Windows updates again

I recently received a text message from a friend -

Just using XXXs laptop. AV isn’t working. Its saying its snoozed so unprotected. Don’t know whats happened but do you know how to unsnooze it?  AV will not open via the desktop or settings.

I replied to this with my standard "reboot the system and report back" text.  Yep, the old “Turn it off and Turn it on again” routine that IT professionals have been relying on for years.

The reply she sent me a bit later was

 “THAT WORKED. FAB! Thanks xx”

Most of the issues seen recently here at Lamas HQ have been update related.

A Wifi not connecting properly or sound not working.  Minor annoyances which, on their own are not too terrible and may not always be either noticed or dealt with.  Over time this will lead to vulnerabilities.

Current Windows 10 systems are mostly laptops. 

How do you turn off your laptop?

Very often all I do is close the lid at the end of the day, which is not actually turning it off just sending it into hibernation or sleep or suspended (or whatever it is currently named)  Windows 10 does minor updates and these are not obvious until a full reboot is performed.

Perhaps the reason IT pros use the Turn it off and Turn it on again routine is because it still works more often than not and it also brings the system back to normal and allows Windows to sort itself out.  I have noticed that a lot of other service providers use the same thought process.  Freeview tv box, cable tv box, all the service calls all start with turn it off and unplug it for 30 seconds.  Now reboot. 

Windows cannot access Network Drive

We have a network drive and media Server at Lamas HQ and I have had some issues recently trying to access it through File Manager.

This is the error message:

I spoke to the Network Manager several times.  He always suggested rebooting my pc or rebooting the router.  Now this sometimes worked.  Other times it was just an exercise in futility ending in me getting extremely frustrated with things and not being able to access anything on the network.

We had a new QNAP server installed earlier in the year and we blamed it on that to some extent.  However, it was getting more and more frequent and more difficult to resolve.

All the Lamas HQ equipment is running Windows 10 fully up to date, patched and fully AV protected.

Turns out that was the reason for the failure to connect!

I did a Google Search on the error and found this explanation on the QNAP site.

The SMB v1 application that was available prior to the 1709 update, is now not available after the update and that is what is effectively, preventing connection through Windows File Manager.

The answer is to map the drive in File Manager and there should be no further issue.

Click on ThisPC in File manager and there are 2 options

The option Map the Network Drive does just that. The folder you specify is the one that it goes to.

In the example above if you were to map the Company Directory you will be able to see that drive and its content but not the Films or other same level directories.

You will be able to map the different top level directories but  each one will need to be done separately.

The other way to do it is to Add a Network Location.

Follow the onscreen directions and then you will be able to pin this to the quick menu.  This will however allow you to see the whole network drive and not just the mapped drive.

Windows 10 update 1709

Windows update 1709 has been hitting systems recently and in some cases hitting hard.

I am sitting in the workshop on a Saturday evening with not just one, but two systems on the workbench.  Pretty crowded in here at the moment, what with the laptop as well, but what were knees made for if not to perch ones laptop on!

One of the systems updated to 1709 and that was the last thing it did!!

The user account would not work and kept logging into a temporary account.

I backed up all the data and after several futile attempts to fix it without the nuclear option it I had to reset.  Not only that, the reset would only do the "clear everything including trash your data" option!

The second one that arrived on the bench today, was looking like it was going to be the same end result but fortunately, a restore of a previous registry backup worked.

It was presenting with a continuous Attempting Windows Startup Repair, and everything you try just takes you back to Attempting Windows Startup Repair!

This is an explanation and a how to - and as always much more eloquent than I would be.

Here is a You Tube video that gives a really good explanation

The other one I have seen recently is the 0x800706d9 error.

OH NO not the old 0x800706d9 error I hear you cry!

That one means that if you are using a 3rd party firewall you need to activate the deactivated Windows Firewall because it wont work without it.

Enable and start the Windows Firewall in Services, update Windows components, stop and disable the Windows Firewall.  Job done. (this was on the Network Managers Laptop and would have been a red alert if I could have been bothered to change the bulb!
However, I didn't deactivate the other firewall!  It seemed to work ok.)

If I get any further 1709 update errors I will add them and their end results here.