Windows strikes again -- latest cumulative update KB4056892 weirdness

VE7ATJ_Don

Well that was weird.... The Flex 6500 was working fine (except for some problems connecting over the Internet -- see other thread) and then I was notified by Windows Update that I needed to restart to install the latest Win10 1709 cumulative update (KB4056892).

I went through the restart and saw it doing all the 'Updating your computer' stuff, then started up SmartSDR to connect to the radio again.  It came up showing the SmartLink option, as if I wasn't wired to the radio through my router.  I tried connecting via SmartLink and got 'can't connect to the radio, please try again' repeatedly.  (Remember, this was working perfectly before I updated Win10).

So, OK, I first tried removing the router from the equation by directly wiring the radio to my computer.  Now, I get the 'Connect' button (no Smartlink), but when I click on it, I got no response immediately, then after about 10 to 15 secs I get the same 'can't connect to the radio, please try again' message window.

Having read others' reports about Win updates and problems with SmartSDR, I then tried uninstalling and re-installing 2.0.19 from scratch.  And I made sure to shut down the radio as well.  No change -- still getting SmartSDR taking a long time to start up and then coming up with the 'can't connect' message window.    At one point, there were multiples of this window on my computer screen and it even came up with the 'SmartLink Registration' screen as well.

I tried a couple more radio shut downs and restarts and suddenly 'Voila!' everything is working properly again. Very weird.

So, a warning to others that you may have problems with Windows' latest security updates.  There were two KB's involved in mine -- KB4056892 and KB4058702.  I'm not sure which one caused the problem, but beware of these.

Mike va3mw

Make sure Windows didn't change the network card from private to public. That seems to be happening a lot. Mike

Rick Hadley - W0FG

Interesting.  What version of Win10 are you running...Home or Pro?  I ask because neither of my Win10 Home computers has tried to install '58702.  KB4056892 installed without any apparent problems.  One thing I do is to make sure that the computer running SSDR is never allowed to do a restart without first shutting down both DAX and CAT.  That seems to have alleviated most of my problems with WIndows updates.

WA2SQQ

Since I have one PC which is dedicated to my 6500 I decided a few weeks ago and it's time for no more Windows updates. It's too big of a PIA to have to reinstall everything every time there's a Windows update. I also recognize the downside of not taking updates. It's unfortunate that we don't have a totally automated method of uninstalling everything and then reinstalling it that would remove all of the ghosted ports.

Rick Hadley - W0FG

It's not quite 'automated', but I've found that doing a total uninstall with RevoPro and then a quick reinstall has solved my problems the few times that an unexpected update managed to crash DAX.  It usually takes less than 5 minutes to do the whole thing.  I'm not willing to gamble with going without the security upgrades.  BTW, ghosted ports (or at least the issue with the filling up of non-existant ports) are no longer an issue with the latest releases of SSDR.

WA2SQQ

Ive used REVO and you are correct that it’s easy, but in the last two incidents it does not remove the ghosted ports. The total time spent was about 30 minutes, not terrible but not acceptable when I sat down to work some DX and discovered it happened again. If someone were to create a program that could totally automate the operation, for a reasonable price, I’d order it tomorrow. I do not feel that Flex has anything to do with this reoccurring issue.

Rick Hadley - W0FG

If you're having ghosted ports issues, may I recommend that you download 'COM_Name_Arbiter_Setter'.  Back when SSDR was unnecessarily filling up ports, I found it to be the quickest way to free up ports that were really unused.  I check it now once in a while, just to be safe, but haven't found any issues since the release of V2.

Mike va3mw

Interesting I run W10 Pro in a normal consumer state, full updates, all the patches and even version after version of alpha test code. To date, never had an issue. I know that is not the case for everybody, but I wonder what is different for those that are having a problem. Mike

Chris DL5NAM

Here same like Mike - no problem with W10 PROF and all updates

David Salomon

Hi all -

I don't have my Flex yet (waiting on a 6600M), however, I am curious about something mentioned in this, and some other posts.

I've seen several comments about having to manually uninstall and reinstall.  I assume that's referring to SSDR, correct?  If so, is there something more than just uninstalling SSDR required prior to reinstalling?  I would have thought that doing an uninstall of SSDR through the Windows Control Panel would uninstall all the components.

Hopefully, my experience will be like Mike and Chris, but I'd like to be prepared with information if it's not.

73 - David, AG4F

Mark K5XH

Hello everyone,

I finally gave up on W10 (Pro 64) a couple of weeks ago. At least for running my Flex. I was preparing for the upcoming RTTY Roundup contest and MS pushed the "Creator" update. I was shut out of my computer for over two hours. When it was finished I had lost my Flex Knob function. I'm still running my old F5K and that was the first time an update caused me any grief. Then I discovered that somehow my N1MM+ setup was all messed up. It was working OK for the CQ WW RTTY test a few months earlier and I had made no changes.

