Windows 10: laptop not responding after 3/2018 Windows 10 updates

"Search box said "No results found for Activation."
Click Action Center (lower R corner icon) then All settings\Updates & Security\Activation should get you this



"After install I clicked around checking things out, including Settings/Windows Update and seen that the very update I think caused the uproar was in the process of installing. "
If you were to do another Repair install, I would then pull the internet cable/turn off wireless, see if everything but browsers works. If it does, disable WU in Services so Updates won't download, then reconnect Internet and try browsers. If all is good, we know then that it's the March update. If not not, we know it's Chrome. Let's try this last.

I have stopped KeyScrambler from loading (and can now type in Edge). Would it still affect other things so that I need to completely UNINSTALL it? If so I'll be happy to do that.
No Q, since you have the keys, I would uninstall it completely to test. If you have REVO uninstaller, I go so far as to use it in Moderate mode to drill down to deleting registry items and AppData folders but worth quick test, at least to uninstall, in case it has processes auto-starting.

"Everything on my computer is working and when I run into problems seems to be narrowed down to only when I open Chrome."
I would uninstall it, and live w/o for a couple days for testing. Uninstalling will not remove your settings or bookmarks which will be restored when you re-install. Again, we're trying to narrow your problems down, one by one.
"while on the screen it's still showing a bright blue window with "Please wait" and the little dotted circle is going round and round."
I shut down at night. This is normal and exactly what mine does briefly, then log-in screen appears.

"NOW: It gives me a black screen for quite a spell before I get the sign-in screen. Then I have to wait again for a count before the password window appears so that I can sign in. "
This is a sign that startup is trying to load your video driver. Two things you can try. Turn off Fast startup by hitting Win(key)+X, open Command Prompt/PowerShell (admin) then type powercfg -h off then Enter. This will disable hibernation, Fast startup and clear the hibersys file. You will only have Sleep or Shut Down as turn off options. Few people even use hibernation but if you do, leave it off for testing.
Next, see if your drivers are up to date. Win+X\Device Manager. Go to Display adapters, expand, r-click\Update driver\select let Windows search. If this updates, will require a restart.



"Everything is working well right now. The response times are even starting to get back to normal as to how quickly things open and such. If Chrome is the culprit, how can a browser, that has been completely and newly installed, have this kind of effect on a computer? "
Have you looked at Event Viewer to see what is logged. Post a screener and another of what items are auto Starting. Open Task manager\Startup tab\sort by Enabled and let's look, eg;



This Google forum post is dated but may be applicable as far as the hidden AppData folder goes, since this is where your bookmarks and extensions are restored from. It may need a complete cleaning, if corrupted, as suggested (or use REVO uninstaller). This fix would require rebuilding all your extensions and you should export your bookmarks to a file so you can restore. - https://productforums.google.com/for...me/dUyZhUCWWtA

 

I haven't even read the above yet because I need immediate help. I'm at the screen where I select which Safe Mode option I want. How do I select it? I've tried the number keys at the side, across the top and I've tried the arrow keys. I get nothing.

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I just read through your last post. Lots of good information I've received from you and dalchina. I can't hope to repay you but know that I appreciate and treasure the responses of you both. This is some good information you gave me, but I have to get off this screen I'm on right now before I can proceed with anything. I'm typing this from my old desktop, that just keeps on ticking.

 

"I'm at the screen where I select which Safe Mode option I want."

You want Safe Mode with Networking if you want to test browser. How did you get there, from the Update & Security\Recovery, by hitting Shift+Restart on sign-in screen or msconfig menu ? Are you here? Then press 5 or F5 -



If you can post picture, if otherwise, would help too.

 

Boot into Safe Mode on Windows 10 Windows 10 Tutorials
Option 1, 6 e.g.

 

Safe Mode: I got there by hitting Shift+Restart on sign-in screen. I did use the number keys; both those running across the top of the keyboard and those on the right side. Nothing. Not even a flicker. And I also tried the arrows. I could not even exit by hitting the 'enter' key. I had to use the power button to get out of there.

Repair Startup: I used this and it said 'Repair Start Up could not repair your PC.'

Startup: I timed it this last time. It took a full 7 minutes from the time I pressed the power button to the time I was able to do anything on my desktop.

Chrome: For right now I am going to uninstall Chrome and let that go for a while because Firefox is working very well for me.

Start Up/Event Viewer: How do you sort Start Up by enabled? What is it that you want me to copy from Event Viewer?

Display Adapter: About this, when Win 10 was installed it changed the display adapter I originally had with this machine to Intel(R) HD Graphics 4000. I am now going to follow your instructions on this and see what happens.
RESULT: Windows determined the driver installed is the best driver for this system.

 

Sounds like your Recovery environment is corrupt.

Repair Startup: I used this and it said 'Repair Start Up could not repair your PC.'

Really, with the continuing degrees of difficulty you are experiencing and what you describe above, time for a clean install.

 

"Start Up/Event Viewer: How do you sort Start Up by enabled?
see my screen shot. Just click 'Status' at top. Take a screenshot of all 'Enabled' processes.

