Microsoft Finally Fixes Windows 10 Version 1903 Blocking Issue

Microsoft has quietly fixed three major issues with Windows 10 version 1903, one of which was preventing users from upgrading to this version.

Despite its promises of increased transparency, the firm has not announced or discussed these important fixes via its corporate blogs. Instead, it has silently updated a Known Issues page on Microsoft Docs.

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You’ve probably heard about at least one of these issues: Infamously, Windows 10 would not upgrade to version 1903 if the user had a USB storage device or memory card plugged-in to their PC. This has been a known 1903 blocker since mid-May, but it was quietly fixed two days ago, on May 11.

Two other major issues with Windows 10 version 1903 were quietly fixed this week as well. One regards audio loss with Dolby Atmos headphones or Dolby Atmos home theater, and the other is a major flaw in Event Viewer that made the app unusable.

Microsoft is investigating three more known issues in Windows 10 version 1903 related to Windows Sandbox (a new virtualization feature in this release), Remote Desktop, and display brightness. And users have reported a fourth issue related to the dGPU on Surface Book 2, which Microsoft has “acknowledged.”

Presumably, Windows 10 version 1903 will be “perfect” once these issues are all fixed.

It’s unfortunate that Microsoft didn’t think to communicate these fixes. But thanks to Neowin for the tip.

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Conversation 17 comments

  • gardner

    Premium Member
    13 July, 2019 - 11:21 am

    <p>The end of the third paragraph you say “two days ago on May 11”. I think you mean July 11.</p>

  • gpmccartney

    13 July, 2019 - 12:01 pm

    <p>My update to 1903 was held up by mapped network drives. Windows update said my computer wasn't ready for 1903 but would be soon. I disconnected my network drives thinking they may have the same issue as USB drives and all of a sudden 1903 was available. </p>

  • AnOldAmigaUser

    Premium Member
    13 July, 2019 - 12:05 pm

    <p>This would explain why all of my computers were "cleared" for 1903 this week, despite external drives and SD cards. After testing on a sacrificial machine, I have started the upgrade process.</p><p>The only issue I have run into is with remote desktop to devices with very old Intel display drivers: they would display only a black screen when used remotely, which is how I use them, since one is for testing fast ring releases and the other is loaded up with disk to store backups from the other computers. The fix, should someone else need it, is to hook up a monitor, keyboard and mouse; then go to Device Manager, and uninstall the Display driver without checking the box to delete it.</p>

    • Dan1986ist

      Premium Member
      13 July, 2019 - 4:19 pm

      <blockquote><em><a href="#442211">In reply to AnOldAmigaUser:</a></em></blockquote><p>The RDP issue you're having is listed in the Known Issues page linked to by Paul.</p>

      • AnOldAmigaUser

        Premium Member
        14 July, 2019 - 1:05 pm

        <blockquote><em><a href="#442307">In reply to Dan1986ist:</a></em></blockquote><p>Yes, but I had long ago stopped worrying about what display drivers were in those computers. I was mainly interested in passing along the fix.</p>

  • wordz42

    Premium Member
    13 July, 2019 - 2:39 pm

    <p><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">"quietly fixed two days ago, on May 11." From the context, assume that should be July 11?</span></p>

  • jimchamplin

    Premium Member
    13 July, 2019 - 2:40 pm

    <p>They still haven’t fixed a graphical error that happens on all UWP apps. The top pixel border of the window is a darker color stroke than the sides and bottom borders. </p><p><br></p><p>It’s a tiny thing, but it’s like absurd 80s contract riders. If they can’t be assed with taking the brown M&amp;Ms out, did they read the part about electrical requirements for the music equipment?</p>

    • wright_is

      Premium Member
      14 July, 2019 - 5:00 am

      <blockquote><em><a href="#442250">In reply to jimchamplin:</a></em></blockquote><p>Not seeing that on my PCs… They all seem correct (Excel Mobile, OneNote, Terminal)</p>

  • crconrad

    13 July, 2019 - 7:14 pm

    <p><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">From the ar</span>ticle: <em>“This has been a known 1903 blocker since mid-May, but it was quietly fixed two days ago, on May 11.”</em></p><p><br></p><p><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">You mean on July 11?</span></p>

  • waethorn

    14 July, 2019 - 3:27 pm

    <p>Did they fix the BSOD issue when you remove Windows Fax &amp; Scan from 32-bit installs?</p>

  • blackcomb

    14 July, 2019 - 5:12 pm

    <p>They're still trying to make this twice a year update happen, huh? LTSC for life. Security patches only.</p>

  • simont

    Premium Member
    14 July, 2019 - 7:14 pm

    <p>And apparently Microsoft have now added a block for the SB2, something to do the Nvidia GPU. You would think Microsoft would do extensive testing on their own devices first.</p>

  • Cristian Botezan

    15 July, 2019 - 2:52 am

    <p>The update blocks even without any external storage device or mapped network drive.</p><p>Hopefully, they fix it before the next big update :)</p>

  • IanYates82

    Premium Member
    15 July, 2019 - 4:44 am

    <p>What's odd is that I thought they claimed they'd fixed the external drive blocking issue a while back. Wasn't that said each week for the past few weeks on Windows Weekly? Leo's brought it up a few times.</p>

  • mrlinux11

    15 July, 2019 - 11:58 am

    <p>I have a Lenovo desktop with Phantom USB drives and Microsoft Update said my system was ready to install 1903, but it failed to install. I disabled USB Ports and tried it again and it worked, so I think they still have some work to do on USB install issue.</p>

    • epguy40

      16 July, 2019 - 5:31 pm

      <blockquote><em><a href="#442755">In reply to mrlinux11:</a></em></blockquote><p><br></p><p>I did not encounter the usb install problem when installing/upgrading to 1903 using newly refreshed 1903 ISO install media. that's why I <strong>never</strong> install feature updates thru microsoft update or windows update and <strong>ALWAYS</strong> create install media and upgrade from that instead.</p>

  • epguy40

    16 July, 2019 - 5:34 pm

    <p>hi Paul Thurott.</p><p><br></p><p>you may want to read these new articles from ZDNet that got published this Tuesday July 16</p><p><br></p><p>www.zdnet.com/article/microsoft-is-starting-to-auto-update-windows-10-home-pro-users-on-1803-or-older-to-1903/</p><p><br></p><p>www.zdnet.com/article/windows-10-has-microsoft-cleaned-up-its-update-mess/</p><p><br></p><p>the one recently written by Ed Bott is especially good and questions Microsoft whether or not they "cleaned up their update mess."</p>

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