Older AMD CPU/Windows 7 Blue Screen

[Bizman]

Those of you still using older AMD processor (Athlon X2, Opteron, Turion...) powered systems, don't install update KB4056894 - 2018-01 Security Monthly Quality Rollup for WIndows 7 for x64. It can cause a BSOD.

"DISM /image:X:\ /cleanup-image /revertpendingactions" where X is the partition/drive of your Windows install, using  the Command Prompt in the Recovery Console of the installation DVD solved the issue in my case. Adding "/scratchdir:X:\temp" might help by adding some headroom. In that case you should first create the temp folder: Type "X:" (still the Windows partition), then "mkdir temp".

[Skuzzy]

KB4056892 causes the same thing with Windows 10, but you cannot stop it from coming down, so even if you re-install the OS, it will still come down.

[Vraciu]

Is there a non-Windows alternative that works?

[Skuzzy]

Explain "works".

Also, reports of SSD performance taking a major hit with those updates.

It is a mess.

I terminated the Windows update service, for Windows 7, when Microsoft started the roll-up packaging of updates.  Those allow Microsoft to install things which are not beneficial to anyone but Microsoft.

I just manually grab the individual updates.  One day they will stop that, when they figure out many are doing it.

[Vraciu]

Well, I've heard that Linux WINE works but is slow/has stutters.   So something like that only better.

[Skuzzy]

Any time you go the software emulation route it is going to be slower (a lot usually) than the native mode.

[Vraciu]

Do MacBooks do any better or is it just MS's fault?

It's as if MS doesn't think gaming matters any more.

[Skuzzy]

Actually, all OS's are impacted by the bug being addressed, in these patches, which are causing all the problems with performance and compatibility.

The funny thing is, newer AMD CPU's do not have the bug, but the fix seems to be crashing older AMD CPU's.

From what I can gather, there is a microcode update to the affected Intel CPU's, along with a software fix.  You have to have the microcode update before the patch will work.

[zack1234]

So I should disable window 7 update?

[Skuzzy]

So I should disable window 7 update?

That is up to you.  I would not do it unless you are will to do the things you need to do to disable entry points for bad stuff.

[Bizman]

So I should disable window 7 update?

What Skuzzy said. You can set it to never automatically search for updates, uncheck the box next to “Give me recommended updates the same way I receive important updates” and do it manually, choosing which updates to install and which to hide so they won't install by accident. The updates have traditionally been published on the second Tuesday of each month, so a good time for an update check would be around the 5th or so, allowing Microsoft a few weeks to fix potential bugs.

[Vraciu]

Yeah, I saw AMD CPUs are being bricked.   I’m an AMD guy myself.  Uh oh. 

[Denniss]

According to M$ the problems are older AMD chipsets with improper/partial wrong documentation supplied by AMD thus causing problems. They were thought to suspend delivery of this patch for certain AMD CPU systems.

[Vraciu]

Mine is from 2011 or so. 

[Bizman]

Vraciu and others wondering what they should do, the solution is simple. 

Go to Windows Update, check for updates, look at the list it shows. If there's the KB4056894 - 2018-01 Security Monthly Quality Rollup for Windows 7 for x64 systems available, right click and hide it. That will prevent it from installing until/-less you deliberately unhide it.

For information about what the different types of updates mean, this list might help determining whether you need a certain update or not: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/824684/description-of-the-standard-terminology-that-is-used-to-describe-micro.

Another thing to check for all Windows versions is the System Restore tool. The customer in the start of this thread did not have it enabled which caused the hassle with the Command Prompt spells. If an update causes issues, the simple fix is to roll back and hide the problematic update.