BSOD w/ newest MS patch - what to do ??? Help !

1/9/18 | sushiman

[sushiman]

Yesterday , my wife shut down our HP before I could stop Windows Updates for the time being until MS gets the patch issue resolved . Athlon 2 prosessor / Windows 7 / 64 bit . After rebooting a few times yesterday we got the computer to work again and I left it on all night so I could use this morning . Seemed to be working OK but after I went into Windows Update to check download history - where I discovered the newest patch had been installed " successfully " - and then closed that window and again got the blue screen of death . The PC rebooted but internet network no bueno . When I checked history of updates I got one other yesterday - AMD driver for AMD SMbus was not downloaded successfully . Anyway , has anybody here experienced what I am experiencing now and what have you done about it ? I posted on Windows forums and am trying to call HP Japan now but I am not expecting much help .

[McGruff]

... before I could stop Windows Updates for the time being...

Probably not a good thing to do. My Windows 7 is running fine with the latest update.

[Louis Foxwell]

Yep. Same problem. Rebooted original Windows never to look back.

[grey_whiskers]

Ummm, buy a Mac?

(runs for exit, ducking for cover)

[calenel]

The patch for Meltdown and/or Spectre is causing some Windows machines to fail if they don’t have Intel processors (specifically older AMD processors). Your AMD processor isn’t compatible with the patch(es). You may not be able to roll it back, but you should try. If you can’t restore to an earlier version, you may have to reinstall the OS and immediately disable updates (definitely do NOT update until this problem is addressed). There are also some issues with security software.

[Reno89519]

Not quite sure what your particular problem is. But I’d suggest never stopping an update in progress! Microsoft today is likely good about that, so much better than say 15 or 20 years ago. The operating system is very good. Trust Microsoft. I’ve got about a dozen computers running, including 4 HP laptops, all on latest versions of Microsoft, all with latest patches, and we have zero problem. Never a hiccup, including over last few days. We’ve also got an Apple laptop—no one ones to touch it.

[sushiman]

Thanks . I was just thinking I might try rolling back . I have a Windows 7 Dell with Corei3 processor . I haven’t updated this PC yet as I feared a similar problem . I left the computer on all night so I’d have at least one working . Are you saying that the patch won’t cause the Dell any problems ? I’ve turned off updates until I get def. info .

[sushiman]

” buy a Mac? “

Next time for sure !

[sushiman]

I didn’t try to stop update in progress . She shut the PC off and it automatically downloaded the patch . I am in Japan and didn’t find out about the problems with AMD until yesterday . I was going to stop udates when I got home but it was too late .

[calenel]

Supposedly the patch only affects some non-Intel processors, BUT, given your situation and my innate caution, I’d recommend you try rolling back the one that’s already unusable before updating the one that still works. Then, if you can get the first one working again, you should be okay to update the Intel-based one.

[sushiman]

Thanks for reply . Can’t get thru to HP Japan but will keep trying . If I can’t get help from them I’ll try rolling back . I have turned off auto update on the Dell for now until MS and AMD provide a fix .

[Spruce]

Here’s Microsoft’s Kb article regarding your issue. Hope it helps

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/4073707/windows-os-security-update-block-for-some-amd-based-devices

[Bob434]

not a good idea to avoid updates- a better approach would be to avoid the specific patch KB- block it from updating- hide it so it doesn’t show- then do the other updates as usual

[spel_grammer_an_punct_polise]

Start/All Programs/Accessories/System Tools/System Restore/choose a date before you started the updates/DO NOT TURN OFF THE COMPUTER DURING THE RESTORE - IT MAY TAKE SOME TIME.

[TChad]

The Microsoft link in post #12 addresses your situation, but if you don’t have a recent restore point, you may want to try uninstalling all of the updates listed at that link, then shutting off Windows updates until Microsoft issues patched updates.

[sushiman]

How do I block this particular patch ? I am using a made for Japan Dell so please be patient with me . ^_^ I am no techie , obviously .

[TChad]

Here are all the KB40568** patches that might cause problems with AMD systems:

January 3, 2018—KB4056897 (Security-only update)
January 9, 2018—KB4056894 (Monthly Rollup)
January 3, 2018—KB4056888 (OS Build 10586.1356)
January 3, 2018—KB4056892 (OS Build 16299.192)
January 3, 2018—KB4056891 (OS Build 15063.850)
January 3, 2018—KB4056890 (OS Build 14393.2007)
January 3, 2018—KB4056898 (Security-only update)
January 3, 2018—KB4056893 (OS Build 10240.17735)
January 9, 2018—KB4056895 (Monthly Rollup)

Rather than uninstall already-installed updates, it may be faster to restore the computer's configuration to a particular date using system restore. After that, I doubt you have to worry about avoiding reinstallation of the problem updates, since Microsoft has stopped distributing them.

[sushiman]

Tried contacting HP Japan and AMD Japan , as well as asked for advice on Windows 7 forum , but couldn’t get through to HP/AMD and the form hasn’t been much help . I think I will take your and other folks advice and use system restore . Should I stop updates temporarily until MS comes up with a fix ?

[waynesa98]

older amd cpu’s are not compatible with the security update for the hardware security issue Id with most intel processors. do a rollback and make sure the patch is ignored.

[TChad]

Should I stop updates temporarily until MS comes up with a fix ?

I doubt that is necessary. As I said above, Microsoft has stopped distributing the updates that cause problems.

It sounds like you have never done a system restore.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/System_Restore

System restore preserves files that you have created/modified after the date of the restore point.

One potential problem with system restore is that you may not have a recent restore point. If you start the system restore process, you will be asked to select a dated restore point. Windows normally makes restore points fairly often, but sometimes it does not. If you don't have a recent restore point, or you have installed critical programs recently that you cannot easily reinstall, I'd just forget the system restore and uninstall every installed update in the list of updates posted above. Not all of them will be on your computer.