Anyway, I had a new disk drive sitting around so I installed a fresh copy of W7 Pro and reinstalled PSDR,  N1MM+ , and a few other related programs. Turned off the updates (do they still push W7 updates?) and disconnected the internet. Everything worked perfectly during the Roundup.

I waiting on my new 6600. When it gets here I guess I'll probably switch back to the W10 disk and learn to put up with the update issues.

73  Mark  K5XH

Rick W7YP

Be forewarned that the Redmond Nazis are now getting heavy-handed in forcing updates.  With a major update like 1709, you will have 30 days to do the update, or your system will refuse to boot up until you consent to the update.

At a recent Developers Conference, Microsoft also announced that, starting with the next version of Windows which will ultimately replace Windows 10, you won't buy the product.  Instead, you will rent it and make periodic payments to continue to use it.

Many people and enterprises have finally had it with Microsoft and are moving to various versions of Linux.  I would love to see Flex port SmartSDR to Linux as well and would buy it in a heartbeat.

I spent many years doing hardware and software development for the Windows platform and was once a big fan of Microsoft.  Windows 8 started to change my thinking, with its many changes to the UI for the sake of change, many of which required me to do two or three times more mouse or keyboard operations to perform what used to take only one.

Then came Windows 10, which made even more changes for change's sake, but was barely Alpha level code when it was released.  The first Creator's edition was finally what we used to call Beta Level code.

Several of the forced Windows 10 updates have had me spending one or two days getting everything working right once again.

Windows 10 is a POS, IMHO.  It's obvious that Gates is no longer in charge and those who are in charge are not of his caliber.

Craig Williams

Wow. I was a computer consultant since 1986 and DOS. Hardware support that is not smart enough to be a programmer. Except for XP I find Windows 10 to be the best Windows yet. I guess people either love it or hate it. Still, Linux support would be fantastic. Any more it has a GUI, is easy to use, and has great community support.

VE7ATJ_Don

I believe I am running Home. I'll keep your suggestion of shutting down DAX and CAT before doing the next restart.  Thanks.

WA2SQQ

Not familiar with it, by that name. Info? Instructions?

Michael Coslo

I've suggested, pleaded, begged, for an automated refreshing app for a long time. Windows 10 has turned the Flex signature series into an unreliable product. 

Michael Coslo

Agreed - Revo is the way to go. **** it with fire, then build it again. 

Michael Coslo

W7 is definitely the way to go.  There may be a W7 update as they try to repair Intel's chip level vulnerability. Caution though - the fix for the intel chip is hosing some AMD chip computers.  Never a dull moment in Paradise.

Rick W7YP

Based upon my own experiences and those of others I know, it seems that W10 is fairly stable as long as you have a typical consumer configuration, which has very few apps, few special drivers and not a lot of USB-attached devices.  That definitely does NOT define my PC nor those of most of the others who've had similar problems with W10.  As a long time hardware and software developer, I've never had a "consumer" configuration and likely never will; however, Windows 7 and 8.1 did a FAR better job of reliably accommodating such specialized configurations than does W10.  In my opinion, they should have stopped with W7.

Rick W7YP

Almost every W10 update has left me with various USB-connected devices no longer working.  A couple have left my system unbootable.  When Bill Gates was in charge, QA was far more demanding and broader in scope and there was a heavy emphasis on supporting developers.  The latter was not too surprising, since Bill was a developer himself.  The execs in charge today are not developers and have clearly lost that focus, along with the emphasis on ensuring that they test every Windows release with an incredibly broad assortment of third party products to ensure compatibility. 

W10's developers couldn't seem to care less about us.

The more "plain vanilla" your W10 setup, the more likely it will give you few headaches.  However, the more you expect it to host a broad array of third party offerings - as Gate's intended - the more likely you're going to come to despise W10 as I and many others do.

Jim K4JAF

I also run Win 10 with full updates and never have had an issue with updates.

Mike va3mw

My Ham PC is Win 10 like I mentioned, but it is fully loaded.  Video editting software, Icom drivers, some professional drivers for some sports things I do.  To be blunt loaded.  My AV is Security Essentials and I run AVG PC Tuneup.   

I thought I would show my Com ports complete with those left over from the Flex 5000 days with DDUtil and more.  Just about ever logging program I have tested and uninstalled, etc.  Lots of versions of SmartSDR and automatic updates turned on.

 In fact, this is a Win7 upgrade to Win 10 Pro.

Short story, consumer abused. 

Again, I don't know what is different that causes some pain, but if someone wants to do some homework and try to find out what is different between good it bad it will really help some people out.  

Mike va3mw