Tips for Success with Build 1803

Whether you call it the Spring Creators Update, the April 2018 Update, or Build 1803, the newest build of Windows 10 was released a little over a month ago and we are still seeing problems.

While there are bound to be some issues when a major update is released to any operating system, Build 1803 seems particularly troublesome. Just to clarify, we’re not saying to avoid this update. Besides the new features, privacy settings, and other bells and whistles, there are also security enhancements (and more have come out since Build 1803 was released). Additionally, and keep in mind… if you are running Windows 10, eventually you will need to do this update.

The Issues & Tips for Hopeful Success

We’ve seen issues such as slow performance, non-functioning hardware devices (like no sound on laptops) due to incompatibility, corrupted user profile services, and even systems that will no longer boot. In most cases, this can be fixed with a little determination and the proper tools, though we have seen some systems that just need to be completely reinstalled.

The common thread we’ve seen most is that systems having issues with 1803 were missing manufacturer updates, primarily BIOS and driver updates (especially in computers upgraded to Windows 10 from 8.1 or 7). While we can’t list out how to check for all these types of updates for each specific computer and manufacturer, most have update tools that are intended to notify you of updates and alerts regarding your computer. In the past, these have seemed more like irritants and many consumers have turned them off. This is a major risk in Windows 10. With the number of vulnerabilities found recently, these manufacturer utilities are the easiest way to stay up-to-date. We also recommend doing manual checks for updates, not just for drivers but also for these utilities as well, which means you might have to go to your manufacturer’s website. Additionally, make sure your antivirus software and definitions are up-to-date as well.

Once you have run out of non-Microsoft updates to do, you should be ready to install the Build 1803 update. This doesn’t guarantee success, but it gives you a much better chance… so be sure to backup everything. A nice cloud backup solution (almost set-and-forget) is something like CrashPlan. Also, if you’re working on your ability to be patient, this update will be good practice as we have seen it take several hours to complete on some systems.

Need Help?

If this seems like more effort than you would like to put forth, it still didn’t work, or if it already failed and your computer is one of many not working correctly, we’re here for you… patience normally included.