Windows 10 May 2019 Update announced, and major update changes

Microsoft announced major Windows Update related changes today; the company wants more time to test the next feature update for Windows 10 and has made the decision to release it at the end of May 2019 instead of March / April 2019. Starting with that release, feature updates won't be downloaded and installed on compatible systems anymore immediately after availability (in other words, they are not forced onto systems immediately after release anymore).
Mike Fortin, Corporate Vice President Windows, explains that Microsoft wants "to be confident in the quality of the May 2019 Update" and that the decision was made to extend the time the update will be tested before release.
The May 2019 Update will be available in the Release Preview Ring starting next week. Microsoft plans to make it available to a broader audience from late May onward (note that this includes admins who use "check for updates" this one last time).
Windows 10 Feature Updates changes
What may be even more interesting from a user's and administrator's point of view is that the company announced a major change in regards to feature updates.
Feature updates were released twice a year previously; when Microsoft deemed that a system was ready for update, it would push out the update to the system automatically. Users could start the update to the new version manually by clicking on the "check for updates" button in the Windows Update interface, or by using other tools to upgrade.
Starting with the May 2019 update, "users will be more in control of initiating the feature OS update" according to Mike Fortin.
Means: Microsoft plans to change how and when feature updates are delivered to (home) customer devices.
The company plans to split feature updates from general update checking on Windows 10 devices that run the May 2019 update or newer versions.
The "check for updates" option won't check for feature updates anymore so that only monthly quality and security updates are downloaded and installed on Windows 10 devices when the button is used by a system administrator.
Windows Update displays when new feature updates are available separately. Administrators may select to download and install these feature updates but they don't have to according to Microsoft so that they may stay on the current version as long as it is supported. Windows 10 version 1803 and 1809 will feature that option "by late May" as well according to Microsoft.
Microsoft says that there won't be any pressure to upgrade until the particular version of Windows 10 reaches end of support. Windows 10 may still notify users when new feature updates are available for the machine.
The May 2019 Update introduces other major update-related changes. Administrators may pause updates for a period of up to 35 days separated into chunks of seven days at a time.
Active Hours, a feature designed to block automatic restarts by Windows Update may adjust the time range based on device usage patterns. The default time period, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. worked well for Office workers but not so well for home use.
New Windows release health dashboard
A new Windows release health dasbboard will be released in April 2019 to provide system administrators and users with "near real-time information on the current rollout status and known issues (open and resolved) across both feature and monthly updates".
Details for each Windows 10 version will be represented on one page that can easily be searched by keyword, including important announcements, new blog posts, service and support updates and other news.
Closing Words
The changes make a lot of sense. Microsoft needs to get the May 2019 Update right the first time it is released to avoid another feature update release disaster. The Windows 10 version 1809 feature release went terribly wrong which delayed the full rollout of the new version of Windows 10.
Delaying the release for some additional testing is the right decision; most users, admins and companies would not mind, probably, if the testing would even take longer than that provided that the final release version is as stable as it can be.
Removing feature updates from the check for updates functionality and no longer enforcing the installation of feature updates when they become available are two important steps as well to improve reliability and quality.
While I would like to have seen a reduction to one feature update per year instead of two, the changes are a step in the right direction.
Now You: What is your take on all of that?


What mental age of reader are you targeting with the first sentence? 10?
Why not write an article on how to *avoid* upgrading from W10 to W11. Analogous to those like me who avoided upgrading from 7 to 10 for as long as possible.
If your paymaster Microsoft permits it, of course.
5. Rufus
6. Ventoy
PS. I hate reading these “SEO optimized” articles.
I used Rufus to create an installer for a 6th gen intel i5 that had MBR. It upgraded using Setup. No issues except for Win 11 always prompting me to replace my local account. Still using Win 10 Pro on all my other PCs to avoid the bullying.
bit pointless to upgrade for the sake of upgrading as you never know when you’ll get locked out because ms might suddenly not provide updates to unsupported systems.
ps…. time travelling?
written. Jan 15, 2023
Updated • Jan 13, 2023
This happens when you schedule a post in WordPress and update it before setting the publication date.
