Windows 10 has had some issues lately. A large report from Beyond Trust in June 2021 showed that the operating system has more than 1000 current security vulnerabilities that can be exploited by hackers. These include vulnerabilities like “PrintNightmare” that allow hackers to remotely access the operating system and install their own programs, as well as vulnerabilities in Windows Hello – the face recognition feature and biometric fingerprint.
Why do we say that? Because it underscores how important it is to keep Windows 10 up to date, in early July, Microsoft moved to fix many of these security issues in the system, so it’s essential to stay up to date. The problem is that Windows 10 updates can cause problems of their own, so we’re here to explain to you what to do when Windows 10 updates do more harm than good.
We’ve summarized the latest issues with Windows 10 updates, along with fixes for them.
NoteA: If a problem here is marked as “FIXED”, it means that Microsoft has released an update that fixes the problem, and the solution is simply to make sure your system is fully up to date. If an issue has not yet been “fixed”, read this entry to work around this specific issue or scroll down the page for tips on how to reverse updates.
November 2021 – KB5007215
Problems: Remote Printer Problems | MSI Installer does not install or update applications
Microsoft Installer (MSI) is one of the more important tools in Windows Shed. The “.msi” file format is a proprietary Windows installation package that helps you install, maintain, reinstall, and repair software on your PC.
However, as of the above update, MSI is no longer working properly, and is unable to fix and update apps. Not all apps are affected, though one notable one was Kaspersky. Once the app fails to update or fix, you may not be able to open it, and you will need to Reinstall it.
This is the third month in a row that an update has also caused printer problems, and again users are reporting errors when trying to print things on a remote network.
Microsoft reports these issues have been resolved by KB5007262 Update for girls. To get this update you must first update your version of Windows 10 to “21 H2” through the Windows Update window.
[FIXED] October 2021 – KB5006670
Issues: The update is not installed Slow / non-working printers
These printing issues recur in the latest security update KB5006670 for Windows 10. Similar to the September update, this causes issues especially for networked printers.
Some users have reported that the update caused printing delays, with the print command requiring a good 15 seconds for printing to begin. A Reddit user also noted that one of these recent security updates causes Windows Server to change the network type to “Private”, so you may need to manually change it back to “Domain”.
Another solution the user suggested was a restart nla-service, Which will solve the problem temporarily until the next boot.
It seems that for now the right and best solution is to put the update back (which you can see how to do later in this guide).
[FIXED] September 2021 – KB5005565 / KB5005566
Problems: Network printers stop working
Correction: Download the October 12 correction of Tuesday
Printer issues are nothing new in Windows updates (actually, printer issues are just the mainstay of being a PC user in general). Just look back at the June 2021 Windows updates for evidence.
Now in September, Microsoft cares about a patch that addresses PrintNightmare’s latest security breaches first discovered in January. This is good, because security should always be a priority, but it probably comes at the cost of printer sharing and network printer functionality.
Since the fix, users have reported that network printers have stopped working, even for users with administrative privileges. One user even reported that “hundreds of printers” in the office are not working now – Osh.
Now, Microsoft has Unlocked registration settings This may fix the problem, but it may make your computer vulnerable again to exploitation. The best thing to do is to roll back the update (scroll down to the instructions) and wait for the patch to be fixed before fixing it yourself again.
Also read:How to remove old and useless drivers in Windows 10
How to fix and avoid broken Windows 10 updates
If Windows 10 updates fail to install, try updating using PowerShell
If the problem you are having with a new update of Windows 10 is that its installation stops at a certain percentage, or more generally, that it fails to install the update, then you can try to install the update from Powershell.
First, open PowerShell as an administrator (you can just type it in the Start menu search.)
In PowerShell, type:
Install-Module PSWindowsUpdate
It may ask you to install and import your NuGet provider. Click “Y” for yes and the package can be installed.
You can then check for the latest Windows updates by typing:
Into PowerShell.
Finally, after confirming that there are updates to the installation, type:
Then click “Y” or “A” to confirm that you want to install the updates.
Install an optional “quality” update
If you go to the Windows Update screen (Settings -> Update and Security -> Windows Update -> Check for Update), you may occasionally see an option called “Optional Quality Update Available”. These updates are specifically designed to address issues with the latest Windows updates and become “worthy” updates a few weeks after being thoroughly tested.
These updates are still pretty stable, however, so it might be worth a try if a recent update broke something for you in Windows 10.
Uninstall Windows 10 updates
You can uninstall smaller Windows 10 updates (to rebuild the build, see the next section) by following these steps: In Windows, go to “Settings -> Updates and Security -> View Update History -> Uninstall Updates. “
In this window, scroll down in the main pane to the “Microsoft Windows” heading, and you will see all the KB updates and security updates for Windows 10 along with the dates they were installed. Just right-click on the one you want to remove and restart the computer.
How to Reverse Windows 10 Builds
After each major update, Windows 10 gives you a 10-day window to revert to the previous version of Windows. This is a useful feature and should give you enough time to judge if you have a problematic update. Of course, it will not recover your files if Windows 10 deletes them, but at least it will be on a more stable version of the operating system.
To do this, go to Windows 10 settings and then click “Update and Security -> Recovery”. Under “Reset this computer”, you should see the option “Return to the previous version of Windows 10.” Click “Start” and then follow the steps to roll back Windows 10. Again, this option is only available for 10 days After updating Windows 10 build.
Check the structure of your Windows 10
Before examining the rollback and repairing broken Windows 10 updates, you should check the current structure of Windows, which will confirm which issues are affecting you. To do this, simply go to “Settings -> Update and Security -> View Update History.”
In the new window, click the arrow next to “Feature Updates” to see the version of Windows you are currently using and click “Quality Updates” to see all the smaller “KB” updates you have installed.
Block and reject Windows 10 updates
The first thing you can do to avoid the above update issues and more is to take control when your Windows 10 is updated. This way you can delay getting updates as soon as Microsoft launches them, follow the news a bit to see if major errors pop up, and then perform the update manually yourself.
Also read:How to hide updates using PowerShell in Windows 10
In the meantime, if you are using Windows 10 Pro, Enterprise, Education or S, you can reject updates by going to “Settings -> Update and Security -> Windows Update.” Here, select “Select when updates are installed” and select the number of days you want to delay it.
Completely block windows updates
If you want to completely block Windows updates by the time you see fit, you must first disable the Windows Update Medic service, which activates the primary Windows Update service to restart itself automatically.
You must disable it through Registry Editor. Click Start, type regedit And open Registry Editor.
Once you are in Registry Editor, navigate to:
ComputerHKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESYSTEMCurrentControlSetServicesWaaSMedicSvc
Here, right-click “Start -> Change” and then change “Value Data” to “4”. Restart the computer, and then go to the Services window, and you should see that Windows Update Medic Service is disabled.
This means that you can now also disable the Windows Update service in the same window. Right-click “Windows Update”, click Properties and then “Run Type” select “Disabled”. Windows Update should now remain disabled until you restart it.
Some things on the PC are more frustrating than an update – ostensibly to improve performance – that bothers your system, but unfortunately, Microsoft has a form in this regard. Other teething problems with Windows 10 include searching the Start menu not working, Windows Store not working and a microphone not working properly. We can help you with these too!
Photo credit: A worried person on a computer with a system failure screen in the workplace By DepositPhotos
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Content Manager at Make Tech Easier. Enjoy Android, Windows and tinkering with simulating retro consoles to the breaking point.