Latest Windows 10 Update Problems and How to Fix Them

Windows 10 has had its share of problems of late. A major report from Beyond Trust in June 2021 showed the OS to have over 1000 current security vulnerabilities that can be exploited by hackers. These include vulnerabilities like “PrintNightmare” that lets hackers get remote access to the OS and install their own programs, as well as a vulnerability in Windows Hello – the facial recognition and biometric fingerprint feature.

Why are we saying this? Because it stresses just how important keeping Windows 10 up to date is. In early July, Microsoft moved to fix many of these security holes in the system, so it’s essential you stay up to date. The problem is that Windows 10 updates can bring their own problems, so we’re here to talk you through what to do when Windows 10 updates do more harm than good.

We’ve rounded up the latest Windows 10 update problems, along with the fixes for them.

Also read:6 Ways to Stop Windows Updates

Note: if a problem here is marked as “FIXED,” it means Microsoft has rolled out an update that fixes the problem, and the solution is simply to make sure your system is fully updated. If a problem is not yet “FIXED,” then either read that entry for workarounds to that specific problem or scroll down the page for advice on how to roll back updates.

Also read:Troubleshooting Windows 10 Update Installation Problems

Error Code 0x800f0831

Problems: Update fails to install

Before moving onto the update problems relating to specific Windows updates, let’s cover one of the more common errors that might occur when you try to update Windows 10 or Windows 11 (yep, new OS showcasing the same old problems!).

The above-listed error code essentially means your update has failed, and there are several things you can do to troubleshoot this problem:

• Conflict with your VPN or proxy server. If you’re using a VPN or proxy, then make sure it’s completely disabled when trying to update Windows. You may even need to uninstall and reinstall the software.
• Scan for corrupt system files.
• For this and other update errors, you can try finding the update you’re trying to install in the Microsoft Update Catalog and installing it manually from there.

[FIXED] January 2022 – KB5009543

Problems: Slow boot | Unresponsive system | Game performance issues

The above update created some serious problems for some users, grinding their systems to a near-halt, making games work poorly and hammering their boot times.

Microsoft didn’t get round to releasing an official fix for this problem but the good folks at BleedingComputer found that installing a certain optional Windows update fixed it. Use the Windows Update tool to check for updates (Settings -> Windows Update -> Check for Updates), then download and install the update called KB5009596.

Incredible that a website found the fix before Microsoft did, but there you have it!

[FIXED] November 2021 – KB5007215

Problems: Remote printer problems | MSI Installer not repairing or updating apps

Update: This error was fixed in update KB5007262. Install that update to fix the error

Microsoft Installer (MSI) is one of the more important tools in the Windows shed. The “.msi” file format is a proprietary Windows installer package that helps install, maintain, reinstall and repair software on your PC.

As of the above update however, MSI no longer works as it should, failing to repair and update apps. Not all apps are affected, though one notable one that has been is Kaspersky. Once the app fails to update or repair, you may then not be able to open it, and have to reinstall it.

It’s the third month in a row now where an update has caused printer problems too, and again users are reporting that they’re getting errors when trying to print things over a remote network.

Microsoft reports that these issues are fixed by the KB5007262 build update. To get this update you first need to update your Windows 10 version to “21H2” through the Windows Update window.

Also read:How to Remove Old and Useless Drivers in Windows

How to Fix and Avoid Broken Windows 10 Updates

If Windows 10 Updates are failing to install, try updating through PowerShell

If the problem you’re encountering with a new Windows 10 update is that its install stops at a certain percentage, or more generally, that it’s failing to install the update, then you can try installing the update from Powershell.

First, open PowerShell as administrator (You can just type it into the Start menu search.)

In PowerShell, type:

Install-Module PSWindowsUpdate

It may ask you to install and import the NuGet provider. Press “Y” for Yes and let it install the package.

You can then check for the latest Windows updates by typing:

Get-WindowsUpdate

into PowerShell.

Finally, once you’ve confirmed that there are updates to install, type:

Install-WindowsUpdate

Then press “Y” or “A” to confirm that you want to install the updates.

Install Optional “Quality” Update

If you go to the Windows Update screen (Settings -> Update & Security -> Windows Update -> Check for Update), you may occasionally see an option called “Optional quality update available.” These updates are designed specifically to address problems with recent Windows updates and become “proper” updates a few weeks later once they’ve been thoroughly tested.

These updates are still pretty stable, though, so may be worth a shot if a recent update has broken something on Windows 10 for you.

Uninstall Windows 10 Updates

You can uninstall smaller Windows 10 updates (to roll back builds, see the next section) by doing the following: in Windows, go to “Settings -> Update & Security -> View update history -> Uninstall updates.”

In this window, scroll down in the main pane to the “Microsoft Windows” heading, and you’ll see all the KB and security updates for Windows 10 along with the dates they were installed. Simply right-click the one you want to uninstall and reboot your PC.

How to Roll Back Windows 10 Builds

After every major update, Windows 10 gives you a 10-day window to roll back to a previous version of Windows. It’s a useful feature and should give you enough time to judge whether you have a problematic update. Of course, this won’t recover your files if Windows 10 deletes them, but at least you’ll be on a more stable version of the OS.

To do this, go to Windows 10 Settings, then click “Update & security -> Recovery.” Below “Reset this PC,” you should see the option to “go back to the previous version of Windows 10.” Click “Get started,” then follow the steps to roll back Windows 10. Again, this option is only available for 10 days after a Windows 10 build update.

Check Your Windows 10 Build

Before looking into rolling back and fixing broken Windows 10 updates, you need to check which build of Windows you’re currently on, which will confirm which issues are affecting you. To do this, just go to “Settings -> Update & Security -> View update history.”

In the new window, click the arrow next to “Feature Updates” to see the version of Windows you’re currently using and click “Quality Updates” to see all the smaller “KB” updates you have installed.

Block and Defer Windows 10 Updates

The first thing you can do to avoid getting the above update problems and more is to take over the control when your Windows 10 updates. This way you can hold off getting updates the moment Microsoft rolls them out, monitor the news for a bit to see if any major errors crop up, then manually do the update yourself.

Also read:How to Hide Updates Using PowerShell in Windows 10

In the meantime, if you’re on Windows 10 Pro, Enterprise, Education or S, you can postpone updates by going to “Settings -> Update & Security -> Windows Update.” Here, select the option “Choose when updates are installed” and pick the number of days you’d like to delay it.

Completely Block Windows Updates

If you want to block Windows updates completely until when you see fit, you first need to disable the Windows Update Medic Service, which triggers the main Windows Update service to switch itself back on automatically.

You have to disable this through Registry Editor. Click start, type regedit and open Registry Editor.

Once in registry editor, navigate to:

Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\WaaSMedicSvc

Here, right-click “Start -> Modify” then change the “Value data” to “4”. Reboot your PC, then go to the Services window, and you should see that ‘Windows Update Medic Service’ is ‘Disabled’.

This means you can now also disable the Windows Update service in the same window. Right-click “Windows Update”, click Properties, then in “Startup type” select “Disabled”. Windows Update should now remain disabled until you re-enable it again.

Few things on PC are more frustrating than an update – ostensibly to improve performance – borking your system, but unfortunately, Microsoft has form in this respect. Other teething issues with Windows 10 include the Start menu search not working, the Windows Store not working, and a malfunctioning microphone. We can help you with these, too!

Image credit: Worried Man at Computer with System Failure Screen at the Workplace by DepositPhotos