[quote user="irelam"]

I can confirm your experiences with the latest Windows 10 updates. My system got slower and slower until it became intolerable. I then had to do a system backout of these updates, and my system seems to have recovered almost completely. I have not investigated which of all of the updates sent to my system caused this problem. I will be looking to Microsoft to report what the problems may have been. I will be turning off Windows Update shortly, unless I see a statement from Microsoft.

Martin 

[/quote]

I've just found this "Windows Automatic Updates Manager review" from Ghacks and I think it is worth a try. The application (WAU  Manager.exe) is portable and free to use, giving much more flexibility to Windows update ([un-]installation) process. It can even substitute Windows' built-in update manager.

Download link at the bottom of the review. https://www.ghacks.net/2019/10/03/windows-automatic-updates-manager-review/

Firstly, is important to mention that this lowering in speed was noted after emergency security update for Internet Explorer on September 23. IERenderer used to be much faster in the past and the only event I can remember was that patch. https://www.ghacks.net/2019/09/24/microsoft-releases-emergency-internet-explorer-security-update

I don't use IE so I can't say the browser was also affected. What is noticed is that anytime I open a message with remote graphics Pmail seems to hang and the hourglass is shown for several seconds. I usually swap to another task window returning after a while when the message is made available. Changing the renderer to BearHTML make the mail opening almost instant.

Any thoughts?

There have been reports of problems with that IE update and HP printer drivers.  I don't know whether there is any dependency by IER on the default printer however, IIRC correctly, you're using a pdf printer as your default printers so this probably isn't applicable.

FYI, another reported affect of this IE update is the inability to install .NET Framework 3.5.

These  problems were noted in this weeks AskWoody newsletter (AskWoody.com).  Woody questions why this zero-day security update wasn't pushed out by Microsoft.  It was only made available through the Microsoft Update Catalog site.

I had difficulties with some Windows 7 patches so I disabled Windows Update. Some patches turn my system into a crawling slug. I thought it was sorted out but the last Cumulative Update proved me wrong. I had to restore a disk image backup to continue my work. Since that, I have no confidence in any "Windows Update" and service was turned off again. Of course there's a security risk involved but what alternative I have? I need to work...

BTW, I don't know which patches are offending my system reliability. I heard once it could be one or more .Net libraries conflicting with the running antivirus. Sophos was mentioned that time while I'm using Kaspersky, tough it can be an excuse. And yes, I also had problems updating some of the .Net, but then the damage was already done. Below is a list of what is pending. If you think you can point me those that are safe, please advise. And as far as I know I can live without .Net. TIA.

I can confirm your experiences with the latest Windows 10 updates. My system got slower and slower until it became intolerable. I then had to do a system backout of these updates, and my system seems to have recovered almost completely. I have not investigated which of all of the updates sent to my system caused this problem. I will be looking to Microsoft to report what the problems may have been. I will be turning off Windows Update shortly, unless I see a statement from Microsoft.

Martin 

[quote user="Brian Fluet"]I don't know whether there is any dependency by IER on the default printer however, [/quote]

None that I would have created on purpose, so if there is any it's an implicit one.