What is it that you want me to copy from Event Viewer?"
dachina posted this way back in post 2. But before you do that, I see that you posted hardware test results but not for a scannow, unless I missed it.
Seeing as how your RE may be corrupt, maybe you should do that first.

run from command prompt (admin): sfc /scannow
It will find and attempt to repair any file corruption (may appear hung on progress %, but just let it run). If scannow can't repair corrupt files, then run from command prompt (admin):
C:\Windows\system32>Dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth

If that doesn't work, we have your ISO to repair from but let's cross that bridge later. Worse comes to worse and you want to bite the bullet on a clean install, 'dachina' is the Forum Guru when it comes to that process. *Cool

 

As bad as it hurts me to realize this, I believe you are right. I'm going to wait for my new USB drive to get here, should be tomorrow, and then will most likely go forward with that and hope I don't mess it up. According to what you said I shouldn't need a product key, but the way my luck is running it'll probably ask me for one. *sarc

I'll be back because I'm sure I'll still need the help of you two!

 

Here are the startup items.

 

Nothing out of ordinary in Startup except RocketDock, if You installed it. Meanwhile run the scannow and try to repair file system and let us know the results. From the title of your thread, was everything OK until the March updates ?

 

Yes, everything was fine until after the March updates installed.
The sfc /scannow was clear this time also, no integrity errors found.
I don't know what to do with these Viewer events. Is there some way to copy the list or something.
I notice something on my installed programs called LTCM Client. Is this a part of the operating system or something, or is it something I should uninstall?

 

How do I reverse that command you gave me to do that turned off hibernation?
I am going to try another repair install now that I have uninstalled Chrome and KeyScrambler. It can't hurt. And then if it doesn't help I think I'll go forward with a clean install.

In the meantime, I did find this in my event viewer:
Video.UI (7692,D,0) {8A979B89-2F4C-42AD-B5BF-B5FD3D64DA62}: A request to write to the file "C:\Users\Cindy\AppData\Local\Packages\Microsoft.ZuneVideo_8wekyb3d8bbwe\LocalState\Database\3ad2b28 d6c395d71\edb.log" at offset 1310720 (0x0000000000140000) for 4096 (0x00001000) bytes succeeded, but took an abnormally long time (17 seconds) to be serviced by the OS. This problem is likely due to faulty hardware. Please contact your hardware vendor for further assistance diagnosing the problem.

 

"How do I reverse that command you gave me to do that turned off hibernation?
I am going to try another repair install now that I have uninstalled Chrome and KeyScrambler. It can't hurt."

Many people have issues with Fast Startup, I haven't had hibernation On for any computer that I support including mine. May add 3 secs to start time. But if you do use it, a Repair Install should turn hibernation back on, by default. If not, use command- powercfg -h on

After Repair Install completes, you should be back to base 1709. Open 'Services' (Start button/Windows Administrator Tools), scroll down to Windows Updates, double-click and setup Startup type to 'disabled'. This will prevent WU from updating, for now, until you test drive the system, as it was back in Sep-Oct '17. If OK with startup speed (may take 3-4 startups), browsing with Firefox, getting into safe mode (use password, not PIN), etc. then put Chrome back on tomorrow, or later, and test that too.
If all is OK, then we know the issue was the latest Windows update. Post back here and we can direct you to the download for the 2/13 or 3/9 update from the MS Update Catalog here - https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/4043454 which should get you back to when things were before the 3/13 update and see if things settle back down.

If winding the computer back to last Fall doesn't work, you may have to bite the bullet on a clean install. Fingers crossed for you.

 

This threw me during the first repair install and the second: The blue screen at the end that stated it was getting updates and not to turn off the computer. I absolsutely checked the item to NOT do the updates "now" so why was it getting updates?

I just disabled Windows Update, which makes me really nervous. And right now it is installing the (KB4088776) update, with two more to go -- (KB4088785) and (KB4058043). So it looks like I'm not gonna' get this stopped AGAIN!

I'm concerned about your comment that my recovery environment is corrupted. How do I check that out?

*** I'm so confused about this Windows Update situation. What I said above, it showed all three updates. The last two it said awaiting install. That first one it showed at at 15% installation and it was running. Now I went to check and this is what is shows.

 

Ok, I spent a lot of time clicking around and bringing up all kinds of things, using Firefox extensively, taking care of my email (Thunderbird), used my CD drawer to save some files on a DVD, etc. Then I decided to reboot and see what would happen. First thing that came up was working on updates and not to shut down my computer. So when it was all said and done I checked WU and it's not showing anything. I assume that's because I disabled WU under services, but that being the case I'm still confused about all this business that the computer seems to be doing that revolve around updates.*Confused

Other than that, I have not had any problems at all with anything. The boot sequence went much better after update thing was taken care of, the computer is responding to commands a lot faster than it was. Firefox is responding very well.

I'm going to leave things for a few days and see how they go, and then maybe try to reinstall my KeyScrambler and Chrome to see what happens. For right now I am absolutely, falling-down exhusted because I have slept very little these past few days. But, of course, I'll be back. *Tongue