Newsletter Archives

• Microsoft re-re-re…releases KB 4023057, the “blast a way to the next version” patch

  Posted on August 28, 2020 at 11:49 CDT by woody • Comment in the Forums

  And here we go again.

  Microsoft has just re-released KB 4023057, the “Update to Windows 10, versions 1507, 1511, 1607, 1703, 1709, 1803, 1809, 1903, and 1909 for update reliability” patch that’s gone through dozens of versions.

  The intent is quite simple: If you’ve done anything to prevent automatic installation of the next version of Windows (at this moment, version 2004), running KB 4023057 is intended to blast away all impediments to being force-marched onto 2004. Last time I talked about it in Computerworld was a little over a year ago.

  I don’t see it available on my production machines, but if you see it, you should studiously ignore it.

  Windows Patches/Security KB 4023057

• Still running Win10 v1809 or earlier? Watch out for KB 4023057!

  Posted on February 18, 2020 at 19:45 CST by PKCano • Comment in the Forums

  The Infamous “Let us help you get upgraded” patch KB 4023057 has once again raised it’s ugly head. Each time it is re-released, the newer version makes it again eligible for Windows Update. Looks like Microsoft may be getting ready to push Force Upgrades to versions of Win10 prior to v1903/1909.

  This time.KB 4023057 is listed and 2019-12 Update for Windows 10. The last one was listed as “2019-08,” so it has been revised again and will need to be hidden again.
  Here is the description of what it does according to Microsoft:

  Notes about this update

  • This update may request your device to stay awake longer to enable installation of updates.

    Note The installation will respect any user-configured sleep configurations and also your “active hours” when you use your device the most.

  • This update may try to reset network settings if problems are detected, and it will clean up registry keys that may be preventing updates from being installed successfully.

  • This update may repair disabled or corrupted Windows operating system components that determine the applicability of updates to your version of Windows 10.

  • This update may compress files in your user profile directory to help free up enough disk space to install important updates.

  • This update may reset the Windows Update database to repair the problems that could prevent updates from installing successfully. Therefore, you may see that your Windows Update history was cleared.

  Windows Patches/Security KB 4023057

• There’s a new KB 4023057 making the rounds

  Posted on May 17, 2019 at 08:09 CDT by woody • Comment in the Forums

  Let’s see. It’s Friday. There must be a new version of KB 4023057, the “Update to Windows 10, versions 1507, 1511, 1607, 1703, 1709, and 1803 for update reliability reliability” patch.

  Reliably.

  Short version: We don’t really know what it does, except to blast away anything you or your machine has done to block upgrading to version 1903. Oddly, it still isn’t being released to Win10 1809.

  Günter Born has all the details. We’ve been covering it here forever.

  Windows Patches/Security KB 4023057

• Microsoft re-re-re…-releases KB 4023057, the “Update to Win10 1507, 1511, 1607, 1703, 1709, and 1803 for update reliability”

  Posted on April 6, 2019 at 08:18 CDT by woody • Comment in the Forums

  I last talked about it on Nov. 19:

  KB 4023057 has been updated, with a lengthy KB article and very little substance that I can discern.

  This update includes files and resources that address issues that affect the update processes in Windows 10 that may prevent important Windows updates from being installed. These improvements help make sure that updates are installed seamlessly on your device, and they help improve the reliability and security of devices that are running Windows 10.

  We saw it on Sept. 9 and earlier on January 8.

  @ch100 has offered the only explanation that makes sense to me:

  KB4023057 was and still is one of the most weird and unexplained updates in the recent times. This update has never been offered to WSUS, but only to Windows Update. This would indicate that it meant for unmanaged end-users and unmanaged small business users…

  This patch may be harmless, but why it was released and where it actually applies, it is still a mystery.

  The KB article has been updated with a release date of April 4. No doubt this version has more goodies to break the back of any system trying to avoid Win10 1903. Which is funny because 1803 and 1809 are supposed to grow native, built-in 1903 blocking features. More about that Monday morning in the AskWoody Plus Newsletter.

  If you want to well and truly hide it — which isn’t easy — follow @PKCano’s directions.

  Odd that MS hasn’t added Win1o 1809 to its list of affected versions.

