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Second Data Loss Bug in 1809 Raises Serious Concerns About Win10

Here we go again, apparently. Paul Thurrott is reporting a second data loss bug for Build 1809. It seems that the Compressed Files feature in that release has a problem. It’s silently overwriting original files and folders. It happens when you move items from a ZIP file and those same files already reside in the target directory. Thus, a second data loss bug in 1809 raises serious concerns about Win10. In this case, Thurrott makes a telling and painful observation (I added bolding to the concluding text for emphasis; see also this Reddit thread):

“As with the original data loss bug in this release, this problem had been reported months ago through the ineffectual Windows Insider program, whose purpose now seems unclear. As I’ve observed many times throughout Windows 10’s lifetime, Microsoft collects a lot of data during the development of each version, but it seems to have no understanding of what to do with that data.”

Here’s the Reddit post that prompted Thurrott’s observations and invective, now proliferating across the web.
[Click image for full-sized view.]

Why a Second Data Loss Bug in 1809 Raises Serious Concerns about Win10

This echoes the data loss that caused the withdrawal of the original 1809 release. Build 17633.1 disappeared three days after it dropped. Insiders are reporting issues, but it’s not clear that Microsoft is catching and responding to them. There has to be some way of allowing users to rate severity. Or perhaps, AI/machine learning could flag Feedback Hub input.  It’s vital to highlight  issues that MUST be addressed before a release is allowed to go public.

I’m strongly of the opinion that any issue that involves data loss should go to the head of the “fix queue.” Obviously, other industry observers – including Thurrott, my business partner and Win10.Guru co-conspirator Kari Finn, and even long-time MS analyst Mary Jo Foley – feel likewise. The Windows Insider program is collecting feedback, but the process of analyzing and acting upon that feedback is questionable at best, and appears increasingly broken. If MS wishes to retain its market presence and desktop OS dominance this must change.

At a minimum, I’d suggest that MS expand upon the reporting capabilities in feedback hub to allow those who report issues to also be able to rate their perceived severity. Sure, this will add noise to that channel. But hopefully, it will also allow MS to pick up on issues where users lose data or where malfunctions threaten system integrity, stability, and usability.

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