Like all good operating systems, Windows 10 is constantly evolving. Changes can be made to the graphics, functional aspects of the system, and security features to fix bugs. The Windows Update software ensures that Windows 10 remains up to date.
In this chapter, you will learn how to check that your computer is up to date, how to identify and install the most recent updates, resolve any issues caused by updates, and access information about the updates you wish to install.
Check That Your Windows 10 Is Up to Date
Windows 10 uses Windows Update to check and manage available updates constantly. As the most used operating system on the planet, Microsoft is constantly updating Windows 10 to ensure security fixes, GUI improvements, and feature updates for all of its worldwide users.
Let’s take a look at how you can configure your computer to get access to these updates!
To access the Windows Update menu, click on Start then Settings, Updates and security, Windows Update:
From this menu, you can check for updates to download and install. You can see that my computer is updated in this image and that it was last checked today at 12:40.
Windows 10 must restart your computer to install certain updates. By clicking on Change active hours, you can set the time of day when you use your computer, ensuring that Windows will not restart during that time.
Update Troubleshooter
You may have experienced updates not installing. Fortunately, Microsoft has developed a tool to help solve these issues.
This tool is called Windows Update Troubleshooter, and you can find it installed with your copy of Windows 10. To access it, click Settings and Troubleshoot.
Click Additional troubleshooters, choose Windows Update, and Run the troubleshooter.
You need administrator access to perform this operation.
Detect problems with Windows Update Troubleshooter
Windows Update Troubleshooter will:
Check if your Windows Update service is functioning correctly — the service may not be working for some reason.
Check that your link libraries (DLL) have been correctly installed.
Check that your link libraries (DLL) are not corrupt — installing or using an application can corrupt your DLL.
Check the signature of your updates — it allows you to certify that they are indeed Windows updates and not viruses.
Check that there are no mistakes in your Windows Update database.
Once you have solved these problems, start the check for updates again so that they will be downloaded and installed as usual.
Use Command Lines to Correct Issues
Rarely, the troubleshooter fails to correct the issue. In such cases, you have to use the command line. To start, you must identify the problem, which you can do by reading the Windows Update log file Windowsupdate.log.
The file should be located here:
C:\Windows\WindowsUpdate.log
The file will initially be empty. You need to enter the command Get-WindowsUpdateLog in PowerShell to write any errors to the file.
There are many possible errors. Identifying the problems allows you to know what you are dealing with, and then you can troubleshoot any issues on a case-by-case basis.
Let’s now look at what these updates include.
Get Information About the Updates
For the most part, you won’t need to worry about individual Windows updates. However, you may be interested in a bug fix or a change being made to a feature that your company relies on.
In such situations, it would be nice to have advanced notice of an update Microsoft has that can fix the bug you’ve been struggling with or change the feature you are using.
Let’s see how to do that:
As an IT technician, it is important to understand what is being installed as part of the update process and how to customize settings to fit in with your work schedule and organizational needs.
To keep informed of these updates, visit this page.
On the left-hand side, there is a list of releases with information about the changes they will make to Windows.
When you click on each release, Microsoft gives you a description of the update. It means you can find out if the update fixes the bug you’ve been struggling with, and if so, you have another reason to install it! You can also find out if the update will impact an important feature of an app used by your company. If so, you may decide not to install it.
Delay an Update
You can delay an installation if you want to test an update's impact on your company's app beforehand.
In the Windows Update menu, click Advanced Options. Windows 10 offers you two options.
The first solution is to pause updates for a maximum of 35 days. During this time, you must test the impact of the update on your test workstation. When you have approved the update, you can then install it on all of the company’s computers.
The second solution is similar, but you can choose exactly when to install the update.
Let's Recap!
Windows Update provides you with an operating system that is constantly updating.
You are responsible for checking that Windows 10 is up to date to know if you have the most recent security updates.
To solve problems you may have with Windows Update, use the Windows Update Troubleshooter.
Don’t forget to keep informed of the content of updates made to Windows 10.
You can delay certain updates to give you a bit of time to test and approve them on a test workstation before installing them on all of your computers.
You can now ensure that your computer and all those under your control remain permanently up to date regarding security and all other new features offered by Windows 10.
In the next part, you will learn how to deploy Windows 10.
