Vista - Blue Screen with KB915597

I'm running Vista Home Premium x64, and got a BSOD yesterday after updating KB915597.

I understand that this is just the Windows Defender definition update, and that they recycle the KB#, and I found some posts on this forum from a few months back regarding the issue...I never had it before, but this time, it's got me.

I did a System Restore to before the update, then changed Windows Update settings to "notify but don't download or install."

My question is this: Will it ever be safe for me to re-enable Windows Update, or will I always have to do it manually from now on because of this one incompatible update?

Thanks in advance for any replies.

Hi sraskin9

If you should have further problems, then try downloading the updated
definitions files directly from Microsoft:

http://www.microsoft.com/security/portal/ADL.aspx

That should work also. If that doesn't work just hide the update that is causing the issue, then download the latest updates for defender at the site referenced above.

Thank you very much for the advice. I followed the link and manually updated the virus definitions--so far, so good. The Windows Update panel no longer shows the definition update, and I haven't gotten a BSOD yet, so it looks like it may be solved.

Thank you again for your help.

Glad everything is up and running for you

Spoke too soon...

I shut down last night, and when I booted up this morning, I got a blue screen.

I did a Windows Restore to before I installed my last update, but again, upon boot-up and login, a blue screen.

1. Does a Windows Restore even affect my Definition file if I installed the Defender definitions manually?
2. What should I do now?

Thank you very much for your help! This is such a strange problem.

If the windows restore doesn't undo any updates then boot into safe mode and in the Add remove programs menu in control panel. In left column, towards the top, look for installed windows updates, look for the one causing the problems. Uninstall it

Also, could you please upload the dumps? start search > type .dmp > right click the result and choose 'Open Containing folder' > highlight all the dumps in the folder > right click > choose send to Zip folder > upload here

I've attached the crash dump.

I also installed a program called Who Crashed and analyzed the dump. The results were something to do with my wireless adapter, so I'm going to try to update that.

I wonder how that could be related to the fact that the BSOD seemed tied somehow to the Defender update...

I'll post again when I've tried to update my wireless driver. Thanks again for everybody's help; you tech-wizards who post on forums like these are life-savers!

You are correct. It was caused by a Broadcom network adapter driver. The reason it might have crashed is because Defender has a network connection to apply updates, so it used that driver to connect, then couldn't so it blue screened.

The network driver is 1 year old.

Then I noticed something odd posted in the dump. There were two drivers: PxHlpa64.sys
and dsNcAdX64.sys

I googled both, the latter come up with absolutely nothing. PxHlpa64.sys seems to be a driver for Cyberlink or Sonic programs. Do you have those?

Driver is old (1 yr), but that's the most recent one according to Dell Support site. Also, clicking "Update Driver" via Device Manager says that the driver is up-to-date.

I don't have any Sonic or Cyberlink software on here. Since both of those companies make DVD-play/burn software, maybe it's Roxio that's using PxHlpa64.sys? However, I don't think I've even used the optical drive on this laptop, much less Roxio, so I don't know how that would be related. Strange.

I'm actually making this post from the crashy-laptop, using the same program (Chrome) that always seems to be up when the ol' BSOD rears it's ugly face, and I'm having no problems. So maybe it's fixed.