Ever since the Fall 2017 Windows 10 update I've been facing serious issues with restarts on my Samsung laptop taking three hours or even longer (I resort to factory resets after three hours). I've tentatively identified, but I'm no expert, the problem as Norton Utilities. I get the Core product error noted in this forum. In addition I'm noticing that when I try to compact my registry I see this message at the bottom of the dialogue "Norton Utilities has detected that your computer has Windows Updates waiting to be applied. A reboot is required to apply these updates before you can compact your Registry", but in fact there are no updates pending. On one occasion Windows reported I was low on disk space, and when I investigated I found that the Windows/Log folder had filled my entire hard disk! Chief culprit was the CBS log. I googled this. It's a known issue involving Windows update. I was unable to delete some 260 Gb of this because of an open process TiWorker.exe I couldn't locate and close. When I tried a restart it continued more than 5 hours overnight before I stepped in and executed a factory reset.
It's pretty frustrating! Can we have a patch as soon as possible. Thank you.
You mention a fall 2017 Windows update. Do you mean 2018, or have you been seeing this for over a year?
If your issues have been triggered by Windows problems, they are not really an issue with Norton Utilities. If Windows has some warning bit or message set, Norton Utilities is just reporting that. It is not a false message from Norton. You need to get your Windows installation sorted out before trying any kind of system utilities.
Some FYI
Norton Utilities have not received any functionality updates since before Windows 10 was first released. So although it will install on Win 10, there is no guarantee of how well it will behave. Some of us here feel that the product is on its way out.
Modern versions of Windows do not benefit from any registry scanning/maintenance tools. Windows does a capable job of looking after this. Most experts recommend leaving the registry alone.
Thanks for the update and you are most welcome. If you think you have the answer you were looking for by all means please mark the post that solved your issue as the solution. Others may then be able to see your solution.
Cheers
I should have perhaps added, as others here advised me, that Norton Utilities 16 was an innocent bystander in all this. So not a Norton issue at all!
Thanks SoulAsylum for this. It was good of you to take the time and trouble for me and I do appreciate it.
This a recent Microsoft forum post from a user who evidently had exactly the same problem after the Fall 2017 update. The solution is as SoulAsylum outlines above, but then I went a step further and disabled Windows Module Installer completely as described here https://www.techcrises.com/tips-and-tricks-2/disable-windows-modules-installer-worker-windows10/
Obviously you should set a Restore point first and keep in mind that this disables Windows updates. That's just fine for me! Nest Fall I'll do battle with it again, but on my terms hopefully. I can confirm it works because I can restart again without this endless "configuring Windows" nonsense that was taking three hours or more.
Many thanks again to all who helped here.
The issue is caused by a windows log file compression bug. Here is how to correct it:
Here's what to do:
Step 1. Click Start and in the Search box type
services.msc
Press Enter and you see the Local Services list.
Step 2. Scroll down to the Windows Modules Installer service and double-click on it.
Step 3. Under Service status, click Stop. Click OK.
Step 4. Use File Explorer to go to C:\Windows\Logs\CBS. (If Windows is installed on a different hard drive, you have to go to that drive.)
Step 5. Move or rename all of the files in that folder.
Step 6. For good measure, delete all the "cab*" files in your Windows Temp folder, typically C:\Windows\Temp. Make cab won't ever delete them, so you have to.
Step 7. Reboot.
When Windows comes back, the Windows Module Installer service will be running again, and makecab should stop choking on the oversized log file.
If you need the big CBS.log file -- unlikely but possible -- just use a text reader like Notepad to go into the renamed or moved file. If you aren't terribly interested in the log files, you can delete them.
Cheers
Thanks for this. I've disabled Fast Start now. I looked at that link, but out of my pay grade I'm afraid. As far as I can work out it doesn't actually say why the the problem develops.
I'll report back here a fortnight or so.
William, as we stated before fast boot should be disabled and your system rebooted. ALL CBS logs are generated by Windows (Component Based Servicing) not other installed software. A possible solution is here on this Microsoft thread: https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_7-update/solved-component-based-servicing-cbslog-causes-all/0b91bea0-31b5-42a1-8293-e9040c4eedfa?auth=1
Cheers
Windows filled up my hard disk again with a 416 Gb CBS log file and this time I couldn't get rid of any of it, so I did a factory reset (which moved the 416 GB file to Windows.old, but mercifully I was able to delete it. I've uploaded my core software packages which I know and trust, but *not* Norton 16. This means that if the problem develops again it's not Norton's fault, and I will alert the forum accordingly. If after say about a couple of weeks I'm still problem free, then it does suggest it's Norton at fault and I will alert the forum accordingly. Thanks for the help here.
I haven't because my understanding is that it has no effect on restarts, which is what I always do. However it's true that when I'm facing one of these endless restarts, my first attempt is is to power down and try again, in which case it's strictly speaking no longer a restart. So I'll disable the feature, but it's not actually causing the problem.
William have you disabled fast boot in your windows settings as peterweb suggested? Here is how: https://community.norton.com/en/forums/windows-881-or-10-and-fast-start-feature
Cheers
Well, as I said, I'm no expert. But I am an experienced user (30 years now, most of which time I've used Norton utilities). Whatever this problem is, it doesn't go away with a Restore. I'm unwilling to check if I still have it because a 3 hour + restart is such a pain. I'll limp along until I have to, but if my recent past experience is anything to go by I'll eventually have to make a factory reset. I've done at least four since Fall 2017. Such a pain. The next one I'll purposefully hold off reinstalling Norton Utilities 16 to see if I develop the same problem. I'll keep the forum informed. Please keep the thread active.
Thanks for this, which I didn't know about. I ran the scan and it found no issues. Good to know I can do this.
The Core Product error in NU 16 has nothing to do with the Fall creator's update, or any OS issue. See this thread. https://community.norton.com/en/forums/norton-utilities-16-core-product-error-message As you can see in that thread, running the Smart UPdate fixes that issue.
And the TiWorker.exe CBS.log files have nothing to do with Norton other than if something got changed when you tried to run the registry scanner. You need to sort out your Windows install. It seems you may have to try to reset Windows again to clear whatever is causing that to file to grow to that size.
Hi Peter. Thanks for the ionfo. I didn't know that about maintaining the registry. I'll bear it in mind.
It is Norton 16 I'm using and I always use Restart (I keep my laptop running all the time, hitched to mt TV and access it remotely around the house).
Sure this is a Fall 2017 conflict. I have been using Norton 16 Smartt Update It doesn't resolve the issue. What makes me think Norton Utilities 16 is in conflict is I've been testing with Restart after each new installation of software after a factory reset and it was Norton Utilities 16 that the problem first manifested.
Did you run the Smart Update in Norton Utilities to resolve the Core product error?
And to confirm, you do have Norton Utilities 16? That is the only one that will work correctly with Windows 10.
Also with newer computers and Windows OS's, it is best not to use registry tools. Windows does a fine job of managing it's own registry.
When you get the reboot message, are you using Restart or are you shutting down and then starting back up. If you use Windows 8/8.1 or 10, there can be an issue with the Fast Start feature.. See more information here.