Newsletter Archives

• MS-DEFCON 2: Getting ready for 2023

  Posted on January 5, 2023 at 02:45 CST by Susan Bradley • Comment in the Forums

  

  ISSUE 20.01.1 • 2023-01-05

  

  By Susan Bradley

  Once again, we are preparing for another year of patching.

  And to start out the year auspiciously, I must raise the MS-DEFCON level to 2. That’s because I’m recommending that updates to Windows be deferred until later in the month. Although Microsoft takes a long Christmas vacation, and the resulting January is usually limited to just security updates, it’s best to be very cautious until the issues that cropped up in December are resolved.

  Anyone can read the full MS-DEFCON Alert (20.01.1, 2023-01-05).

  AskWoody Plus Alert, MS-DEFCON Alerts, BSOD, Microsoft Lifecycle, MS-DEFCON, MS-DEFCON 2, Newsletters, Patch Lady Posts, Windows Servers EoL

• MS-DEFCON 3: Windows 10 22H2 may leave you blue

  Posted on December 27, 2022 at 02:45 CST by Susan Bradley • Comment in the Forums

  

  ISSUE 19.52.1 • 2022-12-27

  

  By Susan Bradley

  I have a favorite Christmas song titled “We need a little Christmas,” from the Broadway musical “Mame.”

  The uplifting tone of the song expresses the pleasure and happiness we experience during the holiday. We don’t usually associate “blue” feelings with the season (except Elvis).

  Windows 10 could use a little of that holiday spirit. Unfortunately, two different patches for 22H2 appear to be throwing off blue screens of death for some — but not all — users. As much as I’d like to lower the MS-DEFCON level to the more serene level 4, so you can enjoy the holiday while applying updates, out of caution I am dropping it only one notch.

  Anyone can read the full MS-DEFCON Alert (19.52.1, 2022-12-27).

  AskWoody Plus Alert, MS-DEFCON Alerts, BSOD, MS-DEFCON, MS-DEFCON 3, Newsletters, Patch Lady Posts, Windows 10

• BSoDs can be a good thing — really!

  Posted on May 11, 2020 at 01:15 CDT by Tracey Capen • Comment in the Forums
  

  On Security

  By Susan Bradley

  If your system crashes with an infamous blue screen of death, consider it a cry for help!

  BSoDs have always been an ugly side of Windows. Almost invariably, when Windows takes a powder, it’s at a most inopportune moment: right when you’re on deadline, right when you suddenly remember you haven’t hit Save for a while, right when your system is rebooting from an update. I like to joke that computers somehow know when you have to get something done — and now would be a great time to crash or otherwise malfunction. But blue screens of death are honestly a good thing. They are trying to tell you something is wrong with your computer.

  Read the full story in AskWoody Plus Newsletter 17.18.0 (2020-05-11).

  On Security AskWoody Plus Newsletter, Blue screens of death, BlueScreenView, BSOD, Crash reports

• When the universe BSODs

  Posted on February 10, 2019 at 05:44 CST by woody • Comment in the Forums

  

  I found this image on Pinterest. I’d love to attribute it, but don’t know where it came from, although the description says it’s from Odessa, Ukraine.

  Other BSOD

• Microsoft acknowledges Surface Book 2 blue screen bug in Win10 1803 second monthly cumulative update

  Posted on December 5, 2018 at 07:22 CST by woody • Comment in the Forums

  

  Is there a German word for when a manufacturer’s flagship hardware product bluescreens after installing the latest update to its flagship operating system?

  Computerworld Woody on Windows.

  Thx @b, @abbodi86, @PKCano.

  Windows Patches/Security Blue Screen, BSOD, KB 4467682, Surface Book 2

• Last month’s second Tuesday cumulative update for Win10 1803 is bricking Surface Book 2

  Posted on December 4, 2018 at 09:44 CST by woody • Comment in the Forums

  See what I mean about testing cumulative updates before they’re rolled out?

  KB 4467682, last month’s second cumulative update for Win10 1803 (the “non-security only” patch from Nov. 27) is bricking many Surface Book 2 machines. I’ve been rallying for Microsoft to start testing its “C or D week” cumulative updates before they’re released. Here’s an excellent example of why that’s crucial.

  Richard Speed at The Reg reports:

  Blue Screens of Death (BSOD) first began occurring shortly after the update, KB4467682, was dropped on 27 November.

  The BSOD headache manifests itself by throwing a SYSTEM THREAD EXCEPTION NOT HANDLED error and rebooting the computer. Some users reported seeing the error repeatedly, while others are luckier, losing their work only three times a day or so.

  Liam Tung at ZDNet reports that:

  People on Microsoft’s answers forum and on Reddit are complaining about Blue Screen of Death, or BSOD, issues that began occurring after installing cumulative update, KB4467682, released last Tuesday for Windows 10 version 1803.

  Permit me to repeat, for emphasis. Microsoft should be testing these patches before they’re pushed. I’m not talking about employee-tested dogfood. I’m talking about real, live testing regimens, out in the real world.

  The only way that’s going to happen is if Microsoft has a real testing method set up. Leave the ninja cats and cute narwals to the marketing folks. I’m talking about targeted tests, for people with skin in the game.

