ISSUE 18.19.1 • 2021-05-27 By Susan Bradley This month has been relatively quiet with respect to patching side effects. It’s now time to install the M
[See the full post at: MS-DEFCON 4: It’s quiet out there]
Susan Bradley Patch Lady/Prudent patcher
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Home » Forums » Newsletter and Homepage topics » MS-DEFCON 4: It’s quiet out there
ISSUE 18.19.1 • 2021-05-27 By Susan Bradley This month has been relatively quiet with respect to patching side effects. It’s now time to install the M
[See the full post at: MS-DEFCON 4: It’s quiet out there]
Susan Bradley Patch Lady/Prudent patcher
Notify me of follow-up replies via email
thank you Susan, I did subscribe using an Android Phone, and after returning to this subject the subscription was off. Repeated the drill in various settings, even deleted cache and switched off all security in the browser. The subscription had disappeared every time.
Than, unexpected: I did type my first line ” #2367332″ and added my mark at “Notify me of follow-up replies via email” , submitted….
Went away, emptied the browser, activated security + pluginns…. and eureka the subscription holded….
The universe is full of mysteries
Installed the May cumulative update KB5003173 this morning as per Susan’s advice. Expected to see the News & Interests toolbar item after the reboot but it did not show up. Right clicking on the taskbar does not show a configuration item for this new item in the listed options either. We’ll see if it shows up after the next reboot. Otherwise I’m at a loss as to why it is not present.
the “News & Interests” feature is included starting with the KB5003214 preview update (not with the KB5003173 update)
Microsoft releases Windows 10 build 19043.1023 with News and interests
to disable that News & Interests feature, read this Neowin article on how to turn it off
https://www.neowin.net/news/how-to-turn-off-the-news-and-interest-widget-on-taskbar-in-windows-10/
Just a note to anyone who is having problems installing the latest updates KB5003173 KB5003254.
If you have uninstalled Microsoft Edge browser on your computer, the updates will fail to install.
See this video to get instructions on how to fix the problem.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fBqgiD2lCqU
I am just curious why the Master Patch List recommends to DEFER installing the .Net updates from this month. Are you asking us to hold off on them for just a little longer that you’ll note soon, or to skip them entirely until a month that does include a security fix within them? Thanks.
I “pay attention to” (that’s an intentional expression to show my limited abilities) a 2012 R2 server, so checking for updates via the Control Panel app is still something that can be done safely. Obviously that differs from my Win10 client experience. Anyway, I can skip this .Net update. Thanks.
Anyone know what the difference is betwixt
2021-05 Cumulative Update for Windows 10 Version 20H2 for x64-based Systems (KB5003173)
Last Modified: 5/10/2021
Size: 572.6 MBand
2021-05 Dynamic Cumulative Update for Windows 10 Version 20H2 for x64-based Systems (KB5003173)
Last Modified: 5/10/2021
Size: 571.5 MB
Does one put one at 21H1 ??
The Windows 10 Download page (aka Susan’s Favorite Method) reads “Windows 10 May 2021 Update”, which I successfully used a month ago for the April 2021 Update on my device 1 of 2, which for me was a feature update from v1809 to 20H2. (Thank you very much, Susan; this was the FIRST time I have had a successful feature update after trying other methods month after month since August 2020!)
I want to repeat this same process now for the May 2021 Update on device 2 of 2, but I want to remain at 20H2 for now and not advance to 21H1. What will this page download now, and does my TargetReleaseVerson registry setting of 20H2 protect me from the unwanted 21H1 using this method?
FYI: I posted this text at around 10 AM EDT today and have since been off the PC. It is now nowhere to be found and I received no email notifications. I was in a hurry, so it could have been operator error on my part, although I do remember selecting the Notify me and Submit buttons.
