Solved Microsoft yanks latest Windows 10 release - November update (version 1511)

[GreyFox7]

Ref Microsoft yanks latest Windows 10 release from its download server | ZDNet

Without explanation, Microsoft has removed the just-released November update (version 1511) from the download page it offers to the general public. The media creation tool now downloads the initial release of Windows 10 instead.

I've also heard unconfirmed reports that delivery of the November update via Windows Update has also stopped.

When Microsoft released Windows 10 version 1511 earlier this month, the company also updated the installer files it delivers via a free, downloadable media creation tool.

Company executives even recommended the tool to Windows 10 users who were too impatient to wait for the upgrade to arrive via Windows Update.

That upgrade option worked as advertised for more than a week. Today, however, the new files have been pulled and the media creation tool instead installs the July 2015 (build 10240) release.



Hmmm

 

[leeshor]

They will get serious push back from system builder partners. That makes things very difficult for me to update upgraded systems and also building new ones. It's a serious drain on my data if nothing else but will add significant time.

 

[dld44]

Just in time I pulled down the 1511 version and installed it yesterday. I waited a couple of weeks for the 1511 update to show up on its own, but it never happened; hence the manual install. I had a number of problems with the W10 10240 problem that I was looking forward to 1511 fixing. Maybe if I find the time I will list them. So far, it appears that the November code has fixed a single problem on my SP3, that being not able to do a no password return from sleep or initial boot. It hasn't fixed, for example, losing mapped network drives, auto rotation (see my thread on that nearby), losing access to the Micro SDCard (1511 actually broke it again but I have since re-fixed it by reinstalling the MS generic driver over the Realtek that give the trouble). Many more. DaveD

 

[GreyFox7]

Would have loved to be a fly on the wall in the meeting where they made the decision to take a black eye vs. whatever was happening.

 

[GreyFox7]

Microsoft says it's still available via Windows Update but changed strategy on the Media Creation Tool and will only offer the Original build with the MCT.

The November update was originally available via the MCT (Media Creation Tool), but the company decided that future installs should be through Windows Update. People can still download Windows 10 [Build 10240] using the MCT tool if they wish. The November update will be delivered via Windows Update.
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Ref Microsoft explains disappearance of the Windows 10 November Update from Media tool

This is bad, very bad.

 

[hughlle]

Microsoft says it's still available via Windows Update but changed strategy on the Media Creation Tool and will only offer the Original build with the MCT.

The November update was originally available via the MCT (Media Creation Tool), but the company decided that future installs should be through Windows Update. People can still download Windows 10 [Build 10240] using the MCT tool if they wish. The November update will be delivered via Windows Update.
​

Ref Microsoft explains disappearance of the Windows 10 November Update from Media tool

This is bad, very bad.

I wonder why. My only experience was installing 10 using the tool on Friday. No matter the guides and workarounds I follow it is impossible to turn bitlocker on. Just continually gives me errors. Won't even let me shrink a partition saying there isn't enough space to shrink it??

 

[GreyFox7]

Update to Original Linked Article

Update: A Microsoft spokesperson says the change is intentional:

The November update was originally available via the MCT tool, but we've decided that future installs should be through Windows Update. People can still download Windows 10 using the MCT tool if they wish. The November update will be delivered via Windows Update.

Frankly, that explanation is pretty hard to accept.

One by-product of the sudden move is that the multi-edition installer, new in the November update, is no longer available. The current download links require the user to choose between x86 and x64 versions; the now-vanished replacement was a single executable.

Another by-product is that anyone upgrading from Windows 7 or Windows 8.1 to Windows 10 today has no choice but to accept a 3 GB upgrade to build 10240, followed almost immediately by an equally large second upgrade to version 1511.

And to add insult to those injuries, the sudden removal of the build 10586 ISO files means that the newly added capability to do a clean install using a Windows 7 or Windows 8.x product key is now unavailable to the general public unless they were fast enough to download and save an ISO file before the sudden change.
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Curious.

 

[BillJ]

The most unfortunate aspect of corporate decisions such as this is the lack of transparency to those of us who enjoy using the products and have exhibited brand loyalty. I would understand if MS said "OK, we will need to suspend downloads in this fashion due to problem "X" for a certain time; we regret the inconvenience to our customers, and we will find a way to make it up to you eventually"; but raising our expectations and then dashing them without explanation is not good business.

If the problem was overworked servers, there should be a fix. If there were problems with upgrading Win 7 Home to Pro inadvertently, they could just "take the hit" and fix the problem from here out. Was there a serious problem with security? We should be informed.

 

[Omni]

I cant understand why they've done this. I luckily pulled both x86 and x64 versions just before they removed them and have used them 3 times on different pcs to upgrade them and had no issues at all.

Surely they will explain why soon...?

 

[GreyFox7]

The best speculation I have heard is someone figured out how to use/reuse or generate new W7/8 Keys to do installs with. Essentially making it unlimited free installs. Like the old trick to install a W95 upgrade, just make an empty file named ntldr on the disk and it was good to go.

 

[leeshor]

Being able to use a valid key from 7 or 8 was supposed to be a concession to the OEMs and system builders that wanted to be able to do that and made sense.

Now they're backtracking! They're going to need to figure out anther way. It substantially increases the time required to assemble a new system. (or to upgrade and existing system).

As a Microsoft OEM and system builder I'm more than a little unhappy with this decision. It also makes it difficult on people needing to do a repair to an already upgraded system. I thought the last ISO I downloaded may have beat the takedown but sadly no.

 

[GreyFox7]

Microsoft reverses course, restores downloads of Windows 10 November Update
Last weekend, Microsoft suddenly pulled its online tool for downloading the latest Windows 10 installation files. Today, the company explained the seemingly minor bug responsible for the decision, and has now made the tool available again.

Microsoft reverses course, restores downloads of Windows 10 November Update | ZDNet