Has Anyone Downloaded and Installed the Creators Update?

[GabeU]

I'm just curious if anyone's done this, and if so, did you notice any problems afterward?  

Did you notice any advantages to Windows 10 after installing this update?

If you know, how large was the update for you?   

[wildcats198308]

I tried to update my Laptop which is an older computer (Dell Inspiron 1720).  I downloaded it from Microsoft's website before the release (I am a Microsoft Insider - I was testing Windows 10 before the initial release -- Have not been doing much since the Release though)  The upgrade did not work on my system.   I was unable to connect to the internet at all.  My WiFi adapter did not show any networks to connect to.  My Ethernet adapter also did not connent when directly connected to the modem.   I had to roll back to previous build which works perfectly. 

I attempted doing a full clean install of Creators Update.  I formatted my hard drive and Creators Update would not complete the install.  I run it multiple times and it kept stopping at a certain percentage.  I then had to reinstall an earlier build of Windows 10 and got my system back up to date after a week or so.  Then the Creator Update came through in Windows Update.  I figured they might have corrected my problem so I went ahead and downloaded it via WU.  The problem still exists.  I tried installing Network Adapter drivers from my external hard drive which did not work.  Tried to use a USB WiFi adapter and was unable to get that to work either.   I am currently back on previous build,  I hope the update does not come back up in WU but I bet it will.   I might give it another try in a few weeks to see if anything was fixed. 

I have the ISO downloaded so I might try to update other systems. 

If you download the update directly from Microsoft website 32 bit version is around 2.77 GB  -- 64 bit is around 3.55 GB.  I have both versions downloaded -- I have a few systems that I might be upgradeing that are 64 bit.   I am not exactly sure what the Windows Update file size is.  I would imagine it being the same since it is a full system update.  (I would suggest downloading it from Microsoft's website if you want the upgrade -- So you can burn it to DVD or store on an external hard drive if you ever want / need to do a reinstall)

[C0RR0SIVE · Accepted solution]

A few things I have noticed and ran into...

This time around, the Creators Update (Windows Version 1703) didn't uninstall any of my programs, however, a few lost their registration, and had to be reactivated.  Still annoying, but not as bad as before where programs had been fully removed and no notes left behind.  I have only noticed this with a few programs, seems they may be storing registration information somewhere in the registry that is being overwrote during upgrades.

Some things I have noticed and have done...

-Went back into Settings > Privacy and checked to make sure all the settings I wanted applied, are still applied.  A few changed, most didn't.

-Your default applications are reset back to default during the upgrade... Chrome set as default browser?  You're going to have to tell Win10 under Settings > Apps what you want for defaults again.

-Noticed there's a new section in settings, "Gaming", went in and turned the "Game Bar" off as I don't need that annoying thing when gaming, and I also disabled "Game Mode"

-Wired connections can now be set to metered!  Settings > Network & Internet > Status > Change Connection Properties > Set as metered connect

-Those that use natural daylight instead of 100w equivilent lightbulbs for their room lighting might find the Settings >  System > Display > Nightlight option useful.  It allows you to change the color tone of your screen so that it's not as stressful on your eyes being the only bright object in the room.  Allowing for a more warm coloration, or cooler, depending on the options you chose under "Night Light Settings".


All of that aside, while writing this out and poking at things to make sure information was accurate, I noticed something... When looking at the "Data Usage" under network, I have used over 10TB in the last month! ROFL


Most of it was me backing things up, and poking around in my server... Next up was Chrome at 670GB, but that was me streaming from my server. lol

[wildcats198308]

The Metered option for Wired Connections is a nice added feature, which should have been added to the original version.  I purchased a USB WiFi Adapter for my Desktop so I could run Windows 10 and be able to set it as Metered. 

10+ TB WOW LOL.   They need to add an option to set it External Usage Only.

[motobojo]

While I haven't yet done the upgrade I have done some research to ascertain when it is best for me to do the upgrade.  You'll find the key results of that research in this post: Win10 Creators Update (v1703) considerations.  I've decided to wait until the CBB (Current Branch for Business) version is released.  I don't find enough of the new features compelling enough to be a beta tester for Microsoft.

[GabeU]

Thank you for the info, everyone.  It's definitely helpful.  

I think what I may do is upgrade my laptop, since it is not my main computer.   I will also download the ISO, so if I decide I like 1703 I can do a clean install on the laptop, then see how that goes.  If everything goes well and there are no significant problems, I will perform the update on my desktop, but not until then.  And then, again, if everything goes well, the clean install.  I don't have anything on either computer that isn't easy to download and install again, so that won't be a problem.  Both my laptop and desktop have Windows 10 Pro 64 bit installed presently, so the ISO will work for the clean install on both, though I have to do the upgrade on each first so each one is digitally logged.  I don't think a clean install of 1703 will activate with a digital license that is tied to 1607, so I have to upgrade first, then do the clean install later.