  The Windows Insider Release Preview Ring is made to test cumulative updates before they’re installed. But that only works for one version of Win10.

  As of this moment, the Release Preview Ring is only for Win10 1809. There should be similar test rings for all supported versions of Win10 — at the very least, 1709, 1803 and 1809. And then, gosh, Microsoft should actually use them.

  I really don’t understand what’s so hard here.

  Thx @MikeFromMarkham

  Windows Patches/Security BSOD, KB 4467682, Win10 1803

• Bluescreens reported on HP machines with the latest Win10 1803 and 1809 cumulative updates

  Posted on October 11, 2018 at 10:08 CDT by woody • Comment in the Forums

  But it isn’t at all clear if the bluescreen is due to the cumulative update, the freshly pushed HP keyboard driver, or something else.

  My guess is that there’s a conflict between the “HP Development Company, L.P. – Keyboard -7/11/2018 12:00:00 AM – 11.0.3.1” driver, recently pushed by Windows, and with the Win10 1803 and 1809 cumulative updates. But it’s only a guess.

  Computerworld Poirot on Windows.

  Windows Patches/Security BSOD, HP, KB 4462919, KB 4464330

• KB 4025341, KB 4025337 cause crashes on some older hardware running Win7

  Posted on July 14, 2017 at 15:48 CDT by PKCano • Comment in the Forums

  There have been reports of BSODs after installing the July 11 patches on some older Win7 machines. Both KB 4025337, the security-only Update, and KB 4025341, the Monthly Rollup have been involved. Uninstalling the update fixes the problem.

  Many posters have reported successful installation of the updates. So it doesn’t appear that the updates themselves are broken, but, when combined with specific drivers, BSODs result. It is likely due to some of the changes Microsoft has made to Win7 via the patches. @NetDef reports that updating the Intel C600 chipset driver fixed the problem. Another report possibly points to AMD graphics drivers.

  If you have experienced a BSOD after installing the July 11 patches, your information would be helpful. The errors on the blue screen can pinpoint a conflict with a device. The Device Manager in the Control Panel is also an excellent source of information on installed drivers. What was the source of your drivers – from the manufacturer or were they Microsoft drivers?

  This is an example of the type of information that is useful:

  OS: Win7 Ultimate SP1 64bit
  PATCH: KB 4025337
  BSOD Info: STOP SYSTEM_SERVICE_EXCEPTION 0x0000003b
  CPU: Intel Core 2 Quad Q8200
  GRAPHICS: ATI AMD Radeon HD6450 v15.300.1025.0
  CHIPSET: Intel P35/G35/G31 r.10 (or version)
  FIX: Uninstalled update, or Rolled back HD6450 driver to n.15.200.1052.0, or Updated Intel chipset drive to…

  Any luck in identifying the the exact driver(s) involved would be most helpful to a lot of people.

  Windows Patches/Security BSOD, July 11 patches, July 2017 Patch Tuesday, KB 4025337, Win7, Win7 crashes

• July 11 security-only patch KB4025337 causes BSOD

  Posted on July 13, 2017 at 06:40 CDT by PKCano • Comment in the Forums

  Poster @skunk1966 reports

  I just installed KB 4025337 for Windos 7 (x64). After rebooting my system I got BSOD. Started up in safemode and ran sfc /scannow. Rebooted in normal mode and again BSOD.

  In the end I couldn’t fix it so uninstalled KB 4025337 using wusa cmd. Rebooted in normal mode and all is fine again,

  The computer, running Win7 Ultimate has an older Intel Core 2 Quad Q8200 (Yorkfield) and ATI AMD Radeon HD6450 graphics.

  Is anybody else seeing problems with the July 11 Security-only patch for Windows 7?

  Windows Patches/Security BSOD, July 11 update issues, July 2017 Patch Tuesday, KB 4025337, windows 7

• Blue Screen Stop 0x050 error reported for this week’s Black Tuesday KB2976897, KB2982791, and KB2970228

  Posted on August 14, 2014 at 06:31 CDT by woody • Comment in the Forums

  Sporadic reports of BSODs associated with this month’s Black Tuesday patches. If you hit one, head over to the Microsoft Answers forum and tell ’em all about it.

  InfoWorld Tech Watch

  Windows Patches/Security August 2014 Black Tuesday, BSOD, KB2970228, KB2976897, KB2982791

• Users hit by Blue Screen, 0xC1900101 – 0x40017 error with Windows 8.1 update

  Posted on October 18, 2013 at 19:31 CDT by woody • Comment in the Forums

  So far there don’t appear to be any fixes.

  InfoWorld Tech Watch

  Windows Patches/Security BSOD, Windows 8.1 install

• Symantec Endpoint Protection 2.1 causing BSODs

  Posted on July 14, 2012 at 11:00 CDT by woody • Comment in the Forums

  If you are running Windows XP and Symantec’s Endpoint Protection 2.1, beware of the latest update. (Endpoint Protection is generally a corporate product, but if you have a company laptop, you may be affected too.)

  According to Reuters, Symantec admits that the latest updates are blue-screening XP machines.

   

  Windows Patches/Security BSOD, Symantec
• « Older Entries