ASUS based Motherboards - Windows update can kill your computer

originally posted by: enament
a reply to: Bedlam

There is NO safe boot option to disable in my bios.

It isn't called that literally in Asus' bios. That's the generic term for it. Asus bios if it IS efi will often phrase that as a question as to whether your os is legacy or uefi capable.

Windows is becoming more and more of a pain in the ass. Windows 8 worked fine and then Windows 10.came and I had to spend a few hours just to get my labtop to run almost as smooth as windows 8. All the little sh!t windows wants to do in the background is ridiculous. For some reason cortana still runs with every feature turned off.

It's worth noting that some manufacturers, especially laptop manufacturers blow a bios firmware image with the ability to turn UEFI off, disabled or removed. This is actually contary to the UEFI guidelines, but they do it anyway. Mostly because they want to make it as hard as possible if not outright impossible to install Linux.

If this is the case, and you are stuck, you might be able to get an unadulterated BIOS firmware off the motherboard maker, and blow that onto the BIOS instead. But, no garuntee that it will work.

Personally I tried Windows 10 for 2 months, then reverted to Windows 7.

Windows 10 ran smoothly and efficiently, my reasons for reverting were:
1) I saw how much data it was collecting about me via my routers logs. Quite amazing really. I could have configured my router to block this data collection but...
2) My 3 favourite games (rather old ones admittedly) refused point blank to run under Windows 10.

So it was back to Windows 7 for me.

a reply to: Jakal26

We had the same thing happen on our laptop to the point it was almost unusable....as CPU usage ran over 75% for what seemed life forever.
Finally just totally turned off updates.

Our PC doesn't have that happen....knock on wood...so far.

a reply to: Vroomfondel

Could I just uninstall the update?
Seems easier.....or not????

originally posted by: enament
a reply to: Vroomfondel

G wizz thanks a lot, it was actually next on my update list for install I deactivated it.

You are welcome. I was actually in the process of installing the updates and was surfing around while I waited when I saw the article.

Apart from my disgust with Microsoft for changing this from optional to recommended knowing it would cause problems, my intent was to hopefully help someone avoid the problem. I am glad it helped.

originally posted by: DontTreadOnMe
a reply to: Vroomfondel

Could I just uninstall the update?
Seems easier.....or not????

If you go the bios route and turn off secure boot, yes, you can install the update with no problems. I would recommend this course of action for two reasons. One, as you pointed out, it is easier. Two, is sooner or later Microsoft will issue another update that will do the same thing, with a different ID number, starting the whole thing over again. Disabling secure boot in the bios will resolve the issue ahead of time.

a reply to: Vroomfondel

I really have no clue as to how to go into the BIOS
I think I've done it before....to change boot order.


And, I hear what you are saying...Windows Updates has been known to be very sneaky.

originally posted by: DontTreadOnMe
a reply to: Vroomfondel

I really have no clue as to how to go into the BIOS

I think I've done it before....to change boot order.


And, I hear what you are saying...Windows Updates has been known to be very sneaky.

Typically all you need is a bootable USB stick and the bios install unzipped - its a cake walk.

What isnt a cake walk with bios updates is upgrading to a version that changes or limits the mobos abilitys, generally, if it works, dont mess with it, if you do mess with it, you do so at your own peril. Dual bios helps a tonne in this respect, you can easily enter bios at startup and use the second bios to install the primary again. If you update both at the same time with dual bios you are stuck - so dont do that ever.

originally posted by: _BoneZ_
One of the many reasons why I keep auto-update turned off and manually update at a later date when it's safe that no new bugs surface.

Exactly right, I turned that crap off over 6 months ago, and just now checked and it luckily has not turned itself on, to "Auto Update"

I've used older Asus boards, and loved them, but I have gone with MSI and eVGA boards as of late. I am getting a new setup soon- Skylake 6700K, 32gb ram and a sweet MSI board with tons of USB 3.1 and USB -Type C connectors finally. (don't care much about USB 3.1, as most devices are gonna skip from 3.0 to C)

The new 32Gbit/s ultra-fast M.2 x4 looks so bloody amazingly fast.. but very $$$.. but working in 3D Modeling or Video editing, this speed would be such a boost to productivity.

And did you see NVidia's new 1080 boards? Under $600, with 8gb ram, and more powerful that TWO SLI'ed 980's/X's... crazy!!! and not $1000. lol..

