Windows 10 Cumulative Update KB4103721 Version 1803

Dear all,

after having spent several hours I was able to find the root cause (for MY installation(s) !), the solution, no logical explanation, and some additional, but important, conclusion :

The observed behaviour (black screen, only been able to be resolved by booting to "safe mode") does not seem to be caused specifically by the recent Windows 10 update KB4103721 ... it seems to be a general "incompatibility" problem (during a reboot following some "service") of 1803.

Let me explain:

• I also had to observe the "black screen" after having attempted to install KB4103721. Only solution was to boot in "safe mode" twice leading to the rollback of the failed installation
• Interestingly, I then had to observe the identical bad behaviour after installing the recent AMD drivers 18.4.1 ... "black screen" after the next reboot, only solved by booting into "safe mode" (once)
• And further on, after I decided to run a check/clean with CCleaner, again the same symptom ... "black screen" after the next reboot, only solved by booting into "safe mode" (once).
• I decided to follow the recent suggestions and, with "msconfig" I disabled all "non-Microsoft" services ... and ALL above mentioned situations were able to start fine with the next reboot.
• Enabling all those services again was leading again to the "black screen" situation.
• I then step by step was disabling service by service and after all, in my case, I was able to identify "SyncoveryVSSService" to be the root cause for ALL above mentioned "black screen" situations.
• "SyncoveryVSSService" is part of "Syncovery", which is obviously aimed to allow to copy locked files (which is selected by default to be installed)

As your situation very likely will differ from mine (as you likely will not have installed "Syncovery" at all), the most important part is, that the problem seemingly is not caused specifically by the mentioned update KB4103721, but seems to be a general 1803 compatibility issue.

As already stated several times, if you are not able to identify the root cause (which is very time-consuming), the best and easiest solution for the moment to bypass this problem is to run "msconfig", and deselect every "non-Microsoft" service for the next reboot following some "system change" (Windows 10 update, driver update, or as in my case CCleaner), and enabling those again afterwards.

I personally decided to not allow such an disaster again, and installed "WUMT", which not only blocks automatic updates but gives you (similar to Windows 7) again the ability to selectively install or to hide specific updates

(see http://forums.mydigitallife.info/threads/64939-Windows-Update-MiniTool)

Good luck !

I have the same F* issue!!! I did the system restore after Startup repair and Command prompt did not solve the problem. What the f is wrong with these people in Microsoft? Instead of making you feel secure, these crappy updates going to give me a heart attack!

Just to recap:

If the turning off of all services (excluding MS ones) doesn't work (it didn't for me at first), boot into safe mode and delete the "software distribution" folder inside the Windows directory

Then boot normally again, let it redownload and reinstall the KB4103721 ptach, turn off all the non-Microsoft services in msconfig (use the disable all button after you hide the MS ones) then reboot.

I think what's critical is to clean out the folder. It was in my case. Hope this helps someone else.

That worked for me as well. Not sure if it was deleting the folder or deactivating the services or the combination of both, but it went very smoothly (and fast) this time.

Thanks.

yes, I have the same problem