Skip to main content

Headaches continue with two new Windows 10 October 2018 Update bugs

windows 10 october update
Image used with permission by copyright holder

After a month of bugs, Microsoft re-released the Windows 10 October 2018 Update in mid-November, but some problems are continuing to plague people who have installed it on their PCs. In the latest, two new issues with administrator accounts and FLAC media files have surfaced.

With the first problem, noted by Techdows, if a consumer has chosen to enable Windows 10’s built-in administrator account, it will automatically be disabled when upgraded to the Windows 10 October 2018 Update. The feature is typically off by default for security reasons but can be useful for troubleshooting a PC. This can be problematic for more technical savvy consumers, but Microsoft acknowledges the issue in a blog post and notes that a solution is coming in late January. It is also encouraged for consumers who typically depend on the administrator account to sign in with a second account with administrative-level privileges before updating. That can be done by heading to “Computer Management,” selecting “Local Users” and “Groups” and clicking on “Users.”

The second issue is a little less severe but impacts the way that FLAC media files are played in the Windows 10 October 2018 Update, MSPoweruser reports. These uncompressed audio files typically allow for a quality listening experience, but in the latest version of Windows, metadata like track names would be cut short in File Explorer and other locations across the operating system. The built-in Groove music player and even Windows Media Player also have issues playing these files, cutting out the first minute of a song. There is currently no word on Microsoft a patch, but a support thread reveals that Windows Insiders are currently beta testing a release which includes a fix for the problem.

Though both of these problems are not as dramatic as the file deletion bug which first caused Microsoft to pull back the public release of the Windows 10 October 2018 Update, they still can cause headaches. If you’re experiencing similar issues, it is best to visit the Windows 10 Feedback Hub to report it to Microsoft. The company typically monitors that forum, often address these issues raised by consumers in monthly patches for Windows 10 on the second and occasionally the fourth Tuesday of every month in the year.

Editors' Recommendations

Arif Bacchus
Arif Bacchus is a native New Yorker and a fan of all things technology. Arif works as a freelance writer at Digital Trends…
Windows 11 vs. Windows 10: Is it finally time to upgrade?
Microsoft Surface Laptop 2 sitting on a table.

Windows 11 is the newest version of Windows, and it's one of the best Windows versions ever released. At launch, the operating system was very similar to Windows 10, but it has morphed a lot over the past several years. Now, Windows 11 has several key differences compared to Windows 10.

If you've been holding out on upgrading, we have everything you need to know about Windows 11 and how it's different than Windows 10 in this article. We'll detail the differences, as well as show you the areas where Windows 11 is growing faster than Windows 10.
Windows 11 vs. Windows 10: what's new

Read more
Beware! The latest Windows 11 update might crash your PC
A laptop running Windows 11.

Microsoft releases routine updates for Windows every month, and while the intent is to fix issues and occasionally add new features, the latest one is doing more harm than good. Some Windows 11 users have taken to social media to report that the latest KB5035853 update could be crashing their PCs, with the feared Blue Screen of Death (BSoD) appearing on startup.

Although Microsoft hasn't appeared to document any known issues with this update for Windows 11 22H2 and Windows 11 23H3, there's a Reddit thread on the matter. Frustrated Windows 11 users mention the problems they are experiencing after installing the update. One mentions that Explorer.exe shows an error during shutdown and another reports that the ribbon of the File Explorer is slow to load. Audio-related issues and PCs feeling laggy when gaming are among some of the other problems being reported.

Read more
Microsoft may fix the most frustrating thing about Windows updates
Windows 11 updates are moving to once a year.

Most Windows users will agree that one of the most annoying things about the operating system is the updates. While Windows Updates are necessary, they often tend to come up at the worst possible time, interrupting work and gaming sessions with persistent reminders that the system needs to reboot. Microsoft might be fixing that problem in the upcoming Windows 11 24H2 build, but it's still too early to bid farewell to those ill-timed reboots.

As spotted in the latest Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26058, Microsoft is testing "hot patching" for some Windows 11 updates. Hot patching refers to a dynamic method of updating that often doesn't change the software version and may not even need a restart. In the context of Windows 11, it's pretty straightforward -- Windows will install the update, and you won't have to reboot your system.

Read more