Windows 10, version 1909 delivery options
Published Nov 12 2019 10:00 AM 2.1M Views
Microsoft

This post was co-authored by John Wilcox (Windows as a Service Evangelist, Windows Servicing & Delivery), Alec Oot (Principal Program Manager Lead, Windows Servicing & Delivery), and Will Patton (Senior Program Manager, Windows Servicing & Delivery)

In recent blogs by John Cable and myself, we shared how Windows 10, version 1909 (referred to internally as 19H2) will continue our efforts to improve the overall update experience for consumers and businesses. In this post, we are sharing more detail about the mechanics that will be used to provide those improvements.

Before we describe what’s new, however, we want to clarify that if a device is running any version of Windows 10 earlier than version 1903, the process of updating to version 1909 will be the same as previous feature updates. This applies to devices managed with Windows Update or Windows Update for Business, or devices self-managed with Windows Server Update Services (WSUS), Configuration Manager, or other management tool. Again, for devices running Windows 10, version 1809 and previous, there is nothing new with the update process to version 1909.

What’s new about delivering Windows 10, version 1909

Devices running Windows 10, version 1903 can take advantage of a new way of servicing that leverages the same servicing technology used to deliver monthly quality updates to get the new features and capabilities available in version 1909. This enables you to install the update to Windows 10, version 1909 with an improved update experience and reduced downtime.

Windows 10, versions 1903 and 1909 share a common core operating system with an identical set of system files. As a result, the new features in Windows 10, version 1909 were included in the latest monthly quality update for Windows 10, version 1903 (released October 8, 2019), but are currently in a dormant/disabled state. These new features will remain dormant until they are turned on via an “enablement package,” a small, quick-to-install “master switch” that simply activates the Windows 10, version 1909 features.

The enablement package is a great option for installing a scoped feature update like Windows 10, version 1909 as it allows you to update from version 1903 to version 1909 with a single restart, reducing update downtime and, thus, enabling you to take advantage of new features right away. Additionally, since Windows 10, versions 1903 and 1909 share a common baseline, applications and drivers that worked with version 1903 are designed to work as-is with version 1909, just like any Windows 10 quality update.

How to get Windows 10, version 1909

As stated above, if your device is running any version of Windows 10 earlier than version 1903, there are no changes to how you install Windows 10, version 1909. If your devices are running Windows 10, version 1903, here is guidance on how to update to Windows 10, version 1909.

For devices managed by Windows Update

If you receive updates directly from Windows Update, the Windows 10, version 1909 update will be presented just like any feature update. The installation process will be faster, but, as with any feature update, you will have the ability to choose when to install version 1909 using the controls that we announced earlier this year.

If you are using Windows Update for Business, you will receive the Windows 10, version 1909 update in the same way as prior feature updates and as defined by your feature update deferral policy. Windows will automatically choose the right path and will update devices already running Windows 10, version 1903 to Windows 10, version 1909 using the enablement package.

For self-managed devices

All of the existing options you use to deploy feature updates are supported with Windows 10, version 1909, and update media is (or will soon be) available in all of the normal channels (for more detailed information on timing, please see the Windows IT Pro blog). Note that installing Windows 10, version 1909 via media does not provide the time savings and reduced restarts available when upgrading from version 1903 to version 1909 using the enablement package.

We are making the Windows 10, version 1909 enablement package available on WSUS as KB4517245, which can be deployed on existing deployments of Windows 10, version 1903.

Additional details

Versioning

You can verify that the Windows 10, version 1909 update was successful by running Winver, versioning APIs, WMI, and other common interfaces, and verifying that the operating system build number is 18363. Because of the common baseline, even after installing Windows 10, version 1909, individual system file versions will still appear as 18362.

Disk space

If you choose to keep your devices on Windows 10, version 1903, the disk-space overhead of the dormant/disabled features that are part of the common monthly update is less than 25 MB. Again, those features will remain dormant/disabled until the Windows 10, version 1909 enablement package is used.

Uninstall

If you do need to uninstall Windows 10, version 1909, open your Windows Update settings (Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update > View update history), select Uninstall updates, and uninstall the Feature Update to Windows 10 version 1909 via Enablement Package (KB4517245). This will revert the device to Windows 10, version 1903. This is a separate path from the Recovery tab, which uninstalls the most recent non-servicing-based feature update.

Windows Server

Windows Server instances will continue to receive Windows Server, version 1903 monthly quality updates. The feature enablement package will not be automatically offered to Windows Server by Windows Update, nor will it be available in the Microsoft Update Catalog or via WSUS. Instead, refreshed update media will soon be made available for updating to Windows Server, version 1909.