I woulduse the “thurrott download the file you want” method https://www.thurrott.com/windows/windows-10/243391/tip-download-any-version-of-windows-10 in order to get the earlier ISO
Susan Bradley Patch Lady/Prudent patcher
Hi
I had postponed updates for the 1st 2 weeks of May. When that expired the 2021-05 Cumulative Update Preview for Windows 10 Version 20H2 for x64-based Systems (KB5003214) attempted to install. It failed. Now it has tried and failed 11 times. Since it says optional should I let it slide and ignore it? I don’t know what it is supposed to do. Nothing else has been there to install since April. I have a 64 bit system with
Windows 10 Pro Version 20Y2 Installed on 3/20/2021 OS build 19042.868 Windows Feature Experience Pack 120.2212.551.0
I would love to be enlightened. Thanks.
If you’re not looking forward to the “News and interests” feature, then you’re doing well so far. But if you want it to stay that way (i.e. not even remotely interested in trying it out for a brief amount of time) then make sure to change the setting in Group Policy under Windows Components>News and interests to disabled rather than Not configured which is where it probably sits right now.
The above advice is only applicable if you’re at build 19043.985, which includes the May updates that have been green-lighted by Susan in the last couple of days.
The May update added that setting to Group Policy in my case on 20H2, so it might be the case for 21H1 as well, if the upgrade from 20H2 to 21H1 didn’t do it already for you.
Susan: I am running win 7 pro. I have KB5001878 on the patch list. When I check the master patch list for this update, the master patch list shows ” Defer” “NET no new security fixes” However when looking at the referenced KB 5001878, it refers to KB4578952, KB4578955, KB5001848 and KB5001843. KB 5001848 and Kb 5001843 from their information (summary) are “Quality Improvements” while KB4578952 and KB4578955 from their information (Summary) are “Security Improvements”. If the master patch list shows NET no new security fixes, the KB 4578952 and KB4578955 must not include any new security fixes but their Summary states “An information disclosure vulnerability exists when the .NET Framework improperly handles objects in memory. An attacker who successfully exploited the vulnerability could disclose contents of an affected system’s memory. To exploit the vulnerability, an authenticated attacker would need to run a specially crafted application. The update addresses the vulnerability by correcting how the .NET Framework handles objects in memory.” My question is the following: Has this vulnerability been addressed in the past or ? Thanks for your good work on helping the rest of us with the “maze of patching”
Windows 10 Home 20H2 here, reporting successfully installing the following patches through WU without any apparent issue:
– KB5003173 – 2021-05 Cumulative update for Windows 10 Version 20H2
– KB890830 – MSRT for Windows x64 v5.89
– KB5001927, KB4464542, KB5001925, KB4493206, KB5001931, KB5001936 – Security update for Office 2013
I have left hidden the 2021-05 Preview .NET, but also skipped the “regular” 2021-05 .NET CU (KB4601554), since Susan noted at #2367463 that this .NET patch is not a security update and thus not worth installing.
I hadn’t paid attention to the “Other Updates” to my Win 10 Pro (now 21H1) until your comment. Please see screenshot attached. I normally avoid preview updates, but it seems .NET Framework preview updates were installed anyway on 3/18/2021 (KB4601554) and on 5/26/2021 (KB5003254). The 3/18/2021 NET update did not coincide with either a Windows Quality or Feature Update. However, the 5/26/2021 NET coincided (same date) with the 21H1 Update – though the NET update on 5/26/2021 is marked as an update for Windows 10 20H2.
If you haven’t seen a NET update since Feb 21, it may be because you are more careful at avoiding preview updates than I am.
Dell XPS17, 11th Gen Intel I7, 64gb RAM, Windows 11 Home 23H2
What is all the talk about KB4601554 .Net CU ?
Haven’t seen a .Net update since Feb. 21 on my W10 Pro (currently 21H1)
I believe that KB4601554 is still coded as a Preview. It WAS a preview earlier (KB4601554 (2021-02) Cumulative Update Preview for .NET Framework 3.5 and 4.8 for Windows 10 Version 20H2 for x64) and although the MS-Catalog now does not name it as a Preview (MS Catalog KB4601554, it likely is still coded as a preview since it has no security updates.
