A method for updating content data for user devices begins where a processing module encodes updated content to produce sets of encoded updated content data slices. The method continues with the processing module storing the sets of encoded updated content data slices in storage units and updating an entry in a directory. The method continues with the processing module receiving, from a user device, a read request for the content data and accessing the updated entry. The method continues with the user device receiving a decode threshold number of encoded data slices for each set of encoded updated content data slices and encoded unaltered content data slices. The method continues with the user device decoding each decode threshold number of encoded data slices and the encoded unaltered content data slices to recover the updated content data.