Microsoft Offers Workarounds for Windows 10 Freeze Issues

While the release of the Windows 10 Anniversary Update about two weeks ago hasn’t triggered any widespread reliability issues, Microsoft is investigating a fairly common problem where Windows 10 freezes. And it’s now offering some workarounds.

“Microsoft has received a small number of reports of Windows 10 freezing after installing the Anniversary Update on systems with the operating system stored on a solid-state drive (SSD) and apps and data stored on a separate drive,” a Microsoft support statementnotes. “This issue does not occur when starting Windows 10 in Safe Mode.”

Microsoft will of course fix this issue with a software update, but for now the software giant is offering a few workarounds. They are both ponderous, sorry.

Move your apps and data to the system drive. Boot Windows 10 into Safe Mode and then move your apps and data to the same drive as your operating system, Microsoft recommends. To do so, reboot your PC and then hold down the SHIFT key at the sign-in screen and choose Power and then Restart. After the next reboot, you’ll arrive at a “Choose an option” screen. Select Troubleshoot, Advanced Options, Startup Settings, and then Restart. After that reboot, select F4 (or 4) to reboot yet again in Safe Mode.

Roll back to Windows 10 version 1511. If it’s been less than 10 days since you installed the Anniversary Update—bringing your PC up to Windows 10 version 1607—you can rollback to the previous version, 1511. You do so by navigating to Settings, Update & Security, Recovery and clicking the Get Started button under “Go back to an earlier build.” If you don’t see that option, it’s been more than 10 days and Windows 10 has removed the files necessary to roll back. (You can also roll back using the recovery console or via Safe Mode; check the Microsoft support post for more info.)

Not great, I know. But if you are experiencing this issue, be sure tosubscribe to the Microsoft support thread and consider offering your help as well.

Thanks to everyone who wrote in about this.