Windows 10 Update assistant

[VBF]

2 hours ago, Pib said:

MS pushed out a Win 10 update today.  I got it on one laptop (my primary Lenovo laptop), but not on my other Lenovo laptop (if it's suppose to) even though clicking Check for Updates a couple of times....and I checked to make sure it just hadn't installed already which it hadn't.  It's one of those updates that requires a Restart to finalize the installation.....does the reconfiguring windows things....gives a percent complete as it configures/finalizes install of the update.

 

Anyway, below is info on today update...what it fixes...and known issues with today's updates (bugs still being worked).  It installed OK for me.

 

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/4056892/windows-10-update-kb4056892

 

Read that one up in detail - there are loads of arguments surrounding it.

 

https://www.tenforums.com/windows-10-news/101554-kernel-memory-leaking-intel-processor-design-flaw.html

 

https://www.tenforums.com/windows-10-news/101607-cumulative-update-kb4056892-windows-10-v1709-build-16299-192-a.html 

[Pib]

TG,

   After posting above I immediately took the dog for a walk and thought to myself dong a Reset might now integrate almost all recent Windows updates.  Like the updates that are not installing for you. 

 

   Since a Reset basically resets Windows settings, uninstalls most user installed programs, your drivers, and then uses the Windows files currently on your computer to do the reinstall Windows after doing some kind of verification on the Windows files using its built-in diagnostics, then the updates that are not installing for you might try to download & install again after the Reset is completed.   

 

    The Reset is basically using the Windows files already on the computer to reinstall itself versus using the Media Tools Creator or a Windows ISO method where those are brand new files from MS servers; not used but verified Windows files already on your computer.    But if using Media Tools Creator/ISO created files say you created today then they should already have integrated all the latest updates to include those not installing for you.

 

     If, repeat if, the Reset did not fix the issue causing the updates to fail install you would be back in the same situation.

 

    And I will mention one more thing if  you go the Reset route, after the Reset when you look in the Windows Update area where it shows all the updates that have successfully and unsuccessfully  installed it will probably be set back to ground zero...no longer showing any previous updates.  That's how mine worked out but that may have been because all of my updates had been successfully installing and were already integrated into the Windows core files that were used to do a Reset.    In your case, and assuming a Reset fixes you problem, you might only see the updates that had not successfully installed before, but they did after the Reset....if a Reset fixes the issue.

 

     Doing a Reset, Clean Install, etc., is never a 100% guarantee if will fix a person's problem especially if it Windows is just not getting along with computer's hardware/other software.   Preaching to the choir I know.  Good luck in finding a fix.  

 

      

[Pib]

19 minutes ago, VBF said:

Read that one up in detail - there are loads of arguments surrounding it.

 

https://www.tenforums.com/windows-10-news/101554-kernel-memory-leaking-intel-processor-design-flaw.html

 

https://www.tenforums.com/windows-10-news/101607-cumulative-update-kb4056892-windows-10-v1709-build-16299-192-a.html 

yea, the first link is talking some Intel chip design flaws which can cause some  malware vulnerabilities and MS is trying to patch some of those Intel chip vulnerabilities with Windows updates.  Still a work in progress based on what I've read over the last few weeks.  The second link is pretty much a quote of the MS release regarding what KB92 fixes.

[Pib]

4 hours ago, Pib said:

MS pushed out a Win 10 update today.  I got it on one laptop (my primary Lenovo laptop), but not on my other Lenovo laptop (if it's suppose to) even though clicking Check for Updates a couple of times....and I checked to make sure it just hadn't installed already which it hadn't.  It's one of those updates that requires a Restart to finalize the installation.....does the reconfiguring windows things....gives a percent complete as it configures/finalizes install of the update.

 

Anyway, below is info on today update...what it fixes...and known issues with today's updates (bugs still being worked).  It installed OK for me.

 

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/4056892/windows-10-update-kb4056892

 

And the KB92 update has arrived my other Lenovo laptop...install went OK.

[Pib]

In case you do not receive above update over the near time "and you are running antivirus software," you may not be receiving the update because of incompatible antivirus software....software that could cause a BSOD.

 

I don't know which antivirus software may be incompatible, but Norton 360 must be compatible since I got the update today on both my Win 10 laptops running Norton.  Tomorrow I will turn turn on my old Toshiba Win 7 machine running a free version of BitDefender antivirus and see if it gets the update.

 

See this MS Support Info weblink for details....partial quote below.

 

Quote

 

Important information regarding the Windows security updates released on January 3, 2018 and anti-virus software

---

Overview

---

Microsoft has identified a compatibility issue with a small number of anti-virus software products.

