Microsoft has announced that Windows 10, version 2004 has now been added to the broad deployment channel and will be available to everyone via Windows Update.
"Windows 10, version 2004 is designated for broad deployment," the company says in a status update on the Windows Health dashboard. "The recommended servicing status is Semi-Annual Channel."
Microsoft officially started rolling out Windows 10 2004 (aka the Windows 10 May 2020 Update) in May 2020, but for many people, it wasn't yet being offered when checking via Windows Update.
When Windows Feature Updates are first released, they are released under targeted deployment in order to test the quality of the build on targeted machines in an organization.
"Targeted deployment refers to the phase immediately following the release of a new Windows version when it is recommended to conduct your organization's piloting process and to begin deployments to select devices, such as those with the most modern chipsets and capabilities," Microsoft explains.
After Microsoft determines that the Windows version is ready for deployment on most or all devices, they change the Windows version to have a "broad deployment" classification.
This means that all devices can be updated to Windows 10, version 2004 via Windows Update, unless they're affected by compatibility holds that block the update due to hardware issues.
The release of Windows 10 2004 was not as bad as the one of Windows 10 1809, which many still see as arguably the buggiest Windows 10 version ever to see the light of day.
However, Windows 10 2004 still managed to get out the gates with ten know issues under investigation, many of which are now already fixed.
Microsoft added the known issues to the health dashboard right after starting the new release's rollout process, together with nine compatibility holds to prevent users of affected devices from being offered the Windows 10 2004 update.
After addressing issues triggering blue screens when plugging or unplugging Thunderbolt docks, boot failures caused by the Disk Cleanup maintenance utility, as well as compatibility issues with numerous systems and hardware configurations, Microsoft has finally decided that Windows 10 2004 is ready for broad release to all customers.
If you are not offered the Windows 10, version 2004 update via Window Update, then you should check the Windows 10 Health Dashboard for any known hardware blocks affecting your computer.
According to the Windows 10 Health Dashboard, the only known blocks for Windows 10 2004 updates are for devices with Conexant ISST audio drivers.
Windows 10 20H2 available for seekeers
As Home, Pro, Pro Education, Pro for Workstations editions of Windows 10 1909 are reaching the end of service on May 11, 2021, Microsoft is now allowing a limited set of customers (with devices running Windows 10 1903 and higher to upgrade to the latest released version, Windows 10, version 20H2.
These customers are known as "seekers," which is short for users who are manually seeking to update to the latest Windows version by clicking "Check for updates" via Windows Update.
Microsoft says that it's also "slowly throttling up availability over the coming weeks to ensure a reliable download experience."
If you are running older Windows 10 versions, you are strongly advised to update to a newer version to continue receiving timely security updates.
Comments
fromFirefoxToVivaldi - 3 years ago
This is ridiculous. There's still the Conexant BSOD issue, which is partially caused by Windows 10 itself, at least on Asus R510. If you uninstall faulty Conexant drivers Windows will reinstall them by itself.
They should stop installing drivers for Windows 10 Home users without asking.
Adantzman - 3 years ago
I'm in the same situation. My laptop has the Conexant audio drivers, and it doesn't show that I can update.
This article says that the update is now available to everyone in the headline. But in the article it says there is a block for Conexant drivers...
I won't be happy with Microsoft if they don't provide a fix so we can update prior to ending support of 1909. This is no better than Android regarding updates.
TsVk! - 3 years ago
It's also ridiculous to reinstalling your operating system every 6 months, have all of your options in one window only like a telnet terminal, have every update break systems, have system restore disabled by default, have unwanted applications install themselves without approval, have advertising inside of the OS, having system updates moved to features on demand... I could go on and on.
Apparently they are bringing new features like "rounded corners and borders" to windows now. I wonder how they came up with that. Sigh.
doriel - 3 years ago
All comments above are correct. Especially the part aboout "new major release every 6 months", I think I read somewhere, that the cadence will be lowered to just once a year. That sounds promising. There will be more time to test buggy updates amongst the public betatesters, that also pay for the service that they are testing. Do you see, how disgustingly the truth is?
