoworld and read his blog carefully.
Woody’s blog will save you a lot of grief and problems.
If you do decide to jump in feet first, make sure that you follow Martin’s advice and make a full backup !
Alternatively, you could follow Jeff’s recommendation ref W7/W8.1. :)