The Latest Windows 10 Update Is Doing Weird Things With User Data and Profiles

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Bad Patch Tuesday.

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Updated, 2/18/20, 8am PT: 

Windows Latest reported yesterday that Microsoft customer support workers are aware of the problems caused by the KB4532693 update. One person told the outlet that "Microsoft is aware of this known issue and our engineers are working diligently to find a solution for it." The company hasn't updated the support article related to the KB4532693 cumulative update with information about the issue, however, even though it's already acknowledged a different problem with the update.

Original article, 2/14/20, 4:43am PT:

Windows 10 is having an identity crisis. Reports claim the latest cumulative update to the operating system reverted certain settings to their defaults, removed files from the desktop and even loaded people into a temporary user profile upon restarting.

Microsoft released the Windows 10 KB4532693 cumulative update on February 11 to address issues with cloud printers, improve the Windows 10 May 2019 Update installation process and make security upgrades to many of its first-party services.

Bleeping Computer reported that numerous people have complained about the previously mentioned problems with the KB4532693 update, however, and Microsoft was said to have acknowledged those complaints in a statement.

The outlet also guessed how exactly the KB4532693 update is causing problems. It's possible that Windows 10 loads a temporary profile used during the installation process, rather than the normal user profile, even after the update's fully installed.

It's not clear if that's actually what's happening, though, or how people should fix the issue. Bleeping Computer said that restarting the affected system multiple times appears to have helped some users, but that seems more like a fluke than anything.

By now many Windows 10 users have probably come to expect issues like this with operating system updates. Microsoft struggled to deliver stable cumulative updates in 2019, and so far, it doesn't appear to have totally addressed the problem in 2020.

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Nathaniel Mott
Nathaniel Mott
Freelance News & Features Writer

Nathaniel Mott is a freelance news and features writer for Tom's Hardware US, covering breaking news, security, and the silliest aspects of the tech industry.

6 Comments Comment from the forums
  • wirefire
    Microsoft's arrogance will be their undoing. Businesses will start to take serious looks at alternative products if Microsoft's "forced update" system continues to cost users and businesses time and money.

    It is very difficult it is to explain to small businesses that the Microsoft update service screwed your computer, pay me to fix it and you have no recourse but to sit there and wait for it to happen again. (and don't try to tell me to use a WSUS server, we are talking about places with 10 users or less and in some cases, don't even use a window server.)
    Reply
  • hotaru251
    wirefire said:
    . Businesses
    except businesses don't use normal WIN10.

    They have a business version that doesnt get these forced updates w/o say so.

    (MS aint dumb enoguh to do that when they know stuff can cause issues)

    only the non business version ppl get screwed.
    Reply
  • excalibur1814
    Businesses use a WSUS server (Windows Software Update Services) and can trial updates on test computers before making them go live.
    Reply
  • discoveredjoys
    I installed the update and soon had several BSOD with different messages. I uninstalled KB4532693 and all reverted to normal. Later I switched off the anti-malware and anti-virus applications (which normally protect my 'user files') and re-applied KB4532693 without problems. Co-incidence?
    Reply
  • BaRoMeTrIc
    wirefire said:
    Microsoft's arrogance will be their undoing. Businesses will start to take serious looks at alternative products if Microsoft's "forced update" system continues to cost users and businesses time and money.

    It is very difficult it is to explain to small businesses that the Microsoft update service screwed your computer, pay me to fix it and you have no recourse but to sit there and wait for it to happen again. (and don't try to tell me to use a WSUS server, we are talking about places with 10 users or less and in some cases, don't even use a window server.)

    If you are running a business regardless of size you should be running enterprise software. If you can't afford errors and downtime then you should be paying for increased stability. WIN 10 is essentially a free service and MS is treating it as such, and for the most part it is one of their best products in the last 15 years. If you want to put your businesses trust in a consumer OS then that is the risk you run, same with internet. Sure consumer internet is far cheaper but if you have an issue you'll be waiting days for a service call, however if you have business class you're paying for expedited service and troubleshooting. Plus what other options will they be looking at? Linux; with it's broad compatibility and top notch customer service, or maybe MAC OS with it's broad range of options, compatibility , and service? Seriously, you could be waiting months or years for a patch on a Linux distro, and MAC OS you'll have to completely revamp your software and train your staff on the new methods. Or i suppose Greg's Vacuum Repair could just build a linux server and deploy multiple VMs on thin clients throughout his small business because guys like him that use consumer Win 10 will certainly have the wherewithal to do so.
    Reply
  • bit_user
    BaRoMeTrIc said:
    If you are running a business regardless of size you should be running enterprise software.
    If you're big enough that you can negotiate a good price on the licenses, sure. An enterprise license is a non-trivial cost, for a lot of SOHO users.

    BaRoMeTrIc said:
    Plus what other options will they be looking at?
    I'd guess more people are using ChromeOS. When all your data and apps are in the cloud, Win 10 is overkill for a lot of simple use cases. It does underscore your point about internet service, though.
    Reply