The compatibility issue is caused when anti-virus applications make unsupported calls into Windows kernel memory. These calls may cause stop errors (also known as blue screen errors) that make the device unable to boot. To help prevent stop errors caused by incompatible anti-virus applications, Microsoft is only offering the Windows security updates released on January 3, 2018 to devices running anti-virus software from partners who have confirmed their software is compatible with the January 2018 Windows operating system security update.

If you have not been offered the security update, you may be running incompatible anti-virus software and you should follow up with your software vendor.

Microsoft has been working closely with anti-virus software partners to ensure all customers receive the January Windows security updates as soon as possible.

 

 

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

3 hours ago, Pib said:

     Doing a Reset, Clean Install, etc., is never a 100% guarantee if will fix a person's problem especially if it Windows is just not getting along with computer's hardware/other software.   Preaching to the choir I know.  Good luck in finding a fix. 

      

 

I ran the WU Troubleshooter a couple of times, before and after some other fixes, and it said it fixed everything that needed fixing, but didn't resolve the actual problems.

 

I dug deeper into the issue, and found that several of the recent Win 10 updates had been listed on my PC as having been partially installed, but left with the status of requiring a restart to finish. So I uninstalled all those partial updates, and then had WU re-download and attempt to install them again. Same result, 4 items stuck on waiting for restart. Tried restarting several times, made no difference.

 

When I clicked to read the detailed report for the WU troubleshooter, although the summary said everything that needed fixing was fixed, the detailed report had two problem issues checked pertaining to the BITS service, saying it (the service) was already running. But no explanation of what that means or what to do about it...

 

Currently running down info on the BITS issue.

 

[VBF]

1 hour ago, Pib said:

In case you do not receive above update over the near time "and you are running antivirus software," you may not be receiving the update because of incompatible antivirus software....software that could cause a BSOD.

 

I don't know which antivirus software may be incompatible, but Norton 360 must be compatible since I got the update today on both my Win 10 laptops running Norton.  Tomorrow I will turn turn on my old Toshiba Win 7 machine running a free version of BitDefender antivirus and see if it gets the update.

 

See this MS Support Info weblink for details....partial quote below.

 

 

FWIW I just had an online chat with Norton and for anyone  who happens to be running Norton Security Premium on Windows 10 (as I am) it IS compatible.  

[billd766]

Windows is try to ram its update into my desktop (3 times today) and I keep telling to politely go away but it is like a hungry soi dog, it keeps coming back.

 

Does MS not seem to understand that many people get to a point where THEY are happy with THEIR computer and don't actually want MS to run it for them?

 

 

[lopburi3]

The problem is if you do not update your computer will turn on you and others.  Updates are needed for security.

[billd766]

21 minutes ago, lopburi3 said:

The problem is if you do not update your computer will turn on you and others.  Updates are needed for security.

 

I do understand the need for that but TBH most "updates" seem to be flawed in one way or another and need patching just after they are issued. They seem to fix one problem and create 1 or 2 more.

 

Not only that but they seem to come out every 2 or 3 days.

[VBF]

1 hour ago, billd766 said:

 

I do understand the need for that but TBH most "updates" seem to be flawed in one way or another and need patching just after they are issued. They seem to fix one problem and create 1 or 2 more.

 

Not only that but they seem to come out every 2 or 3 days.

That's slightly incorrect - they come out monthly on what's generally called "Patch Tuesday", except when MS finds a major issue that needs attending to immediately.

 

That's the case with the latest one "Cumulative Update KB4056892 Windows 10 v1709 Build 16299.192"  which is discussed in detail here https://www.tenforums.com/windows-10-news/101607-cumulative-update-kb4056892-windows-10-v1709-build-16299-192-a.html

 

By the way @billd766 as these updates are cumulative, if you install this latest one, it should overwrite the issues you were having with your earlier ones and kill 2 birds with one stone.

I emphasise should because if you've still got an underlying problem with your PC, it might still fail. Worth a try?  Do set a Restore Point first though.

[Pib]

According to this website a security researcher is documenting which antivirus software programs have updated themselves to be compatible with the MS update. 

 

Go to this webpage and click on the link near the bottom  titled Google Docs Spreadsheet which will show a bunch of antivirus software vendors who have or have not updated their antivirus software yet and the document usually includes a link to the vendors' software pages giving more details. 

 

Just for or example, as of this morning/5 Jan when going to the BitDefender antivirus webpage listed the google doc they have not updated their software yet.  

