[Skullmeat]

That is not a isolated case, these have happen to me a lot when i was using Windows XP a few years back. Every now and then i had to reinstall windows on a regular basis.

The point Is, why should you have to resort to formatting your system due to a legit Windows update?

It's ridiculous to say the least.

If you are not in a network where infection can happen directly from machine to machine, (nowadays we use routers which can be the entry point to the home network) the recommendation that i say is install a antivirus, firewall and a flexible parental control tool. Keep them updated to the latest release and just keep your fingers cross in not falling for a wardriving hack.

Theres a half dozen different vectors for malware than just the internet. Removable storeage being a major one. Bluetooth is easily exploitable and something often overlooked as well. Theres also compromised devices, such as IoT, backdoors, and exploits that would allow infection. Those updates often contain critical security updates to patch known exploits or bugs. You should not disable them unless you have very good reason to.