Win 7 - WMC - problems with recent (1/2014) windows updates?

[POPEPN]

I write this to see if anyone else has experienced issues with their Win 7 WMC setup with the recent windows updates (1/2014). All 3 of my media extenders (all Xbox 360s) stopped working one day last week. I initially began troubleshooting this as a hardware issue in my network, but both switches and the router appeared to be working. When I opened WMC on my htpc I noticed it had lost some of my setup. Most readily notable my TV guide setup. I then checked the windows updates and noticed at least 2 recent updates, so I went back to a restore point before the updates, I think 1/15/2014, and I no longer had any problems - everything went back to as it had been. I had definitely not made any other updates, changes, installs, or done anything else to my htpc in the last few weeks or even months so the issue would appear to be directly related to the Windows and/or Security Essentials updates.

I had always debated as to whether I should keep the Windows updates and Windows Security Essentials running on my htpc, but since I had run it with these features on for over a year without any problem I had just left it with them on. That is until this month (1/2014).

One last note, I use gigabit switches and noticed that the htpc was reading as 100 mbps instead of the usual Gigabit speed when the problem started. Once again, after going back to a prior restore point, this appears to be back to the normal Gigabit speed as well.

Thanks for any feedback!


Details on my htpc setup...

- Processor - Intel Core i3-3225 Ivy Bridge
- Motherboard - MSI Z77A-G41 LGA 1155 Intel Z77 HDMI SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX Intel Motherboard with UEFI BIOS
- Power Supply - CORSAIR Builder Series CX430 V2 (CMPSU-430CXV2) 430W ATX12V v2.3 80 PLUS Certified Active PFC Power Supply
- Memory - G.SKILL Ripjaws X Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Desktop Memory Model F3-12800CL9D-8GBXL
- CETON-InfinTV-PCIe 4 channel tuner

[mdavej]

I also have a InfiniTV PCIe and have had no such issues. But I typically hide several optional/recommended updates that I don't need, like some CD playback patch recently and a few others. Since it killed your extenders, I suspect a networking or RDP related patch. I've never had a problem with any Security Essentials updates.

[Crash2009]

I have updates shut off. I also shut off the nag messages that tell you to turn on updates. Have you figured out which update screwed things up for you?

[POPEPN]

Thanks for the feedback, fellas!

I actually didn't take the time to track down what update caused the issue. I just went back to a system restore point a week or two earlier and when everything worked right away I just left it as-is, turned off windows updates, and disable Security Essentials. Kind of a lazy mans fix (haha), but I had always considered turning those functions off (it's a dedicated htpc, no other usage, so security/virus infection or other issues seem unlikely).

If I do decide to go back and systematically install the Windows / Security Essentials updates and I'm able to track down the specific issue I'll be sure to report back. However, with everything working once again, it's unlikely I'll go through this process.

Thanks again!

[Crash2009]

My HTPC is running MSE and is fully updated (as of yesterday).

It appears to me that even though I have win7 updates turned off, MSE still goes out and updates itself. I wouldn't be too concerned that MSE caused your problem.

There have been a couple guys mention that a recent .net update caused some problems.

[POPEPN]

Thanks, Crash! I'll try turning the MSE back on and see what happens.