Microsoft today released a new Windows 10 preview for PCs — this is the second build since the Creators Update was finalized. The Windows Subsystem for Linux has gained serial device support, but there are no other new features beyond that.
Windows 10 is a service, meaning it was built in a very different way from its predecessors so it can be regularly updated with not just fixes but new features, too. Microsoft has released many such updates, including three major ones: November Update, Anniversary Update, and Creators Update.
The update to the Windows Subsystem for Linux means Windows COM ports can now be accessed directly from a WSL process. The majority of Windows users will never use this feature, which shows just how dedicated Microsoft is to serving power users.
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The desktop build includes the following bug fixes and improvements:
- You can now hold down the power button on your device for 7 seconds to trigger a bugcheck. This will only work on newer devices that don’t use legacy ACPI power buttons.
- Narrator will work again on this build.
- Fixed the issue causing some apps and games to crash due to a misconfiguration of advertising ID that happened in a prior build.
- Fixed an issue that resulted in the Start menu and Action Center having a noticeable framerate drop in their animations on certain devices if transparency was enabled and there were open UWP apps.
- Fixed an issue from the previous build where the Action Center could get into a state such that dismissing one notification unexpectedly dismissed multiple notifications.
- Fixed an issue where the Clock and Calendar flyout was unexpectedly missing the agenda integration for some Insiders.
- Fixed an issue from the previous build (Build 16170) that resulted in Surface Books unexpectedly doing a disk check after waking from sleep, due to bugchecking during sleep.
- Fixed an issue from the previous build that resulted in Win32 app text sometimes not rendering, for example in File Explorer, until logging out and back in.
- Fixed an issue where the Extensions Process was suspended inappropriately during Connected Standby, resulting in Microsoft Edge becoming unresponsive on wake if any extensions had been installed.
Today’s update bumps the Windows 10 build number for PCs from 16170 (made available to testers on April 7) to build 16176.
This build has six known issues:
- Apps that use the Desktop Bridge (“Centennial”) from the Store, such as Slack and Evernote, will cause your PC to bugcheck (GSOD) when launched with a “kmode exception not handled” in ntfs.sys error.
- Some Insiders have reported seeing this error: “Some updates were cancelled. We’ll keep trying in case new updates become available” in Windows Update.
- Double-clicking on the Windows Defender icon in the notification area does not open Windows Defender. Right-clicking on the icon and choosing “open” will open Windows Defender.
- Surface 3 devices fail to update to new builds if an SD memory card is inserted. The updated drivers for the Surface 3 that fix this issue have not yet been published to Windows Update.
- Pressing F12 to open the Developer Tools in Microsoft Edge while F12 is open and focused may not return focus to the tab F12 is opened against, and vice versa.
- exe will crash and restart if you tap any of the apps listed in the Windows Ink Workspace’s Recent Apps section.
If you’re OK with the above and want to get build 16176 now, head to PC Settings, select “Update and recovery,” then “Preview builds,” and then click the “Check Now” button.
Microsoft also released a new Windows 10 Mobile build and reduced the number of devices it will be supporting in the Windows Insider Program to 11.
