Page 45 - S36.Autumn 2019

Horror Story
For those who have Windows 10 on your computers, the updates are generally easy and simple. Microsoft will install these updates for you and it requires little to no effort on your part. UNLESS you boot your computer and there on your screen is the spinning hourglass. Round and round it spins and spins for a very long time. Or you may just get a black screen with the white arrow. Well, this is a Windows 10 update nightmare. Windows is stuck and may have crashed your computer.
If you see the spinning hourglass, DO NOT turn off your computer. Although it is a normal reaction to turn off our computers when they seem to be locked up, this is devastating to the operating system; and could be the beginning of a crash. Let it spin! I have seen them spin for over 4 hours and then suddenly the desktop boots up. Patience is the only way to get through this if you get the spinning hourglass. The result of turning your computer off is most definitely crashing your computer. Then Windows will have to be reinstalled. It is frustrating, watching it spin endlessly, but this is your only option to the issue. The update is stuck installing half way into its process.
If it does crash, you’ll need to go into the troubleshooting section and attempt a system restore. Go back to a date before the update started. If you can successfully do that, you’ll be able to do a diagnostic check on the computer; or bring it to a professional and get it properly diagnosed. Then the update can install with no problems.
According to Microsoft, their updates do this when there’s already an issue with the comput- er. What could be wrong? There are numerous things that can cause this. A virus can cause it, or possibly some corrupted Windows files. There could be a conflict with an Anti-Virus/Malware program; or the most common problem, a bad hard drive. There are ways to check your system prior to updating. The problem is, you never know when Microsoft is downloading an update on your computer.
Here are a few precautions, which you should be doing anyway on a regular basis. 1. Always have a backup of your data. You should be backing up your important files, pictures, videos etc. You can use an external hard drive, flash drive or use one of the many cloud services. If you don’t know how to backup, you can call me at CMC Computers to find out more. 2. Always keep an Anti-Virus program updated and activated. If your anti-virus has expired it’s basically worthless. There are free ones that work just fine. 3. Make sure your hard drive has plenty of free space. You need about 20% of your total drive to be free. 4. Run “disk cleanup” and keep your drive optimized by running disk defrags. Again, this is basic maintenance you should be doing regularly.
There is also a tool in settings that will check the update database for corruption. Go into settings and click on “update & security”. Click on troubleshooting on the left side, then click on Windows Update. It will check for problems.
If you have any questions or concerns, you can stop by CMC Computers or give us a call at 860-621-4817.
WINDOWS 10 UPDATE