For some years now many pundits have complained that Microsoft’s Windows Insider program is not good enough to detect serious bugs in the twice-yearly Windows Updates, leading to significant end-user issues when these are eventually deployed.

Now in a survey by consumer advocacy site Which some numbers have been added to this argument, with Which finding 50% of their members have issues after major Windows updates, some of them serious.

The survey of 1,100 Which members showed 21% of users ran into software compatibility issues, including apps which refused to launch after updates. Another 16% were affected by hardware problems, such as peripherals not working after an update. Some PCs refused to boot entirely while others were slower after the update.

Which notes that of those who’s PC were bricked, 46% had to pay someone to fix it, averaging £67 ($90) per go.

Which notes that customers with previously working PCs should not be bearing the cost and that Microsoft should be paying compensation when their software damages someone’s computer, similar to other products.

Which said that over the last 3 years more people had contacted its computing helpdesk concerning problems with Windows 10 than all other operating systems – both desktop and mobile – combined.

They argue that Microsoft should be upfront about the risks posed by big software updates, and offer users an informed choice to opt out or not.

Which does understand the security issues this may cause, and therefore suggested critical security updates should be offered separately from feature updates and not be optional.

Commenting on the findings, Microsoft said:

“We want to make sure our customers receive the right support they need to get the best Windows update experience and we will continue to review customer enquiries and issues on a case-by-case basis to ensure individual help and resolution where possible.

“In addition, Which members are very important to us so we are currently exploring ways in which we can work together in the future to ensure they have the support that they need in a way that is easy and quick.”

Do our readers agree that big Windows Updates are riskier than Microsoft portrays and that they should bear responsibility damage caused by their software? Let us know below.

Via TechRadar