30 months of support

We want to conclude this post with a quick reminder. Devices running Windows 10, version 1903 receive 18 months of support. Devices running the Enterprise, IoT Enterprise, or Education editions of Windows 10, version 1909 receive 30 months of support. For more information about the Windows servicing lifecycle, please see the Windows lifecycle fact sheet.

190 Comments
Copper Contributor

Can I install this on my Surface Book 2?  

Copper Contributor

1909 broke my surface pro

Copper Contributor

Couldn't have said it better myself, arrived to work today to an absolute sh** show ! Bah humbug

Microsoft

@AceTech30 

 

Yes, you can install it on any Windows 10 machine.  I myself am a Surface Book 2 user and have been running it for months. 

Microsoft

@Sjrjaj 

 

Please, tell me more, 

What does "broke" mean.  Were you upgrading from 1903? 

 

contact me @johnwilc@microsoft.com and I'll make sure you get assistance. 

Microsoft


So the latest monthly quality update for Windows 10, version 1903 (released October 8, 2019); which includes the new features in Windows 10, version 1909 which are currently in a dormant/disabled state will remain so, for example for the full Windows 10 Pro 1903 support lifecycle (Dec. 8, 2020) unless the KB referred to is installed? We can continue to defer feature updates while still receiving quality updates? Feature updates are being moved from March, September releases to December, June as I understand but the frequency will remain the same as indicated? 

Microsoft

@RaaMata 

 

1903 will have 18 month servicing lifecycle,  during which it will receive quality updates.

1909 will have 30 months, for Enterprise and Education SKUs. 

 

you did not say how your device is being managed, but its covered above.  You mentioned "deferred" so you may be WuFB managed. If so, we adhere to your WuFB deferral settings. 

 

 

Copper Contributor

Hi John

 

How can i find the "Feature Update to Windows 10 version 1909 via Enablement Package (KB4517245)"  in SCCM?

 

I cant find the KB4517245 in SCCM console. Im using SCCM CB version 1902. We have clients on 1903 and I don't want to deploy the complete 1909 .wim file , all I want is the "small" enablement package to update my 1903 users.

 

Denco

Microsoft

@denco-86 

 

This is what you want

 

clipboard_image_0.png

Copper Contributor

Hi John

 

Can you show me in the SCCM Console under the "Software Library > All Software Updates " node please?

If that is not possible can you show me how to download the KB4517245 patch offline please?

 

Denco

Brass Contributor

@John Wilcox     For Windows 10 version lower than 1903 how do you use SCCM to get to version 1909 ?   Thanks for posting that information on 1903 --> 1909 using WSUS/SCCM as we would have never figured that out

Brass Contributor

@John Wilcox   Also in our WSUS - KB4517245  does show up - but for some reason we cannot get SCCM to pick up this.     Is there any articles on how exactly to do this?

Microsoft

@denco-86 @Eric Sabo Please make sure you have the “Windows 10, version 1903 and later” product and “Upgrades” classification selected in your Software Update Point site component. Both the enablement package, for devices on 1903, and normal feature update, for devices on earlier Windows 10 releases, should show in the “Windows 10 Servicing” \ “All Windows 10 Updates” node, not the “All Software Updates” node as these are feature upgrades. Also note that you can’t search “KB4517245” as it’s not in the title, search just “4517245” or "enablement"

clipboard_image_1.png

Brass Contributor

Rae,

 

Thanks that helped a lot - we were looking under All Software Updates.    Thanks again

Silver Contributor

We have updated one 1903 machine with an enablement package update via WSUS and in winver it shows new build 18363, but in WSUS it is still 18362 after latest report. Main WSUS server is on Windows Server 2012 R2 and downstream server with this machine is also on Windows Server 2012 R2.

Copper Contributor

Getting things ready - 94%

download gets stuck at the above  for hours, tried restarting didn't work, any suggestions besides deleting the update?

bellskee@aol.com

Microsoft

@bellskee 

 

Please share some more context..

 

What are you upgrading from?

How are you updating? WU, WuFB, WSUS?

 

 

Silver Contributor

Single restart huh? I just ran 1909 update (pressed Download and install now link on Updates page in Settings) on a fully updated 1903 laptop. It downloaded and presented Restart now button. I pressed it. It rebooted, showed usual updates installing view with percents and then rebooted again and then booted into Windows desktop (autologon enabled). So, not exactly one restart :) At least in my case. Some cheap ASUS laptop.

