System Restore Question (W7)

[zcaveman]

A friend "lost" his IE 11 internet access after installing the December 2013 updates. I backed up to the system restore just before the system updates (Dec 15) and still no go. I backed up to the system restore prior to the one just before the system updates (Dec 14) and still no go. I backed up to the December 10th system restore and I was able to get IE11 back. When I went into Windows Update I still saw the updates that were applied on December 15. I was expecting to see them gone and have a long list of fixes to reinstall. I did have 9 or 10 fixes to be installed. How come the other fixes were not removed?

My friend has automatic updates as the default. I only let Windows Update notify me and I do all of the updates manually. Would this be the difference? And if so, can I safely assume all of the updates listed as being installed are still installed even after a restore to a date prior to the updates?

Thanks,
Z

[zcaveman]

Forget this one. The next day Windows Update reinstalled all of the fixes. Apparently I was looking the wrong place to see the updates. I should have gone through the Control Panel to see thee actual updates instead if using the Update History.

Just an FYI: I put this question on the Windows Forum and one reply was:

Tip: Ideally, you would never, EVER use System Restore to "undo" an update, Service Pack, or IE upgrade (which often leaves the system in a "confused" or "torn" state)! Instead, uninstall the update, Service Pack, and/or IE upgrade & reboot. If that doesn't correct the problem, then try System Restore.

Note: The updates listed in Installed Updates always trump what Update History has to say about them, even if they're listed as successfully installed in the latter.

Thanks,
Z

[KayakerNC]

Or just install Firefox. :024:

[zcaveman]

Or just install Firefox. :024:

That probably would not have helped my friend. He has several malware apps on this PC that would have taken over FireFox like it did IE11.

I am still not sure what messed up his IE11. I plan on running malwarebytes tomorrow on his machine to clean up the 100+ PUP errors. Most of them are taskbars, etc that attack all of the browsers. I dread the task.

Z

[happy employee]

back up his important files and reformat the harddrive and reinstall windows. Easiest way to get rid of all the problems

[zcaveman]

back up his important files and reformat the harddrive and reinstall windows. Easiest way to get rid of all the problems

Not something I have any desire to do. I will send him to MMD first.

I did fix his problem where Mindspark took over his home page but weeding through the other 279 errors that malwarebytes found will take some time.

He is happy now so I am happy.

Z