Microsoft pulls its August Windows update after users report crashes

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Elevon

Elevon

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http://www.pcworld.com/article/2465631/microsoft-pulls-august-windows-update-after-crashes.html



Microsoft has pulled its August Update for Windows after users reported crashes and issues restarting their systems. The company is currently recommending users uninstall the update.

Microsoft said that it discovered issues relating to four individual updates associated with the August Update: 2982791, 2970228, 2975719, and 297533. The updates addressed security and features, and began rolling out on August 2.

Microsoft updated its security bulletin MS14-045 on Friday to warn users of issues associated with the updates. “Microsoft is investigating behavior associated with the installation of this update, and will update this bulletin when more information becomes available,” the company wrote. “Microsoft recommends that customers uninstall this update. As an added precaution, Microsoft has removed the download links to the 2982791 security update.”

MS14-045 applies to Windows 7, Windows 8, and Windows 8.1, plus Windows Vista and Windows Server 2003.

Specifically, Microsoft identified three known issues regarding the “behavior” it had seen when users installed the update. First, fonts that are installed in a location other than the default fonts directory (%windir%\fonts\) cannot be changed when they are loaded into any active session, essentially locking them in. Second, fonts don’t render correctly. The third issue is the most critical, however: Microsoft said that it is investigating reports that systems may crash with a “0x50 Stop error message” after the updates are installed.

If you have downloaded the updates already, don’t worry—there is a fix, but it will also require a bit of tinkering with the registry file. The same security bulletin details the steps you’ll need to take: You’ll need to enter the Windows Recovery Environment, delete the fntcache.dat file, reboot, export the file, delete the file again, uninstall the updates, reboot, and reimport the font file. (Be sure to use the linked support document above as your guide.)

InfoWorld noted earlier this week that several users had complained of problems associated with the update, and that a user had discovered how to fix the font problem.

Before this month, Microsoft had periodically issued major software updates, such as Windows 8.1, providing significant feature upgrades to its operating system. In August, however, it moved away from that practice, and now pairs a smaller number of feature enhancements in conjunction with its monthly security updates. All of this was rolled up into the now-problematic August Update.

Microsoft also issued a hotfix to all major versions of Internet Explorer on Friday, a patch that was unrelated to the Windows update recall. That patch solved issues with Microsoft's browser after multiple dialog windows would cause it to slow down or halt.
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This is interesting, my PC has been locking up when getting into windows and I havent used it since it downloaded the last windows update. Could be related.
 
Fixed 2 machines with the stop 50 error today. Funny thins is, when you run system restore from cd / repair your computer, it says it fails but it actually works :p Caught me out on the first machine.
 
Not surprised to be honest. I have spent the last week trying to upgrade from Win 8 Pro to 8.1 Pro and it fails every time with an error. I have trawled the internet and it appears there are many many people having the same or similar problem with identical error codes or slightly different codes but all are failing in there attempts. I have tried numerous fixes suggested by both official and unofficial sources, all have been unsuccessful and I've had enough, despite the thousands of customers of Microsoft who are struggling with this problem they refuse to make an ISO image of 8.1 Pro available to Win 8 Pro owners, this would solve the problem for me. Personally I think Win 8 is a disaster and I now wish I'd stuck with 7, there is too much stuff messed up by Microsoft these days and , in my opinion, they are helping there own demise. Rant over. :(
 
Not had any problems at all on Win7 but am uninstalling the updates (my system only had 2 of those updates installed anyway) for good measure anyway until the next patch Tuesday rollout.
 
Mine's been locking up when booting in in the last 2 weeks or so. It's intermittent though weirdly. Perhaps this is the reason, might try and uninstall the updates!
 
rolypolyman said:
Not surprised to be honest. I have spent the last week trying to upgrade from Win 8 Pro to 8.1 Pro and it fails every time with an error. I have trawled the internet and it appears there are many many people having the same or similar problem with identical error codes or slightly different codes but all are failing in there attempts. I have tried numerous fixes suggested by both official and unofficial sources, all have been unsuccessful and I've had enough, despite the thousands of customers of Microsoft who are struggling with this problem they refuse to make an ISO image of 8.1 Pro available to Win 8 Pro owners, this would solve the problem for me. Personally I think Win 8 is a disaster and I now wish I'd stuck with 7, there is too much stuff messed up by Microsoft these days and , in my opinion, they are helping there own demise. Rant over. :(
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To be fair if you read the first post it also effects Win7 and Vista as well,

MS14-045 applies to Windows 7, Windows 8, and Windows 8.1, plus Windows Vista and Windows Server 2003.
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I've been lucky since both my Win8.1 PCs are still running fine with the updates,I just leave it alone until next major updates.
 
so this is what caused the black screen and cursor of doom followed by the eternal restarts and failed to apply updates after i did a refresh then?

damn you microsoft, i now have video and sound glitches for youtube on my laptop thanks to that and much tweaking to do.
 
My microsoft updates started failing a few months ago should do a fresh install but really cant be bothered waiting till I get an ssd
 
Well looks like 2 machines at work have been affected. Mouse cursor and black screen at logon... These are solo machines that sit on 2 ship's crew cabins so not controlled by the dc. They get automatic updates naturally.
 
My Lenovo Yoga 13.3 8.1 hasn't been affected operational-wise but when I went back to look at the installed updates, after installing the September updates, I found that the August updates were all in the "requires restart" state (except the malicious software tool) but had not actually installed - and seem to show no intent of completing the installation. Perhaps a good thing?

Anybody else seen this?

Mel
 
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