Again, I appreciate all of the info.  

[wildcats198308]

I am not exactly sure what all is new in 1703, but I know there is a 3D Paint program.  I did open it once to see what it was before I restored to previous Build the last time.   I was not pleased with it, I only spent like 30 seconds in the program and closed it.   I do like the Wired Connection being able to be set to Metered.  Esp. with Gen5 getting SUPER FAST speeds over Wired Connection compared to WiFi.   I keep the Setup files for all programs I have on my computer on my External / Second Hard Drive.  So its not much of a deal for me to do Clean Installs.  Theres some I dont keep which are programs that are constantly updated and will have to redownload anyway (like Adobe Flash Player, Firefox, Chrome ect.)

@GabeU  It must be nice to have the Pro version.  You have much more control over Windows.  You shouldnt have a problem with system updates,  isnt there an option to set not to download updates?   Metered Connection does good, but I still would much rather have option to set in WU myself. 

I am not sure how the License works if you do Clean Install before running the upgrade.   I never really thought about it either.  

[GabeU]

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@wildcats198308 wrote:

@GabeU  It must be nice to have the Pro version.  You have much more control over Windows.  You shouldnt have a problem with system updates,  isnt there an option to set not to download updates?   Metered Connection does good, but I still would much rather have option to set in WU myself. 

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No.  The only different option is that I can defer feature updates, but I can't control any other updates, save for setting it as metered when connected through Wi-Fi like you can with the non Pro version.  

[C0RR0SIVE]

Win10 doesn't care much about the license and which version of Win10 gets installed...  But Microsoft does recomend registering your Win10 install with a Microsoft Account (Outlook/live/msn/hotmail) before doing a clean install now.  Makes reactivating easier.  If you are on 15xx and clean install at 17xx, your system should activate just fine online.

[GabeU]

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@C0RR0SIVE wrote:

Win10 doesn't care much about the license and which version of Win10 gets installed...  But Microsoft does recomend registering your Win10 install with a Microsoft Account (Outlook/live/msn/hotmail) before doing a clean install now.  Makes reactivating easier.  If you are on 15xx and clean install at 17xx, your system should activate just fine online.

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I'm not really sure what you mean by registering my Windows 10 install.  It's activated with a digital license and connected to my Microsoft account.  

Edit:  I'm also concerned as to whether a 1607 system image will be allowed to be restored to a drive that just had 1703 on it.  If I upgrade and don't like it, for whatever reason, I can revert back to my previous build, then use the system image to restore it so it doesn't have all of the upgrade and downgrade extra junk left behind.  If I do a clean install of 1703 from the get go and don't like it, for whatever reason, I'm concerned that I may not be able to use that 1607 system image to restore it.  I know that restoring with a system image can be REALLY sensitive, and it doesn't like it when you aren't restoring an image to a drive that doesn't have the exact same thing on it.  I don't know if a different build would trip it up, but it's not really worth the saved 3.5GB or so to find out.  I'd rather just do the upgrade, then the clean install later if it turns out it runs well and I like it.  The clean install because, as we all know, in most cases, a clean install runs much better than an upgrade.  

[wildcats198308]

I meant activating not registering.

[GabeU]

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@wildcats198308 wrote:

I meant activating not registering.

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Who are you replying to?  I don't believe you mentioned anything about registering anywhere.  

[wildcats198308]

If you do the upgrade you can always use the Go back to earlier build option in Recovery.... Settings - Update & Security - Recovery.    I did that on my system and I do not have the Windows.old folder. 

[GabeU]

@wildcats198308

I'm aware of that.  The concern I have is with performing the clean install from the start.  My original concern with that is that it may not activate due to my digital license being tied to the current build (1607) on my computer.  Corrosive is saying that it should activate as the build shouldn't matter, but I have other concerns, as well.  If I perform the clean install of 1703 and, for whatever reason, I need to go back to 1607, I won't be able to if restoring with that system image is dependant on what was most recently on the disk.  It probably isn't dependant on that, but I don't want to take that chance.  

If I upgrade instead and don't like it, I can just downgrade, then restore with the 1607 system image to get rid of all of the junk that will be left over from the upgrade/downgrade process.  I like a clean system.  

But, now that I think about it, the Windows 10 ISO I presently have is 1607, so if I couldn't use the 1607 system image to restore the drive if I need to, I could just use that.  That would surely activate, and I could then use the 1607 system image to restore and be right back where I started before all of this.  

