Newsletter Archives

• Connected User Services

  Posted on November 20, 2015 at 08:13 CST by woody • Comment in the Forums

  I’m on a mini-vacation, still connected, but not surrounded by my usual array of machines. So I was very disheartened to read this story:

  Microsoft renames Diagnostic Tracking Service to Connected User Experiences and Telemetry

  Ghacks is a generally-credible source, often breaking news.

  Unfortunately, I don’t have the machines at my beck and call to check this out. I’ll be looking into it, in depth, when I’m back in my office on Thanksgiving day (next Thursday). In the interim, if any of you have first-hand knowledge of what’s going on – or you see an article with a new perspective – please let me know.

  t/h MFM

  Windows Patches/Security Connected User Services

• What happened to the October patches?

  Posted on November 18, 2015 at 06:25 CST by woody • Comment in the Forums

  Just got this from EG

  Hi Woody,

  The last “relevant” post to ask this question in is 3 pages deep now and I’m sure many others have the same question too.

  I realize November’s updates are still being scrutinized but what’s the scoop with the October updates?

  They’re still in Defcon 2 as far as I can see so there’s a BUNCH of “Important” updates sitting in my pending list.

  Any chance you can start a new thread with the status of October’s updates… if nothing else just to let us know they’re not forgotten?

  Thanks Woody!

  On November 5, I opened the gates for October patches. See https://www.askwoody.com/2015/msdefcon-3-windows-office-patched-aware-consequences/

  I’m still very skeptical of the November patches. We’ve already seen two of them re-issued, one that was bricking Outlook on some systems. There aren’t any killer security holes so, as long as you’re not using Internet Explorer, I say hold tight.

  Windows Patches/Security November 2015 Black Tuesday

• Problems with Excel 2007 Security Update KB3101554?

  Posted on November 17, 2015 at 09:20 CST by woody • Comment in the Forums

  Just got this from JR –

  Hi Woody

  I’ve found that Excel 2007 Security Update KB3101554 breaks the bar charts in some of my Excel 2007 SP3 spreadsheets. They go blank when you scroll the spreadsheet.

  The problem was rectified by a simple uninstall of the KB without even the need for a restart.

  Has anyone else found this?

  Best regards and many thanks for all that I’ve learned from your website and Dummies books over the years.

  I haven’t seen it yet. Have you?

  Windows Patches/Security KB 3101554

• Is Win10 v 1511 breaking Hyper-V?

  Posted on November 13, 2015 at 11:22 CST by woody • Comment in the Forums

  An interesting note from reader AR:

  This “upgrade” seems to destroy existing Hyper-V setups.

  My rather simple setup include a virtual switch to the physical Ethernet port on my machine, which makes the host connect through a Hyper-V Virtual Ethernet Adapter. It doesn’t work after the upgrade to 10586, but even worse, I don’t seem to be able to uninstall it either!

  When I try to remove the external switch in Hyper-V I get the error “Can’t remove internal miniport … Invalid parameter: (0x80041008)” [translated from Swedish].

  It seems like the Hyper-V upgrade to allow nested virtualization is broken somewhere.

  If you know a solution, please tell me!

  I found a similar complaint on a Chinese language forum.

  Anybody hit this one?

  Windows Patches/Security error 0x80041008, Hyper-V, Windows 10

• New Windows 10 v 1511 still can’t beat Windows 7

  Posted on November 12, 2015 at 10:42 CST by woody • Comment in the Forums

  For many folks, it’s still worth waiting for a better Win10.

  InfoWorld review.

  Windows Patches/Security Windows 10 build 1511

• Check but don’t download

  Posted on November 12, 2015 at 09:42 CST by woody • Comment in the Forums

  Good question from reader LtL

  I see you recommend that W7 users set Important updates to “check for updates but let me chose whether to download and install them’ . One wonders why anyone would not have it chosen on W7, unless they use the default knowingly or unknowingly. Some chose the setting ‘download updates but let me chose when to install them’. I ask because I recently read a post on the W7 Forum from a user who has the latter setting and with the November updates, he found that his setting was ignored and the install continued without his permission – specifically on a shutdown (he pointed out that it did not happen on a restart). Just gremlins?

