BSODs in Vista (64) after December updates?

Hi, is anyone else (other than me) getting 100% blue screens on boot (except for safe mode) after installing the latest December windows updates?

M6400 w/ quad core and nv 3700
Vista Ultimate 64bit

Updates in question:
KB955839
KB952069
KB958624
KB890830
KB956802
KB957388
KB905866 (B)
KB958215 (A)
KB958623


So far, uninstalling all of them from Safe Mode brought my system back. Installing (A) and (B) back in resulted in BSOD on boot again. Uninstalled (A) and the BSOD remained. Uninstalled (B) and the BSOD remained. Then I rebooted into safe mode, did nothing, then booted back into normal and the system is OK again.

I reeeeally don't have time to redo the OS from scratch. I'd have to download all like 90 of those Dell drivers and figure out their install order and everything.... Blegh. (Essentially that would mean this laptop sits closed on the shelf until I have time, which will be somewhere around mid-January 2009.)


If you guys haven't had problems after the updates that came in around 12/12/2008 then I'll just call a priest.

 

Out of curiosity, you have SP1 installed right?

 

What BSOD are you getting? irql_not_less_or_equal error, 0x0000000A?

I'm pretty sure it's KB958624. I went back and forth with that update several times - I got the above BSOD error with, and was able to boot normally when I rolled it back.

Since it's an OEM copy of Windows, I understand Dell is first responsible for providing support. I had opened a support case with them on 2008-12-04, but haven't heard anything back yet.

In the meantime, I did exactly what I didn't have time for either - reinstall from scratch. Everything's working fine, though - even with the KB958624 now installed. Can't wait for the next patch Tuesday, though...

 

Yes, I have SP1...

Thanks Ziesemer for narrowing it down, I'll see if that specific update changes anything for me. And that is the BSOD error I was getting exactly.

Things have been really funneling down to a full reinstall... I'm starting to think the Dell image I got with this thing is completely wonked.


The "best" thing about this is these updates came in as yet another of those hated automatic installs, where your computer just tells you "oh hey I'm going to reboot now. Hope you saved your work." I want the home address of the guy who thought that was a good idea. I'm thinking bi-weekly packages of rotting meat and old fish would be an appropriate thank you.

 

Yup, I caught mine just when it finished downloading them, changed the setting to "download and prompt" - so now anytime I shutdown I have to be *very* careful to shutdown without installing updates..

 

For one thing, the guys who made it happen probably thought it was not such a good idea, but were probably convinced that anything that was a better idea would allow some sort of piracy (i.e. if MS wants to roll out an update that defeats pirates then they want to be able to force it on everyone whether or not anyone wants it).

From there, it was probably an easy step to "well this update will reduce the cost of supporting the installed base" being enough to outweigh "but yeah a lot of people could get scragged by this update because there are ten times as many configurations out there than we can afford to test." Etc. etc.

The point is, they aren't going to listen to what looks like reason from the user point of view; they've proved that again and again through history, I don't expect them to start now.

 

A friend of mine with a Studio 1535 has this same problem, and I believe it's also that update.

You don't have to allow updates to automatically install themselves. That's the default setting, but if you click on Change settings and change it to Check for updates but let me choose whether to download and install them, they won't automatically install.

 

If safe mode works, then it's probably one of your drivers that doesn't like the new Windows updates.

Check if there are updates to any of your drivers. Also check if there's a BIOS update available for your system.

 

Granted, but my computer telling ME when it's time to shut down is never an OK thing. I almost lost two hours of work once to that system. If I had taken my restroom break one minute sooner than I did my laptop would have dumped my work while I was walking down the hall.

I've changed the setting now of course... my problem is I keep forgetting it when for some reason I end up with a fresh install. Honestly... Windows Update is behaving like the Sasser worm.

 

I've been getting the same BSOD error on my Studio 1535, but not on every boot. It only happens every once in a while. And I think it's happened once or twice when the OS was already loaded, not just at boot time. Could it be the same issue? (I'm not at home right now to check if I have those updates loaded or not, but I"ll check.)