Ongoing list of problems with the February 2020 Patch Tuesday patches

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It’s a bumper crop — not only 99 separately identified security holes getting plugged, but a whole lot of unexpected fixes. Win7 free patches (includ
[See the full post at: Ongoing list of problems with the February 2020 Patch Tuesday patches]

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AJNorth, rc primak, abbodi86, Mr. Natural

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MSFT fails to install on a fresh updated install

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Did you mean MSRT?
Fresh install of what version of Windows?

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Yes, sorry for typo. Win7 Pro fresh install (yesterday) with all latest updates – except for failing MSRT released today.

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All my updates were current on Windows 7 pro including service stacks along with the Extended Service Lic.  Installed the prep package.  Rebooted. Ran windows update and was only offered KB4537820 Month Rollup.  No KB4537829 Service Stack and no KB4537767 IE patch.

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RDRguy, woody

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@cadprofessor …

I would expect the current ESU Windows Update model to remain the same as before ESU (pre-2020-02) and include the Cumulative Security Update for Internet Explorer 11 (KB4537767) within the Security Monthly Quality Rollup for Windows 7 (KB4537820) thereby not offering up (KB4537767).

As far as Windows Update is concerned, starting in 2017-03 I believe, the standalone IE11 Cumulative Security Update is only available via manual download from the Microsoft Update Catalog.

The same for the Security Only Quality Update for Windows 7 (KB4537813) as the Security Only updates were/are also only available via manual download from the Microsoft Update Catalog & were never offered by Windows Update.

As far as the Servicing Stack Update for Windows 7 (KB4537829) is concerned, the SSU updates would normally show up via Windows Update after all other outstanding updates were either first fully installed or hidden.

In your case, SSU (KB4537829) would/should be presented after (KB4537820) is installed, the system is rebooted and a subsequent Windows Update is performed.

Win7 - PRO & Ultimate, x64 & x86
Win8.1 - PRO, x64 & x86
Groups A, B & ABS

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I don’t know about anyone else but I would be very wary of a patch that makes changes to the UEFI boot loader. If things were to go wrong you could have a brick for a pc.

Red Ruffnsore

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Alex5723, Charlie, rc primak

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The only place i would ever go for a BIOS or UEFI update for my Intel NUC PC is Intel themselves, via their Drivers and Support Utility. Nonsense like this is why we have wushowhide in our arsenal around this online community.

-- rc primak

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Kranium, Charlie, AJNorth, Mr. Natural

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[rc primak]

UPDATE: But, see the sub-thread which starts with my Reply here:

https://www.askwoody.com/forums/topic/february-2020-patch-tuesday-foibles/#post-2139801

and especially my post here:

https://www.askwoody.com/forums/topic/february-2020-patch-tuesday-foibles/#post-2140563

 

 

-- rc primak

• This reply was modified 5 years, 3 months ago by rc primak.

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We have not signed up for extended support. These updates are showing up in my WSUS server:

890830
4537767
4537813
4537820
4537829
4538483
4539601
4539602

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Marcus Weldby wrote:

We have not signed up for extended support. These updates are showing up in my WSUS server:

If Microsoft is correct, they won’t apply to any PCs/servers that don’t have ESU enabled on them. They queue-up in WSUS, as WSUS isn’t ESU-aware (and you might need them downstream).

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Marcus Weldby

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Here is a thought…if you have the Win 10 on pause for January patches and have not installed them yet and the machine is still on pause and February patches are released, can you stop any of the patches if they are still on pause?

Particularly if there is a problem with a patch……..KB4523244.

I. do. not. know. what. to. do.

Sigh…

Win 10 Home 22H2

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[PKCano]

When the Pause period is up, the patches will install UNLESS you set your Internet connections to METERED = ON. When you want to install the updates, you have to TURN OFF metered connections.

• This reply was modified 5 years, 3 months ago by PKCano.

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KWGuy

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Distressing posts on the Microsoft Answers forum:

Just installed the latest Feb 2020 Windows 10 updates.  Upon completion it appears to have reset the display to default windows system.  That is, all custom icons missing, background returned to windows logo, would not recognise my logon, set a temp logon.

I had to uninstall the latest updates to return to previous good operation and display.  Any ideas?  FYI.  Two of my neighbors had the same issue and we had to uninstall this update.

And several confirmations.

Anybody here see that?

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[mledman]

Distressing posts on the Microsoft Answers forum:

And several confirmations.

