Windows 10 Build 15055 - A lot of fixes - but a step backwards

On March 10, MS released Windows 10 build 15055 to Fast Ring Insiders - this was both a PC and Mobile build.

 Build 15055 contained some two dozen + fixes for PC and only about 3 for Mobile.   

 The build did seem to download and install fine across all devices.   One comment I can make is that with the new UUP process designed to reduce download sizes is that MS has effectively added additional steps in the update process - that doesn't necessarily improve end-to-end update time.

 So now you experience the following...
  • Initializing Updates - a short phase that seems to build a list of updates to be applied
  • Preparing for Download - a new phase that is the heart of UUP where the machine is examined and builds the manifest of what is to be downloaded
  • Downloading Update - so the actual download itself
  • Preparing Update - so expanding the download - then restart 
  • Configurating Updates - yet another pre-update staging
  • Working on Updates - the actual application of the build
Versus 15042 and 15048 - 15055 took longer than normal.

The end result however was not very good on any of my machines.   

Right from the start - I couldn't log in.  I would enter a password or pin and get a user profile error then returned to login.  So I said okay I'll restart - and guess what - requesting a restart from Windows didn't work.  Literally had to use the BIOS shutdown - so press and hold the power button to get the PC to shutdown. After restart - I was able to login.  Even now - when I request restart - I am sent to Lock screen and the machine does not power down.

After I finally logged in almost immediately began receiving multiple notices of errors with 3rd party apps that support specific file types - i.e. PDF - which it then switched over to Edge from Adobe.  Same with .mov files from iTunes to Edge and so on. and not just 1 or 2 notifications - but 20+ and then when I went into Action Center to clear - they wouldn't.

Like others I experienced issues with the Store app, and had to reset - and it continues to fail to update itself. I also received notices from Windows Defender that it had found something malicious - but when I looked at the console nothing.  Just to be safe I ran a full scan - and nothing.   

I also noticed some app feature seemed to not be working - for example the People app on PC - no longer was a live tile - so you didn't see the people bubbles.  It also seemed to take a long time to sync with Google for contacts and never felt like it was running quite right.

The list goes on as I open and work with apps - so now it is a trail and error situation to figure out what is all working.  Disappointing to say the least.
Especially when 15042 and 15048 seemed to be so smooth.

In my opinion 15055 was definitely a step backward and I will probably have to run a full PC reset and reinstall all my apps to get some assemblence of order. 

It kind of puts you between a rock and hard place.  Do you go through the effort to perform a PC reset and reinstall apps - which can be a couple of hours with no guarantee of results - or do you just wait for a new build and see what it fixes - but due to the potential error state from the previous build - will it just make the problem worse and force a reset then.

Bottom line is - MS release build 15055 and while it contained a number of fixes - for my machines it was pretty much a mess and from a user experience standpoint was definitely a step backward from 15042 and 15048 - we'll see what the next build brings...

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