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Patch reliability is unclear. Unless you have an immediate, pressing need to install a specific patch, don't do it. |
Just a reminder. Today is the day. Usually about 10 a.m. pacific time is when I turn in my chair to look to the north (Redmond is located to the no
[See the full post at: MS-DEFCON 2: Windows and Office patches out Nov 10]
Susan Bradley Patch Lady/Prudent patcher
AKB 2000003 has been updated for Group B Win7 (ESU) and Win8.1 on November 10, 2020.
There is a Security-only Update and an IE11 CU for those with Win7 ESU subscriptions.
November Rollup KB4586827 Download 32-bit or 64-bit for those with Win7 ESU subscriptions.
You must have at least the August Servicing Stack KB4570673 previously installed to receive these updates)
The latest Servicing Stack for Win7 is October KB4580970 – Download 32-bit or 64-bit for those with Win7 ESU subscriptions.
There is a revised Licensing Preparation Package KB4575903 dated 7/29/2020 for Win7 ESU subscriptions, if you need it.
There is a Novenber MSRT KB890830.
For those of you attempting to install Win7 updates for .NET 4.5.2 and later (patches with the .exe extension), see post #2287984 . Also see #2311043 .
new Intel Microcode updates from Microsoft posted 11/10:
KB4589198 for LTSB 2015 v1507:
https://support.microsoft.com/help/4589198
KB4589210 for LTSB 2016 v1607:
https://support.microsoft.com/help/4589210
KB4589206 for Win10 v1803:
https://support.microsoft.com/help/4589206
KB4589208 for Win10 v1809 & LTSC 2019:
https://support.microsoft.com/help/4589208
KB4589211 for Win10 v1903 & v1909:
https://support.microsoft.com/help/4589211
KB4589212 for Win10 v2004 & v20H2:
https://support.microsoft.com/help/4589212
Windows 2004 TestBeta
November 10, 2020
Checked for updates with WUMgr:
Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool x64 – v5.84 (KB890830)
2020-11 Cumulative Update for Windows 10 Version 2004 for x64-based Systems (KB4586781)
Installed updates from Windows Update:
Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool x64 – v5.84 (KB890830)
2020-11 Cumulative Update for Windows 10 Version 2004 for x64-based Systems (KB4586781)
I was prompted to reboot, so I rebooted without error, and checked for updates again using Windows Updates. “You’re up to date.”
2020-11 Cumulative Update for Windows 10 Version 2004 for x64-based Systems (KB4586781) showed under installed updates.
Windows 2004 TestBeta
November 10, 2020
KB4589212: Intel microcode updates for Windows 10, version 2004 and 20H2, and Windows Server, version 2004 and 20H2 was downloaded from the Microsoft Update Catalog and installed without error.
KB4589212 shows under installed updates.
Hardened Windows Version 20H2 (OS Build 19042.630)
KB4586781 Cumulative Update for Windows 10 Version 20H2 for x64-based Systems
KB890830 Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool x64 – v5.84
Installed on daily-driver desktop without hiccups or noticeable issues.
My guess is that they were still in the testing pipeline. Yes I realize that many of us don’t believe that Microsoft actually TESTS anymore but back in the geezer days, Windows and Office updates would take a few months from initial coding to final release and I vaguely in the back of my mind recall a time or two that there were trailing updates that came out AFTER the drop dead support date because they were still being worked on and just hadn’t been completed by the end of support date.
Susan Bradley Patch Lady/Prudent patcher
The same thing happened with Office 2007. I recall that for about 3 or maybe even 4 months after end of support Office 2007 updates were released. I do not know why, I was surprised at the time too, especially because they were released for several months after end of support and not just one. That was the reason why I was not too much surprised to see Office 2010 updates being released today. In fact I am glad, because I am still working on upgrading Office 2010 to a newer version, but had a couple of big non-IT roadblocks on my way, so these October patches take away a little bit of time pressure. Otherwise I would just have pushed through an upgrade within a week or so.