Anybody here see that?

Nope.  February updates installed. Now at 1909 build 18363.657.  Oh and file explorer paste works.

Win 11 home - 24H2
Attitude is a choice...Choose wisely

• This reply was modified 5 years, 3 months ago by mledman.

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woody

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The recent Woody’s comment in Computerworld on, possibly, the last Win 7 patching problem for those of us who are not buying extended support from MS, or some alternative to it, makes reference only to the Black Wallpaper Blight patch for the S&Q Rollup. Absent a reference to the SO in this respect, I am inclined to assume that the same comment applies to it as it explicitly does to the Rollup. But it would be nice to have this confirmed by someone who is aware of the actual situation.

Be that as it may, if I ever decide to go ahead and install the January SO patch, it will only be after I have created a restore point just before it, so everything is ready to eject this, to me the final forever patch, would it turn out to be a dud leaving me with a Goth-looking desktop in the PC, even after I had made sure that the wallpaper was not set to “stretcht”.

Ex-Windows user (Win. 98, XP, 7); since mid-2017 using also macOS. Presently on Monterey 12.15 & sometimes running also Linux (Mint).

MacBook Pro circa mid-2015, 15" display, with 16GB 1600 GHz DDR3 RAM, 1 TB SSD, a Haswell architecture Intel CPU with 4 Cores and 8 Threads model i7-4870HQ @ 2.50GHz.
Intel Iris Pro GPU with Built-in Bus, VRAM 1.5 GB, Display 2880 x 1800 Retina, 24-Bit color.
macOS Monterey; browsers: Waterfox "Current", Vivaldi and (now and then) Chrome; security apps. Intego AV

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I have two computers on ESU. Both the ESU’s were installed successfully at the time that I received the keys through Harbor Computer Services.  I also installed the January service stack update KB4536952 on both on 1-27-20.  After reading about the last minute update, KB 4538483, I installed the KB 4538483 on both the laptop and the desktop.  The desktop had three KB before the install of KB4538483.  After the install and then required reboot of the computer, the desktop had 4 KB: 4484267 Excel security, 4484163 Outlook 2010 security, KkB 890830 malicious software removal tool and KB4537820 Security Quality Rollup Win 7 X64.

The laptop, also a Win 7 X64, only had three updates before the install of the KB4538483:  KB4484267 Excel security, KB4484162 Outlook 2010 security and KB890830 Malicious software tool.  After installation and running the check for updates, it still only has 3.  It did not pick up KB4537820.  I tried several restarts and still no KB4537820.  WHY?

Also, neither the laptop nor the desktop picked up KB4537767 Cumulative Security Update for Internet Explorer 11 for Windows.  IE is not my preferred browser.  Could that be the reason it was not offered?  I would think that it should be because IE is so integrated into the Windows 7.

2020-02 Servicing Stack Update for Windows 7 (KB4537829) was also not on the list of updates offered on Windows Update.  I have been installing these service stack updates by themselves as per directions from PKCano.  Thanks PKCano.

Anyone else had issues with just getting the updates after successfully installing the ESU and the doing a last minute install of the KB4538483?  Glad that I am waiting on installation per ASKWoody.   Hopefully this will be resolved soon.

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– IE11 Cumulative Update is only needed for Group B (security only model)
Monthly Rollup already contained IE11 CU contents

– Servicing Stack Update only offered if there are no other pending updates

– Is the second machine have January SSU KB4536952

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Kranium, woody

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I just tried to look up KB4528069 on Microsoft Update Catalog since this was mentioned in Woody’s Computerworld article and I wanted to see the tests so I could make sure, again, that my ESU are setup correctly.  The Microsoft Update Catalog does not have any information on this KB4528069.  Is the number correct?  Thanks to all at ASKWoody.

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RDRguy

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@RM … I believe Microsoft pulled KB4528069 just today.

Searching Microsoft Windows Support for KB4528069 finds this webpage: “https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/4528069/update-for-eligible-windows-7-and-server-2008-r2-devices-can-get-esu” dated: Feb 12, 2020.

Per Microsoft’s current KB article for KB4528069 here:

Note This update is no longer available. Customers who have purchased the Extended Security Update (ESU) for on-premises versions of this OS must follow the procedures in KB4522133 to continue receiving security updates after extended support ends on January 14, 2020. For more information on ESU and which editions are supported, see KB4497181. To verify ESU eligibility, please use any Monthly Rollup or Security Only update released February 11, 2020 or later, such as KB4537820 or KB4537813.