I have GP (Local Computer Policy | Computer Configuration | Administrative Templates | Windows Components | Windows Update | Windows Update for Business | Select when Preview Builds and Feature Updates are received (enabled) | Semi-Annual Channel set to 1 day ) and I haven’t seen KB4601554. Keep in mind that a non-Preview .NET patch is NOT supposed to be sent your way unless you have the superseded .NET CU installed. The superseded .NET Update for KB4601554 is KB4601050 and I have that installed.
So, since I have GP=2 for notify download/install, I should have received a notice to download and install KB4601554, were it not a preview. So, these are reasons I believe that KB4601554 is coded as a Preview and why I haven’t seen it.
I hadn’t paid attention to the “Other Updates”
Not on my system
I also was unable to avoid the 2021-05 Preview .NET update, never saw it.
After the May 2021 updates finished, re-started and checked what was installed and found a Preview .NET sneaked in the ‘Other Updates section’. Microsoft and their stealth updates!
Is there a way to Avoid these slippery, stealthy, sneaky, wiggler Preview .NET updates?
I’ll live with it as opposed to un-installing it, haven’t heard of any problems, yet.
P.S. I think Susan said sometimes they “wiggle” in? – Joy to the World.
Explained: AKB2000016 Guide to Windows Update Settings for Win10. Section 5 and the screenshots at the bottom upder the text.
Thanks PKCano, it takes me some time to look through all that information that you link to, and I admit that sometimes I am rather dense, (most of the time ?) – But I do not find the answer to my concern that the Windows Update for Business Preview Build settings have anything to do with CU Preview .NET updates. I still think that the Preview Builds concern Fast, Slow, Insider OS Operating System Builds, and Not Preview .NET updates. I am not trying to be argumentive or disrespectful, I truly appreciate all the Fabulous Help that you provide all of us. The Preview .NET update is not a big concern to me unless it causes me problems, then I’ll be back.
I am very appreciative of replies, but not necessary if you’ve got better things to do.
Several of us have discovered (and it has been pointed out to us by @abbodi86 in posts under AKB2000016) that a side effect of the settings in AKB2000016 that @PKCano has pointed you to in the post right above this one is that they also block you from being offered preview releases of Windows 10’s monthly updates and they also block you from being offered updates for .NET that aren’t deemed security updates for .NET.
One of the myriad of posts under the comments-only section of the AKB. You and another user were in on that little sub-thread because there was some confusion about whether or not it disabled preview updates. However, I don’t recall if it is definitely said that the settings also block the non-security .NET updates.
I recently found that out for myself when I experimented with my settings for WU for Business and found that to be the case…any one of three key settings that are meant to keep you on a given release of Windows 10 (TRV) or either one of the settings for when you want to have Feature Updates or Quality Updates delivered or delayed being set to Enabled will keep you from getting not only preview updates but will also keep you from getting the non-security .NET updates.
In the case of the Feature Updates, I believe I saw a post from @abbodi86 somewhere in that thread saying that you had to set the number of deferral days to one (1) in order for this “side effect” to quietly be enforced.
BTW, yes, I know, that the comments under AKB2000016 are a lot to slog through. I did it quite a few times when I first got windows 10 after upgrading from two 10 year old computers with Windows 7 to two new computers with Windows 10 2004 Pro! All I can really say is “Ugh!”
…any one of three key settings that are meant to keep you on a given release of Windows 10 (TRV) or either one of the settings for when you want to have Feature Updates or Quality Updates delivered or delayed being set to Enabled will keep you from getting not only preview updates but will also keep you from getting the non-security .NET updates.
What about this post by @abbodi86 at how not to get .NET Preview updates, where he says that FU deferral has no effect on .NET Previews?
