Microsoft has halted the rollout of Windows OS security updates for the Meltdown and Spectre patches for all customer devices that use an AMD CPU.
The OS maker announced the decision earlier today after numerous AMD users reported Blue Screen of Death (BSOD) and other types of errors that in some cases prevented computers from booting.
"After investigating, Microsoft has determined that some AMD chipsets do not conform to the documentation previously provided to Microsoft to develop the Windows operating system mitigations to protect against the chipset vulnerabilities known as Spectre and Meltdown," Microsoft said in a support page.
The company has decided to stop the rollout of the following Meltdown/Spectre-related security updates:
January 3, 2018—KB4056897 (Security-only update)
January 9, 2018—KB4056894 (Monthly Rollup)
January 3, 2018—KB4056888 (OS Build 10586.1356)
January 3, 2018—KB4056892 (OS Build 16299.192)
January 3, 2018—KB4056891 (OS Build 15063.850)
January 3, 2018—KB4056890 (OS Build 14393.2007)
January 3, 2018—KB4056898 (Security-only update)
January 3, 2018—KB4056893 (OS Build 10240.17735)
January 9, 2018—KB4056895 (Monthly Rollup)
Both Windows desktop and server OS types are affected by Microsoft decision to pull security updates for AMD devices.
The issues with the Meltdown and Spectre patches on AMD devices are just the latest problem that Microsoft has to deal with.
All users, regardless of CPU type, may experience a BSOD after installing the Meltdown and Spectre patches if they use an unsupported third-party antivirus program. Yesterday, Microsoft announced it would not deploy Windows security updates at all to devices running incompatible antivirus software.
The January 2018 Patch Tuesday security updates are scheduled for release later today.
Comments
Exnor - 6 years ago
A list of the unsupported (?) processors (for now) would be nice....
woody188 - 6 years ago
It's older AMD processors, but they probably didn't figure it would matter much since AMD isn't officially affected by Meltdown. There are no Spectre patches yet.
Lostengineer - 6 years ago
So I am not screwed, good
Biker Chick - 6 years ago
I have a AMD Quad Core A10 HP and the KB4056892 update showed up this morning on my computer. I tried to install, not knowing about these problems with AMD PC's, but it wouldn't install. It would stop at 99% and then give me an error message. My computer is 4 yrs. old. I sure would like to know if it's OK to keep trying install or not. If I turn my computer off it will attempt to install every time I turn my computer back on.
campuscodi - 6 years ago
I'd recommend waiting 2-3 weeks until this gets sorted out. From what I've been told, Microsoft is constantly refining these patches.
GeorgeG5 - 6 years ago
The patches have not stopped here (UK). After two of my machines got borked by this last week I figured it was an AMD/lack of testing issue and set up a clone on a spare drive so I could test without risk. Tried it half an hour ago as had read update pulled for older AMD (my test rig is Athlon 64 6000+ Win 10 Pro on AMD chipset Asus MB.) and it borked again. Thought this might be an oddity of unsuspending updates in Pro (eg WU 'remembered' an update) but no it just did it again.
This really is a terrible mess simultaneously borking many a machine and also leaving others vulnerable to publicly disclosed attack vectors. The only good course of action seems to be to tnot switch machines on that might be affected, and I haven't even seen a definitive list of affected processors or chipsets..yet.
ItaJungleOutThere - 6 years ago
I'm curious about this, Is this on right track 0x00000000 (0) ? Is it sopposes tobe 0x00000000?