Why … who knows

Win7 - PRO & Ultimate, x64 & x86
Win8.1 - PRO, x64 & x86
Groups A, B & ABS

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Kranium

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Because KB4528069 can be installed using old SSU and BypassESU hack

then, it will also allow to install January updates without needing the bypass

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Kranium, woody

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MS did the same thing with KB4528081 for Server 2008 SP2 – recently yanked from any MS Catalog searches

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Kranium, woody

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@RM

Reference Alex5723’s reply to “Newest ssu patch” here:

First, there is a workaround to fool Microsoft’s ESU check. For now it works
https://www.ghacks.net/2020/02/13/it-appears-that-the-windows-7-esu-bypass-is-indeed-working/

If you go to the ghacks link posted by Alex5723 above and scroll down to the top of the comments section, you’ll find a reply by:

Anonymous said on February 14, 2020 at 8:57 pm

The anonymous poster includes what appears to be the Microsoft Update Catalog links to download both X86 & X64 versions of KB4528069.

No guarantee of their authenticity, but I just checked and the links do seem to point to the Microsoft Update Catalog and they are still active.

Win7 - PRO & Ultimate, x64 & x86
Win8.1 - PRO, x64 & x86
Groups A, B & ABS

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RDRguy wrote:

I believe Microsoft pulled KB4528069 just today.

No doubt because it was being used to test ESU hacks.

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I spent most of today on my fully updated Version 1909 (OS Build 18363.657) daily-driver desktop, adding a drive imaging tutorial to my website.  I had multiple files open, multiple tabs in FF 73.0, Image for Windows open, Task Scheduler and Task Manager open, Editing web pages online and offline.

Nary a hiccup.  Smooth as silk, all day long.

Always create a fresh drive image before making system changes/Windows updates; you may need to start over!

We all have our own reasons for doing the things that we do with our systems; we don't need anyone's approval, and we don't all have to do the same things.

We were all once "Average Users".

Computer Specs

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[Brocktoon]

I’m new to Windows 10 since a new computer I setup at the end of December.

I’m currently running Windows 10 Home 1909.  I was up to date with the January updates and paused my updates until 3/1 in anticipation of today’s patches.

I restarted my computer this evening and noticed that instead of just saying ‘restarting’ it looks like it briefly acted like it was preparing an update … it was quick but the screen had something more than just restarting.  As the computer came back on it did flash a quick screen that did look again like it had completed an update, although it was a VERY fast screen and I could not read what it said as I logged in

My updates were still paused, and I see no history of a Store or App updates, and the control panel is showing no installations or updates.

BUT, for the heck of it I checked system restore, and lo and behold I am seeing a restore point description this evening for ‘Windows Modules Installer’ with an ‘Install’ type.  No affected programs were listed for this restore point.  This was run around the same time my computer checks for updates, but my updates has been paused for a few days now and I haven’t seen this entry or install until today.

This is the only Windows Modules Installer entry in my system restore list and it only popped up on Patch Tuesday when my computer acted like it got a quick install at reboot ??

Even with Windows updates paused, did Microsoft push some small update out as part of patch Tuesday?  I didn’t see this behavior or Modules Installer entry in January when I paused updates.

Again, I don’t think it’s a coincidence that this installation happened today, but I can’t figure out what the heck was installed while updates were paused?

• This reply was modified 5 years, 3 months ago by Brocktoon.

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geekdom

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It could be the Windows Defender signature update. Check the update history page, Definition updates.

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[gborn]

I had several confirmations that a temporary user profile has been used after login.

Windows 10: Update KB4532693 kills user data/profile

A German reader told me, that he know a case with 50 PCs – where they investigated it a little. The difference between the systems with the temporary profile and the systems that went properly: All failing machines have had Avira installed.

Ex Microsoft Windows (Insider) MVP, Microsoft Answers Community Moderator, Blogger, Book author

https://www.borncity.com/win/

• This reply was modified 5 years, 3 months ago by gborn.

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Mr. Natural, Duggem, sveldkamp, woody, geekdom

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Windows 8.1 here. Unfortunately it seems I forgot to disable Windows Update. I can report that upon installing the updates and restarting that the login screen will never show up.

