Some users are reporting (Blue Screen of Death (BSOD) errors after installing Windows 10 KB4549951 update, which is the cumulative update that also causes data loss for a group of users. On April 14, Microsoft started rolling out Windows 10 KB4549951 for version 1909 and 1903. This patch was supposed to bring a number of security fixes and it was also supposed to be a minor release with focus entirely security-related fixes, but KB4549951 leads to dreaded Blue Screen of Death and system failure. If you’re getting a blue screen on your PC after applying recent Windows Update, it’s not just you and the issue appears to be widespread. The Blue screen does give users general stop error codes, but these stop errors are complex and there’s no specific pattern, which makes it essentially impossible to understand the cause of the mess. It’s common to see these error codes as a result of damaged installation files, drivers, and third-party security software compatibility issues with Windows 10. Some users are also reporting a loop of Blue Screen of Death and complete system failure. Until Microsoft issues an advisory or a hotfix, your best bet is to uninstall the Windows 10 April 2020 cumulative update and it’s worth doing, even if it means that you won’t have the latest security fixes. If you’re unable to access the desktop, you’ll need to get into Safe Mode to make those changes happen. First and foremost, hold the Shift key while clicking Restart and get around the boot menu, and then go through Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Startup settings and click on ‘Restart’. If that wasn’t bad enough, the update also appears to delete or move files for some users. In some cases, users are reporting that their documents, pictures, files, and personal settings were removed after updating their devices to Windows 10 KB4549951. This appears to be a return of an old issue where Windows 10 boots with a temporary user profile that removes settings, some files, and icons from the desktop. “This update is a disaster. It deleted my files, pictures, documents saved in system drive, and as well as my apps which I downloaded from Windows Store,” one user wrote in our comments. “Windows 10 is unable to locate system default user account after installation of KB4549951. This failure has occurred for the last 3 cumulative updates so they were each uninstalled and hidden,” another user noted. “Data lost after upgrading [to] KB4549951. All files in Documents more than 1 week old are deleted without notification or moving to the Recycle Bin. No restore available, no help, no live chat, no nothing,” writes a frustrated user. “My system automatically updated on the 19th of April. I lost some important word files from my university. And a folder. I have looked on the temporary folders and I have tried to uninstall the update but they do not appear,” another Windows 10 owner said. Get caught up by visiting OUR FORUM.

Huawei Technologies Co. is emerging as the runaway winner in China’s $170 billion effort to build out its fifth-generation wireless networks, part of a concerted effort by Beijing to seize the lead in a key technology from the U.S. while rebooting a virus-stricken economy. Since the beginning of the year, Huawei has secured 28.4 billion yuan ($4 billion) worth of 5G equipment orders from the country’s largest carrier, China Mobile Ltd., beating out competitors like Ericsson AB and ZTE Corp. to win more than half of the 5G contracts awarded by the operator during the period, according to an analysis of procurement data by Bloomberg News. Huawei is relying on its home market more than ever, at a time its growth has all but evaporated. The 5G contract haul shows Huawei is benefiting from the domestic market and building its telecommunications expertise despite the Trump administration’s blacklisting last year. Beijing has forcefully defended Huawei, and the country’s three wireless operators -- all state-backed -- have added support through network contracts. While China has spent years striving for leadership in 5G, the effort took on greater urgency after the coronavirus led to the nation’s first economic contraction in decades. In a meeting with senior officials in March, Chinese President Xi Jinping singled out the technology’s importance for rebooting the economy. Weeks later, the country’s telecom regulator said China will “make every effort” to hasten the expansion of 5G coverage. “The focus on buildouts, handsets, and other metrics miss the fact that 5G will be a platform where innovative Chinese companies such as Alibaba, Tencent, Baidu, and a host of new tech unicorns will be able to build new applications and use cases,” said Paul Triolo, head of global technology policy at Eurasia Group. “Beijing wants Chinese companies to lead in this race to innovate on top of 5G.” China is entrusting Huawei to galvanize 5G tech, a cornerstone of a national “new infrastructure” blueprint that covers nascent technologies from the Internet of Things and autonomous driving to surveillance and factory automation. An early and successful rollout could help solidify Huawei’s position as a world leader in 5G. More deals are on the horizon. China has earmarked 1.2 trillion yuan to build 5G networks in the next five years, directly creating more than 3 million jobs in related sectors, according to the China Academy of Information and Communications Technology, a government thinks tank. IDC telecom analyst Cui Kai said 5G investment will continue to climb and peak in 2022 or 2023. This year, China’s three state-owned telecom carriers will spend a total of 180 billion yuan on 5G-related projects, including base stations and smartphones. China Telecom and China Unicom still have to announce bidding results. Learn more by visiting OUR FORUM.