What have you heard about KB 4033428?

The KB article says it’s a “Windows Server 2012 R2 processor generation detection reliability update,” released July 18.

Anybody have a clue?

Another bug in a security patch only fixed in a rollup

Looks like we have another one…

I’m seeing reports that the IE 11 “doesn’t print iframe” bug, introduced in the  IE 11 security update KB 4021558, is only being fixed in the Win7 June Monthly Rollup Preview KB 4022168 and the July Monthly Rollup  KB 4025341 .

English translation: If you’re in Group B, you’ll still see the bug, whereas those in Group A will not.

It’s another example of how Group B is becoming untenable. Unless Microsoft fixes bugs in security patches with fixes in security patches, sticking to a security-patch-only regimen will ultimately leave you with bugs.

Excel – Missing Quick Access Toolbar icons

Bill Jelen – Mr. Excel – has encountered an intriguing problem.

The “Customize Quick Access Toolbar” option in Excel (Word, PowerPoint) should have oodles and gobs of entries for customizing the Quick Access Toolbar (the toolbar with tiny icons up at the top of the screen). On afflicted systems, there are only a few icons available.

Bill’s looking for people who can replicate the problem. He’s seen it with Versions 1703, 1706, 1708. Current Channel, Insider Slow, Insider Fast.

Can you replicate the problem? Please take a look at Bill’s YouTube walkthrough – it’s very easy and fast.

(I unabashedly use the installed version of Office 2013, so don’t get caught up in Office 365 intrigue.)

UPDATE: Bill tweets:

Workaround: Type icon name in “Tell Me” box & rt-click to add from there. Rumors say real fix coming this week.

Win10 Creators Update will not install on some Atom/Clover Trail computers

A damning report from Ed Bott on ZDNet.

UPDATE: Paul Thurrott has a contrary opinion in this tweet:

“The following Intel processors are not CURRENTLY supported by the Win10 Creators Update.” Drivers ARE coming. https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_10-windows_install/intel-clover-trail-processors-are-not-supported-on/ed1823d3-c82c-4d7f-ba9d-43ecbcf526e9

And Paul draws a sobering conclusion in his paywalled article Windows as a Disservice:

Any company could, at any time, stop supporting any one component in any given PC. And if that end of support is serious enough—like Intel declining to update 3-to-4-year old bargain basement CPUs like those Atom chips at the heart of this matter—that means that Microsoft may be forced to no longer support Windows 10 on that PC. The lifetime of that device has come to a close.

As I’ve said many times before, subscribing to Paul’s Premium service is well worth the $48/year (initial offer).

Did you read the fine print, last time you ticked that box to say you did?

It’s a rare occasion that the terms and conditions are fully read and understood, when doing things online or for EULA.

This article, published by CNet.com, is about UK’s Purple experiment – they added a clause about community service in their wi-fi terms:

22,000 agree to unblock sewers (they didn’t read Wi-Fi terms)
by Chris Matyszczyk | July 13, 2017

We’re too keen to get the app, get the Wi-Fi that we’re not going to read the legalistic screed. We just hope it will never be relevant to us.

UK Wi-Fi provider Purple decided to experiment with people’s wholesale acceptance of terms and conditions. It inserted a community service clause into all the legal mumbo and jumbo attached to its hotspot terms.

It read: “The user may be required, at Purple’s discretion, to carry out 1,000 hours of community service.”

 
You can read the full article here

Microsoft yanks bad Outlook patches-of-patches KB 3191849, 3213654, 4011042

I just received word from Gunter Born that Microsoft has pulled three of its Outlook patches:

KB 4011042 – July 5, 2017, update for Outlook 2010

KB 3191849 – June 27, 2017, update for Outlook 2013

KB 3213654 – June 30, 2017, update for Outlook 2016

Computerworld Woody on Windows,

Driver fix for Surface Pro 2017 hibernation seems to work – now, about that backlight bleed

It looks like the July 14 patch for the Surface Pro 2017 unexpected hibernation problem works.

But there’s a large problem looming with backlight bleed.

You’ve got to ask yourself one question: “Do I feel lucky?” Well, do ya?

Computerworld Woody on Windows

KB 4025341, KB 4025337 cause crashes on some older hardware running Win7

There have been reports of BSODs after installing the July 11 patches on some older Win7 machines. Both KB 4025337, the security-only Update, and KB 4025341, the Monthly Rollup have been involved. Uninstalling the update fixes the problem.

Many posters have reported successful installation of the updates. So it doesn’t appear that the updates themselves are broken, but, when combined with specific drivers, BSODs result. It is likely due to some of the changes Microsoft has made to Win7 via the patches. @NetDef reports that updating the Intel C600 chipset driver fixed the problem. Another report possibly points to AMD graphics drivers.

If you have experienced a BSOD after installing the July 11 patches, your information would be helpful. The errors on the blue screen can pinpoint a conflict with a device. The Device Manager in the Control Panel is also an excellent source of information on installed drivers. What was the source of your drivers – from the manufacturer or were they Microsoft drivers?

This is an example of the type of information that is useful:

OS: Win7 Ultimate SP1 64bit
PATCH: KB 4025337
BSOD Info: STOP SYSTEM_SERVICE_EXCEPTION 0x0000003b
CPU: Intel Core 2 Quad Q8200
GRAPHICS: ATI AMD Radeon HD6450 v15.300.1025.0
CHIPSET: Intel P35/G35/G31 r.10 (or version)
FIX: Uninstalled update, or Rolled back HD6450 driver to n.15.200.1052.0, or Updated Intel chipset drive to…

Any luck in identifying the the exact driver(s) involved would be most helpful to a lot of people.