Are you been forced to upgrade your windows? Read this article for a middle path.

Many individuals operating Win10 version 1803 — Win10’s most popular version — are receiving dire notices to update to ‘ the next Windows version, ‘ which implies 1903 for Microsoft. Hogwash. Hogwash. Hogwash. You’ve got choices. Here is what you can do. You can do here.

Microsoft’s in a full-court press to get folks running Win10 version 1803 to upgrade to version 1903. Ostensibly it’s because version 1803 patches will stop after Nov. 12, and the laggards still stuck on the “old” version — first declared suitable for business a scant year ago — need the enlightened, new 1903. Waiting for three or four months just won’t do. The truth is somewhat nuanced. Click the Search box next to the Start button to type About and pick About your PC, if your version of Windows 10 isn’t sure.

Vox dei

If, like most Windows 10 users, you’re on version 1803, you may have recently started seeing announcements in Windows Update like this one:

1803 download and install now

Woody Leonhard/IDG

While you’re certainly welcome to click Download and install now, you might want to think for a minute before you make the leap. There’s a reason why Microsoft itself isn’t recommending version 1903 for business deployment just yet. Don’t get bullied into making a decision that’s good for Microsoft but may prove problematic for you.

Update Interrupt

It can be confusing to push to 1903. A nascent 1903 version might already be waiting for some who have clicked on the incorrect buttons. You will see a message from Windows Update that looks the same, if your computer is fitted with an Alien chestburster: Do not worry if you get into the script — which was downloaded from Win10 1903, yet not installed. Just go to the C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution directory and remove all documents. You’ll be back to the devil ye ken and restart Windows.

You have a choice – three of them, actually

You have three simple decisions right now, if you run Win10 version 1803 (assuming, of course, you want to remain in Windows):

Stick with 1803

On Tuesday, Nov 12 (with the exception of a site license and a bundle spending), Microsoft promised to submit its last cumulative update to Win101803. Usually, with the exception of the significant update bug, a fresh patch is not expected until Patch Tuesday, December 10. In a standard course of activities. So you have to go for three or five months before the safety patches dry up depending on how you look at it.

Why do you adhere to 1803? This is stable. It is stable. Win10 standards at least. Many individuals feel that the benefit is worth the pain when weighing up the functionality changes in Win10 1809 and 1903 at 1803. You can wait each month and stabilize the next and next versions of Windows. In any case, for a first approach.

To date, Microsoft has shown respect for pushing individuals between 1803 and 1903, but you should expect the pressure to get hotter. Some individuals have reported totally unpredictable upgrades— particularly on computers with metered Internet connections — but the soft impetus that you have to cope with for most individuals right now. Heaven only knows whom Microsoft will throw under the bus as we get closer to November.