Bug report on security update KB5079473 and uninstallition problem

Question

Hello,

My computer updated Security Update KB5079473 (26200.8037), and then my computer keeps restarting every ~10 minutes. This only happened after I updated, I assume it is a problem with this security update.

Also, I failed to delete this update. I disabled windows update service from services.msc and from the system settings. After I uninstall this update my computer automatically download this update back.

All the drivers are up to date.

How can I unistall this update without it automatically recover back at the same moment it is uninstalled?

Answer 1

Hi Evan,
Welcome to Microsoft Q&A forum. I'm happy to help.

If you're certain KB5079473 has caused the issue, I have a workaround although it's not convenient to do so. It's performing an In-place upgrade.

Disclaimer: Let’s try performing an in-place install or in-place upgrade which will refresh your Windows files and operating system without removing files or applications. That being said, we always recommend that if you have important data, you should back it up before making large system changes. If you want to back up your data first, please do so. Once you are done backing up, you can follow the steps in the following guides: How to run In-place upgrade in Windows 11 - Microsoft Community

After performing an In-place upgrade, you will have 25H2 without recent updates. You may then choose to update the system to the moment before that KB or pause Windows Update.

I hope that above information is helpful to you.

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Answer 2

Mi NoteBook esta casi paralizada por la actualizacion KB5079473. Se conoce algun parche que lo resuelva?

Answer 3

That update is new and so far on their website, Microsoft have not indicated any problems have been reported with that update.

If you are able to uninstall that update, disabling the update service will not stop that update re-installing.

1

On the updates section, pause your updates to stop the update re-installing.

2

Open File Explorer, then navigate to C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution\Download

Delete the contents of that Download folder, not the folder itself and restart (not shut down) your PC.

3

Then, the best option is to open the Feedback Hub app in Windows and report any problems you are experiencing with that update there so their developers can investigate the problem in the update.

Answer 4

To permanently remove a problematic security update that causes repeated restarts, the supported approach is to:

1. Uninstall the specific update from a recovery or offline environment so the system can boot normally.
2. Then let Windows Update reinstall a corrected or replacement update when it becomes available.

For updates that cause boot loops or repeated restarts, Microsoft guidance for similar Windows 7 security updates (for example KB3097877 and KB2823324) uses these patterns:

1. Boot into Windows Recovery / System Recovery Options
   • Restart the computer and repeatedly press F8 before the Windows logo appears.
   • Select Repair your computer.
   • Choose the language and sign in.
   • Select Command Prompt.
2. Identify and remove the specific update package
   • At the command prompt, list installed packages on the Windows image:

          dism /image:C:\ /get-packages
     

   • In the output, locate the package name corresponding to the problematic security update (for example, the guidance for KB3097877 shows a package name like: Package_for_KB3097877~31bf3856ad364e35~x86~~6.1.1.1).
   • Use that exact package name in the remove command, following the same pattern:

          dism /image:C:\ /remove-package /PackageName:Package_for_KBxxxxxxx~...
     

   • Wait for the message that the uninstallation was successful.
   • Restart the computer into normal mode.
3. Alternative: Use Microsoft-provided bootable media (when available)
   • For some problematic security updates (for example KB2823324), Microsoft provides a bootable ISO that automatically uninstalls the update:
     1. Download the ISO package from Microsoft Download Center.
     2. Burn it to a DVD or create a bootable USB.
     3. Boot the affected computer from this media.
     4. Follow on-screen instructions to uninstall the update, then restart.
4. If the system still insists on a restart or reinstallation
   • If repeated restarts continue even after uninstalling the update, or if the update keeps reinstalling and causing instability, contact Microsoft Support for deeper investigation and a supported block/mitigation strategy.
   • Avoid manually editing the registry to work around this, as official guidance warns that registry edits to bypass update issues can cause further problems later, especially with security updates.

Because Windows Update is designed to re-offer security updates, the only supported way to keep the system stable is to:

• Remove the problematic update from an offline or recovery environment as shown above, and
• Work with Microsoft Support if the update continues to be pushed and still causes restarts, so that a fix or specific mitigation for that update can be applied.

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References:

• MS15-115: Description of the security update for Windows: November 10, 2015
• You receive an Event ID 55 or a 0xc000021a Stop error in Windows 7 after you install security update 2823324
• The computer needs to be restarted before Setup can continue