When you get to the login in screen, the screen will appear black. The cursor will show up, but then disappear and reappear. Sometimes you might see the network icon for a second, but it blinks for just a second before disappearing. Another thing is if you move the cursor, when it blinks out it will be reset to the middle of the screen each time no matter where you move it. CTRL-ALT-DEL does nothing, and after a few restarts I gave up.

Booting to safe mode gives you the same result with the login screen. The only option that did work was getting to the command prompt option, but that doesn’t help much. In the end, the way I fixed it was a System Restore.

To my eye, it looks like the login screen attempts to start up, but then crashes, and then attempts to restart, only to crash again, and repeat this loop until you forcefully shut your machine off.

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Microfix, woody

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What updates did you install?

On permanent hiatus {with backup and coffee}
offline▸ Win10Pro 2004.19041.572 x64 i3-3220 RAM8GB HDD Firefox83.0b3 WindowsDefender
offline▸ Acer TravelMate P215-52 RAM8GB Win11Pro 22H2.22621.1265 x64 i5-10210U SSD Firefox106.0 MicrosoftDefender
online▸ Win11Pro 22H2.22621.1992 x64 i5-9400 RAM16GB HDD Firefox116.0b3 MicrosoftDefender

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Sorry for the double reply, but I found the information. There was actually 4 updates that were removed, not 3. My bad:

KB4537821
KB4502496
KB4537759
KB4534134

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I haven’t heard of this, but… anybody out there know?

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It seems my previous post didn’t go through.

@Microfix: I have had this happen on two machines. Currently it happening on an Intel Machine with UFEI, but last year I had it happen on an Intel Machine without UFEI.

@Woody: I did some Googling and found on a few sites that people had similar problems. It seems the issue has been happening to people at random since at least 2017, and it seems to happen on both Windows 8.1 and Windows 10. They all report the same issues: No login screen, blinking mouse cursor, even in Safe-Mode

Most people solved it either by doing a System Restore and trying again, or in the worst case formatting.

I would post you some links, but I think the links prevented my post from going through the first time. I’m so sorry if this double posts by mistake!

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I’ve installed the following feb 2020 patches on Win8.1 Pro x64 (intel based device)
Adobe flash player – kb4537759
SMQR – kb4537821
but, I’ve hidden the offered kb4502496 91kb in size (UEFI mystery patch)
I can report that there have been/are no issues here over the last two days on that device.

Wonder if kb4502496 is linked to your login screen issue??
Is your device intel or AMD based?
BTW: I’m using MBR and NOT UEFI on that device.

Windows - commercial by definition and now function...

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PKCano

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This machine is Intel, and it uses UFEI. Half a year ago, I had this exact same thing happen on another machine, looking at that machine that was Intel but without UFEI. I ended up in the end just reinstalling that machine out of frustration.

@Woody:

Googling around I did find a few posts on other sites that seem to report similar things, all from varying years:

https://old.reddit.com/r/windows/comments/92mug4/windows_81_powers_onto_a_black_screen_with_cursor/
https://forums.malwarebytes.com/topic/231462-black-screen-with-a-blinking-cursor-help/
https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/forums/t/666566/computer-wont-load-to-login-screen/

It seems that the only solution that anyone has had luck with is to either System Restore, or reinstall Windows.

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Microfix wrote:

BTW: I’m using MBR and NOT UEFI on that device.

You are using MBR, Yet Microsoft with all its telemetry still offered you kb4502496 ?

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Alex5723 wrote:

You are using MBR, Yet Microsoft with all its telemetry still offered you kb4502496 ?

never heard of telemetry user-agents?

Windows - commercial by definition and now function...

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I was prompted to install KB4524244 (UEFI update) on my HP-Omen 7th Gen Intel Core i7 7700HQ Windows 10 Home version 1909 laptop with BIOS Version/Date Insyde F.38, 5/24/2017.  No problems so far. This update was only offered two days after the regular Cumulative update, Security Intelligence update, Adobe Flash Player security update and MSRT on Tuesday.

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Win 10 Pro 1803 64 bit.  Manual download of February 2020 update KB4537762, and standalone installation, updates to build 17134.1304, update installs without issues, stable for 3 days.

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I think Microsoft is maybe planning tp deliver another nag for Win 7 users, similar to Win 10 paver KB4023057

Win 7 Eos Tool
https://win7eos.blob.core.windows.net/eostool/EosTool.msi

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Bought ESU from Harbor. Followed their instructions to the letter and got confirmations as I went.

