eBay

rose-dee · ‎11-26-2017

This is not strictly an eBay issue, but I'm wondering whether any sellers running Windows 10 (particularly on a laptop) have had difficulty with the latest automated update from Microsoft.

My laptop (which is no more than 2-1/2 years old and has been running Windows 10 for some time) froze at the 92% point during the latest update. As those of you who have Microsoft devices will know, you can't get into the device until the update is complete, which has put a nasty crimp in my eBay activities. I'm now struggling along on my exceedingly slow and antiquated desktop PC, running on XP (which of course is no longer supported).

After about 8 tries on the laptop, I finally decided I had nothing to lose by experimenting, and hit the power button quickly just until the laptop powered off, then quickly turned it on again. This time the blue screen of death said: "Could not be completed, updates being removed" (or words to that effect), and it froze again after around 30 minutes.

The reason I mention this here is that I'm curious whether this may be a larger problem than just my laptop. Have any other sellers experienced this problem with the latest update? My laptop will be going into the tech shop tomorrow, but it would be good to know if this may be a Microsoft and/or Windows issue.

Ugghh, technology.

vintagenorth · ‎11-26-2017

Sorry, I’m no help, still running Windows 7 on my laptop and will keep 7 as long as I possibly can. I will mention though, I had a lot of trouble with my laptop about 10 days ago, it didn’t want to come out of sleep mode and it was running sluggish as if there was something trying to constantly update in the background. I have excellent virus and malware protection and ran all kinds of scans. It seemed to take a few days of acting up and then began working normally again.

Hope it’s nothing serious and you can get yours working again.

mcrlmn · ‎11-26-2017

I've updated my Windows 10 'Enterprise LTSB ' version 1607 desktop PC and daughter's Windows 10 'Home' version 1511 laptop to the latest cumulative updates without any issues.

I can't offer much without looking at your laptop, except to say I did have the same issue with my daughter's laptop last January; February and to date installed without issue.

I have also read of similar scenarios throughout the year with other update releases; particularly with Windows Creators Update.

Another alternative might be to restore your laptop to a time previous to your attempts to update; so you can use it.

Insert Windows 10 installation media (Disk or USB).
On the initial setup screen, enter your language and other preferences, and then select Next.

If you're not seeing the setup screen, your PC might not be set up to boot from a drive.
Check your PC manufacturer's website for info on how to change your PC's boot order, and then try again.

Select Repair your computer.
On the Choose an option screen, select Troubleshoot.
From there, you can:

Restore from a system restore point by selecting Advanced options > System Restore.
This will remove recently installed apps, drivers, and updates that might be causing your PC problems.
Restoring from a restore point won’t affect your personal files.

vintagenorth · ‎11-26-2017

Just turned on my laptop and got a blue screen saying that I have a bootable Windows error and to restart my computer and hope it works (or words to that effect). Restarted and it said it is trying to repair Windows. Crossing my fingers and praying!

silverpinups · ‎11-27-2017

Get rid of Windows 10 and replace it with Windows 7 and I guarantee you will be a happy camper....

recped · ‎11-27-2017

@silverpinups wrote:
Get rid of Windows 10 and replace it with Windows 7 and I guarantee you will be a happy camper....

Or stick with Win10 and turn off the auto-update in either case. Better to just get in the habit of doing a manual update once or twice a year (at most).

It's very rare that one actually needs to do a full update of Windows (any edition).

"What else could I do? I had no trade so I became a peddler" - Lazarus Greenberg 1915
- answering Trolls is voluntary, my policy is not to participate.

rose-dee · ‎11-28-2017

@mcrlmn wrote:

Another alternative might be to restore your laptop to a time previous to your attempts to update; so you can use it.

Thank you so much for the details about this procedure, I'm going to print your post out for reference if I need it in future. This is actually what my tech suggested to solve the problem (of course they're going to charge me to do it). I think I'd rather let them handle it, because if anything goes awry, I'm not proficient enough in software (or hardware) technology to know how to remedy the problem if I get stuck. And I really, really need that laptop to be working properly!

