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Windows 8.1 Update Install Deadline Extended to June 10 for Consumers
Consumer users of Windows 8.1 now have until June 10 to install Microsoft's operating system update.
Microsoft released its Windows 8.1 Update in early April, giving users 30 days to install it or face losing future update support. The deadline was supposted to have been May 13. However, today Microsoft pushed that deadline out another 30 days, indicating that it was doing so to help ensure the safety of Windows 8.1 users.
Microsoft had similarly relaxed its 30-day install deadline for the Windows 8.1 Update for organizations. It set a new August 12 deadline for companies to install the update. Ostensibly, that extension was made, in part, because of a problem associated with the Windows Server Update Services. However, many organizations may be pressed to keep up with Microsoft's faster release cycle, even with the install extension.
This update release reflects a changed policy by Microsoft. The update doesn't just address user feedback requests but it also includes some new OS features. Applying the update also sets a new "service baseline" for a machine. If the update doesn't get installed on a Windows 8.1 machine by the deadline, then that machine won't get future updates from Microsoft.
This update release was a little different, as well, in requiring that a so-called "servicing-stack update" be installed first. That precondition is described in Microsoft Knowledge Base article KB 2919442. The actual Windows 8.1 Update itself goes by the Knowledge Base article name of "KB 2919355."
Based on user comments in Microsoft's support pages, the installation of the Windows 8.1 Update hasn't proceeded smoothly for many individuals and organizations. For those users with Windows Update turned on, the update may already be installed, as Microsoft describes at this Windows 8.1 Update page. The page lists some errors that users might encounter when trying to install the update, but it's a fairly short list. Plenty more problems are described in Microsoft's community support forums here.
Installation problems associated with the Windows 8.1 Update have been tracked early on since its release. Microsoft's subsequent fixes for those problems may have just generated even more error codes. At least that's the view of an InfoWorld article that has tracked the problems. Microsoft is attempting a faster software release cycle as part of its new approach, announced back in June, but it's been a bumpy road.
About the Author
Kurt Mackie is senior news producer for 1105 Media's Converge360 group.