Windows Update

1. General Information

Updates are distributed at VŠE through the adupdate server. The following text helps you to better understand when to expect updates and to adapt your work to your device accordingly.

2. Update Cycle (“Patch Tuesday”)

In 2003, Microsoft began to apply the so-called “Patch Tuesday” to its software products, when the system collects security and patch updates for the last month and releases them every second Tuesday of the month (due to the time difference compared to the US, the update emerges only on Wednesday in the Czech Republic). This practice was subsequently adopted by other software developers (e.g. SAP, Adobe).

Exceptions to this rule are rapid fixes that respond to significant security threats and can be released at any time, and twice-a-year updates (“Semi-Annual Updates”) – see next section.

3. Semi-annual Updates (“Semi-Annual Updates”)

Together with Windows 10, in 2015 Microsoft also introduced the so-called Semi-Annual Updates (“Semi-Annual Updates”). In addition to the standard patch and security updates, which are released on a monthly basis (see Patch Tuesday), now every six months (every spring and fall), large content updates are being released, replacing de facto new Windows releases (such as for Windows XP -> Windows Vista -> Windows 7 -> Windows 8).

Semi-Annual Updates are not delivered onto standard school installation for several reasons. Semi-Annual Updates are basically an automated reinstallation of Windows, but not always without problems. It is not uncommon that some system functions will stop working, the device must be manually reinstalled, or the user loses some of their data during the process. It is therefore unrealistic to update such a large-scale organization (as of August 2018, we register over 1,500 employee and over 600 classroom PCs) without any problems.

4. Windows 10 Life Cycle

With the release of new “Semi-annual updates”, Microsoft is discontinuing support for the oldest versions of Windows 10 (over 18 months old). Termination of support means that security updates will no longer be delivered to that particular version of Windows, making the system vulnerable. It is therefore necessary to update these versions to a newer version. The exceptions are Windows Education (with a life cycle of 24 months) and Enterprise Long-Term Servicing Branch/Long-Term Servicing Channel (with a life cycle of 10 years).

The following table provides an overview of the versions of Windows that are currently implemented at VŠE along with their End of Life dates (if your version of Windows is approaching the end of your support, contact the Help Desk to agree to reinstall the newer version).

Windows Versions Implementation at VŠE End of Life Date

Windows 7 Professional (build 7601) 2013 – 2017 January 14, 2020

Windows 10 Education (build 1703) 2017 – July 2018 April 9, 2019

Windows 10 Enterprise LTSB 2016 (build 1607) August 2018 – January 2019 October 13, 2026

Windows 10 Enterprise LTSC 2019 (build 1809) February 4, 2019 – until now January 9, 2029

To find the Windows version: Press Win+R, type winver, and press Enter.

5. Recommendations

  • For less powerful devices, it is recommended that you turn off hibernation and leave it on overnight so that updates are downloaded and usually installed when you are not using your computer.
  • Some updates (such as .NET updates – distributed within Patch Tuesday) may take several tens of minutes to install.
  • If you are purchasing a new device, we strongly recommend SSD storage instead of conventional magnetic disks – the speed of installing updates is significantly higher.
  • To view the update control panel: Press Win+R, type control update, and then press Enter.

6. Additional Information Sources

  • Windows 10 Update History
  • Windows Life Cycle