IE 11 may go nuts if you don’t have Default Search Provider specified

Here’s a weird one.

At this moment – the middle of the night, US time – Microsoft lists a bug in many Win10 versions, but if you look for details about which patches may have introduced the bug, there’s no mention that I can find.

Here’s the problem, as explained on the Release Information page:

June 2019

opening Internet Explorer 11 may fail

Internet Explorer 11 may fail to open if Default Search Provider is not set or is malformed.

Affected platforms:

• Client: Windows 10, version 1809; Windows 10 Enterprise LTSC 2019; Windows 10, version 1803; Windows 10, version 1709; Windows 10, version 1703; Windows 10 Enterprise LTSC 2016; Windows 10, version 1607
• Server: Windows Server 2019; Windows Server 2016

Workaround: To set the Default Search Provider, use the following steps:

1. Open an Administrator Command prompt and type the following: “C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\iexplore.exe” http://microsoft.com
2. After Internet Explorer has opened, go to the Settings menu and select Manage add-ons.
3. Select Search Providers in left pane.
4. Select the link Find more search providers in the bottom left of the dialog.
5. A new Internet Explorer window should open, allowing you to select a search provider.
6. Select Add under the Search Provider you prefer.
7. The Add Search Provider dialog should open, select Add.
8. You should now be able to open Internet Explorer 11 normally.

Next steps: We are working on a resolution and estimate a solution will be available in mid-June.

Got that?

You might wonder, as I did, which patch(es) cause the problem — or if it’s a problem that’s affected all versions of Win10 since the early days. You might also wonder if Win10 1903 is affected.

Looking at the individual patch listings, I don’t see this particular bug mentioned anywhere.

Two possible conclusions: Either the patch docs are screwed up again — or this is a bug in Win10/IE 11 that’s been around, and not reported, since version 1607.

Patch Lady – when patches aren’t managed

For me this  is a huge fail.  For one you have a digital signage that clearly isn’t managed.  Updates and Feature releases should not “pop” on internet of things or point of sale or … in this case a digital sign.  It’s a sign of an unmanaged network.  Then does one really need a full scale Windows operating system on a sign?  Seriously?

Picture courtesy of Robert Crane.

How-To Geek: Microsoft still isn’t testing Win10 1909 (or 19H2)

Chris Hoffman at How-To Geek laments the fact that Microsoft hasn’t even started testing the next version of Windows 10:

These big Windows updates are generally finalized the month before release, which means Windows 10’s October 2019 Update should be finalized in September 2019. Microsoft has less than four months to go before the latest build is stabilized and we haven’t heard anything about it yet.

Microsoft has responded by saying, basically, don’t worry about it. We have it well in hand.

I’ve been saying for – what? – six months now that the next version of Win10 will just be a big cumulative update. I don’t expect any worthwhile feature changes. Except Microsoft will have to put at least one feature change in there so they can justify calling it a “feature update.” And they have every incentive to make 1909 super-stable, because they’ll continue to support it (Enterprise and Academic versions) for 30 months.

I’m not complaining, mind you. I think MS should go through a couple more no-new-feature “updates” and hit us with a long-overdue Service Pack.

Patch Lady – I like 1903

Just the other day on CSOOnline I showcased the new security features in 1903.  I really like 1903 and (fingers crossed) I’m hopeful it will be the one we all soon settle on.  Notice the word soon.  I’m still not ready to install it on the office computers.  Test computers have it now, production machines, not yet.

Until then keep an eye on the security enhancements and — newsflash – that sandbox feature only needs Pro to be enabled.

June 2019 non-Security Office updates are available

The June 2019 non-Security Office updates have been released Tuesday, June 4, 2019. They are not included in the DEFCON4 approval for the May 2019 patches. Unless you have a specific need to install them, you should wait until Susan Bradley (Patch Lady) approves them and any problems have been reported.

Remember, Susan’s patching sequence and  recommendations are based on a business environment that has IT support and may have time constraints on the updating process. Consumer patching should be more cautious due to limited technical and mechanical resources. The latter is the reason for the AskWoody DEFCON system.

