Meltdown/Spectre Nightmare and CBS log growing too big

[jnkweaver]

I changed over my wife's old computer to Win 10 back in Sep/Oct timeframe. It is an old Athlon x2 5000+ cpu but I put in a new 500GB SSD.

Everything was fine until the Meltdown/Spectre fiasco. MS update bricked the computer and I was forced to recover the OS. I had to do it two more times as MS kept forcing bad updates to the computer. I disabled Windows Module Installer and Windows Update but of course they won't stay disabled.

About a week ago we started getting a disk full message. Normally there is about 180-230GB on the 500GB drive. I finally found the culprit was a huge CBS log file. I deleted it 3 days ago and today it was 231GB large.

I am deleting it again. Any suggestions on how to stop this from recurring?

If I disable Module Installer and Update and don't reboot the computer (leave it on indefinitely) will they start up again on their own?

 

[photonboy]

1) first off, I suggest getting a tool like Acronis True Image to make automated backup images. Here's some tips for that specific program as it's quite confusing at first:

a) 2nd highest compression level
b) differential
c) weekly
d) 2 chains of main + 3 backups
e) auto delete all but one chain

Obviously you need another hard drive so it's a bit of an investment but perhaps worth the cost. See pcpartpicker to help with store links and pricing.

Example: https://pcpartpicker.com/product/bskwrH/western-digital-internal-hard-drive-wd20ezrz

There's also the WDMYCLOUD which is handy for multiple computers. It works with Acronis True Image (first time just use the default "admin" + "admin" to login... that may be my router. not sure.)

There's cheaper than this 4TB model: https://www.bestbuy.com/site/wd-my-cloud-4tb-external-hard-drive-nas-white/2832018.p?skuId=2832018

I use it for Image backups as well as holding movies that I can access from media players attached to both HDTV's.

2) This is W7 so not sure if it will help: https://commons.lbl.gov/display/itfaq/2017/10/04/Windows+CBS+Log+File+Eating+Up+Disk+Space

3) An "In-Place W10 Upgrade" might help:

a) create W10 installation media->
https://www.microsoft.com/en-ca/software-download/windows10

insert USB stick (8GB+), download tool, run tool, choose "other PC" option, then point to the USB stick

b) run "setup.exe" from the stick once finished and follow instructions (will keep apps and data... just replaces a lot of files so may fix the issue)

4) worst-case is buy a larger HDD and clone to it but that doesn't sound ideal. (or at least clone to the 2TB HDD then FORMAT the 500GB HDD and use it for at least one backup Image until the issue is sorted out)

 

[jnkweaver]

I will look into Acronis.

I have more than enough storage space. I have a NAS with about 12TB still free and other computers with another 4TB free. The real issue is the ever expanding CBS log. When it gets that big I can't read it so I am not sure what is taking up so much space in so short a time. I expect that eventually MS will sort out the old AMD chip problem and it is solved then.

 

[photonboy]

I will look into Acronis.

I have more than enough storage space. I have a NAS with about 12TB still free and other computers with another 4TB free. The real issue is the ever expanding CBS log. When it gets that big I can't read it so I am not sure what is taking up so much space in so short a time. I expect that eventually MS will sort out the old AMD chip problem and it is solved then.

You are certainly optimistic.
I expected Microsoft to sort out the fact that the Start Menu keeps failing and it's been problematic since before Windows 10 launched, was fixed, then broken, then fixed, now it's broken again. I even reinstalled Windows 10 two weeks ago but it is broken again.

(though my dad's two INTEL + Intel iGPU systems work just fine... may tie into a video driver issue with AMD/NVidia and Intel's more basic drivers are immune to some issues)

And weird issues on old PC's may or may never be fixed. It's hard to say what's even causing it but from what I understand Windows has so many buggy programs made over the years that every time they fix or "improve" things they bust things for other people.

Maybe it's time to get an inexpensive, modern PC?

For example, here's one on sale for $300USD->
https://www.bestbuy.com/site/hp-pavilion-desktop-intel-core-i3-4gb-memory-1tb-hard-drive-hp-finish-in-twinkle-black/6111244.p?skuId=6111244

If you got that, the first thing I'd do is sort out all your programs to your liking then make a backup IMAGE to a secondary HDD.

Just an idea. Maybe even CLONE over to an SSD first for a snappier system, then use the 1TB HDD for the backup.
https://pcpartpicker.com/product/8jH48d/sandisk-ssd-plus-240gb-25-solid-state-drive-sdssda-240g-g26