But yeah, the new Asus boards are amazing too. Don't worry about the update too much, just make sure you don't install it, or if you DO (and use windows 7, which I still need too) -- Since My 3 year old Maya repurchase would cost upwards of $3000-4000.. so no.. same with 3ds max.. won't work with windows 10. -- but if you get an Asus board, go in, to the settings and set the boot to 'Other OS', and reboot.

I am disappointed in Microsoft. This is a shady-ass way to mess with people---especially noobs who will think their PC is broken, and take it to best buy (worst buy--go to newegg folks). I can see a class action lawsuit coming from this--with Asus backing it--because it causes many consumers to direct their anger unjustifiably towards them, and not Microshaft.

What will MS do NEXT to screw with Windows 7? Stay tuned!!


BTW, if you have Windows 7 or 8, and want to remove all the windows 10 nag screens, and that dumb windows 10 icon in your taskbar, go here and follow the steps. before this nice walkthrough, I simply took permissions over for the GWX dir, and renamed all the files to *xxxxx.temp lol. worked!
But this way is MUCH better.. I did it.

Removing Windows 10 Nags from Windows 7 and 8

Enjoy!

Doing this update now hoping it prompts me to change os from UEFI to other.?

a reply to: Biigs

How do I do that?
Also, I seem to have a blind spot with some zip files....sometimes I cannot determine how to unzip them.

FWIW....I have a external HD....can I use that instead of a USB???

if you are using win7 zip is built in, making the boot USB is pretty easy, you download the bios and bootable software, it deletes the usb drive (reformat) and installs the relevant software to enable bootable USB, when you start the machine with it in the usb drive in a usb slot, you spam f8 to enable the boot order on startup (or change the boot order in existing bios), then select the USB drive.

The rest is self explanatory. If you arnt confortable with this, then read the readme.txt files that are installed as standard, it will tell you how to make the new bios work.

Just google everything before hand. include the search parameters "bios XXX and system YYY and mobo ZZZ" you'll find plenty of help, the z x y are conditional to your setup and bios versions.

a reply to: Biigs

Where do I find what mobo I have?
It is a dell, but it a refurb.

Apparently my windows 7 64 bit wasn't affected by the update maybe the modified it?? just did the update expecting to get the warning but didn't.

originally posted by: DontTreadOnMe
a reply to: Biigs

Where do I find what mobo I have?
It is a dell, but it a refurb.

reboot the machine, push whatever it says to enter bios, (usually f1, f2, f10, f12-some f key) when you get into the bios it will say on the screen at the top (or else where) the version of your bios, usually its two chars then two or more numbers, example AA-01

EDIT: your mobo type should also be displayed in the bios, if not its printed on the motherboard itself (just open the box and read it)


Double edit: you can quit bios at any time and not effect the pc, when you leave the bios menu it will ask you to save it, if you select no, nothing will change at all, you simply cant break the motherboard if you say no.

The primary motivator for me to consider a new motherboard was compatibility with contemporary high speed SSD storage devices. Theoretically that and memory speed has been a bottleneck.

I started to migrate my old XP system to Windows 7 but the motherboard was just a little too old. The call from India asking for the Windows serial number key caught me off guard, what is that all about?

There must be a way to install Windows 7 without constantly auto updating?

Is there any advantage to a socket 170 motherboard for the future?, Many people would likely run Windows 7 till you can't surf the internet with it. I've heard its a PITA to preinstall USB for Windows 7 on a socket 170 board.

originally posted by: Cauliflower
The primary motivator for me to consider a new motherboard was compatibility with contemporary high speed SSD storage devices. Theoretically that and memory speed has been a bottleneck.

I started to migrate my old XP system to Windows 7 but the motherboard was just a little too old. The call from India asking for the Windows serial number key caught me off guard, what is that all about?

There must be a way to install Windows 7 without constantly auto updating?

Is there any advantage to a socket 170 motherboard for the future?, Many people would likely run Windows 7 till you can't surf the internet with it. I've heard its a PITA to preinstall USB for Windows 7 on a socket 170 board.

not really, ssds are still under the limit of the FSB, you simply cant move data from cpu/memory to mass storage any faster if you hit the cap of the storage device.

a reply to: Biigs

Intel recently announced the "New icelake" development was going to have integrated voltage regulation so that is apparently a motherboard beyond the socket 170?

The 1150 motherboards are pretty well matched to current SSD speeds.
Doesn't look like any current motherboard is guaranteed to operate a decade form now.
You can still do word processing on a 40 year old Kaypro but internet and multimedia applications a decade from now may require a new generation of hardware that we can't build for now.