[Njtechdiv] Windows 7 booting up problem

[Mario]

Windows 7 Has A Serious Problem
http://www.forbes.com/sites/gordonkelly/2016/05/04/microsoft-warns-windows-7-boot-up-problem/#e18758f395e5 


May 4, 2016 @ 09:50 PM 120,686 views
Gordon Kelly ,

Earlier this year Microsoft warned users that Windows 7 has serious 
problems. I dismissed its claims as a desperate attempt to shift copies 
of Windows 10 (and I still do), but now Microsoft has warned of a new 
serious Windows 7 problem that is very real – even though it makes no 
sense whatsoever…

In short: Microsoft has made a seemingly small yet completely bizarre 
tweak to Windows Update on Windows 7 and confirmed it is crippling many 
users’ PCs.

The tweak? It switched the status of Windows 7 update KB3133977 from 
‘Optional’ to ‘Recommended’. The bizarre part? Despite acknowledging the 
problems, Microsoft knew they would occur in advance and it has no plans 
to do anything about it.

It all centres around Asus motherboards.

Now 27 years old, Asus is one of the largest PC component makers and 
supplies motherboards to many of the world’s biggest PC makers. Recently 
it enabled Secure Boot in UEFI on all its motherboards. This wasn’t a 
problem for older PCs because Windows 7 didn’t support Secure  Boot, 
that is until KB3133977 came along in March and enabled it.

Initially the fallout was small. Asus confirmed the problem, Microsoft 
confirmed the problem.  But the best news was KB3133977 was an optional 
Windows 7 update so it had to be manually installed to take effect. The 
solution was simple: just steer clear of KB3133977 (aka do nothing) and 
you’d be fine.
Then last month – for some bizarre reason – Microsoft made KB3133977 a 
‘Recommended’ update. The result was every user running Windows 7 and 
default Windows Update settings (the vast majority) would find the 
update now installed automatically.

And then everyone with an Asus motherboard was hit.

As InfoWorld’s Windows expert Woody Leonhard notes “I’m now seeing 
problems reported from all over the globe about Windows 7 machines that
suddenly won’t boot”. Affected machines simply show a red box which says:

The Windows 7 warning screen hitting PC owners with Asus motherboards 
who install update KB3133977. Image credit: Asus
The Windows 7 warning screen hitting PC owners with Asus motherboards 
who install update KB3133977. Image credit: Asus

All of which does nothing to pinpoint the problem or solve it for those 
without a second secured boot device. In short: you’d be screwed.

The good news is Asus has now issued a workaround to get PCs booting up 
again. Furthermore Asus must take some of the blame for not reacting 
faster when KB3133977 presented a potential landmine and issuing new 
updates to its motherboards.

How do you know if you have an Asus motherboard in your Windows 7 PC? Go 
to: All Programs > Accessories > System Tools and select System 
Information. This will list your PC’s components, including the 
motherboard.

One downside: some major PC makers like Dell  and HP rebrand the 
motherboard as the computer’s model number. In which case you should do 
a web search on your model or call the manufacturer directly.

As for the bad news? It’s Microsoft’s reaction.

On the plus side, Microsoft did update the support document for 
KB3133977 with a warning which states:

“After you install update 3133977 on a Windows 7 x64-based system that 
includes an Asus-based main board, the system does not start”.

But Microsoft also uses the document an opportunity to promote upgrades 
to Windows 10:

Microsoft's KB3133977 support page now advises users to install Windows 
10 to fix their problems. Image credit: Microsoft
Microsoft’s KB3133977 support page now advises users to install Windows 
10 to fix their problems. Image credit: Microsoft

Microsoft has also done nothing to modify KB3133977 or release a new 
patch so users with Asus motherboards don’t run into this problem in the 
first place. Furthermore, at the time of publishing, KB3133977 remains a 
‘Recommended’ in Windows Update for Windows 7.

Needless to say, conspiracy theorists will have a ball seeing it as yet 
another new way Microsoft can push users to Windows 10. Especially with

upgrade rates slowing in April. This in itself is remarkable given the 
increasing number of heavy handed and devious ways Microsoft has been 
pushing Windows 10 onto Windows 7 and Windows 8 users.

Regardless, the message is clear: life is going to become increasingly 
uncomfortable for Windows 7 users from now on. Whether they like it or not