# Windows Update - little orange marks in front of some updates' names



## LeftIsTrembling (Jul 1, 2007)

I just started Windows Update, and I noticed in front of some of the update names there are random orange dots (pictured below).

I was wondering if any of you know what these are? Thanks


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## Masterchiefxx17 (Feb 27, 2010)

Looks to be a graphical glitch.

Are you running any custom themes?


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## LeftIsTrembling (Jul 1, 2007)

No custom themes. When I moved the Window or resized it they remained.


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## LeftIsTrembling (Jul 1, 2007)

I unhid an old update, which was optional and way bigger and it has a longer yellow mark.

I did interrupt a chkdsk about a week and a half ago. Could this be due to that?


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## Masterchiefxx17 (Feb 27, 2010)

Where is the yellow mark? Is this a new issue?

Why would you interrupt a CHKDSK?


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## LeftIsTrembling (Jul 1, 2007)

Masterchiefxx17 said:


> Where is the yellow mark? Is this a new issue?
> 
> Why would you interrupt a CHKDSK?


The yellow is the same place the orange marks are in the previous image. I don't remember ever seeing these marks in the past, but I may have simply just overlooked them.

I aborted a chkdsk, because it was chkdsk /r (which I did not need to run in the first place, long story...) and it was stuck at 11%. I ran sfc /scannow and found no problems (after the original interruption as well as today). I ran a chkdsk /f today. It was ridiculously fast (maybe like five minutes), but it did not fix the issue and I don't know how to find its log.

I don't seem to see the glitch anywhere else, and my latest avast! and Microsoft Safety Scanner say I don't have any malware/etc. Any clue how to fix it (or if I should/need to try to fix it)?

I have System Restore point from 4th from before the chkdsk interruption, it will force me to reinstall avast! and some other stuff, but should I try it?


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## LeftIsTrembling (Jul 1, 2007)

I did the system restore... It screwed up my antivirus (and would not uninstall), and the computer got slower, BUT the same glitches still occur

I am undoing the system restore now. Then uninstalling avast! and reinstalling as well as other affect software..
(Yes, before anyone says it, I know avast! is not good anymore, I am currently looking for alternatives)


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## Masterchiefxx17 (Feb 27, 2010)

Get rid of Avast! and use Microsoft Security Essentials:

Microsoft Security Essentials - Microsoft Windows

Does the same issue arise in Safe Mode?


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## LeftIsTrembling (Jul 1, 2007)

Masterchiefxx17 said:


> Get rid of Avast! and use Microsoft Security Essentials:
> 
> Microsoft Security Essentials - Microsoft Windows
> 
> Does the same issue arise in Safe Mode?


The deal was the system restore I had reverted to was a restore point from previously uninstalling avast! (as I had falsely suspected it was causing another problem). When I tried to uninstall it, my computer was confused and could not do anything. I undid the system restore, and then I uninstalled avast! (and reinstalled it). 

If you are talking about the yellow dots from Windows Update, I am not sure if they appear in safe mode.

I will look into MSE. I am also considering Bit Defender per PCmag's review (The Best Antivirus for 2015 | PCMag.com).

Tonight, I am going to unplug my LED fan (so my computer is not so bright as to bother sleep) and then chkdsk /r run overnight.


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## Masterchiefxx17 (Feb 27, 2010)

MSSE will do fine for your needs as an antivirus.

Use this to remove Avast:

https://www.avast.com/uninstall-utility

Let me know if it appears in Safe Mode and how CHKDSK does.


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## LeftIsTrembling (Jul 1, 2007)

Masterchiefxx17 said:


> MSSE will do fine for your needs as an antivirus.
> 
> Use this to remove Avast:
> 
> ...


I'm still thinking about the antivirus switch. I am not getting rid of avast! right away. Also after the undoing the system restore, it uninstalled/reinstalled just fine.

How do I boot Windows 8.1 into Safe Mode. The old F8 at a startup-type trick does not work.

Also, where do my chkdsk logs go. I cannot find the log from the interrupted chkdsk /r from the 4th/5th or the log for the completed chkdsk /f from last night.


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## LeftIsTrembling (Jul 1, 2007)

LeftIsTrembling said:


> I'm still thinking about the antivirus switch. I am not getting rid of avast! right away. Also after the undoing the system restore, it uninstalled/reinstalled just fine.
> 
> How do I boot Windows 8.1 into Safe Mode. The old F8 at a startup-type trick does not work.
> 
> Also, where do my chkdsk logs go. I cannot find the log from the interrupted chkdsk /r from the 4th/5th or the log for the completed chkdsk /f from last night.


I booted into Safe Mode with Networking, and Control Panel did not provide Windows Update as an option. I found out how to get my chkdsk log (How Safe is The Windows chkdsk /f /r Scan Tool? - Microsoft Community Press Windows Key + R and type powershell.exe in the run box

Paste the following command and press enter afterwards:

get-winevent -FilterHashTable @{logname="Application"; id="1001"}| ?{$_.providername –match "wininit"} | fl timecreated, message | out-file Desktop\CHKDSKResults.txt).

I am starting chkdsk /r now.


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## Masterchiefxx17 (Feb 27, 2010)

Windows Update wasn't listed under System and Security?

Let me know how CHKDSK goes.


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## LeftIsTrembling (Jul 1, 2007)

chkdsk /r took three hours. The glitch remained.

I went ahead and tried to install that one last optional update KB3000850. I had problems with it before, and I had more today. After Windows installed it, it said it needs to uninstall it. When I rescan for updates, it reappears and it has the glitch again...