It is reassuring to know that going back to a restore point won't affect my personal files, since I have all my design work-in-progress on that laptop. I was too busy to do a full back-up and kept foolishly putting it off for weeks. Never fails, Murphy's law.

I may take recped's advice and turn off the auto-updates. That had occurred to me as well, a little too late unfortunately. Barn door, horse fled, etc.

I still can't help thinking somehow Microsoft is to blame for this. My laptop is relatively new, these updates should not be a problem. Someone may say switch to a Mac, but my "backup" old PC is running Windows XP, so at least I'm able to save files on it and transfer them later without any issues. Besides, I can't afford another computer right now.

Thanks everyone for your input. I'll come back and report on what my tech guy says.

rose-dee · ‎11-28-2017

@mcrlmn wrote:
I've updated my Windows 10 'Enterprise LTSB ' version 1607 desktop PC and daughter's Windows 10 'Home' version 1511 laptop to the latest cumulative updates without any issues.

Reading this, I'm now wondering whether the problem lies in the fact that my laptop, when purchased, was loaded with that horrible Windows 8. Shortly afterward, there was a huge, major update sent out by Microsoft to upgrade it to Win10. Could it be possible that laptops originally loaded with Win 8 can't handle the newest Win10 updates?

On the other hand, if that were the case, you'd think Microsoft would have millions of users complaining about the same thing right now. I'm hoping I'll find out more about the source of the problem from my tech guy. I'm very, very concerned about allowing any further updates after all this nonsense. At the least, this experience will force me to attend to regular back-ups.

ricarmic · ‎11-28-2017

As a note, "freezing" is a state of mind in Win10 world.

I've left our "frozen" surface that's win10 for hours/overnight and darned if it didn't actually finish eventually.

I HATE windows 10. It shouldn't be doing updates without telling you they are happening and it most certainly shouldn't perform them whilst things are running (ie in the middle of when you are using it) when updating "freezes" the machine whilst doing so.

Everything I have the power to keep off win10 is still on windows 7.

I am contemplating a MAC for my next machine. My kids have lived on them for years with no problems.....but my problem is the same my backup equipment is all microsoft, however my sister has been running the MS office/Outlook apps off her MAC for quite a while with no problems....and that's really all I need to fall back on....

dutchman48 · ‎11-28-2017

Yup, Microsoft upgraded my Windows 7 Pro to 10 when I was asleep and I got the surprise in the morning. I had Dell upgrade everything on my machine remotely at no charge as the machine was still under warranty. I really should have had them uninstall and reinstall 7 pro at that time.

I figured I would get use to 10 but have found I do not like it. Hindsight is always 20/20

Unfortunately for what Microsoft tells us, it will be 10 from now on, but they have been known to tell stories in the past.

The way it updates is a joke for technology these days.

One day when I have time, I may backup what I need and reformat the drive and reinstall 7 pro.

One problem I will have is my hardware has been upgraded to drivers for 10 and not sure it will like 7 or if drivers for 7 can be reinstalled.

Only time will tell.

westernstargifts · ‎11-28-2017

My computer is almost exactly the same age (laptop) and I am having the same problem as you are since I upgraded to Windows 10. It takes forever and I have had to force shutdown on more than one occasion. It is a major nuisance.

westernstargifts · ‎11-28-2017

@recped wrote:
@silverpinups wrote:
Get rid of Windows 10 and replace it with Windows 7 and I guarantee you will be a happy camper....
Or stick with Win10 and turn off the auto-update in either case. Better to just get in the habit of doing a manual update once or twice a year (at most).

It's very rare that one actually needs to do a full update of Windows (any edition).

Hi recped.