Anyone willing to downgrade to this awful OS must like inflicting themselves with harm.
I have become convinced now that anybody who has no qualms with using Windows 11/10 must fit into one of the following brackets:
1) Too young to remember a time before W10 and W11 (doesn’t know better)
2) Wants to play the latest games on their PC above anything else (or deeply needs some software which already dropped W7 support)
3) Doesn’t know too much about how computers work, worried that they’d be absolutely lost and in trouble without the “”latest security””
4) Microsoft apologist that tries to justify that the latest “features” and “changes” are actually a good thing, that improve Windows
5) Uses their computer to do a bare minimum of like 3 different things, browse web, check emails, etc, so really doesn’t fuss
Obviously that doesn’t cover everyone, there’s also the category that:
6) Actually liked W7 more than 10, and held out as long as possible before switching, begrudgingly uses 10 now
Have I missed any group off this list?
You have missed in this group just about any professional user that uses business software like CAD programs or ERP Programs which are 99% of all professional users from this list.
Linux doesn’t help anyone who is not a linux kid and apple is just a fancy facebook machine.
Microsoft has removed KB5029351 update
only from windows update though
KB5029351 is still available from the ms update catalog site
1. This update is labaled as PREVIEW if it causes issues to unintelligent people, then they shouldn’t have allowed Preview updates ot install.
2. I have installed it in a 11 years old computer, and no problems at all.
3. Making a big drama over a bluescreen for an updated labeled as preview is ridiculous.
This is probably another BS internet drama where people ran programs and scripts that modified the registry until they broke Windows, just for removing stuff that they weren’t even using just for the sake of it.
Maybe people should stop playing geeks and actually either use Windows 10 or Windows 11, but don’t try to modify things just for the sake of it.
Sometimes removing or stopping things (like defender is a perfect example) only need intelligence, not scripts or 3rd party programs that might mess with windows.
Windows 11 was a pointless release, it was just created because some of the Windows team wanted to boost sales with some sort of new and improved Windows 10. Instead, Microsoft cannot support one version well let alone two.
Windows 11 is the worst ugly shame by Microsoft ever. They should release with every new W11 version a complete free version of Starallback inside just to make this sh** OS functionally again.
motherboard maker MSI has recently released a statement regarding the “unsupported processor” blue screen error for their boards using Intel 600/700 series chipsets & to avoid the KB5029351 Win11 update:
https://www.msi.com/news/detail/MSI-On–UNSUPPORTED-PROCESSOR–Error-Message-of-Windows-11-Update-KB5029351-Preview-142215
check out the following recent articles:
Neowin – Microsoft puts little blame on its Windows update after UNSUPPORTED PROCESSOR BSOD bug:
https://www.neowin.net/news/microsoft-puts-little-blame-on-its-windows-update-after-unsupported-processor-bsod-bug/
BleepingComputer – Microsoft blames ‘unsupported processor’ blue screens on OEM vendors:
https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/microsoft/microsoft-blames-unsupported-processor-blue-screens-on-oem-vendors/
While there may be changes or updates to the Windows 10 Store for Business and Education in the future, it is premature to conclude that it will be discontinued based solely on rumors.
My advice, I left win 15 years ago. Now I’m a happy linux user (linuxmint) but there is Centos, Fedora, Ubuntu depending on your needs.
motherboard maker MSI has recently released new BIOS/firmware updates for their Intel 600 & 700 series motherboards to fix the “UNSUPPORTED_PROCESSOR” problem (Sept. 6):
https://www.msi.com/news/detail/Updated-BIOS-fixes-Error-Message–UNSUPPORTED-PROCESSOR–caused-BSOD-on-MSI-s-Intel-700-and-600-Series-Motherboards-142277
I try to disable the Diagnostics Tracking Service (Connected Devices Platform User Services) but it wont let me disable it, any help will be greatly appreciated.
Tank you for your help