[German]Is something happening with Windows 10 version 21H1, because Microsoft probably distributed the preparatory update KB4023057 to machines with Windows 10 again? The update is supposed to improve the reliability of the Windows Update service. In addition, Windows 10 version 1909 will reach the end of support in some SKUs in May 2021. Here is some information around this topic.
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End of support for Windows 10 V1909 in May
On May 11, 2021, systems running Windows 10 version 1909 in Home, Pro and Workstation versions will receive security updates for the last time and will then drop out of support (see also this February 2021 announcement). Only Enterprise and Education will remain in extended 30-month support and receive security updates until May 10, 2022 (see). German blog reader Patrick noticed my be mail with the following detail (thanks for that).
Hello Günter,
on some systems with Windows 10 1909 it continues to say under Windows Update that the feature update to version 2004 is in preparation. At the same time, these users get the following message from Microsoft:
Your version of Windows 10 will soon reach its end of service.
This is probably related to certain system driver configurations. Unfortunately for the user, there is no helpful information from Microsoft about this. It is possible that some users will soon be unintentionally running an outdated operating system version of Windows 10 …
However, this is a well-known problem that Microsoft's machine learning-based models have set an upgrade blocker and refuse to upgrade to the next Windows 10 build. At this point, I would like to refer those affected to my post Windows 10: Find out the reason for blocked feature updates from February this year. There are ways and means to find out more about the upgrade blockade, which are also touched upon in the blog post.
Reliability Update KB4023057 shipped again
And then I received another email with the subject "Windows Zombie Alarm" from German blog reader Ulrike S. (thanks for that, too), addressing the reliability update KB4023057 shipped this night:
Hi Günter,
the unspeakable ancient KB4023057 has just arrived again, this time in preparation for the 2021H1 update, and is waiting to be installed.
I use the current Pro version.
Maybe you should give your readers a heads up on the blog.
Many greetings
Ulrike
Also in the comments here and here German blog readers notified me about the installation of reliability update KB4023057. I had already covered this topic in February 2021 in the blog post Windows 10: Reliability Update KB4023057 (Feb. 2021) released and other posts more detailed. This is update only available for Windows 10 versions 1507, 1511, 1607, 1703, 1709, 1803, 1809, 1903, 1909, 2004 and 20H2 – Microsoft writes that these versions need the update.
It is distributed via Windows Update, according to this support article, but can be downloaded and installed manually from Microsoft Update Catalog for Windows 10 versions 1507, 1511, 1607, 1703, 1709 and 1803. The version offered there has an update date of 03/17/2021, so it's probably been revised after March 2021 patchday, compared to the variant mentioned in my February 2021 article. My guess is that certain upgrade blockages that prevent deployment or successful installation of feature updates (whether technical or user-driven) should be removed.
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Note, that this update cannot be downloaded from the Microsoft Update Catalog for new Windows 10 versions 1809 and later. And the preparatory update is also not made available for WSUS, which is used in companies for update management. So it's pretty much home-user stuff, and Microsoft describes the purpose of the update as:
This update includes reliability improvements to Windows Update Service components in Windows 10, versions 1507, 1511, 1607, 1703, 1709, 1803, 1809, 1903, 1909, 2004, and 20H2. It may take steps to free up disk space on your device if you do not have enough disk space to install Windows updates.
This update includes files and resources that address issues that affect the update processes in Windows 10 that may prevent important Windows updates from being installed. These improvements help make sure that updates are installed seamlessly on your device, and they help improve the reliability and security of devices that are running Windows 10.
I wrote more details about what this update does in my blog post Windows 10 Updates KB4295110/KB4023057 (08/09/2018). In addition, these actions are described in the support post for update KB4023057. Anybody here facing issues during or after update install? And now it remains open, when when Microsoft will release the new Windows 10 version 21H1.
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