I would add one thing that comes to my mind , when reading post fromFirefoxToVivaldi:
"They should stop installing drivers for Windows 10 Home users without asking."
What I really hate about Windows is the fact, that they change so much (but mostly UI), that is just impossible for regular user to keep in touch. Every half year, the control panel is reworked, new features added, some new awesome calculator or new snipNsketch tool (*sarcasm*).
There are ways how to stop drivers updating automatically, but its hidden and user dont know about it 95% of the time, because nobody told them. There are lot of features like that, but obviously MSFT wants control over your PC. That is why I went to GNU/Linux (Fedora). And even if you select not to update drivers via WU, MSFT can push over your consent.
And there is just no enlightment about it. There is no "education" section, or "how-to" guides on the MSFT web. MSFT web is just giant database of "troubleshooting". Why? Because W10 is soooo bad.
Is it really hard to make some, lets say, 5 page presentation, that will pop after installing new build, that will show you what critical parts changed? No. Microsoft will just tell you: now you are more secure and lets you wonder what will stop working with the latest update.
This system is just idi*tic and it seems to me, like MSFT Windows 10 team is playing, refusing to admit that they are bad at this. They create OS for themselves, ignoring what people really like.
I dislike planned obsoletion of HW, its wsting resources, not talking about MS Teams eating 500MB of my RAM in minimized state.
My opinion is: you are not doing good job, MSFT and your record breaking incomes are not reflecting quality of your products. MSFT is literally killing its reputation built in the past and now he is profiting from its 90% monopoly market.
doriel - 3 years ago
I apologize, there IS education tab on MSFT web.
Throwdown - 3 years ago
I've had a lot of network issues with Windows 10 2004. Mapped drives and access to other network shares stopped working. Printing to a printer on the local network through a rdp session also did not work. I never did find a solution. The only thing that worked was to either roll back to 1909 or move forward to 20H2
pasila - 3 years ago
link "Windows 10 Health Dashboard "
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/release-information/status-windows-10-1903
gives 404
serghei - 3 years ago
Fixed, thanks!
osct - 3 years ago
I read this article and installed latest Update. Came back into the shop today only to have a locked up OS. Spent the entire morning reinstalling a bunch of software. Not cool Windows.
I think its because this Laptop is old as F
Marlonibz - 3 years ago
Hmmm I see that Win 10 still got a lot of problems,,,
I've 2 HP laptops still running Win 7, and still standing. (Both are working until now perfect)
Last year I bought another HP (2760p) as a backup and that one has Win 10 on it, but i didn't put it on since June 2020,,,,
Now my question is, if i turn it on and he ask for update which one of the Win 10 updates would you recommend???
Thank you kindly for your time,,;)
Marlonibz
Col_Panek - 3 years ago
Hmmm. Lots of complaining here. Old PCs, bad updates, hanging on to Windows 7.....
My answer is, don't get mad, get even. I've been on Linux for years, and haven't missed Windows at all. My current favorite is MX-KDE, which is fast on my 9 year old Dell.
TsVk! - 3 years ago
I support literally hundreds of machines in an enterprise environment and in the whole life cycle of Windows 7 I only had to reinstall a system from scratch twice, and both times from the same bootup error. (hal.dll corruption)
In the limited time I have been supporting W10, as we waited to the very last moment to "upgrade", I have been presented with close to 10 occasions where the only solution was to reinstall the operating system... and now I have had to reinstall all of them because of so called feature updates, again. Like I don't have better thing to do than swatting mysterious bugs that no one knows the answer to and the solutions are hidden behind closed source code.
If it wasn't for Excel the vast majority of computers in my company wouldn't even run Windows anymore.
doriel - 3 years ago
Same here. We are forced to stay on Windows, because of SAP and Excel. I Use LibreOffice at home on my Fedora, but in Enterprise environment, LibreOffice is not acceptable. Thats a pitty, my PC is old and runs smoothly with GNU/Linux.