Manually did the ESU update. Not offered the SSU, did it manually.

Just read the Computerworld article 2/12. Have manually added the 4537829 SSU.

Am NOT being offered anything by WinUpdate except a “comprehensive pre-release” which I hid. Get NOTHING from MS like 4537820, …7813, …7767 as mentioned in the Computerworld article.

Where are they and why am I supporting MS for updates when it offers me none ???

Glad I didn’t license up my whole fleet.

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Like an idiot I turned MS auto-updated back on again recently, it had been turned off because of a near fatal MS update installation about 2 years ago that caused me to seriously question Win10. Turning it on again has proved to be a major mistake  as the latest February 11th update  has deleated all my icons documents pictures essentially my whole profile was removed  my links including all my research document under downloads total wipe out tried to find info on the issue via search engine but nothing until today when I came across the above alert. I suspect any patch or solution will be no good for me as I tried to solve the problem through Regedit and changing sid which didn’t work.
What is going on with MS. Windows10 is becoming costly and frankly a maverick program that is liable to implode on itself following any given upgrade. Don’t really have time for reworks but can someone give a clear uncomplicated solution for the present ridiculous situation in addition can we have a commitment from MS that updates are not released before rigorous and 100% QA has been completed

 

Edited to remove HTML.

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The only solution is a regular, pre-update backup to an external disk. Then you can revert until you have investigated the issues.

$50 for an external disk and free 3rd party software is very cheap insurance.

cheers, Paul

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If you do not have backups, there are 3 situations you could be in.  Your files and registry and settings could exist, but not be visible to the user you are logged in with.  Your files could be deleted, but recoverable.  Or your files could be deleted and overwritten, really gone.

There are 4 reasonable next steps.  Stop using the computer (to prevent damaging deleted files) and bring it to an expert.  Or, make an image backup now (without deleting any existing backup), using the copy all sectors setting to preserve deleted data, before doing 2 , 3 or 4.

2 is boot to a Linux live usb like systemrescuecd and use it to browse your computer to see if there is a yourUserName.000 or similar folder in users.

3 is logout then login.  If this does not fix the problem, uninstall the patch, then restart, then logout then login.  If this does not fix the problem, create a new admin account if you can, log in to it.  Use it to view files, including hidden ones, in C:\users, and look for yourUserName.000 or similar.

4 is logout, then login.  Try using a good file search utility, or built in file search if you know how to tell it to really search everything.  Search for the name of one of your documents that you know is lost.  If this does not work, close the file search utility and run it as an administrator and try again.  If this does not work, use Recuva or a similar undelete utility to look for deleted files.

To have the best chance of saving data, do not do 2, 3, or 4 without making a sector by sector image backup first.

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Got the same troubles here in the netherlands.

My Windows 10 is Pro N. I had to install the Windows Media Features seperately in order to get the 1909 update. Last Tuesday I wanted to do somethigs op my pc and was informed I had to reboot, quite usual after an update during my non ‘working’ hours.

After reboot I was presented my usual login screen, but logging in took long and ended in a temporary account.

After having tried a few things, I decided to restore a backup (without the Features) and began to re-update eveything.

At the end the KB4532693 was installed and I was back to nothing.

I found this article, removed KB4532693 and All seems well.

Still I wonder how to prevent this. I temporary hidden this one, waiting fora definitive solution

I hope there will be a sulotion soon.

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The update has been removed from the update catalog, so you should be fine.  But you could follow the MS-DEFCON system and delay further patching until it goes to 3 through 5.  You could contact Microsoft and tell them what antivirus software you have and other details about your computer – model, bios version, how many GB of free space you have, and that you had that problem (to help them with debugging for the future).  To help people here, you could post the brand and model of computer and your antivirus software, and how many GB of free space you have.

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I believe the reference here is to KB4534344, the UEFI patch?
Please confirm as this thread is about ALL Feb 2020 patches.

Also, please use the “Reply” button at the top of the post you are resplying to, so we know which conversation you are responding to.
Thanks.

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Years ago on win7 I had a black screen after the Windows Update and relogin. But I was possible to start the taskmanager with ctrl alt del and kill a process, which used the whole cpu – I think it was an installer. Afterwards the desktop loaded and everything worked as before. This happend some month later again, and everytime the black screen appeared, I was possible to start the taskmanager.

best rgds

viebrix

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