On Windows 1803 – time running out for support. Should I install 1903?

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I am on 1803.  Support will end on Nov 12th.  I have not received 1903 in Windows update.  I have installed Sept updates.  I know there are ongoing issues with 1903, but am concerned that after 11/12 – no support for my current version.  Isn’t that going to be a problem going forward?  I didn’t see any specific unresolved issues for my build, so I don’t know why I have not gotten the update.  I’d like to install it.  Should I install it?  How do I get Windows update to download it so I don’t have to do it manually – not really comfortable with that but I think I need to get updated.  How do I install manually, if I have to take that route?    I can wait another month, but much beyond that, I’m concerned about being unsupported. thanks.

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Win10 v1903 still has some problems caused by updates. They are supposed to be fixed in late Oct.
I would recommend waiting another month if you are determined to upgrade to v1903.

If you have Win10 Pro, or you have a v1809 ISO, you might consider upgrading to v1809 instead. It has been pretty stable.
In the Settings app\Windows Update under Advanced settings, If you set the Feature Updates deferral pulldown to 190 days and the Quality Updates deferral pulldown to 0, you may be offered v1809.

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Thank you for the replies.  I have Windows 10 Pro.  I’m not very technical with this stuff – I know enough to know it worries me ; )  I’ve downloaded software, but I’ve never done a manual update for Windows.  What is Windows v1809 ISO – I see on MS website it says it is a disc image file – is that manual download?  How do I Install the latest SSU, if I need to do that?  Also my laptop doesn’t have a DVD drive (don’t have an external drive) – so I can only download to my harddrive.

I will wait a bit more for 1903-would prefer to do that over 1809, but if it isn’t stable by early Nov – will try getting 1809 since that will buy more time of support while they work out the bugs.  It’s never ending!!! thanks.

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[Paul T]

The ISOs are entire images for re/installation of Windows.
You can burn the ISO to a USB, boot from it and run an in place upgrade. You may even be able to run the upgrade from the USB while still running 1803 (booting normally).

As PKCano said, wait. We are at DEFCON 1 so there is no hurry to do anything.

cheers, Paul

• This reply was modified 5 years, 7 months ago by Paul T.

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ok thank you I’ll wait.

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Installing the latest SSU should fix your inability to see one or the other feature updates.

Feature updates from the WU are presented in a different format than if you download the Windows Upgrade Assistant, Media Creation Tool, or download the iso. It’s a special delta image and only downloads what it needs.

It’s hit or miss on a lot of my clients computers. I have several thousand workstations I manage patching for and I’ve scripted it to download the iso (cached locally), mount the iso, then run the setup hidden in the background. Should take 1-2 hours.

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I’m in a similar situation: Windows 10 Pro 1803 on a Surface Pro 4 with deferrals maxed out (365/30 days).

I will be traveling in November, and I’m paranoid about a forced update while I’m away and dependent on the thing to work in order to keep up with reservations, posts, etc.

The 1803 update respected my deferrals at the time (July) but the recent language from Microsoft (re: 1803-to-1903) makes me wonder if it will now. On top of that, I’ve read dozens of threads (many here) and it’s not always obvious it’s assuming deferrals are 0 or if they’re going to be blasting right through them and pushing 1903 no matter what.

Can anyone tell me, definitively, whether or not updates still respect the deferral settings, or even if we know that at all? I may even activate the 35-day “pause updates” in a few more days to add another layer of safety, but I really wish I understood how it was supposed to work.

Or should I try updating to 1809/1903 manually before I leave, and cross my fingers that I don’t wind up trashing the thing?

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I have one v1803 and two v1809 Pro.
My settings on both versions are SAC, Feature deferral = 365, Quality deferral = 0
In Group Policy, Wundows Update is set to Atomatic Updates = Enabled, value 2 (notify download/install).
The reasoning behind those settings is: with quality deferral at zero, the updates show up in WU when they are released so I can SEE what is pending. But they DO NOT download until I click on the “Doenload” button as defined by Atomatic Updates = Enabled, value 2 (notify download/install). The 365 Feature deferral has kept me from EVER seeing an upgrade unless I specifically went looking for it by lowering the settings. I have ALWAYS been offered the current month’s CU on Patch Tuesday for both v1803 (even now with MS pushing 1903) and v1809.

As of today, 10/16, it haas been 147 days (or there about) since 1903 was declared ready, and 202 days for 1809.
If I wanted to upgrade the 1803 to 1809, I would lower the Feature deferral to somewhere between 148 and 201 (148 keeps 1903 away, if over 202 v1809 won’t show up). If I wanted v1903, I would make the setting below 146.

Microsoft has (up until now) always respected the settings.

1 user thanked author for this post.

Kirsty

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I forgot to mention it, but have SAC selected as well.

Many thanks, that’s very helpful. I’ve always left the group policy settings alone, but I think I’ll make those changes (Enabled, 2) at least for the time being. Once I’m back home and can experiment safely, I’ll decide whether 1809 or 1903 is the best choice.

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