Office 2013

Update for Skype for Business 2015 KB4464593

Office 2016

Update for Microsoft Excel 2016 KB4464578
Update for Microsoft Office 2016 KB4464539
Update for Microsoft Office 2016 KB4464579
Update for Microsoft Office 2016 Language Interface Pack KB4464581
Update for Microsoft Outlook 2016 KB4464585
Update for Microsoft Project 2016  KB4464589
Update for Skype for Business 2016 KB4464576

There were no non-security listings for Office 2007 (which is out of support) or Office 2010.
Updates are for the .msi version (persistent). Office 365 and C2R are not included.
Security updates for all supported versions of Microsoft Office are released on the second Tuesday of the month (Patch Tuesday).

Yes, Apple is yanking iTunes on Macs but, no, it won’t pull iTunes on Windows

Chris Hoffman on How-To Geek has the details:

iTunes will be replaced by separate Music, TV, and Podcasts apps… but only on macOS. Windows users will keep the current iTunes app they know and (often don’t) love.

iTunes on Windows is the snarliest, most useless piece of junk I’ve ever struggled with. And I’ve struggled with it for well over a decade.

Ah well.

MS-DEFCON 4: It’s time to get the May 2019 Windows and Office patches installed

If you’re running Windows 7, Vista, or XP — or Server 2003, 2008 or 2008 R2 — you need to get patched now. No, there aren’t any known BlueKeep exploits. But you don’t want to get caught with that ol’ “Kick me” sign stuck to your back. Tell  your friends.

It’s also time to let nature run its course with the Win10 patches — don’t force anything, and rely on Windows Update to get you sorted out.

I strongly advise against installing Win10 1903 at this point. It ain’t baked.

Full step-by-step instructions in Computerworld Woody on Windows.

Patch Lady – do they think this will work?

Over the weekend here at the office nearly every mailbox (including ones that aren’t public) got “I saw what you did and now send me bitcoin” threatening emails.  The interesting part to me isn’t that I received the emails (phishing and threating emails are pretty common these days), nor honestly was it that I got it to some “non public” mailboxes.  It’s also pretty common for attackers to use enumeration tools that are pretty well known in the attack community to harvest email address. No to me what was surprising was that someone thought someone would fall for this.

Emails were addressed to a number of names.  Date was in the “foreign” not USA format.  Misspelled words.  And certainly last but not least, merely providing the bitcoin wallet number to your attackees isn’t a good way to ensure you will be paid.

Seriously attackers, if you want to get me, you need to get better than this.  You need to ensure that the email is plausible and provide an easy way to receive payment.   I guess if you send out enough and some people respond it’s worth it, but really?

(note I’m not linking the email due to the profanity in the email).

A dozen reasons why you don’t want Win10 1903 — yet

On May 21, Microsoft officially released the latest version of the last version of Windows.

The Windows 10 May 2019 Update — formerly known as the Windows 10 April 2019 Update or Version 19H1, and more reliably and consistently referred to as Version 1903 — isn’t getting pushed out in droves just yet. Instead, the “RTM” version is available primarily to beta testers and to people who manually install it in various ways.

See the full story in the June 3, 2019, AskWoody Plus Newsletter (Issue 16.20.0)

Taking the plunge with a new PC

Buying a new PC was once a fairly simple shop-and-buy process. There wasn’t much to consider beyond memory and drive capacity — and maybe an upgraded video card.

But recent innovations have made choosing a new machine more complicated. Intel’s Optane technology, for example, claims to make a hard drive as responsive as an SSD!

See the full story in the June 3, 2019, AskWoody Plus Newsletter (Issue 16.20.0)

Windows 1903 gets its first update

Microsoft’s most recent “feature release,” better known as Version 1903, received its very first patch — and it’s optional!

What’s apparently fixed is the very thing that blocked my initial install of Version 1903. If an external USB device or SD memory card is plugged in, the device is reassigned to an incorrect drive letter during the installation process.

See the full story in the June 3, 2019, AskWoody Plus Newsletter (Issue 16.20.0)

How to fix OneDrive file-synching problems

Because it’s included with Windows 10, there’s a good chance you’ve used OneDrive as a helpful tool for backing up files and/or synching them between devices.

But as with any program, you can run into hiccups with OneDrive; files don’t get backed up, synching fails, and so forth.

See the full story in the June 3, 2019, AskWoody Plus Newsletter (Issue 16.20.0)