Solved Identifying the "bad" update

[RonAshman]

Hi,

I just did a fresh install of Win7 x64 on my mom's PC. I did it because it was running on WinXP x86 and that drove me crazy. It's a P4 with 4GB and ram, should be just fine taking into account how my mother uses the PC.

Anyway, I did this fresh install with the same DVD I used for my laptop like a year ago and it works just fine.

Getting to the point: it's Win7 x64 with SP1. There is one -or more- update causing the computer to boot in a loop. All I can do is a system restore in order to fix it. Of course that just takes me back to square zero after the fresh install.

Is there ANY way I can identify which of the about 80 updates is causing the problem so I can avoid it/them? A software update? Security update? Driver? Really don't know.


Thanks in advance.

 

[marsmimar]

Hello Ron and welcome to Seven Forums.

See posts #2 and #3 at this previous thread:

http://www.sevenforums.com/windows-...bout-updating-windows-7-without-problems.html

One of the things I find aggravating about Windows (going back to Windows 98) is if you let updates get installed automatically, or if you check mark all of them and then try to install, there's really no easy way to figure out which update(s) might be giving you grief.

 

[RonAshman]

Hey thanks for replying so quickly.

I always do that, after a fresh install and as usual behavior.

I install ONLY critical updates. I read all of them and uncheck the ones that are for .NET or windows defender or malicious software things from Microsoft.
Automatic updates never was, never is and never will be turned on.

So there are about 80 critical updates out of which I selected approximately 65. Guess I'll just have to try in groups of 10.

It's really freaking me out. It's the SAME system installed in this computer (mine). There must be some piece of hardware in my mother's PC causing that.

If you have any other better idea or recommendation I'll be glad to read it.



Thank again!

 

[marsmimar]

If the "groups of 10" method doesn't isolate the problematic update(s), then yes, I'd start looking for bad hardware. FWIW it seems to me that bad or failing memory causes a lot of system problems. Windows 7 has it's own built in memory diagnostic tool for a quick check of RAM. For a much longer (overnight) memory check use the free Memtest86+.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/715-memory-diagnostics-tool.html

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/105647-ram-test-memtest86.html

If memory checks out OK, time to try other diagnostics. For hard drives go to the manufacturer's website and look for their specific HDD diagnostic tool. If they don't have one you could use the free SeaTools from Seagate. It will work on any non-Seagate disk drive.

| Seagate

To test other components (CPU and the parts of your motherboard which interface between your CPU and RAM) you could use the free Prime95. This utility can generate a lot of heat so careful monitoring of temperatures is a must.

Torture test your CPU with Prime95

Another useful free tool to monitor temps and get very detailed info about your hardware is called Speccy. It's made by the same folks who make CCleaner.

Speccy - System Information - Free Download

 

[marsmimar]

Something else you could check is Device Manager to see if there are any indications of bad drivers.

Device Manager Windows 7 - How Do I Open Windows 7 Device Manager?

You could also check the event viewer log for any issues around the time you're trying to install updates.

What information appears in event logs? (Event Viewer)

And you can check to see if any system files have been damaged or corrupted by running a System File Checker scan from an elevated command prompt (option two, this tutorial.) If any problems are noted, run the scan three times rebooting in between each scan.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/1538-sfc-scannow-command-system-file-checker.html

 

[irbullet]

I honestly don't know abou cpu's and 64 bit but doesn't the Cpu have to be 64 bit capable? I know my pentium 4 says its not 64 not capable in system info
and maybe a update interfering with that some how?
I dont use 64 bit so don't laugh at me please. I'm probably wrong

 

[UsernameIssues]

I honestly don't know abou cpu's and 64 bit but doesn't the Cpu have to be 64 bit capable? I know my pentium 4 says its not 64 not capable in system info
and maybe a update interfering with that some how?
I dont use 64 bit so don't laugh at me please. I'm probably wrong

There are quite a few P4s - look at the tables on this page. Each row is a slightly differ P4. Picking one of those at random, look at the bottom of this page and you will see that is can handle 64bit.

But let's not get too far off of the OP's topic.

@OP - any update? Have you found the problematic update(s) yet? Or was it failing RAM?

 

[RonAshman]

Hey thank you ALL for replying and trying to help. Honestly I wasn't expecting so much!

So today on my day off I visited my parents. Unbelievably I was able to install ALL of the updates but one. In groups of 10-15. I installed, rebooted, installed again, everything went fine.

There's one particular update which I cannot install because I get an error number which I will be investigating this afternoon. I found some help in MSs website but as usual it's not very helpful: Critical update KB2644615 failed to install - Error 800B0100 - Microsoft Answers

On other news I did perform the RAM test (the Windows one) and it's ok.

I don't understand why I was able to install all of them in groups and not altogether like I do on my PC.



What's driving me crazy now is something about the drivers. I just found a thread about something similar but doesn't apply to my case. Would it be ok if I post it here or should i create a new one?