Copper Contributor
My existing PC is dual-boot Win 7 Pro 64-bit and Win 10 Pro 64-bit (now at version 1903). A Dell Optiplex 7010 with Intel Core i5 3470, plenty of hard drive storage and 16GB RAM. So far, updates to each OS have NOT affected the other, as far as I can tell. Is there anything different about doing the new update of the Win 10 side to version 1909 that might affect the Win 7 side and the current, working dual-booting? Thanks.
Copper Contributor

Hi John,

In corporate environment (W10 Enterprise, Windows Update for Business, deployment rings...) is it possible to make this feature update mandatory, just like the previous ones ? Most of our users do not want to deal with updates and were ok with existing installation options (especially when restart is as fast as this one).

Microsoft

@glnz 

 

Hi David,

 

Should not be a problem.  The servicing pipelines are separate, and the update process in this case, same as monthly, you have been using for sometime now with now issues.

 

 

 

Silver Contributor

Tried to move test machine with 1909 version to WSUS server on Windows Server 2016 and it still reports 18362.449 (2 instead of 3). I guess will have to wait for OS hosting WSUS patch to fix reporting?

Copper Contributor

@John Wilcox

 

Not sure if this is right forum, however:

 

Downloading newly released Danish Window 10 Enterprise 1909, from VLSC, I believe either the Install.wim is wrongly numbered, or the files are backlevel!

 

This is what shows (Version : 10.0.18362 => 1903):

 

D:\Sources>dism /get-imageinfo /imagefile:g:\sources\install.wim /index:3

Deployment Image Servicing and Management tool
Version: 10.0.17763.1

Details for image : g:\sources\install.wim

Index : 3
Name : Windows 10 Enterprise
Description : Windows 10 Enterprise
Size : 14.647.013.793 bytes
WIM Bootable : No
Architecture : x64
Hal : <undefined>
Version : 10.0.18362
ServicePack Build : 418
ServicePack Level : 0
Edition : Enterprise
Installation : Client
ProductType : WinNT
ProductSuite : Terminal Server
System Root : WINDOWS
Directories : 22289
Files : 95438
Created : 07-10-2019 - 04:21:32
Modified : 07-10-2019 - 04:38:44
Languages :
da-DK (Default)
The operation completed successfully.

Silver Contributor

This is expected as 1909 is just a CU of 1903.

 

"Because of the common baseline, even after installing Windows 10, version 1909, individual system file versions will still appear as 18362."

Copper Contributor

@wroot The build shows in the client operating system as 18363 so surely this should be reported to WSUS/SCCM as the correct build? Even a CU affects the build number

Silver Contributor

@polaris CU updates the number after the dot and this is a CU number, not a build number, which is first 5 digits. In my case CU digits are reported correctly, but not the build digits. I'm guessing WSUS is maybe identifying OS by some system file, which hasn't changed in 1909. But it does show CU number correctly, so maybe not it.

Copper Contributor

@wroot What CU number are you seeing? I am getting .449 for clients that are on either 1909 or 1903

Silver Contributor

Yes, it is .449 for 1909 and 1903.

 

But actually winver for 1903 and 1909 shows .476. I think first it was .449 after the 1909 update, but now some other update installed and it went higher, but WSUS for some reason is not reflecting this.

Brass Contributor

Hi, we have freshly installed 1903 machines in fr-ca with OSD with the October cumulative update installed. The enablement Package has been deployed (available) to those machines, but they don't show up in software center)

 

Are we missing something? We're on CB 1902 with the hotfix.

 

Thks in advance and don't hesitate if you have any questions.

Microsoft

@Stephane Lalancette do your clients have the prerequisite 1903 cumulative and servicing stack updates installed?

 

See prerequisites listed here: 

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/4517245/feature-update-via-windows-10-version-1909-enableme...

or here:

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/configmgr/sum/get-started/configure-classifications-and-products?wi... 

 

If you have the prerequisites installed, what does the state of the enablement package update report as for the clients in deployment monitoring?

Microsoft

@polaris @wroot Where in WSUS/ConfigMgr are you seeing the OS build number incorrectly represented as 18362 instead of 18363? In ConfigMgr, I see the Operating System Build correctly represented:

clipboard_image_1.png

Copper Contributor

@Rae_Goodhart I am just using WSUS but it looks similar to the screenshot you have posted (without the correct build/CU of course)

Silver Contributor

Yep, in WSUS there is no Operating System Build column. It is called "Version" column and it shows 18362.449 for some reason for 1909, although it should be 18363.476. And it looks like it also shows it wrong for 1903 for me. It should be 18362.476, but it shows 18362.449. It's like it got stuck after it received these new 1909 updates.

