Windows 10 Version 2004 Limps Forward

After a less than dramatic start last month, usage of the latest version of Windows 10 grew even more slowly this past month.

“[Windows 10 version 2004] adds about 4.6 percent to its share this month,” the latest AdDuplex report notes. “This is less than the 7 percent it gained in its debut month.” AdDuplex surveyed almost 134,000 Windows 10 PCs to obtain this data.

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With just 11.6 percent usage share now, Windows 10 version 2004 is officially off to a very slow start, which makes sense given all the upgrade blockers that are still in place. It still trails Windows 10 version 1909 (36.8 percent usage) and Windows 10 version 1903 (43.6 percent) by very wide margins.

Comparing the past two months, it’s clear too that version 2004’s gains are coming mostly at the expense of the two previous versions, which are essentially the same version and combine for 80 percent of all Windows 10 versions in use. Or, as AdDuplex notes, “As is now common, the growth in the latest update’s numbers comes primarily not from its predecessor but a version before that.”

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Conversation 24 comments

  • jerquiaga

    31 July, 2020 - 10:12 am

    <p><em>I wish Windows Update would tell you why the 2004 update is being blocked. It would at least give you the chance to update hardware/drivers or fix whatever config issue you have. </em></p>

    • bncz1

      Premium Member
      31 July, 2020 - 1:58 pm

      <blockquote><em><a href="#558014">In reply to jerquiaga:</a></em></blockquote><p><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">After I installed update, KB4559004 on my Surface Book 2, v1909, the long awaited feature update to v2004 finally was made available&nbsp;</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><img src="https://www.tenforums.com/images/smilies/001.png"></span></p&gt;

  • blue77star

    31 July, 2020 - 11:17 am

    <p>Very badly fragmented.</p>

    • winner

      31 July, 2020 - 1:56 pm

      <blockquote><em><a href="#558028">In reply to blue77star:</a></em></blockquote><p>That's only Windows 10. It would be interesting to have the graph include Windows 7 and 8, too.</p>

  • djross95

    Premium Member
    31 July, 2020 - 11:29 am

    <p>Just embarrassing…</p>

  • neznak

    31 July, 2020 - 12:11 pm

    <p>They got better! They were so much more fragmented in the past. Now it's less fragmented than ever.</p>

    • SvenJ

      31 July, 2020 - 3:46 pm

      <blockquote><a href="#558045"><em>In reply to neznak:</em></a><em> </em>Really? I sort of recall Windows 7 with or without SP1.</blockquote><p><br></p>

    • Greg Green

      03 August, 2020 - 12:39 pm

      <blockquote><em><a href="#558045">In reply to neznak:</a></em></blockquote><p>Sarcasm? 1903 support ends this year for everyone, 1909 support ends for consumers in less than a year. That’s more than 40% that has to upgrade in four months.</p>

  • r34med

    Premium Member
    31 July, 2020 - 12:48 pm

    <p>Still blocked on my Surface Pro 7…</p>

    • SvenJ

      31 July, 2020 - 3:43 pm

      <blockquote><a href="#558058"><em>In reply to r34med:</em></a><em> </em>Saves me the trouble of looking. Thanks.</blockquote><p><br></p>

  • jackwagon

    Premium Member
    31 July, 2020 - 1:40 pm

    <p>The Surface Pro X still seems to be excluded from the 2004 club as well. I realize that Microsoft can't really play favorites with their own hardware, but it seems kind of egregious that their own devices aren't getting the 2004 update.</p>

  • dfeifer

    Premium Member
    31 July, 2020 - 1:49 pm

    <p>Also not getting it with certain lenovo models as well. </p>

  • sgbassett

    Premium Member
    31 July, 2020 - 1:52 pm

    <p>I finally took the plunge this morning on my Lenovo ThinkPad T490, which is NOT my primary machine. The update installed and I spent the day so far using the T490 in place of my primary machine for my usual workload. Nothing fancy, just writing legal briefs in Word, doing research in a browser (Credge), and responding to email (also in Credge using the Gmail or Outlook.com web interfaces – I hate the Outlook desktop application). </p><p><br></p><p>So far, no problems. I did wait until Windows Update informed me that 2004 was ready for the T490. I have a self-built desktop running 1909 (my primary machine) that has not yet received that message, so I will wait until the message arrives before I attempt the update.</p>

