Newsletter Archives

• MS-DEFCON 3: Please read carefully before patching

  Posted on August 30, 2013 at 19:02 CDT by woody • Comment in the Forums

  I’ve held everybody back on applying automatic updates for two months now, and some of the botched Windows patches are still causing havoc.

  Some of the good news: Microsoft pulled, fixed and re-released the really bad .NET patches we saw in July. They apparently install properly now, for most people, most of the time.

  The Windows Media format runtime patch, MS13-057/KB 2803821 was also pulled, fixed and re-issued.

  There’s a problematic patch for Windows 8 roving around, KB 2862768.  As far as I know, the only symptom is that installing the patch gives you bogus “Sorry this App is No Longer Available” messages when trying to access the Windows Store. It’s a pain in the neck, but it won’t bring your system crashing to its knees. I’m going to write about it more early next week, if Microsoft doesn’t straighten up its act.\

  Finally, the old bugaboo KB 2859537 — the patch that drove me last week to offer to help Microsoft — hasn’t been fixed. In face, I just heard from someone who spent two days on the phone with a Microsoft tech who knew what he was doing, and they couldn’t figure it out. But the good news is that KB 2859537 appears on the Automatic Update list with its box UNchecked.

  So here’s what I suggest you do.

  Go ahead and apply all the outstanding Microsoft updates BUT… BUT don’t go into the Automatic Update list and check any boxes, OK? Let KB 2859537 just sit there until Microsoft gets its act together.

  Also, if you’re using Windows 8, uncheck the box next to KB 2862786.

  I know those are complicated instructions, and for that I apologize: I almost always give a blanket red light/green light. The past two months have been chock full of problems. Better to get the good patches applied.

  I’m moving us to MS-DEFCON 3: Go ahead and patch, but watch out for potential problems. 

  Windows Patches/Security August 2013 Black Tuesday, July 2013 Black Tuesday

• Microsoft botches six (yes, six) Black Tuesday patches: KB 2876063, KB 2859537, KB 2873872, KB 2843638, KB 2843639, and KB 2868846

  Posted on August 15, 2013 at 19:05 CDT by woody • Comment in the Forums

  No, I don’t make this stuff up.

  Last month, we had four botched patches sent down the Automatic Update chute.

  This month, it’s six.

  Admittedly, most of them are for servers — but there’s puh-lenty to worry about if you’re a regular Windows user, and you left Automatic Update on.

  InfoWorld Tech Watch.

  Windows Patches/Security August 2013 Black Tuesday, KB 2843638, KB 2843639, KB 2859537, KB 2868846, KB 2873872, KB 2876063, Wotta mess