Windows 10 1903 users have started reporting boot, printing, and Start Menu issues after installing the KB4524147 cumulative update that go away once the update is uninstalled. Microsoft has not acknowledged any of these issues as of yet, but the amount of reports indicate that there is something going on with this update.
As typical with Windows updates, some users are having problems after installing the Windows 10 KB4524147 update, while others, like myself, are not having any issues at all.
The reality is that this update is a hot mess of confusion, the description of what it fixes was worded poorly, and nobody has any idea whether this is a cumulative update with a security fix or primarily a security update with non-security fixes.
Regardless, once the KB4524147 update is installed, users are reporting issues that they did not previously have. Below is a roundup of the most common issues being reported to BleepingComputer regarding this update.
Start Menu crashes
Yesterday we reported that after installing the KB4524147 update, some users were finding that their Start Menu would crash with a Critical Error message stating “Your Start menu isn’t working. We’ll try to fix it the next time you sign in.”
Unfortunately, the only way that users have been able to resolve this error is to uninstall the KB4524147 update.
Possible Windows 10 boot issues after installing update?
After we published our Start Menu story, we started receiving numerous comments from our readers about another problem; that after installing the KB4524147 update they could no longer start Windows 10.
One reader who works in IT support, stated that they have been receiving numerous complaints from customers that Windows 10 will no longer boot.
“My phone has been ringing all day with customers with machines that won’t boot after yesterdays update i have so much work to do now.”
Another commented with a similar issue:
“This update totally screwed up my computer, Microsoft repair screen at start up. None of their auto fixes work!!! “
A third reader stated that “yesterdays update system bricked during restart” and when installing the update on another machine, it caused it to blue screen on boot.
“Installed windows 10 on another AMD system it sat at restart on blue screen and locked up hard after installing yesterdays update.”
These issues are not only being reported at BleepingComputer, but also by users on Reddit [1, 2, 3, 4] who are experiencing similar issues.
Printing still has problems
The KB4524147 update included a new fix for a previous patch that fixed an Internet Explorer scripting engine security vulnerability (CVE-2019-1367). As part of this update, Microsoft was also fixing a printing issue that people were having.
This was a confusing release because it isn’t quite sure if the security update caused the printing issue or if they are two separate problems.
Users are reporting that not only has this update not fixed the printing issue, but users who previously printed fine, no longer can.
One of our readers emailed us to say that after installing this update, they received three calls from clients that printing no longer worked for them.
“However, you might want to consider updating your article below that those updates *cause* printing problems where there were no printing problems previously. That is ironic because those updates are specifically supposed to solve printing problems. Specifically, the print spooler service won’t stay running post update. Uninstalling those updates does fix the problem, until Microsoft tries to auto install them again (likely tonight)”
The ongoing printing issues have also been reported at BornCity and AskWoody, whose users have also been reporting the printing problems.
eGPU enclosures no longer recognized in Windows 10 1903
While not related to this particular update, BleepingComputer was told that recent Windows 10 1903 updates are causing eGPU enclosures using Thunderbolt 3 to no longer work when connected to laptops.
These eGPUs are being used by Macbook users who use Boot Camp to play Windows games on their Macs.
A thread on the eGPU.io eGPU enthusiast site shows numerous users reporting that since Window 10 build 18362.329, the enclosures are not being recognized in device manager.
“I have a macmini 2018 i7 with a thunderbold external EGPU amd vega 64. After my windows update, the egpu is showed in manage device with the exclamation point. I installed the latest amd drive but when I restart the macmini i need to connect the hdmi cable directly to mac to see something and the egpu drive stay with exclamation point. I tried to install the May windows version from zero and the issue wasn’t resolved. Now I installed again the windows version october 2018 and it work fine again. However I cant use xbox game pass with this version because a latest windows update is needed. any idea to solve this issue ?”
BleepingComputer was told via email that since the Windows Media Creation tool is now incorporating the 18362.356 build, users are no longer able to uninstall the KB update, originating in KB4512941, that causes this issue.
Uninstalling the KB4524147 update
For those who are seeing problems after installing this update, the only way to resolve them at this time is to manually uninstall it.
This is a security update, though, so it is never recommended that you uninstall it as it may open you up to a risk in Internet Explorer. Especially considering this vulnerability has been seen being used in targeted phishing campaigns against Windows users.
With that said, as Susan Bradley states, this vulnerability is more effective against older machines that open Internet Explorer by default when clicking on links in Word documents.
Unless you are using older versions of Windows 10 or earlier operating systems, the chances of being affected diminish.