  Secondly, what do you advise on the setting: ‘Who can install updates’ ? I think the default is checked to allow All Users. I am the only user on my laptop, with an admin and standard user logon ID, so no matter where I am logged in, anything that goes sideways is my doing.

  I am relatively new to your forum and I very much appreciate your no nonsense approach to what has become no less a circus.

  I’ve heard similar stories of Windows simultaneously installing updates on shutdown if they’ve been downloaded – haven’t been able to verify the cause, but it does happen. Thus, the “check but don’t download” recommendation.

  I usually allow All Users, but they have to have admin privileges anyway, so it isn’t a particularly crucial setting.
  Windows Patches/Security

• Microsoft surreptitiously re-releases botched patch KB 3097877, the Outlook and network logon buster

  Posted on November 12, 2015 at 06:50 CST by woody • Comment in the Forums

  Looks like they fixed it.

  InfoWorld Woody on Windows.

  Windows Patches/Security KB 3097877

• Has KB3104540 been pulled?

  Posted on November 11, 2015 at 12:12 CST by woody • Comment in the Forums

  That’s the massive Office patch, MS 15-116. I’m hearing rumors that Microsoft yanked it.

  Windows Patches/Security KB 3104540

• Botched security patch KB 3097877 blamed for Outlook crashes, network sign-in black screens

  Posted on November 11, 2015 at 12:04 CST by woody • Comment in the Forums

  Also the Win7 sidebar and gadgets disappear, and Asus Audio Center dies

  No acknowledgment from Microsoft, of course.

  InfoWorld Woody on Windows

  Windows Patches/Security KB 3097877

• Windows 10 Insiders: Make sure your PC updated to build 10586.3

  Posted on November 11, 2015 at 07:32 CST by woody • Comment in the Forums

  If you run a winver on your Win10 machine (instructions in the article), you should come up with either build 10240 or 10586.3. 

  With TH2/Fall Update/ version 1511 coming soon – my bet is still on tomorrow, Thursday – it’d be a good idea to get caught up.

  InfoWorld Woody on Windows

  Windows Patches/Security 10586.3, Windows 10

• Win10 cumulative updates KB 3105210, KB 3105213, 100 more patches, and some surprises

  Posted on November 10, 2015 at 16:34 CST by woody • Comment in the Forums

  Including the real, final name of Windows 10 Fall Update.

  InfoWorld Woody on Windows

  Windows Patches/Security KB 3105210, KB 3105213, November 2015 Black Tuesday

• MS-DEFCON 2: Block auto updates in 7/8.1, but let Win10 go free

  Posted on November 9, 2015 at 19:05 CST by woody • Comment in the Forums

  Strange times call for strange measures.

  I’m putting us at MS-DEFCON 2 for Windows 7 and 8.1, but lowering all the shields for Windows 10.

  Vista, Win7, Win8.1: I recommend that you use the instructions on the Automatic Update tab above to set your machines to “Check for updates but don’t download.”

  Win10: The quality of the cumulative updates has been so good that I recommend you get them installed prior to the Windows 10 Fall Update release. That means if you have your internet connection set up as a “metered connection” you should take off the cap, and let the latest cumulative updates install. That will probably make the Fall Update install better – and it’s likely, if you’re running Win10, that you’re going to want the Fall Update.

  So for most of you, I’m recommending MS-DEFCON 2: Patch reliability is unclear. Unless you have an immediate, pressing need to install a specific patch, don’t do it.

  For Win10 users, I suggest you spread your arms wide and welcome the inevitable. Reenact the final scene in “Sons of Anarchy.” I still don’t expect the Windows 10 Fall Update on Tuesday, but I bet we get it this week.

  Windows Patches/Security November 2015 Black Tuesday
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