 

 

[lopburi3]

Indeed I was never offered update as was using bitdefender - removed and immediately offered and installed at 0900 today - took about 40 minutes total on Lenovo IdeaCenter of about 4 years age and all seems well.  It did stop at 34% download for extended time but actually was still downloading as went to 68% and then quickly to 100%.

[Pib]

10 minutes ago, lopburi3 said:

Indeed I was never offered update as was using bitdefender - removed and immediately offered and installed at 0900 today - took about 40 minutes total on Lenovo IdeaCenter of about 4 years age and all seems well.  It did stop at 34% download for extended time but actually was still downloading as went to 68% and then quickly to 100%.

Was that the "free" version of BitDefender?   That's what I'm running on that old Toshiba laptop running Win 7 I going to fire up today or tomorrow to check for the Win update.

 

 

[lopburi3]

Yes indeed it was the free Bitdefender.  Just removed and went to Defender and it started to download.  Prior it was saying no updates available.

[Pib]

Regarding the Symantec/Norton antivirus products, apparent the way to confirm you have the version that has been updated to work with the MS patch according to that google doc and the Symantec blog is to check one of its files named Eraser64.sys if you are running a 64 bit system like me...not sure about if you running a 32 bit system....maybe it just called Eraser.sys or Eraser32.sys. 

 

Anyway, if the file version is 117.3.0.358 or higher you are good to go.  Snapshot from my computer below.  And apparently it was updated yesterday morning on my primary Win 10 computer which is running most of the time and shortly after that I got the MS update on that computer.  And I expect now the reason I was "not" offered the update on my other Win 10 laptop which is off most of the time is when I turned it on to check for the MS update my Norton product had not updated itself yet...but after I had left the computer on for a little while the Norton product updated itself....then the next time I checked for the MS update it saw my antivirus product was compatible and then offered/downloaded/installed the update.

 

 

[Pib]

9 minutes ago, lopburi3 said:

Yes indeed it was the free Bitdefender.  Just removed and went to Defender and it started to download.  Prior it was saying no updates available.

Thanks.  I still have the older freeware version that continues to update itself with virus definitions/works fine and uses very little memory....but months ago this freeware did via popup offer to update itself to its newer version which turned out to be more of a memory hog on my old machine than the other/older version so I reverted back.  Now I'm a little concerned that BitDefender may not update it's older freeware version (at least not promptly) although it still updates its virus signatures/works fine which might end up causing MS not to offer me its update at this point in time.  

[Pib]

16 hours ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

 

I ran the WU Troubleshooter a couple of times, before and after some other fixes, and it said it fixed everything that needed fixing, but didn't resolve the actual problems.

 

I dug deeper into the issue, and found that several of the recent Win 10 updates had been listed on my PC as having been partially installed, but left with the status of requiring a restart to finish. So I uninstalled all those partial updates, and then had WU re-download and attempt to install them again. Same result, 4 items stuck on waiting for restart. Tried restarting several times, made no difference.

 

When I clicked to read the detailed report for the WU troubleshooter, although the summary said everything that needed fixing was fixed, the detailed report had two problem issues checked pertaining to the BITS service, saying it (the service) was already running. But no explanation of what that means or what to do about it...

 

Currently running down info on the BITS issue.

 

TG,

   You might want to look at your CBS.log file(s) in the \windows\logs\CBS folder.  It's a text file.  CBS stands for Component-Based Servicing.  This text file (and associated/old persist text files that may be in the folder also) will give an overview of things Windows is trying to do when serving itself, installing updates, doing SFC scans, and just a variety of other Windows-related things. 

 

The info in the CBS.log file is  "kinda" in layman terms is some cases and also in non-understandable geek terms unless trained in what it means.  But it does give enough layman info to "possibly" point a person in the direction of the core problem/a fix....or it can just scare a person in what is going on...or it can just confuse a person even more....etc. 

 

But it don't hurt to look at the file.  Just double-click on it and it opens up to show the text.  The file can be big if there have been many problems...after it gets so big it saves a persist history file and starts a new CBS.log file.  

 

FYI:  In my case the reason the CBS.log file shows a "Created" date of 25 Dec is because that's when the file first created itself as I began a Windows Reset (i.e.., Windows reinstall) late on 24 Dec and it finished up a little into the first few minutes of 25 Dec when it would have recreated the file.  Your Created date is probably going to be the last time you did a major upgrade of Window like upgrading 1703 to 1709...or it may be the first time you installed Windows...I don't really now as Windows is beyond my understanding in at least a million ways.

 

 

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

16 hours ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

 

I ran the WU Troubleshooter a couple of times, before and after some other fixes, and it said it fixed everything that needed fixing, but didn't resolve the actual problems.

