Laptops that are unusable till windows updates are done downloading and installed

Galdorf

Galdorf

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Location
Ontario, Canada
Lately i have been getting alot of laptops in because they are slow i have noticed every time Microsoft pushes updates and they start downloading the performance on laptops drop to almost unusable till it is done these laptops are 8 gen i5 with 8gb ram cpu is at 1% memory 30% not much running in background blutooth app+intel graphics control panel.

As soon as updates are done installing the laptops are usable again windows has so much bloat now these laptops are not usable when they push updates.
 
If you've got "unusable" in that processor class with CPU at 1% and memory at 30% it's not likely Windows Update that's the problem. All the more so since Windows Update downloading is assigned pretty low priority by default. Something else is wrong here.
 
britechguy said:
If you've got "unusable" in that processor class with CPU at 1% and memory at 30% it's not likely Windows Update that's the problem. All the more so since Windows Update downloading is assigned pretty low priority by default. Something else is wrong here.
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I have done a full virus/malware scan not much is running in back ground did a memory test and full hard drive test they all passed, also did sfc found no errors as well a dism check no errors, only windows defender running so it is not AV.

Also has been re-installed fresh copy of windows 10 so this only happens when downloading updates in background.
 
I'm not saying you haven't done what you need to do, just that something else is wrong. I don't claim to know what it is.

What you are seeing is not characteristic behavior for any semi-modern processor. As I have said on many occasions in the past, most problems are not universal, they're not bugs (in the conventional sense, where most or all users would encounter the same issues), but are idiosyncratic to the specific computer on which they're occurring.

Very often, though not always, doing a Repair Install using the ISO for the upgrade "unconstipates" the machine. If not, then I'll resort to a nuke and pave. If that doesn't remedy it (and the BIOS/UEFI is up to date, which I'd check before the N&P and even before a repair install) then it's likely some really bizarre hardware peculiarity.
 
Seems to be an update causing this i have seen updates do worse things like this: https://windowsreport.com/bios-update-via-windows-update/

I got this in today a lenovo that stopped booting right after an update did full hdd test/ram test installed blank test hdd tried installing windows it just hangs going to flash bios (this is another laptop not one slowing while downloading updates).
 
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timeshifter said:
Do they have spinning drives or SSD?
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Serious question: Why would this matter?

I realize that a conventional HDD would result in slower updating than an SSD, but what's being described is not, in my quite extensive experience with Windows 10 and HDDs, in any way characteristic. It's just too extreme unless the HDD were to be failing, and it's unlikely that would not be noticed in normal use.
 
britechguy said:
Serious question: Why would this matter?

I realize that a conventional HDD would result in slower updating than an SSD, but what's being described is not, in my quite extensive experience with Windows 10 and HDDs, in any way characteristic. It's just too extreme unless the HDD were to be failing, and it's unlikely that would not be noticed in normal use.
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Because I think it might matter.
 
britechguy said:
That is obvious. I was actually trying to solicit your opinion as to why it would matter. I don't presume that any of us offer direction sans an underlying rationale.
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You know - I need to say something and will probably be banned from Technibbles but........... it seems like sometimes you post something just to say something and very verbose. And, you seem to think that you are the only one that knows everything about anything. I have been on TN for over 8 years and have deeply enjoyed all of the help that we give to each other and the occasional off the wall discussions about non- computer issues but I have to admit that since you have been accumulating 'reaction scores' I don't take the time to read a lot of the discussions. While I can tell you are a very a knowledgeable technician and also a speech specialist, a little goes a long way. Many times you bring up good points but I personally find you rather boastful and YOUR view is the ONLY view.

This was not meant to be an insult only an observation. Thanks for listening.
 
I was just trying to get more detail about the situation the OP was facing. I don't think it's necessary to justify every question I post in a discussion. Maybe it matters whether its an SSD or spinning drive, maybe it doesn't. I always try to keep an open mind when looking for solutions to tough problems.

And since the OP hasn't given me (us) the courtesy of an answer to my question I guess we'll never know for sure if the drive type matters.
 
timeshifter said:
I was just trying to get more detail about the situation the OP was facing. I don't think it's necessary to justify every question I post in a discussion. Maybe it matters whether its an SSD or spinning drive, maybe it doesn't. I always try to keep an open mind when looking for solutions to tough problems.

And since the OP hasn't given me (us) the courtesy of an answer to my question I guess we'll never know for sure if the drive type matters.
Click to expand...
It is a standard spinning hard drive.
 
Got another computer in Acer desktop would not boot after update it hangs at boot the frozen black screen and circle frozen i booted in safe mode it completed updated then booted normally seems updates this week are bugged.

I booted to a CMD prompt checked windows image for errors chkdsk for file issues found nothing did a virus/malware check also found nothing also did full ram and hdd test FULL found nothing.
Looked at logs and it had issues with installing that update again seems the last batch of updates are very buggy.
 
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I have seen this behavior on some laptops I've worked on as well, FWIW. Similar specs and some even with SSDs. All hardware checks out. As soon as updates complete and the system is restarted, everything is golden. I always assumed it was Windows doing a ton of stuff behind the scenes and hogging resources since performance returned to normal once the updates were done.
 
Have you looked at the percentage utilization of the C drive when this is happening? I know you mentioned the CPU and memory usage. I've noticed that when Windows on a spinning drive feels like I'm driving a car with the parking brake on, I'll look at the disk usage and it's at 100%.
 
I have seen similar behavior a couple times not just recent usually I notice HDD usage is hitting 100% for the duration. I find these are also often infrequently used and/or rarely updated so the shear volume of updates is rather high. Typically I leave the system to run updates and tell users they can use the PC but do not shut it down unless the system prompts then contact me. Worst case I have had required 3 reboots after updates to get it to a consistently usable state.
 
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