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## LeftIsTrembling (Jul 1, 2007)

Masterchiefxx17 said:


> Windows Update wasn't listed under System and Security?
> 
> Let me know how CHKDSK goes.


In control panel, I searched Windows Update and nothing showed up.

Chkdsk found nothing wrong.


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## Masterchiefxx17 (Feb 27, 2010)

This is quite a strange bug. I will ask if any others have seen this before.


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## LeftIsTrembling (Jul 1, 2007)

Masterchiefxx17 said:


> This is quite a strange bug. I will ask if any others have seen this before.


Thanks. At answers.microsoft.com and Tom's Hardware, people literally told me to ignore it. To some extent, they are right, especially since I will be clean-installing for Windows 10 in a few months.


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## LeftIsTrembling (Jul 1, 2007)

I read to run DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-image /Restorehealth before getting that failing update to work.

Now this thing is stuck at 20%...


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## LeftIsTrembling (Jul 1, 2007)

LeftIsTrembling said:


> I read to run DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-image /Restorehealth before getting that failing update to work.
> 
> Now this thing is stuck at 20%...


That finished and it fixed something or the other. The glitch was still present. I was able to install that last update. Now, I legitimately have no updates, so I cannot check to see for glitches anymore.


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## Masterchiefxx17 (Feb 27, 2010)

A few of the guys are recommending that we wait until the next round of updates, they will come on March 9th. Then post back to see if those icons are there.


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## Deejay100six (Nov 24, 2007)

Strange indeed! I wonder how he saw them as I had to blow the image up to 200% before I could see them. My monitor only has a 15 inch screen though so I guess thats why.


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## Corday (Mar 3, 2010)

To answer a previous question in this thread. To see the chkdsk log: Control Panel>Administrative Tools>Windows Event Viewer>Windows Log>Application. Another method is using an elevated command prompt and typing findstr /c:"[SR]" %windir%\logs\cbs\cbs.log >sfcdetails.txt


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## LeftIsTrembling (Jul 1, 2007)

I found the log files using powershell, and they were clean. No errors.

The yellow marks were much harder to see without zooming in on the print screen, but the orange ones on the first one were really easy to see on the my 24 inch screen.

If these are just a benign glitch, then I would probably leave this alone. The problem is I don't know if this is due to something else. Avast! boot-scan yesterday said my system is clean. MBAM spent almost three hours scanning all ~520GB on my hard drive and just said I am clean. Microsoft Safety Scanner is now scanning too just for an extra opinion.


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## LeftIsTrembling (Jul 1, 2007)

And Microsoft Safety Scanner found nothing, so it is not a virus causing this.


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## NoelDP (Aug 5, 2012)

What I notice is that the marks appear to be only on the Security updates.... but I'm no wiser than anyone else as to why/how they should be there.


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## LeftIsTrembling (Jul 1, 2007)

They all have marks. Some are orange, and some are yellow. The yellow ones are much harder to see.


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## MPR (Aug 28, 2010)

It's probably an artifact. The area for the check boxes may or may not have a discernable line delimiting it depending on what colors you have selected. This line shows up better under some color themes and under some it may appear broken. Change your Windows theme and see what happens.


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## LeftIsTrembling (Jul 1, 2007)

MPR said:


> It's probably an artifact. The area for the check boxes may or may not have a discernable line delimiting it depending on what colors you have selected. This line shows up better under some color themes and under some it may appear broken. Change your Windows theme and see what happens.


I am running the default theme that come with Windows 8/8.1. The only thing I have changed is my background. I tried making a dummie account, logging into it, and opening Windows Update and the same line appeared.


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## LeftIsTrembling (Jul 1, 2007)

There was a Windows Update today, and there was still a yellow mark in front. I installed the update.


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## Masterchiefxx17 (Feb 27, 2010)

I'm not seeing the yellow mark. Do you mind butting a red box around it?


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## Corday (Mar 3, 2010)

I magnified and magnified and I don't see it either.


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## LeftIsTrembling (Jul 1, 2007)

I used the paint bucket, note the yellow mark that did not turn black.


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## Corday (Mar 3, 2010)

I guess I need a 32" screen. Again blown up, still invisible.


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## LeftIsTrembling (Jul 1, 2007)

Small yellow mark, one pixel wide few pixels long.


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## Corday (Mar 3, 2010)

Shows as white on my screen. Let's see what others get.


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## Old Rich (May 31, 2007)

I see white


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## Deejay100six (Nov 24, 2007)

White for me too and I even tried TSF-V1.0 forum style.


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## LeftIsTrembling (Jul 1, 2007)

It is off-white then, but it is not pure white and it is in the same place the orange marks used to be and if it were pure white it would turn black with the paint bucket function. According to mspaint, it is Red:255 Green:255 Blue:182. Looking at it here on my monitor here at school, I do agree it is harder to see relative to my monitor at home.

The exact shade which it is is not my concern. The concern is, is this glitch's presence indicative something else possible wrong or just something to ignore.


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## Masterchiefxx17 (Feb 27, 2010)

I see it.

I just did the same thing on my Windows 8 system and I too have that small nearly invisible mark. 

Must be a Windows 8 UI thing.


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## Corday (Mar 3, 2010)

Just went to my huge digital screen unit and yes it is yellow. I think what Chief just posted solves the "problem".


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## LeftIsTrembling (Jul 1, 2007)

Masterchiefxx17 said:


> I see it.
> 
> I just did the same thing on my Windows 8 system and I too have that small nearly invisible mark.
> 
> Must be a Windows 8 UI thing.


I guess this is solved. Thanks for the help.


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