When Microsoft released Windows 10 19H1 Build 12890 to Windows Insiders this past week they had a very clear message about installing the update.
Either get on the latest build, 12890, or see your installation of an earlier Windows 10 testing build expire in two weeks on the 14th of December.
In the release notes of Build 12890, Microsoft spent an entire paragraph laying out the expectations to keep all Windows Insiders up to date and active on the right build.
As pre-release software, Insider Preview builds have a built-in expiration date that we call a “timebomb”. This has been included ever since the first Windows 10 Insider Preview build and helps ensure Insiders stay up to date with the latest features and quality updates. Once a build expires, Insiders will be provided a warning that the build has expired and will get that warning once a day. In addition to that, Insiders will also see User Access Control (UAC) warnings as well. Insiders in both the Fast and Slow rings need to make sure they are running the latest builds offered to those rings. Insiders in the Fast ring need to make sure they take the update to 19H1 Build 18290 (today’s flight) in order to avoid hitting the timebomb set to Dec. 14th . Additionally, Insiders who used ISO for Build 18272 also need to take the Build 18290 flight to avoid hitting the timebomb. We will be removing these ISOs from the download page shortly. Insiders in the Slow ring running older builds need to update to Build 17763 (the final build for the October 2018 Update) to avoid hitting the timebomb in older RS5 builds. Insiders can check their flight settings and verify they have the latest builds by going to Settings > Update & Security > Windows Insider Program.
As you can see in the hero image for this article (added below as well), when I logged into one of my Windows 10 19H1 virtual machines which was running Build 18282, I received a banner warning about that builds expiration in two weeks.
Windows 10 19H1 Build Expiration Warning
Any Windows Insiders logging into machines with build 18282 or earlier installed will get this warning and as noted above from the Build 18290 release notes, should upgrade to this latest build.
Right now that includes not only those in the Fast Ring but anyone in Slow Ring is also being told to upgrade to this latest build in order to avoid the expiration.
Since they are asking Slow Ring testers to also grab this latest Fast Ring build, I suspect the next Slow Ring build will get designated in the next couple of weeks. In fact, it is very likely that 18290 will be that build barring any unforeseen issues as it hits the Fast Ring. That would allow Microsoft to issue a new Fast ring build this coming week and even the next before they enter into their expected hiatus over the holidays when there will likely not be any new builds until we are in 2019.
Windows 10 19H1 Build 18290 Expiration Date
Whatever happens with new builds, whether they be fast or slow, everyone who currently has Windows 10 development builds installed that are 18282 or earlier must upgrade over the next two weeks. Otherwise, you will find yourself dealing with an expired build and being unable to move forward until you do that upgrade.
From a development perspective, and I do not claim to be a developer myself so this is my opinion, getting everyone on the same builds will mean old bugs do not get re-reported from within those old builds. Some of those issues have already been fixed in the latest builds so if you are still using an old build you are not seeing those fixes. In addition, you are also not seeing any potential new bugs or issues in these latest builds.
This move makes a lot of sense. Is there a reason you are not on the latest builds?
