Home Microsoft squashes data-eating bug in the Windows 10 October 2018 update
News

Microsoft squashes data-eating bug in the Windows 10 October 2018 update

Bruno Ferreira
Disclosure
Disclosure
In our content, we occasionally include affiliate links. Should you click on these links, we may earn a commission, though this incurs no additional cost to you. Your use of this website signifies your acceptance of our terms and conditions as well as our privacy policy.

In the famous words of Homer Simpson, "doh!" That's probably the expletive most heard at Microsoft this past Saturday, when the company was forced to temporarily pull the Windows 10 October 2018 update due to a serious data-eating bug that would make users' documents vanish in a puff of bytes. The company has now identified the root cause of the problem and has since issued a fixed version of the update for Windows Insiders. The Windows blog also now has a detailed explanation of the issue up.

Some of the user reports about data loss pointed to user data folder redirection, known as Known Folder Redirection (KFR) in Microsoft parlance, and OneDrive as possible causes. Both theories were connected to the root cause. Since the April 2018 Update, some users that used KFR to redirect one of their data folders (Desktop, Documents, Pictures, etc.) reported an extra, empty copy on their systems. In what will soon be recognized as a case study of "best intentions gone wrong," Microsoft added code to remove those supposedly empty copies. You can work out what happened next.

Specific situations that would trigger the bug include redirecting a data folder to another drive without moving all the data in the process, redirecting data folders to One Drive without transferring the contents over, and using an older version of OneDrive with the auto-save feature enabled.

Microsoft says it's investigated the issue and fixed the bug in all three scenarios. Given the gravity of the bug, the Redmond folks are offering to assist customers in retrieving their data. The company will now monitor the situation "with the utmost vigilance" and will re-issue the October 2018 Update once it's sure that the data Pac-man isn't in it.

Latest News

SpaceX Is Building A Network Of 100 Spy Satellites For The US
News

SpaceX Is Building a Network of 100 Spy Satellites for the US Government

IMF Shared An Update About The February Security Breach
News

IMF Shared an Update about the February Security Breach – All Affected Email Accounts Resecured

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) on Friday shared an update about a cyberattack that breached 11 email accounts from the organization on February 16, 2024. A spokesperson said that they...

Taylor Swift in concert
Statistics

9 Taylor Swift Controversies – The Numbers Behind the Drama

The 14-times Grammy Winner Taylor Swift, known for her catchy tunes, heartfelt lyrics, and meteoric rise to fame, has not only captured the hearts of millions around the globe but...

What is Darwin AI, Apple’s Latest AI Acquisition?
News

What is Darwin AI, Apple’s Latest AI Acquisition?

Cyberattack On France Govt Exposes Data of 43 Million Users
News

Massive Cyberattack On France Government Departments Leaves The Data of 43 Million Users Exposed 

Reddit Receives An Inquiry From FTC About Its AI-Related Deals 
News

Reddit Receives an Inquiry Request from FTC about Its AI-Related Deals

Tim Cook Lied to Shareholders — Costs Apple $490 Million
News

Tim Cook Lied to Shareholders – Costs Apple $490 Million