  • winner

    31 July, 2020 - 1:55 pm

    <p>So much for WAAS keeping everybody caught up.</p>

  • crp0908

    31 July, 2020 - 1:56 pm

    <p>Can anyone explain why the percentage of 1903 is still so high? Do these people know that all editions of1903 including Enterprise and Education go EoL in early December 2020? I can understand holding off on 2004 but what was their excuse for skipping 1909? </p><p><br></p><p>But at least everyone is on the same version of Windows now. </p><p><br></p>

  • qaelith2112

    31 July, 2020 - 2:12 pm

    <p>My HP Envy gaming desktop is still blocked. Not sure why — it doesn't say. At one time I believe it was the Bluetooth driver but I was thinking they had corrected that so it must be another thing. I'm a long-time proponent of Windows and personally believe Windows 10 gets an undeserved beating much of the time among tech press, but really, they should take a step back and see what's going on with their coding and updates because the impression that is difficult to avoid is that they don't have a good process in place and buggy code is all too likely, and fixes seem as likely to create new problems as fix the existing ones. It's painful week after week to hear Steve and Leo (Security Now) going on and on about the string of problems. Steve seems to be implying that the code is just such a fragile wreck that only starting over would be effective. I'm not convinced that it's that hopeless but they do badly need to take a year, rethink the whole process, and make code quality into a focus for a while before new features resume. Sort of like how the "Trustworthy Computing" initiative was an all hands on deck thing that was very effective in transforming an insecure mess into something that was respectable. </p>

  • dexman335

    31 July, 2020 - 2:27 pm

    <p>My Surface Pro 7 and Surface Laptop 1 are still blocked from receiving the update via the normal update procedure.</p><p><br></p><p>It looks like 2004 is now available for my old Surface Pro 3 (which I donated to my church, but, I still maintain it). I have all updates paused until I can get some idea how well 2004 runs on it.</p>

    • waethorn

      31 July, 2020 - 2:39 pm

      <blockquote><em><a href="#558102">In reply to dexman335:</a></em></blockquote><p>Does the Windows Update Assistant block it too?</p>

      • dexman335

        31 July, 2020 - 8:47 pm

        <blockquote><a href="#558118"><em>In reply to Waethorn:</em></a><em> </em></blockquote><blockquote>To date, I've been checking via the usual Update/Security screen within the Settings page.</blockquote><blockquote>I suppose I could force upgrades by using the Windows 10 Update Assistant, but, if there continues to be compatibility questions, I'd prefer to sit tight. ?</blockquote>

        • waethorn

          01 August, 2020 - 2:48 pm

          <blockquote><em><a href="#558249">In reply to dexman335:</a></em></blockquote><p>If there continue to be compatibility questions with their own hardware, I'd be looking for another OEM.</p>

  • waethorn

    31 July, 2020 - 2:42 pm

    <p>Remember folks: Microsoft created the concept of "Firmware-as-a-Service" as their description of monthly Surface "firmware" (often just drivers) updates, which is the same mechanism at fault for holding those systems back from getting "Windows-as-a-Service" updates.</p><p><br></p><p>How about we just call it Microsoft's "Disaster-as-a-Service".</p>

    • naddy69

      05 August, 2020 - 12:45 am

      <blockquote><em><a href="#558119">In reply to Waethorn:</a></em></blockquote><p>Or, we could just call it Windows 10. Same thing. </p><p><br></p><p>Seriously, this two-updates-a-year thing HAS to stop. Clearly, this pace is impossible to maintain. Not to mention that no one wants – or needs – it. </p>

  • SvenJ

    31 July, 2020 - 3:42 pm

    <p>We are now at what people have been beating Android up for, for years. Somewhat like Android, it is not because people don't want it, it isn't being offered.</p>

  • bradster62

    31 July, 2020 - 5:16 pm

    <p>I received the 2004 update on my Lenovo Carbon X1 (6th Gen) laptop but not on my Surface Pro 3 or Dell XPS 8900 desktop.</p>

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