Microsoft has delayed the release of the next major Windows 10 upgrade by two weeks after flagging a number of issues including a zero-day corruption-reporting vulnerability.
Users keen to upgrade their systems to the May 2020 Update must now wait until the end of the month as Windows 10 developers plan to issue a further set of fixes with an additional build of the flagship operating system (OS).
This is in order to fix a set of known issues that may affect a small group of users. Windows Mixed Reality, for example, may not work correctly for some on the May 2020 Update, with users recommended to hold off on updating through the ‘release preview’ mechanism.
Moreover, some apps, namely those that use the ImeMode to control the input method editor (IME) for individual text entry fields to increase typing efficiency, may not be able to use this mechanism correctly.
The most concerning bug relates to the deployment image servicing and management (DISM) tool used to repair corruption on systems running the May 2020 Update.
This command-line tool is used to mount and service Windows images before deployment and can be used to install, uninstall, configure and update Windows 10 features, packages, drivers and international settings. The vulnerability involves the DISM tool not always reporting the correct corruption status.
Participants subscribed to the Windows Insider Programme for Business users are being advised to request Microsoft Support should they encounter these issues in their preview releases of the May 2020 upgrade. This service, which is cost-free, is limited to Windows 10 Enterprise and Pro edition customers.
The release of the final Windows 10 May 2020 build has been pushed back to 28 May, according to Windows Latest, instead of the initially touted 12 May release to coincide with the latest round of Patch Tuesday fixes.
The upgrade is expected to focus mostly on improving existing features in Windows 10 as opposed to innovating and releasing new ones. For example, Windows 10 will feature an improved Task Manager and Settings menus.
Not all users will see the next upgrade on this date, however, with some users and businesses expected to wait longer in light of the phased approach to rolling out updates that Microsoft has adopted.
Conventionally, Microsoft would initiate updates on Windows 10 machines automatically once its data indicated that users would enjoy a trouble-free experience. However, major rollout disasters that plagued the April and October 2018 updates triggered the development of a new mechanism that allows users to defer updates for up to 35 days.
