Preventing Windows 10 Updates

VE7ATJ_Don

VE7ATJ_Don

OK, I've got some more info on this, and a possible fix, which I'm testing now.  The BSOD comes up with, as Peter says an IRLQ less than or equal error, relating to the Netwtw04.sys module/driver.  I checked on the Windows Insider forum, and others have mentioned the same problem -- especially when accessing the internet over a wireless connection.  One contributor said he got rid of the problem by upgrading the Intel Wireless Drivers. That makes sense to me, as all my 'crashes' occurred when I opened up MS Edge browser.

Unfortunately, Windows Update doesn't know anything about updated drivers, so you have to go directly to Intel's support website, download their driver update application, then let it decide the new driver package for you and install it.  I just completed that now, so we'll see if it stabilizes the situation.  I'm not quite wiling to put this baby back into 'Production' mode just yet, but at least the problem and solution make sense.

Michael Coslo

We had a mini warehouse of old data storage technology so we could retrieve data. I recall being impressed by an early writable laser disk - about 18 inches in diameter. But we had tape drives, Zip drives, floppies of every size, some sort of thing called a removeable hard drive that looked a little like a zip drive,  even ancient machinery like 286 computers. 

Before that, it was  punch cards.

I was lucky enough in school to see some old core memory drums that were donated to the school.  Fortunately we didn't have to save any of the drums.

DV

Don't want one of those forced Win 10 updates? A bunch of us have had great results using "Never 10."  https://www.grc.com/never10.htm

Michael Coslo

That's the upgrade, not the updates. If you bought a computer with W10, you are stuck, unless you have the Enterprise version. You can always buy the enterprise version, and encourge Microsoft to keep borking the computer, since they get money for two OS'. The one you paid for when you bought the computer, and the one you bought so the darn thing would work right.

Ed Woodrick

This is a great idea. After all, Wanna cry didn't work on machines that had been upgraded and patched as recommended. Blocking the updates are a great way to experience wanna cry. And don't forget that if you aren't at the current or N-1 updates, there are supportability issues.

Neal_K3NC

85% of affected computers were running WIn7. I am not sure how many WIn10 systems were actually affected.

73

Peter K1PGV

According to Kaspersky Labs, less than one tenth of one percent of systems infected with WannaCry were running Windows 10. But note that there are something like four times more systems running Windows 7 than running Windows 10. Peter K1PGV

Ria

I know quite a few hams running Windows 7 because they don't trust the Windows 10 updates. 

Michael Coslo

There are many reasons to not like the W10 OS and updates, as well as the telemetry that you send them. The updates often turn on the telemetry that you thought you turned off. And even if you turn off all of the software switches, it sends telemetry any way. This is why I use my W10 laptop witout anything of importance on it.

Also folks, remember that Wannacry is a social engineering malware. So don't go clicking on links that you aren't certain about that you get in your email.

Ria

It's not strictly social engineering. It looks for nearby machines to infect and infects them due to a vulnerability. Just like code red, just like slammer. 

VE7ATJ_Don

Latest update (for those interested)... After updating the WiFi drivers, now the laptop won't recognize, nor install printer drivers!  I tried working on it for a week, gave up and sent it off to the geek squad.  They saw the same problems, and after another week of trying different scenarios finally decided on a clean re-install of the entire Win10 1703 O/S.  Voila -- no more problems with crashes, and the printers work fine.  Don't ask me how/why THAT worked, but I'm grateful to have my laptop back with everything working.