Windows Help & Advice - USA (2019-08)

14 |^ |^ August 2019

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Fix Windows problems

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ne of the biggest issues

with Windows these

days tends to be

problems with

Windows Update,

particularly given the

fact we’re currently subjected two

major ‘feature’ updates every six

months or so. Microsoft is learning

fast, so if you’ve not yet seen the 1903

update offered, it’s because potential

issues with your setup have been

spotted – if you’re lucky, you’ll be

told this when you attempt to install

the update.

The problem may be that the

explanation is vague: ‘Your PC has

hardware that isn’t ready for this version

of Windows’ means an incompatible

driver has been spotted, but if it’s not

listed then it’s likely to be the fact you

have a SD card or USB thumb drive

plugged in. Removing this should

resolve the issue.

We recommend waiting for Microsoft

to release the so-called ‘lock’ on the

update for your setup, at which point

the update should install. However, if

you’re convinced your PC passes muster,

and can’t wait for a feature update to

arrive – either 1903 or going forward –

then visit http://www.microsoft.com/en-gb/

software-download/windows10 to

download the Windows 10 Update

Assistant. This is also the place to go

to download the latest Windows 10

Installation Media tool should you

feel now is the time to combine the

latest feature update with a full reinstall

of Windows.

Fix Windows Update issues

There are numerous ways to resolve

problems with Windows Update. Many

should resolve themselves

automatically, or by clicking the

Troubleshoot button that appears

underneath a failed update in ‘Settings

> Update & Security > Windows Update’.

If this doesn’t work, make a note of any

error codes and visit https://support.

microsoft.com/en-gb/help/10164 where

you’ll be stepped through a wizard that

will hopefully fix things for you. You’ll be

directed to download various updates

manually, applying them outside of

Roll back the changes

Most problems occur when you’ve recently tried to install

something – a new application or piece of hardware

perhaps, or the most recent set of Windows updates. The

quickest solution is to roll things back and start again,

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rescue media, and click ‘Create an image of the partition(s)

required to backup and restore Windows’.

Start by selecting where to save your backup – a

separate physical drive, preferably a network or USB drive,

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Leave the backup set to monthly and choose a start time

and date. Click OK, then click Add Schedule again, but this

time choose Differential. By default, this is a weekly

backup – tweak as necessary and click OK. Review the

number of backups Macrium keeps before clearing space

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OK’ to run the backup.

The 1903 update may refuse to install if you

have any external drives attached to it.

Recuva is the perfect tool – run from a thumb

drive – for recovering recently deleted files.

Get into the habit of taking

a manual differential

image before you make

major changes to your PC.