Windows 10 Fall Creators Update hits install snag for some
Some users with specific PC motherboards report problems updating to the latest Fall Creators Update in Windows 10.
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Some users with specific combinations of PC components are reporting problems updating to the latest version of Windows 10 .
Microsoft rolled out the Fall Creators Update for Windows 10 on October 17, adding new mixed reality support, better OneDrive integrations and other new features. But not everyone has been able to update successfully, and the issue may be related to a specific combinations of PC motherboard and SSD storage.
Many of the reported issues center on a combination of X299 motherboards and SSD storage drives that use the NVMe standard (Non-Volatile Memory Express). A thread on Microsoft's own TechNet forums about similar issues with Spring 2016 Windows 10 update was recently revived with new reports about the Fall Creators Update, and a multi-page Asus forum thread calls out several instances of the problem, but that may be because Asus is a very popular manufacturer of X299 motherboards. Users with MSI and Gigabyte motherboards have also reported problems, but in general, this issue seems to be affecting only a small subset of Windows users.
One component supplier told CNET it had been unable to recreate the specific error initially, but was still looking into the issue.
Microsoft told CNET, "Microsoft is aware of the issue and we are working with our device partner to resolve it as soon as possible."
In the meantime, users with X299 motherboards who have had trouble are also reporting that performing a clean install of Windows 10, rather than attempting to update a PC's current OS, is a reliable workaround. But it's also a less convenient one, as it requires you to backup and restore data and apps.