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

"I'm concerned about your comment that my recovery environment is corrupted. How do I check that out?"
I didn't say that initially but the ability to get into safe mode should be checked. I've always been able to get really messed up computers into safe mode.

"That first one it showed at at 15% installation and it was running. Now I went to check and this is what is shows."
It may have downloaded but it can't install with the WU disabled. We're trying to take one step at a time to see exactly where things go wrong. After the Repair Install, what version are you on currently ? Hit Win+R, type winver , Enter, post here.
Compare to this chart which list all updates to 1709 - https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/...update-history
The failed one (now and the one that caused all this to begin with) is the one at the top. If things are stable all day, the next step may be to download an update from the catalog page corresponding to, say, KB4074588 (OS Build 16299.248) which would be current as of 2/13 and test that you are back to where you were before you started this thread. Let me know when you're willing to do that and I'll tell you what to re-enable to make it happen. Lastly, and only if everything is working well, add Chrome, test. Then add anti-keylogger and test. One step at a time to isolate issues.

"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"
Yes, manually trying to check should only show the last date that it was tried and if you hit the 'Check for updates' button, it will fail and ask you to try later, so don't. WE want to manually control which update is installed so we can track which one is causing issues.

"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."
*Party Super good, to be expected after the Repair Install with the base version and no changes. Be patient, play with it a couple days. As we made you aware, the major 1803 Feature Update is imminently coming out so if we can get your programs going well, the OS will be re-written (use same procedure as Repair Install vs WU) and you'll get a fresh start then, so don't fret not being fully updated, for now. Cheers.

 

I don't know for sure what to do; go ahead with installing, per your repsonse: KB4074588 (OS Build 16299.248) which would be current as of 2/13 and test that you are back to where you were before you started this thread.

Or, just do a clean install. The computer performs just fine after it gets booted up, but that bootup situation makes a nervous wreck out of me. And then there's the fact that I still can not activate safe mode. I can get to the screen of options just fine but can't make a selection once I get there.

In addition, I tried the start up repair again and got the same response as last time. I'm wondering if a clean install is going to change things because I thought this repair install was supposed to repair all this stuff that isn't working right, but apparently it didn't.

Is there a guarantee that a clean install would correct the things that still aren't working right?

If you are interested, I went through some of the Event Viewer data and posted some of it to Notepad. I am attaching the file here.

 

If it were I, with the new Feature Release on the near horizon, I would leave things, as is and go no further than trying to make sure all programs work satisfactorily and that your personal files are backed up. Maybe test Chrome in a few days. Even if you do a clean install, unless your partitions are completely messed up, which I highly doubt, the 1803 upgrade will rewrite the OS anyway.
Watch the News section for when the ISO will be available, download it with a new MCT and run it just like you did for Repair Install.
Here's an article with a chart on the new installation process (using ISO will do all of it offline) - https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/new...in-30-minutes/

 

I think you are right. Thank you so much.

To be honest, I was a Chrome lover for sure, but this Firefox has been working so well, so fast, that I might just stick with it.

 

Firefox is my default browser. Better selection of add-ons and I have so many bookmarks in folders and sub-folders that I HATE how many clicks it takes Chrome to scroll to find bookmarks since you can't pin the list to the side, like in Firefox, and they close right after you click. The new switch in the upper L corner to pin and unpin the bookmarks is great, as is the account sync to use on other devices without recreating bookmarks and extensions.

 

I didn't even know about pinning those bookmarks on the left side. Thanks! That's pretty neat. For now, I've decided to stay with FF because it is so fast and smooth, like Chrome used to be.

 

Here's an interesting newsletter, and I trust this source.
Just Walk Away Renee Cloudeight InfoAve