It definitely isn’t often that you’ll hear the words “don’t update Windows” come out of my mouth. Windows updates are typically a must. Not the past few months. Windows fall update for 2018, namely 1809 has been a complete disaster. I’ve seen it delete files, cause systems not to boot, and cause general mayhem.
Some excerpts from windowsreport.com
UPDATE: Microsoft pulled KB4467682 from Windows Update and the Microsoft Update Catalog following numerous BSOD reports.
After installing this optional update some users have reported getting a blue or black screen with error code, “System thread exception not handled.” As a precaution, we have removed this optional update from Windows Update and Microsoft Update Catalog to protect customers.
Windows 10 KB4467682 is an interesting update — to say the least. Microsoft has rolled it out four times up until now, and if we’re lucky, we may even get to see a fifth release.
If you haven’t installed this patch on your Windows 10 v1809 computer yet, consider yourself lucky. While this update packs many useful fixes, it also brings issues of its own. The most severe one includes the annoying Blue Screen of Death…
After installing this optional update some users may get a blue or black screen with error code, “System thread exception not handled.” For customers who are currently experiencing this issue, please follow these instructions Troubleshoot blue screen errors and uninstall KB4467682.
After the update, if you are logged in as a regular user and attempt running a file as an administrator by right-clicking on it, it does not prompt for admin credentials and does not allow running the file as an admin. Uninstalling the KB4467682 update and rebooting returns “run as administrator” functionality.
There’s another issue that affected quite a few users. More specifically, the local user profile is completely broken.
I installed KB4467682 (OS Build 17134.441) and had to restore from backup, it destroyed my local user profile. I was unable to get it to allow a restore to last known good configuration
If that wasn’t bad enough, Woody Leonhard at computerworld.com has gone so far as to suggest “Don’t click Check for updates. Ever.”
I’ve seen a couple of verified reports that Microsoft is now pushing the newly revised Win10 September-October-November-December 2018 Update, version 1809, on “seekers.” Be aware that Microsoft, once again, interprets a click on “Check for updates,” as giving carte blanche to install whatever is in the kettle.
If you’d rather not offer your machine for the ol’ eye of newt and toe of frog treatment, there are some quick and easy steps you should take right now to make sure your machine will withstand Patch Tuesday’s onslaught.
Step 1. Using an administrative account, click Start > Settings > Update & Security.
Step 2. On the left, choose Windows Update. On the right, click the link for Advanced options. You see the settings in the screenshot.
Step 3. To pull yourself out of beta-testing (or, as Microsoft would say, to enter a branch readiness level that corresponds to widespread use in organizations), in the first box, choose Semi-Annual Channel.
Step 4. To further delay new versions until they’ve been minimally tested, set the “feature update” deferral setting to 120 days or more. That tells the Windows Updater (unless Microsoft makes another “mistake,” as it has numerous times in the past) that it should wait until 120 days after a new version is declared ready for broad deployment before upgrading and reinstalling Windows.
Step 5. To delay cumulative updates, set the “quality update” deferral to 15 days or so. (“Quality update” = cumulative update = bug fix.) In my experience, Microsoft usually yanks bad Win10 cumulative updates within a couple of weeks or so. By setting this to 10 or 15 or 20 days, Win10 will update itself after the major screams of pain have subsided and (with some luck) the bad cumulative updates have been pulled or reissued.
Step 6. Just “X” out of the settings pane. You don’t need to explicitly save anything.
Step 7. Don’t click Check for updates. Ever.