Windows 10 Slowdown: Microsoft Wants Your Help

Microsoft wants to hear from users whose computers slowed down after a recent Windows 10 update. It was a particularly unfortunate issue, as the update cannot be uninstalled.

You may remember we reported on the problem in late June. It was with an update titled KB4559309 that was designed to replace the original version of the built-in Edge browser with a new version that used similar code to Google Chrome.

It still isn't clear what caused the problem, but some users reported a host of slowdowns affecting general computer use, web page loading and gaming. The problem didn't seem connected to whether the user actually used the Edge browser.

Workarounds No Good For Most

To make things worse, the update cannot be removed through either Control Panel or the Advanced Startup boot option. Instead, users could only rely on System Restore or, if they were quick, manually install the new Edge instead of having Windows download the update. (Source: pcgamer.com)

Microsoft has now confirmed it is investigating the problem but says it needs more technical information from users to improve the chances of solving it. (Source: Microsoft.com)

Feedback Hub Is Place To Go

To do so, users should open the Windows 10 Feedback Hub. It's part of the standard Start Menu but the quickest way to access it is to hit the Windows key and type "Feedback Hub" into the Windows search tool. If Feedback Hub isn't there, it can be installed through the Microsoft Store.

Once opened, users should click on the "report a problem" option, type a brief description of the problem, then under "Choose a Category" they should check the "Problem" checkbox and then select "Install and Update" and "Post-update slowness, crashes and hangs" from the drop-down menus.

Microsoft will then be able to cross-reference the reports with the data it collects about individual computers and the hardware and software they use. The idea is that this may isolate a common factor such as a particular application or hardware component that's interacting with the Edge update and causing the problem.

One theory among users is that the problem is with computers that run the Windows BitLocker option that encrypts the entire hard drive. As that's an important tool for people who use it, it's probably not worth switching the option off as a workaround while Microsoft is still investigating.

What's Your Opinion?

Have you experienced this problem? Have you ever used the Feedback Hub? Do situations like this justify Microsoft collecting data about computer set-ups or should it stop doing so as a matter of course?