Newsletter Archives

• Microsoft explains the confusion over .NET 1809 update KB 4481031

  Posted on January 24, 2019 at 09:45 CST by woody • Comment in the Forums

  This is refreshing. Not the bugs, but the fact that we got a full explanation.

  (See Susan Bradley’s “Bring it on” post below.)

  You’ll recall my puzzlement over the .NET patch for Win10 1809, KB 4481031, released two days ago:

  • The patch was identified as a “Preview”
  • It was being sent out to seekers, and
  • It was also being sent out over Windows Update

  Which is a bizarre set of circumstances. At the time I guessed it was a big mess-up in the documentation. In fact, there was a little bit more happening.

  Per a new .NET blog post:

  The term “Preview” was removed from non-security Cumulative .NET updates for Window 10 version 1809 and Windows Server 2019.

  That explains the incorrect documentation. But there’s more.

  Per the updated KB 4481031 article:

  For 24 hours, this Jan 22, 2019 Cumulative Update for .NET Framework 3.5 and 4.7.2 (KB4481031) was made available broadly on Windows Update as an automatic update. As of January 23, 2019, this update is no longer offered on Windows Update as an automatic update, but rather only to “seekers” who go to Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update, and then select Check for updates, as is expected.

  I take great umbrage at that “as is expected” stinger. I would guess that 99.99% of all the folks who click Check for updates don’t realize that they’re going to get all of the patches currently waiting in the queue – without a chance to review or accept them.

  Anyway, it appears as if everything is now working the way it’s meant to work. Seekers and all.

  Thanks to Francis, posting anonymously.

  Windows Patches/Security KB 4481031

• Is yesterday’s .NET Preview, KB 4481031, being pushed onto 1809 machines?

  Posted on January 23, 2019 at 10:17 CST by woody • Comment in the Forums

  Microsoft’s documentation says that yesterday’s “January 22, 2019 — KB4481031 Preview of Cumulative Update for .NET Framework 3.5 and 4.7.2 for Windows 10, version 1809 and Windows Server 2019” is being pushed out the Automatic Update chute.

  That’s weird. .NET Previews aren’t supposed to be pushed onto machines. But this is what the KB article says:

  To download and install this update, go to Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update and select Check for updates.

  This update will be downloaded and installed automatically from Windows Update. To get the standalone package for this update, go to the Microsoft Update Catalog website.

  which is a strange mixture of a Seeker Sting and a Forced Update.

  I checked my 1809 honeypot machine (0 day “quality update” deferral) and it hasn’t been installed.

  My guess is that the documentation’s wrong. Anybody seeing anything different?

  Thanks @b

  UPDATE: The documentation was bad. Microsoft has since changed the KB article to say “January 22, 2019 — KB4481031 Cumulative update for .NET Framework 3.5 and 4.7.2 for Windows 10, version 1809 and Windows Server 2019” — no mention of Preview.

  Windows Patches/Security KB 4481031