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Windows 7 Ultimate x64 Update Safe Mode Fix?
I'm posting my experience to get feedback on what likely happened and why, to understand it. Trying to get to the point, after a reboot my Firefox 29.0.1 browser will normally hang a few minutes after opening to the point of a "Program not responding" alert and requires it to be closed, sometimes with Task Manager, but after that first time it works fine until the next reboot which can be days later. About a week ago it would inexplicably start to hang at any time. Then a few days ago, my Thunderbird 17.0.8 email client also began to hang and stall but would eventually complete. Often I'd get duplicate emails for some reason. Yesterday things got worse and other programs would start to hang and had to be closed. I noticed the Windows Update icon in the System Tray stated Windows was checking for updates. I have my Windows Update settings set to auto download but let me choose when to install. The checking for updates seemed to be taking a long time, like 45 minutes, then it would say Installing updates and m system would hang. My system pretty much would later freeze and at that point I'd have to hard reboot (power off then restart), since it became unresponsive. The HDD would be constantly accessed during these hang periods although Task Manager would show System Idle Process at almost 100%. One time, a small script appeared above the System Tray stating the Microsoft had determined I have and invalid version of Windows and all programs I have are valid. I decided to see if I could do a System Restore in Safe Mode or try one of my diagnostic programs. Surprisingly there were no restore points and I know I had created one a couple days ago. I saw the option at System Security>Troubleshooting problems preventing Windows Update from working correctly and gave that a shot. After it was done it said it can't be run in Safe Mode for a network connection, which I don't have, then it stated "Troubleshooting has made some changes to your system" and to reboot and try whatever I was doing before when the problem started. I rebooted and it was very slow and took almost an hour to get to the Desktop. Once there, my system seems to be working fast and normally again. I saw your post about the Microsoft System Update Readiness Tool and plan to will install it today. So, can anyone explain 1- What happened - so others don't need to almost panic like I did? I lost a whole days work fixing this issue. I assume it was an issue with Windows update. Also: 2- Why did my restore points vanish? 3- Is SURT already a part of the Safe Mode Troubleshooting I performed and by installing the download will I be installing the same tool or an enhanced one? 4- I've always had my Windows Update set to download updates and wait for me choose when to install, it instead always installs when I do a normal shut down. Is there a fix?
Last edited by BretMan; 07 Jun 2014 at 08:31. Reason: All spacing, "<>" and quotes were removed when I posted it (???)