A couple of days ago after installing the latest NVidia drivers for my GeForce GT 1030 video card I started having intermittent slowdown problems on the PC. At first I didn't connect the issue with the update until I tried to start the GeForce Experience app. The damned thing started and failed to properly work with an "unexpected error - error code 0x0003".
Well, FOOF! I rolled back the boot partition to a previous backup, I use 3rd party software to create an image of the drive. That didn't solve the problem. Dang!
Re video card driver updates. I'm firmly of the belief that if it ain't broke don't fix it.
A few years ago I installed an updated video driver from my laptop maker (Dell) and ended up with a screen that continually flashed about 4 times a second and was completely unusable. I ended up doing what George did and re-installed the boot partition from a backup (Windows Backup & Restore drive image). I couldn't even boot ok into safe mode to roll back the driver. Ahhhh....
The issue wasn't caused specifically by the update, it happened around the time of the update, several of the driver files had been corrupted. I couldn't even uninstall the app, missing uninstall files, etc. I had to use a 3rd party uninstaller app that can uninstall corrupted apps.
The nearest I can figure is there had been several slooooooooooow power outages the day before the system slowdown became noticeable. Dim, out, on, dim, out, on about a dozen times. Thanks to a massive end of summer storm that blew into the area. 3 days after the video card update.
I use a 3rd party backup software, been using it before Windows had a reliable backup/restore imaging app. I ran across the software when Win98SE was new and shiny.
Symantec still (kinda) maintains Ghost as an enterprise utility, last update was back in 2020.
I am not all that enthused about Symantec, I've used several of their tools in the past that became less useful as the apps became more and more bloated with naggy "hey, we have a better paid version!".
Macrium Reflect is what I currently use. There's a free version and paid-for versions with a trial. Home and business/enterprise.
I have used it to not only preserve the boot partition, used it when I replaced the physical drive and restored from an image. Same size or larger. As well as restoring a previous image when something with Windows goes wonky.
How long have the updates been making Wine whingy? The latest one solely or several?
I don't do anything Linux, so any interest is more academic than anything.
I've noticed the last few updates have been kinda dodgy compared to what was not observed with previous ones.. Nothing until this last one that were severe enough to be something identifiably the cause, though. I still can't definitely proclaim this last update as the sole cause of my issues reported above. The timing of the driver issues and the numerous power outages shortly after the update make it um-possible to do.
Even if for me the last update wasn't the cause I am glad I uninstalled and reinstalled the NVidia Experience app. Forcibly removing the thing cleaned up a lot of HD space that had been glommed onto with the string of updates.
FYI, GeForce Experience is an app, it isn't just the video card driver. It maintains more than the driver for the video card, it also can optimize games to take advantage of what the video card can do.
The PC case that had the problem has to have a slim line video card, it's a recycled Dell "on its side" case. Coupled with my very fixed, very limited income the only card that fit those criteria was a 1030. It works adequately for what this PC is tasked to do. Including playing older games that don't need a monster like the 4060.
Another similar setup PC I have could use that 4060, but even a used one is way outside my budget. New? fuggetaboutit. :|
And FYI, I'm on the Left Coast USA, about 60 or so miles south of main MS HQ in Redmond.