Why I now block Windows updates - and try to avoid proprietary software whenever I possibly can

My computer is MY work tool, paid for with MY hard earned money, to be used in MY work time. So why can Micro$oft not just **** *** and let my get on with MY WORK?

My personal impression of Micro$oft

Commercial software developers neither know nor care that the users time - and tempers - are a finite resource.

In 2023, Microsoft pulled the mail program, forcing me to use Outlook - I do not want it, like all newer Micro$oft products, it is slower, harder to use and I have to go through the ordeal of 'connecting' it to each and every email service I use - all when I had lessons scheduled. And it is full of features which I never needed nor wanted - just making it slower and harder to use, as well as taking up FAR more storage space. This is Wirth's law on display to the world.

Yesterday, Outlook refused to let me see my email - I am busy trying to get a new job, as well as having my normal scheduled work. Why? To force me to update - which would make me disable the update blocker to use the Micro$oft store, potentially allowing Windows to start updating itself without my consent, with no way to stop it since Windows 10 came along - and likely as not, later disrupting my teaching when it forces me to install the damned updates in work time.

The result? I have now DUMPED Outlook in favour of the far superior and free Thunderbird. Promisingly, it is now working with my outlook mail; trying to get it working with Gmail is proving hell as I am in China right now where it is blocked - and getting connected through a VPN is extremely difficult as authentication keeps failing!! But I need it.

Recently, Micro$oft dumped Skype for no better reason than to make everyone to use (and in some cases pay for!) Teams, even though it is harder to use and does not appear to have a feature to call landlines in the way I used Skype to phone to call my mother - and others - without paying for an international call. Hell with it Micro$oft! I now use another app for this purpose. Does Teams actually DO anything beneficial (for the user!) that Skype did not do already? Probably not. But this is why I hate proprietary software - it is produced by people whose loyalty extends no further than than their cash flows; the users are just fodder anyway.

I have not used Excel for over 20 years - my patience snapped finally when for the umpteenth time Micro$oft changed the menus for no apparent reason, so I could not accomplish a simple task when I needed to. And when this teaching laptop arrived, I promptly removed Office 365 from it because I had no intention of paying for it every month, and it had refused to even let me see a file stored on MY HARD DRIVE - without me being online. I will not use software that demands online access (for no legitimate reason) when it does not make sense. I use Libreoffice to prepare my teaching materials since. And is is hassle free, spyware and adware free, and works great!

The madness will never end?

It is not unknown for me to be forced to cancel three consecutive online lessons, because sodding Windows is taking hours to force install updates which I neither needed nor wanted - and all this in MY WORK TIME.

In the past, I have struggled to do something as simple as entering the classroom, as Windows was grinding, scratching, scraping away on my hard drive downloading and preparing updates, to subsequently reboot my computer and cause further disruption to my work later. This made the computer so unresponsive that I was rendered unable to DO anything.

If I ignored the updates, the whole computer ran jerky and slow, eventually locking up to the point where I am forced to use the power button to restart it. And all this to 'fix' problems which should have been fixed in the factory. I now use a third party program to block the updates to prevent disruption as Windows has no settings to stop it since Windows 10 came along - but it is absurd that I should be forced into taking such action.

Stress is the mortal enemy of concentration - as I have said ever since my undergraduate days

It is not only Microsoft that behaves in this way. Early this term, I was forced to buy a new device, as Wexin dumped the last version of WeChat (vital in China) which supported the device I had already. Proof - if any were needed - that only open source software is free of abusive features and designed with the interests of the customer firmly at the top of the list.

Online interview hell

Yesterday, I had expected there was enough time after a class to get back and be ready for an interview - before they asked me, without warning - to use some obscure app. The version available from our app store (not the same as the Chinese version) required me to log in - which I could not do - and belatedly, the interview went ahead on WeChat - although I was now stressed, and the outcome remains to be seen. And today, I have another interview - on Google Meet - although I have tried to warn that I might be unable to access it, as China BLOCKS Google - and the only way to get around it is to use a VPN - which can be slow, unreliable, and will probably let me down either when I am trying to join the interview, or right in the middle of it.

Blocking Windows updates might have saved my teaching laptop from being 'bricked' earlier this month. Thank god for Windows update blocker!

