What to Do When a Windows Update Breaks Your PC

Why a broken update matters right now We were swapping a spare SSD for a client’s office laptop when, after the latest Patch Tuesday, the screen went black and the fan went into a full‑tilt‑together‑roar. That moment sums up why you need a quick plan: a failed update can halt work, lose data and cost you time – and sometimes money. How do I know the update is the culprit? First thing we ask: did the problem start immediately after Windows said "Installing updates" and then rebooted? Common symptoms include: Blue screen of death (BSOD) with an error code like 0x0000007E Missing drivers in Device Manager (often the network card) Extremely slow boot, 100% disk usage in Task Manager, or apps that won’t launch Random freezes after the "Getting ready" screen If any of those line up, the update is the most likely cause. What are my realistic options? We always lay out the four routes you can take, with the pros, cons and typical UK costs. Roll back the update – use Windows Settings > Update & Security > View update history > Uninstall updates. System Restore – revert the whole system to a restore point taken before the update. Reinstall Windows – clean install using the Media Creation Tool or a recovery USB. Call a professional – let us handle the fix, backup, and any post‑repair optimisation. Option 1: Roll back the update Pros: fastest, no data loss, free. Cons: only works if the update appears in the "Uninstall updates" list, and you might lose security fixes that came with i