 

I dug deeper into the issue, and found that several of the recent Win 10 updates had been listed on my PC as having been partially installed, but left with the status of requiring a restart to finish. So I uninstalled all those partial updates, and then had WU re-download and attempt to install them again. Same result, 4 items stuck on waiting for restart. Tried restarting several times, made no difference.

 

When I clicked to read the detailed report for the WU troubleshooter, although the summary said everything that needed fixing was fixed, the detailed report had two problem issues checked pertaining to the BITS service, saying it (the service) was already running. But no explanation of what that means or what to do about it...

 

Currently running down info on the BITS issue.

 

 

Well, gotta say, THANKS SO MUCH!!! Microsoft....   Wasn't able to resolve the blocked updates problem with any of the solutions I tried using my existing Windows 10 install. So ended up having to do an in-place reinstall of the OS using the method that wipes out your existing apps but keeps your content files in-place.

 

That worked, and allowed the half-installed Win 10 updates to finish installing and then proceed to install the even newer ones, including a cumulative update for January. In the end, the whole process ended up wasting at least a good 8 hours of my time -- between hunting for and trying the various prior solutions, then reinstalling Windows, and then downloading and/or reinstalling all the various programs I use on my PC, and then proceeding to individually configure them as required.

 

And why, because MS can't manage to have an online updates process for Windows 10 that doesn't -- at least sometimes -- break otherwise perfectly functioning/functional PCs. And when it does break them, in the end, the user is often left with no other recourse but to reinstall Windows and deal with all the unnecessary hassles associated with getting one's PC back to its prior operating state.

 

[Pib]

Only 8 hours....not bad.   I still haven't reinstalled all the programs I need to after I did the Windows Reset.  I've been dragging my feet on that process because I'm lazy and wanted to install just one or two every day or so to see what happens...to see if there was an outside chance one of those programs had messed up my computers.   But while dragging out those individual program reloads I'm still 99.9% it was purely a Windows problem; not another program problem.   But I did immediately reload all the programs like Office 2016, Chrome, etc., that I use each and every day.   7...did those reloads immediately after Resetting Windows.

 

And where we also talked a little bit about the latest MS update that came out on 3 Jan and whether you might not get it if your anti-virus program had been updated yet, I did turn on my 10 year old Toshiba laptop running Win 7 and running BitDefender Free (the old, less memory intensive revision) and Windows did not offer me the 3 Jan update. 

 

Probably because it sees my computer is running BitDefender and BitDefender is one of the anti-virus vendors who has not updated their software  yet (as of a few minutes ago as I checked the BitDefender website) to ensure 100% compatibility with the MS update.  

 

I thought to myself maybe I'll try loading the new BitDefender Freeware version that is more memory intensive than the older version.  Once again I tried and it got to the point in the install where is said my laptop don't have 1.5GB free RAM memory so BitDefender might not work very well/take up a lot of my memory....it said I could continue if desired but no guarantees on their part.  I aborted the install at that point.  Will stick with the older freeware version for now since it still gets the virus definition updates, take little memory to work, still works fine.  Wait and see if BitDefender updates it also in the near term (a week or so) to be compatible with the latest MS update.   If not, I guess I will uninstall it and try Microsoft Essentials...something that takes little in terms of RAM memory to run.   I don't use this computer often and it's really just being kept alive for my 2nd backup computer and because it's like a pet I have had for a long, long time....just want to take care of it the best I can until it passes one day.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Pib]

30 minutes ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

 

Well, gotta say, THANKS SO MUCH!!! Microsoft....   Wasn't able to resolve the blocked updates problem with any of the solutions I tried using my existing Windows 10 install. So ended up having to do an in-place reinstall of the OS using the method that wipes out your existing apps but keeps your content files in-place.

 

Just so it clear to me, you used Reset This PC selection in the Win 10 Recovery menu area like shown below and what I used also?    Or maybe you used the Media Tools Creator method which can basically do the same thing.

 

 

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

4 minutes ago, Pib said:

 

Just so it clear to me, you used Reset This PC selection in the Win 10 Recovery menu area like shown below and what I used also?    Or maybe you used the Media Tools Creator method which can basically do the same thing.

 

 

Pib, I think we're ending up in the same place. But in my case, I followed the link at the bottom of your image above under "More Recovery Options" where it talks about starting fresh with a clean Windows install.

 

Clicking that link opened a Windows Defender Security Center app window with the following content:

 

[Pib]

Yea, looks to be very similar according to the weblink below.  However, the way you did it is new, fresh Windows files are first downloaded and used for the install so an internet connection is needed. 