What is all the talk about KB4601554 .Net CU ?
Haven’t seen a .Net update since Feb. 21 on my W10 Pro (currently 21H1)
I did the cumulative update for Win 10 Pro (ver 2004) yesterday and then ran Belarc Advisor to see if there were any missing patches. (I keep Windows Update blocked via WinAero and lift the block only long enough each month to get the latest cumulative update and any others I really need and I fetch the updates via Microsoft Catalog after reading the KB).
Belarc Advisor (free to consumers) said I was missing a mandatory update of .NET 5.5 which as noted earlier in this thread has no security fixes but I try to keep up with .NET updates and I like to have Belarc Advisor give my computer a clean bill of health each month after I do necessary updates. (I’ve been using Advisor for MANY years and their team is very responsive to consumers who find a bug or have a question).
.NET updates don’t show in View Update History in Windows 10 and that’s another reason I use Advisor to help me keep this computer up to date. I’m not sure why Belarc put this .NET update in the mandatory section when it doesn’t have any security fixes but I installed it and have had no problems.
Win8.1 Home reporting in…
The Servicing Stack update in April (KB5001403) reported (in red text) that “There was a problem downloading updates”. As everything else had downloaded and installed, I thought it was the MS servers having an off day and left it.
I have just updated this machine and 3 updates (for May) appeared. All installed OK. I searched again and KB5001403 reappeared with the same message. I navigated to the MS servers and downloaded the file and installed it. All OK.
I then ran DISM, sfc and chkdsk which all passed.
Hello all!
Anyone know why WU wouldn’t list KB5003173 as installed successfully on the Home 2004 machine?
WU does not list KB5003173 at all, but it does appear in Installed Updates on Home machine
I don’t think it will show in WU if it’s already installed.
Why do you think it should?
cheers, Paul
WU does not list KB5003173 at all, but it does appear in Installed Updates on Home machine
I don’t think it will show in WU if it’s already installed.
Why do you think it should?cheers, Paul
Hi Paul. Perhaps you misunderstood. KB5003173 was not installed on either machine prior to today’s update, then resulted in the conditions specified above. When updates are installed thru WU (not manual updates), I expect to see the outcome listed in WU.
Maybe it installed when it was released, mid May?
cheers, Paul
Nope. I controlled installation timing using Group Policy on Pro machine and “Pause until” on Home machine as stated in my initial post.
I waited until Susan posted the “all clear” on 5/27/2021, then installed both machines simultaneously.
May patches installed with no problems to report on Win 8.1.
Installation Successful: Windows successfully installed the following update: 2021-05 Security Monthly Quality Rollup for Windows 8.1 for x64-based Systems (KB5003209)
Installation Successful: Windows successfully installed the following update: 2021-05 Security and Quality Rollup for .NET Framework 3.5, 4.5.2, 4.6, 4.6.1, 4.6.2, 4.7, 4.7.1, 4.7.2, 4.8 for Windows 8.1 for x64(KB5001881)
Win 10 ver. 22H2 x64
Hello !
I have a problem, I have set my Internet connections to “Metered” and manually ended the Pause period for the updates to arrives today but nothing happened, my updates are still paused.
Win 10 Home 2004
Edit: After 2 reboots of the PC the updates are not paused anymore but it says that there is no maj to install.
I run 3 different computers all with Win 10 Home v20H2 installations.
All updates were paused (and metered) until Sat 05 June.
Yesterday, all 3 took at least 2-3 hours to ring home.
All 3 were “up-to-date” and nothing was downloaded.
All 3 now paused until Sat 10 July.
Fingers crossed!
I am Win10/Pro Version 20H2 installed April 10, 2021, Build 10.0.19042.985
Does Window Update “fiddle” with your files and folder data when a new patch is installed?
