Newsletter Archives

• MS-DEFCON 4: Get patched, but avoid these stinkers

  Posted on June 5, 2009 at 06:09 CDT by woody • Comment in the Forums

  With ten patches on the way next Tuesday, and many of the problems with older patches fixed, it’s time to get patched up. Unfortunately, there’s a long list of  problematic patches that you should studiously avoid.

  Here are the ones I suggest you pass by:

  Windows Vista Service Pack 2/KB 948645 is causing problems. Dennis O’Reilly talks about some of them in the latest Windows Secrets Newsletter. There’s no pressing need to install Vista SP2, and the PC you toast may be your own. Hold off for now. If you really want to install SP2 and it isn’t offered by Automatic Update, check out KB 948343 for a list of potential problems. Worth noting: that KB article is up to version 14.0. And you trust this stuff?

  Office 2007 Service Pack 2 / KB 953195 has a few problems – just look at the “Known Issues” list at the end of the KB article. Again, there isn’t enough new stuff to justify putting your computer at risk. Patience.

  KB 951847 is a mess of a patch of a patch of a patch of the .NET Framework in Windows XP. The Knowledge Base article is up to version 5.0. This is the one that includes the drive-by installation of a difficult-to-remove add-on for Firefox. I’m beginning to think that it’ll never get fixed – you’re better off waiting until you upgrade to Vista or (better) Windows 7, which have .NET baked in, or wait until Microsoft releases a new version of .NET.

  KB 960715, the ActiveX killbit update, still breaks many programs. I don’t think the cure is any better than the disease. Of course, you’re using Firefox (or Chrome) – or any Web browser that doesn’t directly expose your machine to ActiveX infections, right?

  KB 967715, the Conficker-killer that doesn’t work, is worth installing, but make sure you understand its limitations, as I posted in mid-March.

  I’m still ambivalent about Windows XP Service Pack 3, KB 936929. If you’ve been keeping up on all of your patches, it’s a toss-up. If you decide to install it, and you have problems, be sure to check out Microsoft’s Knowledge Base article KB 950718.

  I’m also ambivalent about Internet Explorer 8. Mark Edwards has a good analysis of the situation on the Windows Secrets web site.

  Sorry to leave you with such a patchwork quilt of good and problematic patches, but I think you’d be well advised to apply all outstanding patches except the ones listed above.

  Office Patches/Security, Windows Patches/Security ActiveX killbit, Conficker, IE 8, Internet Explorer 8, KB 936929, KB 948343, KB 948645, KB 950718, KB 951847, KB 953195, KB 960715, KB 967715, NET Framework patch, Office 2007 SP2, Vista SP2, Windows XP SP3

• Vista Service Pack 1 not available on update lists

  Posted on March 20, 2009 at 07:39 CDT by woody • Comment in the Forums

  I received an interesting message about Vista Service Pack 1 from reader DR:

  I have a Dell laptop with Vista Home Premium that was bought in April 2007.

  I have updated all drivers over the course of the last 2 years, installed KB 938371 and KB 949939, and KB 937287 (installed last month). I have Windows Update set to “notify me, but do not download”, as per your recomendation, and have applied all security updates (after checking with your website and Windows Secrets newsletter of course).

  I still have not been offered Service Pack 1. Is it because I installed KB 937287 just last month and WU needs to catch up, or am I better off dropping $4 to get the service pack CD from Microsoft?

  There are a zillion reasons why you might not be offered Service Pack 1. Microsoft Knowledge Base article 948343 goes through the high points.

  Microsoft used to offer free support with Vista SP1 installation problems, but the “free” part officially disappeared on March 18. I have a feeling that if you go to the SP1 support site, though, you might be able to get free help even though the deadline has passed. If you can’t get the suggestions in KB 948343 to work, try contacting the support site and let me know if they’re still giving it away.

  There’s rarely any good reason for paying to get a service pack. Microsoft actively discourages orders for patch CDs – for good reason. They’re a pain for everybody. Unless you have the world’s worst internet connection, you can get everything you need online.

  Windows Patches/Security KB 937287, KB 938371, KB 948343, KB 949939, Vista Service Pack 1