Windows 10 1809 >might< cause data-loss during upgrade
Hi everyone,
there are some reports that are spreading fast on the web that the new Windows 1809 Upgrade would delete any files in c:\users\username\* or c:\users\public\* (whilst retaining the folders).
Since its release on the 2th October I've successfully upgraded 7 different systems, each of them also had very different user directory configurations.
Some had them on default locations, some redirected (folder property based) to another drive or network share. or even redirected to Onedrive.
None of them showed the described behaviour I have been reading about on askwoody blog / Twitter.
I've contacted the Woody Leonhard to get an idea about what might have caused this.
At the moment, he has no clue which circumstances would cause this to happen, except he found several user reports on reddit and elsewhere that indicate that there might be a problem.
Why do I write this here? This issue might or might not happen to anyone.
So do I backup my data before a Windows 10 a semi-annual upgrade? No.
Because I trust the mechanisms, and most of all I don't because I do have regular scheduled Acronis backups, with validation enabled, that might save my day in case of emergency.
Restoring got easier with the Survival Kit on HDDs, making your backup HDD easily bootable with Windows PE.
Imho restoring is still a bit cumbersome due to the very technical approach that reminds much of Partition Magic, and I really would love to have a one / two button restore wizard without caring about parition order, drive letters or which partition is "active". Most may not even have an idea what this means when they haven't started in MS-DOS times.
In fact the Windows 10 rollback won't bring the files back.
Your Acronis (2019) might turn into your personal saviour. Just in case you are affected by this, not yet confirmed, problem.
Do you backups and check them being valid, regularly.
Happy upgrading!
Cheers
Karl


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p.s. Acronis 2019 update 1 now officially supports Windows 1809. Be sure to update your Survival Kit after a backup. You get a link in the gui but it won't upgrade without this user interaction after the Acronis Update is installed.
You are welcome Steve :) Good luck and thanks for your confirmation that on the first 2 you had no issues either.
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Webpage: Windows 10 October 2018 Update v1809 – Problems and Issues being reported - also mentions the possible data loss issue along with quite a long list of other problems associated with build 1809...! So far I haven't noticed any of these but guess that other users must be doing so!
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Karl, thanks for this warning.
I have updated 3 systems to 1809 (Pro 64) and have experienced no problems. Having had major Win10 updates go very wrong in the past I created a one off backup before updating. Also installed latest ATI build before updating. Fortunately I had no problems (that I am aware of).
Ian
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Hi everyone. Microsoft has pulled Windows 1809 and the based Server pendant Server 2019 from the download pages. The reports seems to be serious. There have been reports on Feedback hub, too, way before release. What a pity. Have done 12 upgrades yet without issues. I really hope that they won't do a re-release with a new build number like in March 2018 :/
i am personally very disappointed that the people on Feedback hub aren't taken serious enough.
A nearly none of my proposals and bug reports haven't been considered in 1809 afaik as I notice today.
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Karl, thanks again for this information - the systems I have upgraded have all been good so far - will hold off on doing any more until we see how MS are going to handle the release - have the 1809 install media on a USB stick but will put on hold for now!
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you are welcome again. MS (Dona Sarkar) states that all ISO / USB media needs to be updated once they release the hold (and found the issue in the code). Imho they better provide a CU that the installer is capable to find prior the install. In worst case we have to upgrade all systems again if they decide to go the same route as back in March and re-release a major version. Let's hope for the better.
If they decide for the latter, this will be my last time of early adopting / help spreading a SAC release for home or business.
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I didn't loose any files. However, I have a different problem. 1809 has broken Network File Sharing in Windows Explorer on my systems. Network computers that are on 1809 are no longer showing up under the Network arrow in Windows Explorer. I need to use the ADD a Network Location option to see them. It was all working well with 1803 systems. No settings have changed, it's just broken.
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Paul, similar issues happened in 1803 too. It is no solution but I stopped using the network view anymore and using unc links only or "add network adress" in explorer.
There are also numerous reports that Edge and Store does not work anymore. The solutions are varying. if you use a sophos UTM / XG you might need an update.I do not like the "workaround" and hope for an official patch.
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Paul,
The reason that your network views are not working are because SMB 1.0 support has been removed in the upgrade.
The SMB 1.0 protocol supports Network Discovery whereas SMB 2.0/3.0 do not thus breaking Network View.
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