April patching ends on a relatively quiet note

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PATCH WATCH

April patching ends on a relatively quiet note

By Susan Bradley Office security updates caused most of April’s patching problems. Also: Microsoft makes a change in its patch-download process, update scanning gets faster by putting a particular update at the head of the line, and researchers find a new way to attack Windows.

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The full text of this column is posted at windowssecrets.com/patch-watch/april-patching-ends-on-a-relatively-quiet-note/ (opens in a new window/tab).

Columnists typically cannot reply to comments here, but do incorporate the best tips into future columns.

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[*]Thanks for the directions on building a block for Regsvr32 in the Windows Firewall (64-bit Win7 Pro). Easy peesy.
[*]
[*]You were rather kind on the Windows Update situations. I can think of a few adjectives to hurl at MS.

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I always look at Patch Watch, but I’m a run-of-the-mill user so usually I don’t run into problems with updates. However, lately I’ve found that my Windows 7, SP1 computer has been churning away for hours at a time with CPU utilization around 25% by svchost.exe. Looking at the services associated with it, Windows Update seems to be involved. This seems similar to the issue Susan talks about concerning the order in which updates are done. I presume it is happening during Windows Update’s daily checking for new updates.
Anyway, my question is this. When I try to follow instructions that involve determining whether or not I have an existing update already installed, what is a good way to find out? There doesn’t seem to be a simple way to search a computer for, say, KB 3072630. The “Uninstall an Update” view allows for some sorting, but not searching. Is there a better way to determine if an update is installed?

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You could open a command prompt (doesn’t need to be via ‘Run as Administrator’) and query the updates using wmic qfe where hotfixid=”KB3146963″ get hotfixid (where, in this example, KB3146963 represents the update you want to check if installed).

Installed/Not installed results are shown like this:

44306-update_installed_or_not
Click to enlarge

If you are into PowerShell you could just use the get-hotfix cmdlet, for example: get-hotfix -id KB3146963

The results of both methods could be re-directed to, for example, a .TXT file.

I like GUIs so have an AutoHotkey script which just asks me for the KB number then pops up a ‘Found/Not Found’ dialog.

Hope this helps…

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Hi, Rick
Thanks. I tried that and it worked. I’m glad I won’t need to do it very often!
Ken

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The simplest way for me to see what is installed or find a particular installed KB is start>control panel>programs and features, then on the left click on “view installed updates”. It takes a little time to load all of them, but once done, look in the top right for the search installed updates and put in ( for example KB3072630 ). If there are no results, it isn’t installed.
44309-progs_features

Don't take yourself so seriously, no one else does
All W10 Pro at 22H2,(2 Desktops, 1 Laptop).

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The simplest way for me to see what is installed or find a particular installed KB is start>control panel>programs and features, then on the left click on “view installed updates”. It takes a little time to load all of them, but once done, look in the top right for the search installed updates and put in ( for example KB3072630 ). If there are no results, it isn’t installed.
44309-progs_features

I feel so stupid! I never noticed the search box. I was focused on the column headings, and the menu items on the left.
Problem solved.
Ken

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I feel so stupid! I never noticed the search box. I was focused on the column headings, and the menu items on the left.
Problem solved.
Ken

It happens to the best of us LOL. Glad you got it sorted out

Don't take yourself so seriously, no one else does
All W10 Pro at 22H2,(2 Desktops, 1 Laptop).

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So when has Win Update is set to download updates but let me choose to install them, where does it store the downloads so I could run them one by one and copy to a usb drive to install on another ‘puter?

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So when has Win Update is set to download updates but let me choose to install them, where does it store the downloads so I could run them one by one and copy to a usb drive to install on another ‘puter?

Try using WSUS Offline Update – recommended on this forum and several others.

Hope this helps…

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I like to use the NirSoft program WinUpdatesList to see all installed updates and hotfixes.

It has the advantage that you can sort on any of the columns. It is the Windows “View Installed Updates” on steroids.

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Many Windows 7 SPI users have not been able to download any Windows Update patches since March due to a problem with patch KB3138612. Microsoft “agree” there is a problem but do not offer any solutions.

Lenovo forum have some possible solutions:
https://forums.lenovo.com/t5/Windows-7-Discussion/Latest-Win-7-Downloads-fail-to-load-on-T61/td-p/3301939/page/2

They advise:
Making Internet Explorer the default browser
Apply optional patch KB3102810 at
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/3102810
Installing the Windows Secret article patch KB3145739.

Unfortunately, I cannot download Windows Updates through normal Windows Updates nor install updates manually because Windows Updates is not working.
I have not got any System Restore points before March.
Windows Update Diagnostic Repair utiltility does not do a full repair

Should I just uninstall patch KB3138612, or what?

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I like to use the NirSoft program WinUpdatesList to see all installed updates and hotfixes.

It has the advantage that you can sort on any of the columns. It is the Windows “View Installed Updates” on steroids.

Hi, JC
Thanks for that reference. I installed it and as you say it gives a nice full description of each update.
Ken

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