Original article

Windows 10 May 2025 Update Causing Chaos: Reboots, Blue Screens, and BitLocker Nightmares

Introduction

Microsoft’s May 2025 update for Windows 10, labelled KB5058379, was meant to deliver important security enhancements, but it has instead created major issues for users. From endless reboot loops to terrifying Blue Screen of Death (BSOD) errors and sudden appearances of the BitLocker recovery screen, the update has become a technical minefield. Although Microsoft hasn’t pulled the update, the company has pushed out an emergency fix—KB5061768—aimed at solving the worst of these problems. This article walks you through what’s going wrong, how to fix it, and what it means for your system going forward.

What’s Going On with Windows 10’s May Update (Summary):

The Windows 10 May 2025 Update (KB5058379), rolled out on May 13 as a mandatory security update, has backfired for a number of users. While the update was designed to patch security vulnerabilities, it introduced critical bugs instead. Many users have reported getting stuck in boot loops, encountering Blue Screen of Death crashes, and facing BitLocker recovery lockouts that render their PCs unusable without the recovery key.

This unexpected appearance of the BitLocker screen is concerning because it’s usually triggered only by unauthorised access attempts or hardware changes. The real issue seems to lie with a compatibility problem between the update and Intel’s Trusted Execution Technology (TXT), particularly affecting 10th-gen and newer Intel vPro processors. This bug leads to a failure in the Local Security Authority Subsystem Service (LSASS), a crucial Windows component responsible for system boot. If LSASS fails, the system cannot proceed to the desktop and crashes instead.

Microsoft acknowledged the issue and has released an out-of-band update, KB5061768, to resolve it. However, this fix isn’t being pushed automatically via Windows Update. Users must manually download it from the Microsoft Update Catalogue and install the .msu package. For those who can’t boot into Windows or want to avoid the issue altogether, disabling Intel TXT in BIOS is a suggested workaround. This can be done by accessing the BIOS menu, navigating to security settings, and toggling off Intel TXT, also known as Trusted Execution or OS Kernel DMA Protection.

Once KB5061768 is installed, the system should no longer experience BitLocker lockouts or BSOD crashes. Microsoft promises a more permanent fix with the June 2025 Patch, but for now, affected users need to act manually to regain control of their systems.

What Undercode Say:

This latest update fiasco is a harsh reminder of the fragility of modern operating systems when rushed patches meet intricate hardware integrations. Microsoft’s decision to push KB5058379 as a mandatory security update was understandable from a cybersecurity standpoint, but its consequences highlight a major flaw in the company’s testing process.

At the core of this mess is Intel’s Trusted Execution Technology, a hardware-based security layer designed to protect systems against low-level attacks. While TXT serves a vital function, its integration into Windows appears to have been mismanaged in this update. The crash of LSASS—a vital security component—is not just a minor bug. It’s a system-breaking failure that renders a PC completely inaccessible.

Microsoft’s fallback solution, the KB5061768 patch, is welcome but poorly delivered. Requiring users to manually fetch and install updates through the Microsoft Catalog is not user-friendly, especially when they may be locked out of their systems. Even more problematic is the suggestion that users dive into BIOS settings to disable Intel TXT. While that workaround is effective, it’s not realistic for average users who may not even know what BIOS is, let alone how to navigate it.

The lack of proactive rollback mechanisms for users with BitLocker enabled shows a concerning oversight. While security is paramount, usability cannot be ignored. Microsoft should consider auto-detection of hardware configurations prone to conflict and push specific updates or rollbacks accordingly.

It’s clear this isn’t just a bad patch—it’s an ecosystem-level breakdown. Intel, Microsoft, and OEM manufacturers all need to align better in compatibility and testing, especially with security-critical tools like BitLocker and LSASS in play.

Furthermore, the manual nature of this fix also raises serious accessibility and inclusion issues. Not every user is capable of navigating BIOS or manually installing patches. Microsoft should release a guided tool or safe-mode update option to help users through this crisis.

This situation might push users to delay updates in the future, fearing system instability. And that, ironically, undermines the very purpose of a security update. Trust in Windows Update has taken a hit, and Microsoft needs to work harder to win it back.