Microsoft Explains Why Some Computers Update Windows Fails

Note: The article is somewhat inclined to Windows users in a business environment, so there will be aspects that are not right for ordinary users.

According to Microsoft, the cause is that those devices do not meet a certain number of connection times. Microsoft calls this parameter Update Connectivity and is measured in hours.

Update Connectivity is the time it takes to connect to the internet for Windows Update to successfully transfer updates to it. Microsoft recommends a minimum of 2 hours of internet connection before the update and 6 hours after the update.

"We've found that devices that don't respond to a certain amount of connection time have a hard time updating successfully. Specifically, the data shows that devices need a minimum of two hours of continuous connection, and in total six hours of connection after the update is released to reliably update.

This allows successful downloads and background installation to restart or resume once the device is up and connected," Microsoft said.

Administrators can find Update Connectivity data on Microsoft Intune under Devices > Monitor and select Feature update failures or Windows Expedited update failures as shown in the image below:

To ensure a successful Windows update Microsoft recommends:

1. IT administrators should advise people to keep their computers on overnight so that it can download and install updates. If there is objection, tell them the importance of updating. Regular updates will help keep their computers protected and they can stay productive.
2. Review your device's power settings to avoid going into deep sleep or hibernation too quickly. Should choose to optimize power for Windows Update.
3. Finally, it's a good idea to isolate devices that don't respond to Update Connectivity and then deal with them using methods such as keeping them on for the number of hours needed to update or applying their own security measures.

Finally, Microsoft doesn't say anything about why updates often add new bugs.

Micah Soto

Update 29 January 2022