 

[marsmimar]

That's great news about being able to install the updates, Ron. I've read a lot of pros and cons about installing updates all at once or just a few at a times. Sometimes the all at once method works - other times it doesn't. My personal opinion is simply "system overload". That's why I prefer installing just a few at a time because then you'll know for sure which group contains the problematic update(s).

I wouldn't worry about the KB2644615 update that won't install. According to your specs you're running an x64 version of Windows 7. That update is supposed to be for an x86 system according to the official download site. (You could try downloading it from here. If it installs, great. If it doesn't, don't worry about it. If it continues to show up in your Windows Updates you could always right-click > hide so it doesn't nag you any more.)

Download: Security Update for Windows 7 (KB2644615) - Microsoft Download Center - Download Details

As far as the driver issue, I'd suggest you post it in the Drivers section so more people can respond.

 

[RonAshman]

Great, thanks, I'll do that.

Actually my specs are for my PC, not my mother's, but it's W7x64 the same.


What I think about installing all updates at once is that it could cause trouble because if you read each update's description there are some updates (such as service packs) that include others that are on the list, so it's like trying to install them again.

Thanks a lot. Topic closed. Marked as solved.

 

[UsernameIssues]

...on my day off I visited my parents.

Consider installing TeamViewer. (But still visit in person from time to time

 

[RonAshman]

Cool!

I used to use VNC some years ago. My mom is the type of person who just goes to Google.com to find ANY website. Completely computer illiterate. The other day I was 18 (yes eighteen) minutes on the phone with her and a girlfriend to explain how to attach a picture in an e-mail.

Like I said some years ago I had VNC and since they have adsl (ip changes every 3 days approximately) I also used no-ip.

Anyway, Teamviewer looks cool. Gonna give it a try, thanks!

 

[UsernameIssues]

Since TeamViewer locks up at times - I install multiple methods of remotely connecting.

1) LogMeIn's Hamachi provides me with a static IP address on the remote computers as well as a VPN for file transfers and a secure chat client. Combine that static IP with one of the VNC tools and you have another way to connect. I also use Hamachi to automate backups between computers at night - using Cobian Backup.

[There are plenty of automated tools probing around the internet looking for IPs that respond to the ports that VNC uses. If you have forwarded ports - or worse - if the computer is directly connected to the internet (not behind a NAT) then these tools can bang away at the password several times per second. Only a few of the VNC tools that I've seen handle this well. Most allow as many password guesses per second that the bot can send. My preference is to limit VNC connections to the VPN IPs using the OS firewall.]

2) If you use the wrong password with TeamViewer, you have a wait a bit before you can try again. Each wrong guess increases the wait time exponentially. After 24 wrong guesses, the wait time is about 17hrs. So an automated guessing tool would have to be very lucky and guess the password right away... assuming that the guessing tool knew the TV ID to start with. Sadly, this can also be used as a form a Denial of Service attack. As in, I could keep hitting your computer with bad password guesses - never hoping to get in, just preventing you from getting in too. That is why TeamViewer has blacklists... and why you don't want to publicize your TV ID on a forum.

BTW, TeamViewer has a free smartphone app - as long as I can get a 4G connection (so that I can do data and voice at the same time) I can use speakerphone mode and control the remote computer or just watch as I instruct them.

3) "LogMeIn Free" - no static IP needed. Control via a web browser - better than VNC in a browser.

4) And then there is Microsoft's Remote Desktop Connection if the remote OS supports that.

Both TeamViewer and LogMeIn Free let you reboot the remote computer into the safe mode and still connect. This is of course good for cleaning up infections.


Hmmm, 18 minutes - does that mean that they are bad pupils or does that mean you're a bad teacher Sorry, I could not resist. I went thru the same e-mail attachment thing with some people that I help out - only they kept forgetting the steps every few weeks, so I must really be a bad teacher. I ended up remoting into their computer and doing all of the steps while recording the session on my end using CamStudio. Then I put the video on their desktop... and no more calls about that topic.


As far as MS OS updates go, I guess that I've been lucky. I let it apply all that it wants to. Some usually fail, but I expect that. I just repeat the process and they go in. For stubborn ones that won't install, I remove the software distribution folder and let the process start fresh. The only updates that still would not go in were MSE's virus definitions updates. It turns out that MSE wants a folder named temp in the system folder (usually C:\Windows) even if the OS temp folder has been correctly moved to another path.

Have fun.

 

[RonAshman]

(pasted from another post of mine)

So...
My mother complained about other issues with her PC now that I had installed Win7x64. Like random BSOD and other stuff.

Anyway I came home yesterday and decided to finally solve this sh*t. So I borrowed a floppy drive and did a bios update. I must say -and I don't mean to offend anyone- that it took like 10'' longer than I thought it would and my balls jumped back inside my body, but it worked.

Now: the monitor is recognized with its name; the optimum resolution is recommended and available to be chosen; new audio drivers were installed; it can sleep or hibernate; I could install the update from Windows I couldn't before.

Guess it was just the bios update all it needed.


Thanks a lot!