Microsoft

@wroot @polaris The Version in WSUS is based on the version of the Windows update client, which does not change to 18363, it's more of a binary version.  For the CU issue, not all cumulative updates patch the component of Windows that is the Windows update client, and in this case .476 appears to not have updated the Windows update client itself, so the Version remains. I don't believe this is related to 1909/1903 enablement package, it just happens that this cummulative update didn't need to make any changes in the Windows update client component of Windows.

Silver Contributor

So, WSUS admins have no reliable source of information about a real version of Windows 10? It seems that smaller feature updates have their own problem now. Or we should just approve them and hope they install without checking (no Needed shown at least) :)

Copper Contributor

@wroot

 

You would expect the 1909 release to contain any CU's inbetween 1903 and 1909, and the version/build number reflecting this - alas version should be 10.0.18363, not 10.0.18362.

 

And please note that I'm refering to the Install.wim, not individual files.

 

I appears MS managed to make a total mess out of this, that everyone now has to spend numerous hours to Work around - total Waste of everyones time. MS please call in some proffesionals….

Steel Contributor
"You can verify that the Windows 10, version 1909 update was successful by running Winver, versioning APIs, WMI, and other common interfaces, and verifying that the operating system build number is 18363. Because of the common baseline, even after installing Windows 10, version 1909, individual system file versions will still appear as 18362." Any chance of that not being the case eventually? For one example, 1909 machines report to WSUS as 18362, and that pretty much blows all the reporting I pulled from WSUS out of the water... Seems very half-baked.

@AceTech30 you can install in on your surface, the only update block that I've seen is this

https://mspoweruser.com/microsoft-blocks-windows-10-v1909-update-for-pcs-with-old-avg-and-avast-anti...

@ajc196 

I wish it was tested internally on real hardware with Microsoft's test group (if any still left?) before public release so things like that could have been identified.

Copper Contributor

Please, where will I find the enhancement package to it on.

@Kwaw210 by "enhancement package", are you referring to the standalone cumulative update for 1909? if yes then here you can find it:

https://uupdump.ml/

 

p.s all links are officially downloaded from Microsoft servers

Brass Contributor

@Kwaw210 

 

How is your device being managed, getting updated today?  Via Windows Update, or managed locally from WSUS?  Both are covered above in the blog, both Windows Update managed and Self Managed. 

 

 

 

 

Iron Contributor

Updated to 1909 on my HP Elitebook and now Skype for Business and Teams apps both fail to login.   This is a corporate environment so a bit challenging when these stop working.  I can still access Teams via browser so very odd that just the app got broken.

Copper Contributor

If using WSUS, make sure you also have the Upgrades checkbox checked in the Options > Products and Classifications section under the Classifications tab.

And @Half_Penny , that sounds like what we started experiencing recently.  You can fix it by attempting to log-in with a non-existent user like Arbdargardawal@yourcompany.com and then when it fails to login, the user cache will be cleared and it will let you log in again with your proper credentials.  Re-installing Teams also seems to work, but this is faster.

Copper Contributor

When we began the rollout of 1909, we tested it on our Technology Department computers before installing to any other machines in the School District. We had various "strange" issues. A couple of machines were simply like we has performed a complete reinstall of the OS. We had to install all apps. We had to install printers. We had to setup the machines like they were fresh out of the box. One machine had to have Office reinstalled. Needless to say, none of the test machines were right. All had something wrong with them. But as long as 3 days later, some of the machines corrected themselves and were OK again??? I hope the next version of Windows 10 doesn't come with so many "strange" quirks.

 

We held off pushing out 1909 for a while.

Copper Contributor
Just a quetion because it has been puzzling me for weeks now. I have a multi-bnoot machine on which I run 2 versions of Windows 10 (Both Dutch) -1: Windows 10 Pro N (the one I most frequently use) -2: Windows 10 Pro (regular, non N) Strangely enough the "November 2019 Update" ran flawlessly on the the 'Non N' version contrary to the N version, which does download the files, installs up till almost 100% but never really finishes. Could the difference between "N" and non N explain this? Can I do something to get it running Or is it a matter of your programmers, who perhaps did not realise the differences between the 2 versions? I had an equal problem installing the previous update. I am keen on reactions
Copper Contributor

Làm thế nào để thiết bị của bạn được quản lý, được cập nhật ngày hôm nay?

 

Brass Contributor
I am using windows 10 enterprise 1909 64bit build no 18363.535
Copper Contributor

I realised that the "N" (and "K") versions are installed without the Media Features pack.

After some searching I found this link to install it.

https://www.itechtics.com/install-media-feature-pack-in-windows-10/

After installing this, I ran the '1903' update, flawlessly and continued to the latest 'November' 1909.

It ran smooth as once would expect.

 

I hope this might help others as well

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‎Nov 12 2019 10:00 AM
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