Windows 10 hit by problematic update

iTnews (AUS) ^ | Mar 7 2016 6:40AM (AUS) | Juha Saarinen

[Utilizer]

The March roll-up update for Windows 10 appears to be causing headaches for users, some of whom have been left with computers that don't boot up after the patch has been applied.

Microsoft issued the update on March 2 Australian time and users who installed it via Windows Update soon after started complaining of problems.

Some experienced extremely long start-up times, with their devices taking over an hour to reach the user account login prompt.

Others said they were forced to boot from USB thumb drives with an earlier installation version of Windows 10 and attempt startup repair.

Also reported were computer slow-downs, the My Documents folder and Start Menu disappearing, and "blue screen of death" crashes.

[Chode]

heh heh heh heh... if he wasn't still banned, we could get ol Slump Tester to check it out

[TChad]

Can we... file a class action against Microshaft?

That is exactly what the EULA is designed to preclude, but if enough users got behind a lawsuit, Microsoft might notice.

How about a court order to stop... sucker's remorse?

http://www.howtogeek.com/220723/how-to-uninstall-windows-10-and-downgrade-to-windows-7-or-8.1/

Would removing power from the computer prevent the unrequested update?

It would work, but it might fry the hard drive or SSD. (Personal experience.)

It is possible to avoid the constant promotions to upgrade to Windows 10, though Microsoft makes it difficult.

http://www.howtogeek.com/218856/how-do-you-disable-the-get-windows-10-icon-shown-in-the-notification-tray/

It is also now possible to use a trick that permits all Win 10 users to install updates at their own convenience, not Microsoft's:

http://www.howtogeek.com/224471/how-to-prevent-windows-10-from-automatically-downloading-updates/

The problem is that Microsoft requires the end user to jump through many hoops to accomplish these things. The user should never have been forced to do anything more than click radio buttons in a couple of pop-ups. "Do you want to upgrade to Windows 10 now?" Click "No" and the nagging should stop. "Do you want for Microsoft to install all updates automatically?" A "No" click should end the discussion.

Microsoft has, in effect, corrupted its own update/upgrade process. Until recently, Windows updates could be relied on to be good-faith efforts by Microsoft to benefit their users. Now, some updates and the Win 10 upgrade harm some users in order to benefit Microsoft.

Distinguishing good from bad updates requires time and a certain level of computer expertise. Some users will decide to stop installing updates altogether. Microsoft's heavy-handed efforts to increase Windows security will have accomplished the exact opposite.

Microsoft seems to be working hard to shred its own reputation.

[zeugma]

Microsoft has, in effect, corrupted its own update/upgrade process. Until recently, Windows updates could be relied on to be good-faith efforts by Microsoft to benefit their users. Now, some updates and the Win 10 upgrade harm some users in order to benefit Microsoft.

What really amazes me is how utterly primitive the microsoft update processes are. Install a copy of Win 7 on a clean disk. Then start updating, (I'm not even talking about updating to Win 10). Just the update process to get you fully patched up will take at least 5 consecutive reboot and download sessions. You think you've installed everything, and do that post-install reboot (which is insane in and of itself). When your computer gets back online and contacts the mothership, you end up with another series of updates to load, and yet another inevitable reboot.

I just loaded up Linux Mint on a friend's computer who was upgrading from a really ancient version of Fedora I'd loaded for him several years ago. The install process was really straightforward. You booted off the DVD, answered a few questions then rebooted off the hard disk you just set up. Restore your home directories from your backup as it downloads the new updates, then if you like you can continue on your way. Personally I recommend a clean boot after your reload and your initial updates just to make sure your system is stable after the install, but it's not really necessary.

The whole process took me about 2 hours from start to finish, and that's with the restore of his home directories and me pointing out a few changes in how things worked.

Try doing that with windows, even with a brand new purchased copy of windows 10.

[2 Kool 2 Be 4-Gotten]

I just happened upon the HOWTO Geek article for a dual-boot W7 instance that I use infrequently (mostly around tax time). I downloaded that free software and it seems to have done what it purports to do. The “upgrade” icon has been replaced with the icon that says that I’m protected and I checked -—

I have a HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsUpdate\DisableOSUpgrade entry set to 0x1.

So I think I’m good.

[TChad]

Install a copy of Win 7 on a clean disk. Then start updating..."

I did that less than a week ago. I didn't mind all the reboots so much as the fact that the "Checking for updates..." window ran for one hour and forty minutes before a list of updates was even displayed. Just displayed -- not downloaded. No progress meter, of course. This was on a reasonably fast computer on a broadband connection. Then the updates from that list had to be downloaded and installed, and three failed updates had to be repeatedly reinstalled.

Yes, I would call that "primitive."

You're also right about Linux Mint. Its update system is faster and smoother than Windows Update. I've never had a problem caused by a Mint update. Also, I don't worry that the updates are intended to violate my privacy or install unwanted software.

It seems a little strange that Microsoft is behaving more and more like a monopoly now that its competition is so much stronger.