Microsoft Blocks Windows 10 April 2018 Update From PCs With Certain Intel SSDs
Despite several months of testing, there is a show stopping bug in the April 2018 Update for Windows 10 that is causing issues on systems with certain Intel-brand solid state drives installed. Affected systems can end up in a UEFI screen reboot or experience repeated crashes, according to a new support document on Microsoft's website. As a result, Microsoft is halting the roll out of the April 2018 Update to potentially affected rigs while it works on a fix.
"Microsoft is currently blocking some Intel SSDs from installing the April 2018 Update due to a known incompatibility that may cause performance and stability issues. There is no workaround for this issue. If you have encountered this issue, you can roll back to Windows 10, version 1709 and wait for the resolution before attempting to install the April 2018 Update again," Microsoft said.
Unfortunately, the announcement raises more questions than it answers, such as what specific Intel SSD models are tripping up the update. It's not clear if the issue affects one specific Intel SSD product line, or multiple different models. Microsoft also did not specify if its actively blocking both SATA and PCIe Intel SSDs from receiving the April 2018 Update. If you have an Intel SSD and are experiencing issues or have been blocked from receiving the update, let us know in the comments section what model you're running.
In my own experience with the April 2018 Update, I was able to install it without issue on a system with a pair of 480GB Intel 730 series SSDs in RAID 0. Intel released the 730 series a little over four years ago—they are the ones with the skull graphic on the casing, as shown above. That doesn't necessarily mean the 730 series isn't affected, but having run the April 2018 Update since it was pushed out on April 30, I haven't experienced any crashes or other wonky behavior.
What's interesting about this situation is that Microsoft reportedly delayed the April 2018 Update at least once due to an unspecified bug that was supposedly caught at the last minute through its Windows Insider program. Initially it was said Microsoft planned to issue the update on April 10. It's not clear if this is the same issue.
In any event, Microsoft is working on a fix, which it says will be available in the "near future" through a Windows update. Once applied, affected users will be able to install the April 2018 Update.
"Microsoft is currently blocking some Intel SSDs from installing the April 2018 Update due to a known incompatibility that may cause performance and stability issues. There is no workaround for this issue. If you have encountered this issue, you can roll back to Windows 10, version 1709 and wait for the resolution before attempting to install the April 2018 Update again," Microsoft said.
Unfortunately, the announcement raises more questions than it answers, such as what specific Intel SSD models are tripping up the update. It's not clear if the issue affects one specific Intel SSD product line, or multiple different models. Microsoft also did not specify if its actively blocking both SATA and PCIe Intel SSDs from receiving the April 2018 Update. If you have an Intel SSD and are experiencing issues or have been blocked from receiving the update, let us know in the comments section what model you're running.
In my own experience with the April 2018 Update, I was able to install it without issue on a system with a pair of 480GB Intel 730 series SSDs in RAID 0. Intel released the 730 series a little over four years ago—they are the ones with the skull graphic on the casing, as shown above. That doesn't necessarily mean the 730 series isn't affected, but having run the April 2018 Update since it was pushed out on April 30, I haven't experienced any crashes or other wonky behavior.
What's interesting about this situation is that Microsoft reportedly delayed the April 2018 Update at least once due to an unspecified bug that was supposedly caught at the last minute through its Windows Insider program. Initially it was said Microsoft planned to issue the update on April 10. It's not clear if this is the same issue.
In any event, Microsoft is working on a fix, which it says will be available in the "near future" through a Windows update. Once applied, affected users will be able to install the April 2018 Update.
