Refer to the steps below to update drivers and software for your operating system. During the POST, users can use a hotkey to enter the BIOS menu and change many low-level PC settings. The BIOS interface lets you tune CPU overclocking settings, enable Intel® Extreme Memory Profile (Intel® XMP) to get more out of your RAM, set a new boot drive , and more.

A BIOS or UEFI chapter should explain several ways to “flash” — or update — the BIOS. There may also be a guide on the BIOS tab of the product page. This is appropriate if you’re experiencing system crashes that you’ve traced back to your motherboard. Unless you’re using an older PC, you’ll likely see UEFI instead of BIOS menus when adjusting overclocking settings and making other low-level tweaks. But for simplicity’s sake, we’ll continue to use “BIOS” to refer to UEFI. BIOS updates aren’t a routine process, and usually shouldn’t be performed on PCs that are working normally.

Check for Driver or Hardware Conflict

Reboot one more time and all is well when I log in. Click Change how Windows Setup downloads updates, then select the Not right now option and click Next. At the Ready to install screen, confirm that the upgrade will install Windows 10 and keep your personal files and apps. Some installations call for more advanced preparation. Your display adapter can actually be an upgrade blocker, too.

Microsoft rolls out new updates for Windows 10 to fix issues, roll out new features, or further optimize performance. These updates can patch up crucial security holes and reduce the risk of exploits, or make your computer run better and smoother.

• Then press Windows key and R at the same time to open the run Advanced Micro Devices dll files command.
• Lastly, the program updates drivers to their manufacturer-recommended versions, so you never have to worry about compatibility issues.
• Microsoft quickly moves in to fix many of these security holes in the system, so it’s essential to stay up to date.
• It also better supports the latest hardware under the hood.
• This can be done using some third-party applications.

If this happens, you might have to use Windows Update in Safe Mode. The update process can be performed from the Settings app or manually. Hardware drivers and firmware updates can be delivered through Windows Update. Typically, these packages are provided only when the driver fixes a bug that causes instability on targeted systems. Double-click the downloaded file to run the installer. A list of KB article IDs that apply to the update.

Fix 3: Make Sure that the System Drive Has Enough Space

Upgrade to Windows 11 if security is your priority — If you’re someone who prefers to stay updated on security, Windows 11 should serve you well. Windows 10 will continue to get security updates until October 14, 2025. Windows 11, on the other hand, has a stronger security base from the ground up. New users will feel welcome, and users upgrading from older versions may have a few issues, but nothing too drastic like we saw in the Windows 8 days. Windows 11 is here, and it introduces quite a few new things to the world’s most popular operating system. While Windows version updates have historically been rather hit or miss, Windows 10 was a relatively successful version.

For example, Microsoft added drag-and-drop support back to Windows 11’s taskbar—a feature the company omitted at launch. Right-click “Windows Update”, and from the context menu, select “Stop”. Alternatively, you can click on the “Stop” link available under the Windows update option on the top left side of the window. This tutorial demonstrates how long does Windows 10 update take and why is Windows 10 update taking so long.