I ask because right after I installed the May Patch (KB5003173) on May 30, I noticed something very strange in the Recycle bin. It looks like a major Documents folder (a Level B folder, let’s call it Level B FOLDER 2) had been copied into another Level B folder, let’s call it Level B FOLDER 1) and became a LEVEL C FOLDER, and then was deleted. All of the files and folders in the Recycle bin have the Level B Folder 1 in the deletion path. In addition, all of the folders within the major Documents Level B 2 folder had their time stamps changed to the same date and time (May 30, 9:42 PM), which is the same date as all of the deletions that appear in the Recycle bin.
Could the May Patch KB5003173 be the cause of this??
See the attached for a diagram:
Does Window Update “fiddle” with your files and folder data when a new patch is installed?
No.
Could the May Patch KB5003173 be the cause of this??
No.
What has been my experience in patching – with the exception of the bug with onedrive where the sync’d data got lost – data doesn’t get deleted, the users get logged into a temporary profile and the user files are thus under another user account location.
Microsoft Fixes and Explains Lost Files Issue with Windows 10 Version 1809 — Redmondmag.com
That issue triggered in the 1809 release was due to a feature being rolled out to OneDrive around the same time that 1809 came out.
Bottom line files don’t get deleted during the updating process.
Susan Bradley Patch Lady/Prudent patcher
I have a Win 10 Home 20H2 system for a client who doesn’t want pay extra to upgrade to Pro; and also doesn’t want to deal with WUMgr or wushowhide. They pretty much want to have a plain vanilla home system with a standard Microsoft configuration. The sticking point though is that they don’t want to ever see or be offered Preview updates. So here’s my question. Is there any way — in a standard Win 10 Home 20H2 system — to ensure that no Preview updates ever get offered or (more importantly) installed by Windows Update? Any ideas or advice would be greatly appreciated.
Just FYI. Earlier today, Windows Update on this system downloaded and installed 2021-05 Cumulative Update Preview for .NET Framework 3.5 and 4.8 (KB5003254). It’s sitting there in the list of updates with a status of “Pending restart”. So I know that the system is definitely downloading and installing Preview updates automatically.
No. No “Check for updates” was ever done. However, this system had been powered off for over a month. It was just powered on today for the first time in almost two months.
When I opened Settings and went to the Windows Update page, there was an entry there for “Update for Removal of Adobe Flash Player (KB4577586)”, and a Status that said “We could not complete the install because an update service was shutting down.” And immediately below that Status message was a button labeled “Retry“.
I clicked the “Retry” button there in order to (what I expected would) finish installing KB4577586. But within 20 seconds after clicking that “Retry” button, the system came back with a list of several other updates instead — including that Preview update (KB5003254).
I have a sneaking suspicion that the “Retry” button for installing KB4577586 probably should have been labeled “Check for updates” instead (if Microsoft was being honest about it).
I’m typically careful to not accidentally do a “Check for updates”. But how would a user (especially a typical end user, not someone on this forum here) be expected to know that retrying a failed update would be the same as doing a “Check for updates”? How can I ensure that the end user won’t encounter something like this again, once the system is back in their hands?
Hitting retry makes it “check for updates” which means it looks for anything that is up there.
Preview .net and preview windows updates most of the time (yes there are exceptions) don’t cause major issues and worse case scenario you install them.
The only way you can enable all of those helpful WU for business settings is to pay the Windows 10 pro tax. Some things we can do on Home with registry keys, some things we can’t.
Susan Bradley Patch Lady/Prudent patcher
If the “Retry” button for a single failed update actually does a full blown “Check for updates“, isn’t that mislabeling the button? Shouldn’t Microsoft just come out and say right there on the page that “clicking this Retry button will Check for more updates“? I’d be interested to know where the function of that “Retry” button is documented — or for that matter, if it’s even documented anywhere. It’s certainly not obvious or clear to the user.
I think the only advice I could provide to my client is just don’t click on any button on the Windows Update page. Basically, you can’t be sure what any button will actually do there. You certainly can’t rely on how the buttons are labeled.
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