To navigate manually go to top of page, select Forums, AskWoody Support, Non-Windows Operating Systems, macOS…
You’ll find a lot of information there…
To start a new topic, select appropriate Forum, scroll to bottom of page, and create a new topic…
Quite a few people have found happiness with a Mac… but will not comment further, here, as this topic is about DEFCON 2 and Windows…
Non-techy Win 10 Pro and Linux Mint experimenter
You need to keep up. 🙂
https://www.askwoody.com/2020/a-changing-of-the-guard-at-askwoody-com/
cheers, Paul
Without Woody this site won’t be the same. It was a good run.
have faith brother, miss Susan and the mvp’s know their tech stuff
Yes she does and they do!!! : )
Besides, nothing lasts forever.
NOV CU KB4586786, the SSU KB4586863, and MSRT – & Then – ’16 Hm-Stdnt Office C2R installed without issue. Macrium images Pre-CU and Pre-C2R were ready. An Incr takes 1:30 for me so it’s not a pain to prepare.
Belarc and Speccy apps both show i5-8400 and I did NOT get the Intel Microcode Fix because all “affected” processors I see have Letters involved (ie) i5-8400H. Patiently awaiting “Get-2004-Offered” Fix presumably over Conexant Driver issue.
W10 Pro 22H2 / Hm-Stdnt Ofce '16 C2R / Macrium Pd vX / GP=2 + FtrU=Semi-Annual + Feature Defer = 1 + QU = 0
I keep the Dell servers up to current BIOS and base firmware in my organization usually on a 2-3 month delay for the production spaces. Lower environments get it a bit sooner for testing.
The laptop/workstation spaces (my own) I check once a year unless I’m looking to address a problem, or a security issue bubbles up in the news. I would check for OEM updates for the hardware prior to letting a new Win10 release go on, for example.
As a general rule – Read through the update notes of all versions newer than your current to get the full picture of what you are getting. Know that as Intel has updated microcode for it’s CPU line, that trickles down to the desktop CPUs at intervals, with newer CPUs seeing them sooner, and that ends up in the BIOS update.
MSRT is quarterly since six months ago:
Remove specific prevalent malware with Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool
You can download it here:
Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool 64-bit
But did you check under Other updates at the bottom of View update history?
I did check optional updates and it wasn’t there. However, during the automatic check for updates this morning, it downloaded and installed. Just a quirk I guess.
I do now have the optional download for 20H2 available, but holding off until the gurus here recommend it.
Should I be doing something with these?
You should install Intel’s microcode if/when you get them.
There are no Intel microcode for Coffee Lake in November.
There were Intel microcode updates for Coffee Lake in September.
Intel CPU products updated on November 10, 2020
Avoton
Sandy Bridge E, EN, EP, EP4S
Sandy Bridge E, EP
Valley View / Baytrail
https://support.microsoft.com/en-au/help/4589211/intel-microcode-updates
If there is an Intel microcode patch from MS for your computer, it should come through Windows Update.
If there is a BIOS patch for your computer, you should download it from Dell. Use the Service Code on the sticker on the computer to look up the one for your make/model. Be sure you are plugged in and don’t lose power during the install.
I don’t know the answer to that.
I have updated the BIOS on my Dells many times.
They are numbered sequentially, if that means anything.
Does Dell Support have a free chat? If so, they might answer your question.
I finally decided to update the BIOS. They are cumulative. It went fine. I turned off MBAM & Anti-virus, but forgot to disconnect peripherals (I thought that was best to do b4 updating BIOS). Anyway, it worked, except the BIOS date on my sysinfo is 8/4/20 – but the release date on Dell support site is 10/20/20. I checked the file name and version I have installed and it is the right one – I don’t understand the date discrepancy, but things are working. Also – got this bit of good info from someone on Dell community
Dell systems have a BIOS Guard” feature that allows a new update to be flashed alongside the existing code so if the update fails midway through, the old code is still there as opposed to having been partially overwritten. So the risk of updating the BIOS isn’t as significant as you might think.
Thanks everyone for your input & advice.
I personally am wishy washy on microcode updates. They’ve slowed down my computer. In this case ““monitor power consumption and deduce what instructions were being performed by a CPU, allowing them to steal sensitive data from memory”. I will be phished WAY more than someone will monitor my power consumption and guess what I’m buying on Amazon or Instacart. I would want them on any ATM machine running Windows. I typically do not install them on my computers. I do install bios updates from the vendor.
