"Connection to Chromatography system lost" message with Waters Fraction Collector III (WFCIII) on Windows 10 - WKB267726

SYMPTOMS

• "Connection to Chromatography system lost" seen with Waters Fraction Collector III on Windows 10

ENVIRONMENT

• Windows 10
• Waters Fraction Collector III (WFCIII)

CAUSE

Installation of Microsoft KB5027219 which is the June 2023 Cumulative Update for Windows 10 1607 LTSB. Later Cumulative Updates cause the same behavior.

FIX or WORKAROUND

1. Remove the offending KB and test the system or
2. Install WFCIII ICS 1.80 per Waters Fraction Collector III Instrument Control Software v1.80 for Empower, Release Notes

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Any computer with the Microsoft Windows 10 June 2023 Cumulative Update applied is at risk for this issue. 

Microsoft KB references for the June 2023 Cumulative Update include the following:

This is currently being investigated in CRI-6180. A fix is expected in the next driver pack release.

The following steps were required in several cases to remove MS KB's and restore functionality of the WFC III.

1. Reimage Dell Optiplex XE4 computer with provided Waters image (P/N: 667007127).
2. Remove Kernel DMA protection in BIOS. (Otherwise blue screens are encountered when removing KB updates)
3. Login with the Administrator account but if you cannot remove some of the KB's then log in with Waters account.
4. Remove all possible installed KB (order followed: KB5029244, KB5028946, KB5011048, KB5028853, KB5010472, KB5028166; there were 2 KB that were not possible to uninstall: KB5006670 & KB5004331).
5. Install & license Empower.
6. Install DP2023R1 drivers except from the WFCIII driver.
7. Create system in Empower (1525-2707-2998-2414).
8. Test that everything worked fine.
9. Install WFC III driver and connect the instrument in COM 2 (using RS-232-USB conversor - Edgeport DIGI).
10. Add WFCIII to the system and test that baseline could be monitored & injections could be performed without errors.
11. Windows updates were deactivated.

A last option is to replace with a P520 and downgrade to the LTSC 1607 image.