Using Windows 10 Technical Preview ? Make sure you check for updates.

By Daniel Rubino
last updated

Windows 10 Technical Preview is only a couple of hours old, but Microsoft already has some patches out for it. If you have installed the Preview, you should head into Settings and check for those updates as you may have waiting for you.

Microsoft has even included a nice changelog of the fixes and patches, one of which applies to Surface owners.

Update for Windows Technical Preview for x64-based systems (KB3001512)

Issues that are fixed in this update

  • Issuer Distribution Point (IDP) sets are removed from Windows Tech Preview or Windows Server Tech Preview. This change prevents Microsoft Surface devices and Nokia tablets from obtaining firmware or driver updates.
  • Adobe Flash update does not contain premium video playback.
  • Some problems in the Compatibility View list for Internet Explorer 11.

Regarding the first fix for IDP, it sounds like if you have the Preview installed, you will not be getting new Firmware fixes for the Surface. This change could be bad news if you were hoping to get some hardware improvements on your device, but on the other hand, Microsoft clearly did this because they cannot guarantee the Surface and Windows 10 Preview will play nice after a firmware update. It is not clear if Microsoft will offer those independently for Surface owners, or, for as long as you are in the Preview program, you just do not get the firmware.

Update 3: Microsoft has confirmed with us that this update ALLOWS you to get new firmware. It does not block it, so yes, you should take the update.

Update 2: Microsoft has revised the changelog. Instead of IDP and mentioning of the Surface/Nokia devices, it now just says "In Windows Technical Preview, certain devices do not receive firmware or driver updates." This evidently fixes this problem, and does not prevent firmware updates.

Update: As pointed out in comments, it is not too clear if they are describing the fix or the change. In other words, the Surface may have been blocked from getting new firmware and this fixes that. We are trying to clarify with Microsoft.

Alternatively, you could skip this update and risk taking on the new firmware down the road.

The other two fixes are self-explanatory for the most part and sound like good fixes.

Have you installed the Windows 10 Technical Preview? How do you like it so far?

Daniel Rubino
Daniel Rubino
Editor-in-chief

Daniel Rubino is the Editor-in-chief of Windows Central, head reviewer, podcast co-host, and analyst. He has been covering Microsoft since 2007 when this site was called WMExperts (and later Windows Phone Central). His interests include Windows, laptops, next-gen computing, and for some reason, watches. Before all this tech stuff, he worked on a Ph.D. in linguistics, watched people sleep (for medical purposes!), and ran the projectors at movie theaters because it was fun.