Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Latest Windows Updates may be seriously breaking things for some users

This is topic Latest Windows Updates may be seriously breaking things for some users in forum Film-Yak at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.

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Posted by David Stambaugh (Member # 1102) on 05-09-2007, 09:18 PM:

http://www.mcse.ms/message2527286.html

Automatic updates wreaking havoc on my network
I have 6 (and counting) computer having issues with SVCHOST process running
at near 100% cpu utilization. Disabling Automatic Updates resolves the
issue. WTF did Microsoft just release? It took one guy nearly 30 minutes
just to log on. Anyone else having this issue?
Post Follow-up to this message

TKovacs

#2 Today, 06:16 PM
Oldsurferjoe
RE: Automatic updates wreaking havoc on my network
Yes I am with a laptop. Same issue!

Something is definitely up (the thread continues with other suggested workarounds)

This started on my home system last night. Today it happened to two users at work. Then I got a call from a guy working at home having the same problem.

As noted in the link, a quick fix is to disable Automatic Updates. Another workaround is to isolate the wuauserv process to its own instance of svchost.exe. Normally wuauserv shares one instance of svchost.exe with a whole bunch of other stuff, so if you kill that svchost.exe in Task Manager, it has a lot of possible side effects.

To isolate wuauserv to its own svchost.exe:

"sc config wuauserv type= own"

The space in front of " own" is critical. You can put it back to shared mode with:

"sc config wuauserv type= share"

The space in front of " share" is critical again.

This isn't a permanent fix, just a workaround that allows you to kill the offending svchost.exe task without breaking any other essential tasks.

Posted by Leo Enticknap (Member # 534) on 05-10-2007, 12:32 PM:

Interesting. I automatic updated my main home PC (running XP Pro) yesterday evening, and immediately after rebooting installed the drivers for a new printer. It took effin' ages to install - between 20 and 30 minutes before it even gave me the 'plug her in now' window. After the three or four reboots that were necessary to complete the process the computer now runs fine, but I wonder if that update slowed down the installation of the printer driver for some reason.

Posted by Wayne Keyser (Member # 2420) on 05-10-2007, 02:43 PM:

I thought it was just me (maybe anomalies piling up after too many tweaks or something) - I'm goin' back to my Commodore 64.

Posted by Chris Slycord (Member # 4239) on 05-10-2007, 02:46 PM:

I haven't turned on my desktop for windows in some time. Guess I know something to look for when I finally do it.

Posted by David Stambaugh (Member # 1102) on 05-10-2007, 06:07 PM:

These two updates together have fixed 2 out of 2 screwed up systems I tried them on today. Also installed these on 2 systems that were already working fine, and they didn't seem to do any harm. Neither of these seems to be a part of the regular Windows Update offerings (yet).

Windows Update Agent 3.0 (referenced here)

KB927891 Patch

Hopefully these will fix my home system, won't know until later tonight.

Posted by Sam Graham (Member # 2889) on 05-10-2007, 06:49 PM:

I did the last two updates on both my home and work computers and haven't had any ill effects. But we have at least a few employees at the office who suddenly today have all sorts of funky stuff going on, so something's up.

Makes me wonder if somebody came up with something malicious that can actually integrate itself into a Windows update, and it's affecting users who previously downloaded something it was tied into.

Posted by Joe Redifer (Member # 3) on 05-10-2007, 07:39 PM:

I'm glad I have an illegally and immorally pirated version of Windows XP. Microsoft's servers don't see it as "legit" and won't update it. At least I assume...

Posted by David Stambaugh (Member # 1102) on 05-10-2007, 09:15 PM:

Those 2 updates fixed the problem on my home PC.

Posted by Brad Miller (Member # 2) on 05-10-2007, 11:01 PM:

I dunno, I am running licensed versions of XP on a couple of machines here that I use daily and I've had no issues. Automatic updates are turned on too.

Must be operator error. [Razz]

Posted by Daryl C. W. O'Shea (Member # 1303) on 05-11-2007, 02:55 AM:

quote: Sam Graham
Makes me wonder if somebody came up with something malicious that can actually integrate itself into a Windows update,

Microsoft employees?

quote: Brad Miller
I dunno, I am running licensed versions of XP on a couple of machines here that I use daily and I've had no issues. Automatic updates are turned on too.

Must be operator error.

Now, now. Remember what trashed this server last August? Freakin Windows Updates. There's a reason why I run WSUS in even the smallest corporate (and some home) environments.

Posted by Mike Blakesley (Member # 26) on 05-11-2007, 02:33 PM:

quote: Brad Miller
I am running licensed versions of XP on a couple of machines here that I use daily and I've had no issues. Automatic updates are turned on too.

Same here...three machines at the store, two at the theatre and one at home...all auto-updated, no problems.

Posted by John Walsh (Member # 168) on 05-11-2007, 04:05 PM:

My policy has been, generally, don't update ever unless you need to.