 

Where I just did a Reset the Windows files already on my computer were used to do the reinstall. 

 

Either method still resets Windows settings, reinstall Windows files, deletes apps...it appears the only difference is whether staring with old but still good Windows files (like I did it) or starting with brand new files (like you did it).  

 

https://www.windowscentral.com/how-use-refresh-tool-do-clean-install-windows-10

[OJAS]

On 1/4/2018 at 1:47 PM, Pib said:

MS pushed out a Win 10 update today.  I got it on one laptop (my primary Lenovo laptop), but not on my other Lenovo laptop (if it's suppose to) even though clicking Check for Updates a couple of times....and I checked to make sure it just hadn't installed already which it hadn't.  It's one of those updates that requires a Restart to finalize the installation.....does the reconfiguring windows things....gives a percent complete as it configures/finalizes install of the update.

 

Anyway, below is info on today update...what it fixes...and known issues with today's updates (bugs still being worked).  It installed OK for me.

 

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/4056892/windows-10-update-kb4056892

 

KB4056892 also installed for me fine on my laptop after I had received it for downloading today. But has it dealt OK with the Meltdown and Spectre issue referred to in this thread (of which I was unable to see any specific ref in your attachment)?

 

https://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/1018858-meltdown-and-spectre-cpu-exploits-what-are-you-doing-about-it/

 

[VBF]

3 minutes ago, OJAS said:

KB4056892 also installed for me fine on my laptop after I had received it for downloading today. But has it dealt OK with the Meltdown and Spectre issue referred to in this thread (of which I was unable to see any specific ref in your attachment)?

 

https://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/1018858-meltdown-and-spectre-cpu-exploits-what-are-you-doing-about-it/

 

Read this https://support.microsoft.com/en-gb/help/4056892/windows-10-update-kb4056892 in detail - at the bottom it refers to the "ALLOW REGKEY" issue. This is concerned with the fixes for Meltdown and Spectre, so i would say Yes.

[Pib]

9 hours ago, lopburi3 said:

Yes indeed it was the free Bitdefender.  Just removed and went to Defender and it started to download.  Prior it was saying no updates available.

 

9 hours ago, Pib said:

Thanks.  I still have the older freeware version that continues to update itself with virus definitions/works fine and uses very little memory....but months ago this freeware did via popup offer to update itself to its newer version which turned out to be more of a memory hog on my old machine than the other/older version so I reverted back.  Now I'm a little concerned that BitDefender may not update it's older freeware version (at least not promptly) although it still updates its virus signatures/works fine which might end up causing MS not to offer me its update at this point in time.  

 

I uninstalled free BitDefender from my old Win 7 computer and MS Update then offered/installed the updated. 

 

Since the newer version of free BitDefender is too memory intensive for my old laptop I've been trying to get Windows Defender or MS Security Essentials to work properly.   That's a work in progress. 

[Pib]

A good summary of the Meltdown and Spectre vulnerabilities. 

 

See below weblink for full details...also a partial quote/snapshot below.

 

https://danielmiessler.com/blog/simple-explanation-difference-meltdown-spectre/

 

[Pib]

I see BitDefender have updated "some" of their antivirus products to work with the 3 Jan 18 MS update.   See this BitDefender webpage.

 

I also notice the updated BitDefender Free version 1.0.9.73 which is what I referred to in my earlier post the the newer, more memory intensive and graphics based version of the Free version which started coming out around Dec 16. 

 

For me I was running BitDefender Free version 1.0.21.1109 which came out in Jul 16.   I know the version numbering system used for BitDefender Free sounds like my older/Jul 16 version would be a newer version than the new/Jan 18 1.0.9.73 version but it is not and that's not how it works with BitDefender Free version version numbers. 

 

It appears beginning around Dec 16 BitDefender reset their version numbering....take a look at this website which lists the various versions of BitDefender Free and dates of release and you should see what I mean.

 

I gut tells me if you were running one of the older BitDefender Free versions "which require little memory to work," which are still updated with the latest virus definitions, and only give a little display/control window in the lower right hand side of screen versus the bigger/more graphics based menus of the new versions, that the older versions may not be updated to work with the MS update. 

 

A way to force a person to download the latest BitDefender Free version.   Not a biggie at all unless your old computer has less than 1.5GB of free memory (which my old Toshiba laptop don't have) which the newer Free version requires.  Although BitDefnder Free warns me during the install process I really need 1.5GB of free RAM otherwise BitDefender Free may not work so well/bog the computer down, I still may give it a try versus using MS Security Essentials antivirus.