I installed this last night "MICROSOFT.WINDOWS.8.1.AND.SERVER.2012.R2.SPRING.2014.UPDATE.X64.ONLY.MSU.9600.17031.140221-1952-WZT" on a clean Windows 8.1 installation, everytime I reboot my desktop would freeze for like 10 seconds before I can click anything, also the icons don't appear for about 3 minutes they are all blank! I hope to God this buggy update is not final! this is not even worth passing Alpha stage
Define "clean"? I did a clean 8.1 install from iso, activated it, updated it on WU, then did Update 1's 6 updates, and had no issues whatsoever. Nothing more or less than that. Afterwards, I proceeded to install drivers and programs, which also had no issues. Also, I'm pretty sure this could of gone in that huge thread discussing the update
Tested it on an updated machine (mine) and on a fresh Win 8.1 RTM install on an Acer Aspire V3-571G from a friend, both running very smooth. Also Sysprep VMs for ProWMC and Core have been updated, cleaned and resetbased already without slightest problems. Must be at your end ... .
Have you tried clean install no... Alternatively, try win 7 which will not get this update. Seriously, your system must be groaning at the 60th format in a month.
Would suspect a driver/program issue here. One user needed to reinstall his sound driver to get his sound back after update. Other would be AV issue as second thought.
I tried twice, also with clean install but problem persists on dell inspiron 15r core i5 3rd gen with 6gb ram. There is also another problem both times after installing update 1 it cause fragmentation in hiberfil.sys.
As always, installing inofficial leaks might not work for some ... we'll have to wait what official Update will offer in April .