  Windows Patches/Security KB 4023057

• Where we stand with the February patches

  Posted on March 1, 2019 at 07:23 CST by woody • Comment in the Forums

  What an odd month.

  We got a ton of bugs introduced in the Patch Tuesday patches that were — mostly, but not completely — solved by patches later in the month. Microsoft’s still holding back on Win10 1809 patches, which is good news — but 1809 isn’t “ready for business.” And the mystery update bulldozer patch KB 4023057 has come out of the closet, into the Catalog.

  Details in Computerworld Woody on Windows.

  We’re still at MS-DEFCON 2. As far as I know, there are no major security problems solved by the February patches, so let’s give things a rest for now. Those of you using Win10 Pro or Enterprise, who follow my recommendations, have already installed updates, and everybody else should sit back and enjoy the weekend.

  UPDATE: And, of course, just minutes after the Computerworld article hit, Microsoft released KB 4482887 – the second February cumulative update for Win10 version 1809. Except they’re calling it the March 1 update. There’s an enormous list of 36 fixes. As usual for a second “optional non-security” cumulative update, you have to manually install it or click Check for updates.

  Windows Patches/Security February 2019 Black Tuesday, KB 4023057

• MS-DEFCON 4: A perfect calm before the next patching storm

  Posted on December 7, 2018 at 11:44 CST by woody • Comment in the Forums

  Well, not literally perfect, but pretty close. Get your patches installed.

  There’s a new Flash update, KB 4471331, that you need (if it appears in your Windows Update list) and a new KB 4023057 that you don’t want.

  Last month’s tactic of setting Win10 Pro “quality update” (cumulative update) deferrals to 15 days seems to be working well. If you followed my advice last month, you already have your patches, and everything should be fine. You don’t need to lift a finger.

  Details in Computerworld. Woody on Windows

  We’re at MS-DEFCON 4: There are isolated problems with current patches, but they are well-known and documented here. Check this site to see if you’re affected and if things look OK, go ahead and patch.

  Windows Patches/Security KB 4023057, KB 4471331, MS-DEFCON 4, November 2018 Black Tuesday

• Microsoft pushes yet another version of KB 4023057

  Posted on December 7, 2018 at 10:42 CST by woody • Comment in the Forums

  In the perennial bad news department:

  Yesterday Microsoft released yet another version of KB 4023057, the Update to Windows 10, versions 1507, 1511, 1607, 1703, 1709, and 1803 for update reliability. This is the 20th or 30th version of the patch.

  As I said on Nov 19, the last time it was updated:

  @ch100 has offered the only explanation that makes sense to me:

  KB4023057 was and still is one of the most weird and unexplained updates in the recent times. This update has never been offered to WSUS, but only to Windows Update. This would indicate that it meant for unmanaged end-users and unmanaged small business users…

  This patch may be harmless, but why it was released and where it actually applies, it is still a mystery.

  It’s most likely associated with the 1809 rollout, although why it didn’t appear in early October when 1809 first raised its ugly head leaves me baffled.

  Windows Patches/Security KB 4023057

• Mystery patch KB 4023057 reappears — a “reliability improvement” to some 1507, 1511, 1607, 1703, 1709 and 1803 machines

  Posted on November 19, 2018 at 11:58 CST by woody • Comment in the Forums

  Here we go again.

  KB 4023057 has been updated, with a lengthy KB article and very little substance that I can discern.

  This update includes files and resources that address issues that affect the update processes in Windows 10 that may prevent important Windows updates from being installed. These improvements help make sure that updates are installed seamlessly on your device, and they help improve the reliability and security of devices that are running Windows 10.

  We saw it on Sept. 9 and earlier on January 8.

  @ch100 has offered the only explanation that makes sense to me:

  KB4023057 was and still is one of the most weird and unexplained updates in the recent times. This update has never been offered to WSUS, but only to Windows Update. This would indicate that it meant for unmanaged end-users and unmanaged small business users…

  This patch may be harmless, but why it was released and where it actually applies, it is still a mystery.

  It’s most likely associated with the 1809 rollout, although why it didn’t appear in early October when 1809 first raised its ugly head leaves me baffled. Anybody out there have a better intel?

  Windows Patches/Security KB 4023057
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