Susan Bradley Patch Lady/Prudent patcher
Agree 100%
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You’ve already tried Dell’s way (link below) and un-reinstall hasn’t worked, so my suggestion is basic, you may have already done it.
File Explorer > Program Files. Find the program entry and delete it. An Uninstall sometimes leaves the entry there and the machine thinks a program is still installed.
A search showed many questions about SupportAssist probs. Dell’s directions for uninstall and reinstall have some steps, including removing 5 Windows services and restarts. (Hope my moms doesn’t need her Dell done, i’d never talk her through it on the phone.)
Dell: “In the past, we perform a clean uninstall by removing directories and registry files. This should not be necessary anymore.”
Hard to answer. You can brick your machine with a bad BIOS update. IF you do it I prefer to update via USB outside windows. If you do it within windows turn off your a/v and everything possible. Right-click Dell’s exe and run as administrator.
One thing to bear in mind is windows has pushed some Dell BIOS updates through Windows update with less than stellar results from what I’ve read on their forums. I haven’t had it happen but I have that ability disabled in my BIOS. Not sure that’s available on every machine though.
I guess I have to bite the bullet & do it because I want the security updates. What is the worst case scenario? The bios update breaks my machine and I have to replace the motherboard? Or would I have to get an entirely new machine? And if my machine is bricked, that doesn’t mean the data is unavailable – so it would have to be wiped out somehow wouldn’t it? I want to ensure I understand what I’m up against. And if it’s just a motherboard I guess I can handle that (Plus all the aggravation, of course!). The machine is four years old. But a new one would cost a lot more.
Why do you say run the EXE administrator? Dell is instructions do not say to do that.
Don’t mean to scare you as I’ve done thousands of BIOS update over the years and have never had an issue (pause while I knock on some wood). That said, it is possible to have an issue. If I were you I’d search the Dell forums for your model machine and see if anyone experienced problems. https://www.dell.com/community/Desktops/ct-p/Desktops
I’d wait at least 1 month since the update was released before installing. Get you a good backup prior to the update. Read and understand the instructions on how to update and to restore an older BIOS if available on your machine (probably so if about 4yrs old).
MOST important is make sure you have your machine plugged into a UPS. You DO NOT want to lose power during the update!
If you decide to run it from windows, and I have done many that way, be sure to disable A/V and as many running programs as you can.
Worst case, new MOBO.
Edit to add: I have seen many BIOS updates fail to install when run normally from the exe. Running as admin always solved the problem.
The bios update breaks my machine and I have to replace the motherboard? Or would I have to get an entirely new machine?
Look at dell if there is a BIOS backup/restore app.
If there is none and you brick your PC then you will have to sent is for repair or buy a new motherboard.
I have updated my laptops (Lenovo) over the years many times. Never had a problem.
please inform us of known/reported issues with the current patches/updates
We can’t do that ahead of the release of the patches. 🙂
Keep an eye on the blog and you will see issues as they are reported.
cheers, Paul
One problem we ran into after one of our PCs (2004) updated yesterday:
Password protected sharing setting for this PC was turned on automatically on our private, peer-to-peer office network. Went into network shared settings, turned it back off and all is well once again.
This has been an ongoing, sporadic and random “feature” since at least 2018 after certain cumulative updates, according to Google searches. Personally I’ve only seen it before after some early Win10 Feature updates or Win7 to Win10 upgrades.
Bob
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One of my not computer savvy friends with an HP desktop computer (W10 2004 Home, I think) and HP all in 1 printer called for help today as it couldn’t ‘see’ the printer any more. Yet his son, upstairs, could use it via WiFi no problem. I went through the typical uninstall/reinstall process on the computer to no avail. Recycled the printer and even re-did its Wifi connection to the router. No luck.
I had completely forgotten about patch Tuesday until he mentioned that it had just gone through an update yesterday when they turned it on and haven’t been able to access the printer since!
So I rolled back the update to the recovery point it created and all was happy again! Miracle of miracles! I then set it up to not do any updates until 12/4. Hopefully, Microsoft will have had enough flak to make appropriate patches by they. If not, I’ll roll it back again!
Win 10 Pro 1909 64 bit. Downloaded SSU KB4586863 and November CU KB4586786 from MS Update Catalog, standalone installed OK, test machine stable for 2 days.
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