Crazy: Windows 10 Enterprise LTSC 2019 offered a feature update to 1903

[German]Are they a little confused in Redmond? Now the LTSC versions of Windows 10 Enterprise already got offered feature updates to May 2019 update. Specifically, it is Windows 10 Enterprise LTSC 2019 that is offered the feature update to version 1903 due to a bug in the UUP system.


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Background: Windows 10 LTSC versions

LTSC stands for Long-Term Servicing Channel (formerly also referred to as Long Term Servicing Branch (LTSB)). This is a long-term support version of Windows 10 based on the Enterprise edition. The LTSC version lacks features like Cortana, Edge and the UWP apps (everything Microsoft likes to update in Windows 10).

Microsoft is committed to providing bug fixes and security patches for each LTSC version over a 10-year period. Instead of pushing out feature updates every 6 months (as with Windows 10 SAC), Microsoft releases a new Windows 10 Enterprise LTSC version every 2-3 years. Companies can install these new LTSC versions optionally as in-place upgrades on a machine – whereby the license conditions of Microsoft are to be considered then (only with a software assurance contract an upgrade is covered – in other cases a new license would have to be bought).

Microsoft has planned the LTSC versions for applications where nothing changes to Windows 10 (e.g. in devices, ATMs etc.), but not for office environments. In such environments, all feature updates for new LTSC versions over the 10-year lifecycle will be ignored.

LTSC Version Windows 10 Pendant Release
Windows 10 Enterprise 2015 LTSC Windows 10, Version 1507 7/29/2015
Windows 10 Enterprise 2016 LTSC Windows 10, Version 1607 8/2/2016
Windows 10 Enterprise 2019 LTSC Windows 10, Version 1809 11/13/2018

According to this website Microsoft has so far released the LTSC versions from the table above. The left column shows the LTSC names, while the middle column shows the Windows 10 counterpart on whose code basis the LTSC version is based.

Windows 10 Enterprise LTSC 2019: Feature update to V1903 offered

On a Windows 10 Enterprise LTSC 2019 installation, which is based on Windows 10 Version 1809 (see table above), should therefore never be offered a feature update. Some users were astonished when exactly this happened and a feature update to Windows 10 May 2019 Update (Version 1903) was offered via Windows Update.


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WZor has documented this extensively in a tweet with several screenshots. But also the colleagues of German site deskmodder.de got a similar user comment, as they write here. Of course it's totally crazy because there is no LTSC version of Windows 10 Enterprise based on the core of Windows 10 Version 1903.

If you initiate the download and installation of the feature update via the link on the Windows Update page, you will then experience the second surprise: nothing is happening. Windows 10 Enterprise 2019 LTSC notices that something is wrong and downloads nothing.

Of course, there is someone who explains that behavior- there is a bug in the UUP system (Microsoft's Unified Update Platform). The feature update is displayed but not downloaded and installed. Wzor was lucky – but people may have gotten a fright already. Some people are asking whether the manufacturer still has control over what leaves 'the workbench'.

Addendum: I got a feedback from a German user (see my German blog post, comment from 44Fove), that his Windows 10 Enterprise LTSC 1607 has been offered this feature update too.


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11 Responses to Crazy: Windows 10 Enterprise LTSC 2019 offered a feature update to 1903

  1. pidar says:

    Expected, LTSC gets even less quality control than the standard versions…

    for example, the 2019 LTSC keeps whining about file associations being reset, probably because the MS UWP apps are missing and the notification system has not been customized for the LTSC version

  2. guenni says:

    Thx for your feedback. Do you have more details and perhaps screen shots documenting that? I would like to write a separate blog post about that. You can send me the details via e-mail – see the about page.

    • pidar says:

      This is not tested, but it should work:

      – clean install LTSC 2019, feel free to update to the latest build
      – install FastStone Image Viewer, set it as default
      – download a BMP image from the web

      The moment the image is saved, the notification will probably pop up that defaults have been reset, but the image is still opened with FastStone

  3. EP says:

    guenni & others:
    read the comments on this Ten forums topic:

    https://www.tenforums.com/windows-updates-activation/134696-feature-update-1903-applicable-windows-10-enterprise-ltsc.html

    looks like the 1903 feature update is no longer being offered thru WU for LTSC

    • guenni says:

      @EP: Thx for your feedback – that's what I assume – but it's strange – we have accidents with Windows 10 arround each corner we can find …

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  5. Thorsten says:

    Sorry for coming back onto this topic…just today setting up a new machine with Win 10 LTSC based on the .316 version and upon requesting further updates, I am being offered again the 1903 feature pack???

    Seems like this is recurring to fail and also preventing any other updates from coming through… :-(

    Anybody else with the same issue – or having a hint, how to overcome it?

  6. Techbrarian says:

    I am having the same issue on one out of eight identical laptops. No idea how to fix it, though.

  7. EP says:

    block the 1903 updates with wushowhide.diagcab from KB3073930
    https://support.microsoft.com/help/3073930

    LTSC 2019 users should NOT be getting the 1903 feature pack – I'm not getting it on my LTSC 2019 machine nor experiencing the problems that the previous people are having. fault is on MS's end with WU

  8. Michael Corbett says:

    Benefits of Win Enterprise 2019 LTSC, vs. 10 Pro as would interact operationally on a development push working with 7 Pro and 8.1 Pro? Interoperability a factor that will suffer?

    Thanks,
    Michael

    • guenni says:

      Thx for your comment. I've deleted the link – if you post this link in further posts – you will be blocked.

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