Microsoft has pulled the Windows 10 October 2018 Update from Windows Update and its media creation website as it investigates issues with the update deleting users files upon install. Users first started reporting that their documents folder had gone missing after an upgrade to the October 2018 Update a few days ago and Microsoft has since confirmed that it is looking into the issue. For now, until the issue is fixed, the October 2018 Update has been pulled. It is no longer available for download officially, and there is no word on when it will be made available again. This is the second time Microsoft has had a major issue with a new feature update for Windows 10, the first of which happened earlier this year with the April 2018 Update, which resulted in a three week delay. Microsoft's support website details the following: We have paused the rollout of the Windows 10 October 2018 Update (version 1809) for all users as we investigate isolated reports of users missing some files after updating. Microsoft also advises not clean installing the new update either. It's possible that this issue will be fixed in a cumulative update, or it may be a big enough problem that requires Microsoft to compile another RTM build, just as it did with the April 2018 Update. Microsoft has been struggling to assure quality with its last few feature update releases at launch, which does not paint a positive picture for customers. If you have already upgraded to the October 2018 Update and are experiencing issues, you should be able to recover back to the previous update by heading into Settings > Update & Security > Recovery > Go back to the previous version of Windows 10. This will restore your OS to the previous feature update that was running, likely the April 2018 Update. If you have already upgraded and found that your files are missing, Microsoft recommends you contact their support hotline at 1-800-MICROSOFT.<doc-sep>Microsoft halts Windows 10 October 2018 Update to investigate data loss reports Watch Now Microsoft has paused the rollout of Windows 10 October 2018 Update (version 1809), the latest version of the Windows 10 operating system, which Microsoft released this week, on Tuesday, October 2. In a support document updated today, October 6, the Redmond-based OS maker said it took this decision after users complained that v1809 had deleted files after the update. We have paused the rollout of the Windows 10 October 2018 Update (version 1809) for all users as we investigate isolated reports of users missing some files after updating. Microsoft employs a gradual rollout scheme, and not all Windows 10 users have received its latest bi-annual OS update. The October 2018 Update is no longer available for download, and Microsoft urges users who manually downloaded a Windows 10 installation package to wait until new installation media is available. "We will provide an update when we resume rolling out the Windows 10 October 2018 Update to customers," Microsoft said. There have been several issues reported with this latest Windows 10 update, such as incompatibilities with Intel Display Audio device drivers, and the Task Manager app not showing correct CPU usage. However, the biggest problem has been with the deletion of user files located in the C:/Users/[username]/Documents/ folder. "I have just updated my windows using the October update (10, version 1809). It deleted all my files of 23 years in amount of 220GB. This is unbelievable," said Robert Ziko, a Windows 10 user complaining about the issue on the Microsoft support forums. Since the problem became apparent, users have been investigating ways to recover some of their deleted files, but without success. Some users reported that the Recuva software was able to recover some files, but only in some cases. Microsoft has had similar issues with the release of the previous April 2018 Update, which it delayed from the start of April to the very last day of the month to give engineers more time to fix bugs. Previous and related coverage Microsoft begins rolling out Windows 10 October 2018 Update Microsoft is starting to roll out the Windows 10 October 2018 Update today, starting with Insiders and those ready to proactively grab the new bits. Windows 10 1809: Microsoft reveals features it's dropping in October 2018 Update Microsoft sets out its list of features that are being removed or deprecated in the next Windows 10 release. Windows 10 October 2018 Update: The new features that matter most Windows 10 version 1809, officially the October 2018 Update,started rolling out October 2. Here are some of the new capabilities you can expect in this surprisingly feature-packed release. Windows 10 October 2018 Update: How to get it, how to avoid it Microsoft will soon begin delivering the official release of Windows 10 version 1809, the October 2018 Update. If you do nothing, it will arrive via Windows Update some time in the next few months. Here's how to take more control over the process. Windows 10 October 2018 Update: 5 new features business users will love TechRepublic Windows 10 is getting a big update in its next release. Here are some of the enterprise-centered features to expect in the Windows 10 October 2018 Update. Surface Pro 6, Surface Laptop 2, Surface Studio 2 and Surface Headphones: Everything Microsoft just announced CNET<doc-sep>
Microsoft has stopped distributing its latest Windows 10 October 2018 Update. The software giant started rolling out the update during the company’s Surface event earlier this week, but some Windows 10 users immediately noticed their documents were being deleted. “We have paused the rollout of the Windows 10 October 2018 Update (version 1809) for all users as we investigate isolated reports of users missing some files after updating,” says Microsoft on its support site for Windows Update. Microsoft is now recommending that affected users contact the company directly, and if you’ve manually downloaded the October update then “please don’t install it and wait until new media is available.” Other Windows 10 users have been complaining that the Microsoft Edge browser and other store apps have been unable to connect to the internet after the October 2018 Update, and the update was even blocked on certain PCs due to Intel driver incompatibilities. Windows 10 is tested by millions of people It’s not clear how many Windows 10 users are affected by the problem, but even if it’s a small percentage it’s still surprising this issue was never picked up during Microsoft’s vast testing of the October update. Millions of people help Microsoft test Windows 10, but the company has struggled with the quality of Windows updates recently. Microsoft delayed its Windows 10 April 2018 Update earlier this year over Blue Screen of Death issues, but those problems were picked up before the update reached regular consumers and businesses. Microsoft was planning to push the latest October update out to all Windows 10 users next Tuesday, but that’s now likely to be put on hold while investigations continue into this major deletion problem. Update, October 6th 6:50AM ET: Article updated with additional details on the October 2018 Update issues.