Microsoft has had to issue major warnings to all Windows 10 users, confirming that the latest update can cause system freezes and crashes across every supported version of Windows 10 – from Windows 10 Home through to Enterprise and even Server, reports Forbes.
The update designated as ‘KB4524244‘ had been available for four days before Microsoft pulled it, but four days is more than enough time for the bugged patch to be firmly installed in your system.
Another Windows 10 update, ‘KB4532693‘, a security fix, released two years ago by Microsoft has just recently begun causing stop errors or Blue Screen of Death (BSOD) crashes. This particular update is quite nefarious because it is also reported to be deleted files – especially files stored on the desktop so be wary if you save content there – as well as user settings, are being reverted to default.
“Thank you, Microsoft, for the latest updates which totally wiped all settings from my system on each startup,” writes one disgruntled user.
“Everything reverted to basic settings [and] all my programme information and settings were also deleted from every programme on my system. Several apps were deleted completely, keyboard settings, language screen res everything gone.”
Other users have complained about finding their desktops having gone “black, icons are gone”, with their Taskbar and Start menus being empty as well, and that having uninstalled the update has not returned any of the information.
This standalone security update has since been removed from all of Windows’ updating services.
I have installed this new update. What do I do now?
While the spread of the update has since been stopped, the update that deletes data and settings has managed to be circulated for some time before it was cancelled. Bleeping Computer reports that AMD and Intel computers had been affected but HP owners have been hit particularly hard with freezing and installation issues.
While Microsoft is working on an improved version of this update – hopefully one without any life-ruining issues – it is recommended that users follow these steps if they have installed these updates recently:
1. In Windows Desktop Search (the little ring on your taskbar) type ‘update history’
2. Click on ‘View your Update History’ when it appears
3. A window will open from Settings listing all your installed updates. At the top, a blue highlighted option says Uninstall Update – click on that
4. A new tab will open called ‘Installed Updates’ and will open a list very similar to the list that appears when you wish to uninstall a regular programme.
5. Go through the updates under Microsoft Windows and select the update suffixed with the number (KB4524244) or (KB4532693 – this update may be much lower in the list) then click Uninstall.
6. When it is done, exit all tabs and restart Windows.
This will ensure that either of the updates won’t cause any permanent damage to your PC due to the updates. For the update that deletes data (KB4532693), if you have previously created a Windows System Restore point then you could try a full System Restore to get your data back and uninstall the update. Otherwise, the prognosis is a bleak one.
Users proactively trying to prepare themselves against these and future updates should download Windows Update Troubleshooter, with which you can hide problematic updates and prevent them from reinstalling.
As this is happening, Microsoft continues to keep a keen eye on the future, pushing the ‘future of Windows updates’ which are expected to target a new generation of dual-screen devices and not for the millions of existing Windows 10 PCs and Laptops. With Windows 10 update improvements being cancelled on top of this.
Updates that crash systems should be unacceptable, let alone that delete user information. Microsoft should be held at a higher standard but continued blundering with how their updating protocol works has left very little good feelings about seeing “Working on Updates” upon start-up.
Source: itnewsafrica
