Windows' latest May 2020 update is out as of a few days now, but it's causing a handful of headaches for users. One particular group that's affected are users of Intel Optane storage accelerators. As spotted by WindowsLatest , that's causing headaches for Optane users.

The issue is stopping the update from being installed, but it can still be forced using the Windows Media Creation tool. However, doing so will cause compatibility issues, with an error message complaining about Intel Optane Memory Pinning.

According to WindowsLatest, the method to fix the issue is to go to Control > Programs > Programs and Features, and uninstall the "Intel Optane Pinning Explorer Extensions." After this, head to device manager to disable Intel Optane, restart, re-enable Intel Optane, and restart again.

If this doesn't work, you'll have to roll back to the previous version of Windows, or just accept that your storage system won't be performing to its promised speeds until Microsoft fixes the issue.

Supposedly, a handful of Microsoft Insiders (people who test new Windows versions before public release) have reported the problem prior to the public launch of the May 2020 update, but Microsoft hasn't done anything to solve the problem.

Fortunately, it does look like Microsoft is aware of the issue, as otherwise it wouldn't be blocking the May 2020 update for Optane users. Microsoft's new gradual rollout strategy is thus already paying off for them, and will typically keep you safe from these kinds of issues, unless you're among the first to receive the update or you're stubborn and force the updates anyway.