Why does my Computer take so long to restart after Windows Updates?
byMark Townsend
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01 Jun, 2018
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Windows 10 v1803 Spring Creators Update
Many people are puzzled when Windows 10 applies a major update and I think this is because very little information is supplied to the end user about what is going on. Windows updates apply as with every previous Operating System over a 6 month period but once every 6 months Microsoft issue a major update or Semi Annual update. This update is different to what Windows users are used to in that it is a completely new Operating system. Microsoft have effectively copied what Apple have been doing with OSX on Windows 10 and are effectively issuing 10.1, 10.2, 10.3, 10.4 etc. The updates are officially released in March and September but don't normally become available until the month after. They are code named v1703, v1709 and now v1803 which is the year and month of release. You can check which version you are on by going to Settings then System then About.
It is difficult to tell exactly when you will get your update as due to the size of the download Microsoft use a phased roll out procedure to reduce the load on their Servers. As these updates are very large and in the region of 3 - 6 GB the first thing you will notice is lots of disk noise coming from your hard drive and poor performance during this period unless you have a high spec machine. Eventually you may see a message from Microsoft giving you a hint regarding what is about to happen by asking you to schedule a good time for a Critical update. This hint should tell you that it is going to take a long time.
When you eventually reboot you may find your Computer is restarting for an hour or even two or three. Very low spec machines with a high percentage of the hard disk used simply take forever to carry out the procedure. At some points in the procedure you will see a message asking you not to turn off your Computer and this is helpful but at other points you will just see a blue spinning wheel and are left wondering what on earth is going on? Many people get frustrated and power off their Computer and in the case of laptops even remove the battery because they just can't understand why a Computer could take an hour or more to reboot and they want to get on with their work. They think it is broken when it isn't. However, it is important to understand what is taking place behind the scenes and with a completely new Operating system being installed you run the risk of wrecking the process and needing expert help to get out of it if you take your own drastic action.
Some people see messages that the process has failed and is rolling back and others get stuck in what is known as a startup repair loop. This is where Windows 10 attempts to repair a broken installation but fails. In almost all instances you will need some assistance once you find yourself in this position so I recommend remaining patient during the update process and giving it every chance to complete successfully. If you see the update failing and rolling back I would recommend you immediately carry out a backup because this is your clue that you might get caught in the startup repair loop in the near future. When this happens I recommend a manual installation of the latest version of Windows 10 rather than leaving it to eventually break itself.
Recovery can also be a complicated process with Windows 10 because when you buy a new machine with Windows 10 pre-loaded the default is for system restore to be turned off. I'm not sure why Microsoft did this unless they think they are saving disk space because this differs from their approach with previous Operating systems. With no restore points to recover from the end result is usually a clean install of Windows 10 and whilst it is easy to save your Data, your programs will not survive and will need o be reinstalled. It's therefore important to have access to all your software, passwords and Microsoft accounts as this is when you will need them.
As always Churchdown Computers can offer assistance with this at any step along the path but hopefully having a better understanding of what is going on will give you a good chance of the update completing successfully when it occurs once every six months. If you do need assistance you can call Mark on 07557 483438, email mark@churchdowncomputers.co.uk or fill out the form on theContact Page