I know...I think of too many things that could go wrong.  LOL.  

Edit:  In the end, I think the safest thing is to perform the upgrade.  Then, if I like it and everything works properly, perform the clean installation.

[C0RR0SIVE]

Up to you how to do it...  Here's what happened to me...

Computer was on Win7, took the free upgrade offer, went to RTM.  A month or two ago I decided to reformat, I was using a Threshold ISO to restore to, while on the Aniversary update.  System activated and worked fine.  I am now sitting on the Creators Update...  Win10 doesn't really care much about which version at all, as long as it's able to contact Microsoft and verify your computer.  If you are one of the ones with a Win8 OEM Laptop, your activation key is stored inside the machines UEFI BIOS, which is better than what I have, which is just a machine ID...

As far as "upgrade" vs "clean install" goes... Upgrades are essentially clean installs now, but retains whats possible of the program data.  Every registry key minus a few critical ones (ones related to computer name, domains and so on...) is refreshed for the new revision, all drivers during upgrades are reinstalled if possible, and so on.

[GabeU]

@C0RR0SIVE

Yes.  My laptop is OEM and originally had Windows 8.  I learned about it storing the product key the first time I went to reinstall Windows 8 and couldn't find such to activate it.  I called Dell and found out about it being stored in the BIOS.  I didn't know they were doing that until I got that computer.   My desktop, however, is another story, and it activates with the digital license utilizing the machine ID, like yours.    

Being that it worked for you, it will probably work for me.  After thinking about it for a while, though, I think I might update my desktop first.  I don't use my laptop much, and if I update it but don't use it on a regular basis, how am I going to know if I like it?  With my desktop, I use it enough that in the ten days given to revert to the previous build, I should know whether I like it or not.  

Either way, I'm still going to wait untiil the 2nd or 3rd to do this, as that will be a couple of days before my data reset.  

[lakebum]

I did the Creators Update on a new Dell Inspiron AIO and upgraded to Gen 5 on the same day (4-14). 

I didn't have a choice..the Gen 5 install was already scheduled and the Creators Update came up that morning and downloaded and did it's thing in a couple hours. Everything went perfect will both installs...no problems at all.

Only problems I've found was that I can't cast from from edge browser any more even though the option is still there and will still cast from file explorer though. 

[GabeU]

Well, I peformed the update on both my laptop and desktop, and so far everything is fine.  The downloads went quickly, and the installation went as quickly as one would expect.  

So far, so good.  

[wildcats198308]

Glad to hear they are Installed and working with out issue.  I installed it on my Nieces laptop and played around with it some, and installed it on my Moms laptop (I currently have it due to the charger port being broke AGAIN and needed to replace it so I figured I would install the update, since she dont know much about computers if there was a problem -- and she lives over 3 hours away).  Both seam to be have no issues. 

Now if I can just get it installed and working on my Laptop with is a pretty old system, originally Windows XP.    I might try it on my Desktop also,  I dont use the Desktop much myself currently its being used mainly by the kids for games with Windows 7 installed.  I think all the games should work on Windows 10 now so I will probably see how the Creator Update is on there. (I assume I probably will have go through Windows 10 to install / upgrade to the Creators Update... and not just update from Windows 7).

I am amazed at how fast the Windows Software downloads.   Before was lucky if it finished a Windows 10 download of 3+ GB in 4-5 hours.  Now it finishes with in 1 hour or so (didnt exactly time it - but I know was fast)

[GabeU]

Yep, it's fast, no doubt.  For me, the download of the update took about ten minutes for each one, but then the installation itself took another forty five minutes or so for each one.  Then, of course, I spent a while adjusting everything again and finding the new things to adjust.  Plus, it downloaded new versions of all of the installed apps from the store.  

Remember, too, that with your desktop having Windows 7, if you want to upgrade to Windows 10 you will have to pay for it.  The free upgrade was only for a year after Windows 10 was released.  

[wildcats198308]

@GabeU  I already did the upgrade to Windows 10 on my desktop  then went back to Windows 7.   I read that they are still allowing people to upgrade free even though they encouraged people to do so for 1 year, and it supposly only being a 1 year thing.  Its suppose to still accept the Windows 7 key for activation.  I dont know for sure if its true.  (When I was trying to install Windows 10 fresh on my laptop after trying the Creator Update - I entered my Windows 7 Key and it said it was not valid.  I thought I was screwed, but here I guess the Windows 10 Key is stored in the computer --- which I did not know)

@maratsade  Dont you have your connection set to Metered so that it does not randomly download updates and use data?   I found some changes with the Creator Update.  The one that I like the most is that you can set Ethernet Connections as Metered now in Network & Internet Settings.  You can read through this site for other changes.