Microsoft has retracted its Windows update for August after the patches caused Blue Screen of Death errors upon installation.
Four specific updates included in the August patch that was released on the second day of the month are said to be the causes for the dreaded BSOD error. The updates were supposed to address security issues and add features.
However, instead of updating the system, the patches may lead to three problems. First, fonts that the user installs anywhere outside of the default font directory for Windows cannot be changed anymore when loaded, locking the font in. Second, the rendering of fonts begins to malfunction. Third, and most crucial, systems crash with a "0x50 stop error message," also known as the Blue Screen of Death.
"Microsoft is investigating behavior associated with the installation of this update, and will update this bulletin when more information becomes available," wrote the company in a security bulletin. "Microsoft recommends that customers uninstall this update. As an added precaution, Microsoft has removed the download links to the 2982791 security update."
The issue affected users of Windows 7, Windows 8 and Windows 8.1, along with the older Windows Vista and Windows Server 2003.
Users that have already downloaded the patch and have already experienced the errors should be relieved though, as a fix to correct the damage of the update has been released. The fix will involve manipulating the computer's registry, and is detailed in the security bulletin that Microsoft released.
Fixing the issue for computers that installed the update will require users to access the Windows Recovery Environment. From there, users need to delete the file named "fntcache.dat," reboot the computer, export the said file and then delete it again, reboot the computer again, uninstall the patches, reboot the computer for the third time, and then re-import the fntcache.dat file.
In previous months, Microsoft periodically released major updates to Windows, including the 8.1 version for Windows 8, as a way to provide significant upgrades to features of the operating system. This month, Microsoft changed its practice, adding several feature upgrades into the patch that it includes the monthly security updates. This resulted into this faulty August Update.
Microsoft has already taken down the links to the compromised Windows update to prevent it from causing further damage.
The company has not yet released an official statement regarding why the patch has caused the issue, as Microsoft continues to investigate the matter.
