I normally run my Win7 Pro CNC machine with no Internet connection but I made an very temporary exception recently and found this bit of trouble>
A few days ago I installed the Autoleveller software which needed to download an update to .NET and C++ Redistributable. So on May 8th, 2018 I connected an Ethernet cable to the Win7 PC and downloaded and installed these. No problem, Mach3 and the Autoleveller app worked just fine. Then I forgot and left the Win7 connected to the Internet for several hours while not using it. As I was getting ready to shut down the Win7 PC there was an MS message on the screen telling me updates were ready to install. I thought, oh no, it detected MS updates were available. I paused, then I clicked OK, the updates installed without issue and I shut down the PC and disconnected the Ethernet cable.
Several days later, I started the Win7 CNC PC, logged in, went to start Mach3 and about the time the Artsoft logo would appear, the PC rebooted. I went through this start-up scenario 3 times with the same results. I then disconnected the PC's parallel port cable to my C1R10 BOB with no difference. Then I Google'd this Win7/Mach3 behavior and saw a post on CNCZone.
https://www.cnczone.com/forums/mach-software-artsoft-software-/356934-beware-windows-7-update-kb4088875-2.htmlI went back to the Win7 PC and looked at the installed updates to see the recent updates. There were 8 updates installed dated today, May 11th, one was a "
Security Update for Microsoft Windows (KB4054518)" the other 7 were just "Update for Microsoft Windows..." I uninstalled the "security" update, rebooted, confirmed it was removed and then Mach3 started and worked properly. I left the other 7 updates installed.
There was discussion that this recent security update had adverse interaction with Mach3's parallel port driver. But all I found were MS KB posts from Oct/Nov 2017
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/4054518/windows-7-update-kb4054518 and this for information
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/4048957/windows-7-update-kb4048957.
There is probably no ill effects by this KB if using a USB smooth stepper.
I don't think my Win7 PC was connected to the Internet for most of 2017 since prior Windows updates had 2016 dates. Just beware.