I am technically challenged. How do you do the auto-update and the manual one?

recped · ‎11-28-2017

@westernstargifts wrote:
@recped wrote:
@silverpinups wrote:
Get rid of Windows 10 and replace it with Windows 7 and I guarantee you will be a happy camper....
Or stick with Win10 and turn off the auto-update in either case. Better to just get in the habit of doing a manual update once or twice a year (at most).

It's very rare that one actually needs to do a full update of Windows (any edition).

Hi recped.

I am technically challenged. How do you do the auto-update and the manual one?

Start Button, type windows update, then "change settings"

After you have turned off auto-update..........

Start Button, type Windows Update, then check for updates, then pick the updates you want to apply.

I run Windows Update at most once a year and I'm selective about the updates that I apply.

Other things you can try if you are having issues after an update (or at any time) and especially for an older machine that may be lacking RAM or has an older processor is to turn off a bunch of the graphics "enhancements" which can gobble up huge amounts of memory.

Also FireFox users should be aware that the latest NEW version of FF is even more of a memory hog than the older versions, the new one is REALLY bad, it's giving me grief even with 12GB of RAM installed (Chrome isn't much better).

"What else could I do? I had no trade so I became a peddler" - Lazarus Greenberg 1915
- answering Trolls is voluntary, my policy is not to participate.

cumos55 · ‎11-29-2017

After many years on eBay, it was found that the best way not to fill up a computer with data, is to use an external hard drive to store everything that is eBay

My computer becomes a tool and does not get filled with old stored data.

It is a habit to store everything... and there have been several situations in the past when that save data helped when it was having to find something in relation to a new eBay rule...

-------------------------------------------------------------

The current computer started with Windows 7.... and then came that "free" update to Windows 10 being promoted.

The day came when I blinked and I had Windows 10. It took me a while to set it up and be useful...

Updates came...

One thing that became obvious was that when a new update was coming Windows 10 became a problem.

Right now it slows down and might freeze to some degree.

It is best not let it do so.... shut down the computer and start again... and do not let the computer sit.... keep working.

If you are going to let it sit, shut it down, and then start new...

----------------------------------------

It is almost as if Windows 10 has to learn what not to do...... that is if you use it without stopping

ricarmic · ‎11-29-2017

If an update is running, it is not a good idea to shut the computer down, it can be quite damaging to do so.

It is a good idea to totally shut the computer down somewhat frequently (I shut mine down every day, my kids only once in a while). Note though this is for the Win 7 machines.

The win 10 surface we leave on overnight around the "microsoft update" day the 2nd tuesday of the month....that way it gets the updates overnight if we are lucky....

cumos55 · ‎11-29-2017

My Windows 10 updates are uploaded when I go to shut down the computer. at the end of a period of use

The computer is prepared and then the updates arrive... and when everything completed, the computer shuts down. automatically

Never, ever interrupt an update..... That can create a mess.

I stay with Windows 10 because it will be supported for many years to come

It is my choice to learn how to ... adjust.....

rose-dee · ‎11-30-2017

Well, here is the outcome, for anyone who might have run into a similar problem.

My tech guy told me there were corrupt files amongst my programme files, which were preventing the Windows update from completing properly. He had to remove all my previously loaded programmes, so while it's been a 2-day pain to re-install them all, I'll at least be starting with an absolutely clean laptop.

I'm not sure how the corruption occurred (he didn't say specifically), but I've been running this laptop nearly every day for over 2-1/2 years, so the lesson may be to have it checked by a tech every couple of years and any issues dealt with before they become a crisis. Of course by that time this laptop will probably need to be replaced anyway, technology being what it is.

The tech was able to install the Windows update in the shop, so I assume the next update should be fine. I'm sticking with Windows 10 because as 'cumos' says, it's going to be supported for some time to come.

Thank goodness for my old, cranky, but still functional tower/PC running XP. Redundancy rescued me. Whenever I can afford it, I'll find a refurbished tower to replace it. My tech has a few in his shop that will do for $250 the next time I have some cash to spare. (LOL)