MS-DEFCON 2: Make sure Windows automatic update is temporarily turned off

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Traditionally, August is a slow month, with lots of ‘Softies on vacation, and an unusually large share of beginners’ mistakes. It’s time to check your
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abbodi86

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I’m more concerned when regular ‘Softies’ return from vacation! August over the last couple of years has been relatively painless with the exception of a Win7 dual monitor issue in 2017. September to July however is anyone’s guess..

Windows - commercial by definition and now function...

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OscarCP, WildBill

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The errors tend to be less obvious. For example, last week we got a list of non-security Office patches. It was late… and the KB articles didn’t show up for many hours.

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What’s a softie?

On permanent hiatus {with backup and coffee}
offline▸ Win10Pro 2004.19041.572 x64 i3-3220 RAM8GB HDD Firefox83.0b3 WindowsDefender
offline▸ Acer TravelMate P215-52 RAM8GB Win11Pro 22H2.22621.1265 x64 i5-10210U SSD Firefox106.0 MicrosoftDefender
online▸ Win11Pro 22H2.22621.1992 x64 i5-9400 RAM16GB HDD Firefox116.0b3 MicrosoftDefender

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Microsoft employee.

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walker, geekdom

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Riggghhhhtt. Thanks. I’ll make my backups now.

On permanent hiatus {with backup and coffee}
offline▸ Win10Pro 2004.19041.572 x64 i3-3220 RAM8GB HDD Firefox83.0b3 WindowsDefender
offline▸ Acer TravelMate P215-52 RAM8GB Win11Pro 22H2.22621.1265 x64 i5-10210U SSD Firefox106.0 MicrosoftDefender
online▸ Win11Pro 22H2.22621.1992 x64 i5-9400 RAM16GB HDD Firefox116.0b3 MicrosoftDefender

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More so than just beginner mistakes is the Telemetry that got slipped into the July 2019 security only update for Windows 7.  July’s Sec Only is on my permanent skip list and I did not bother with IE11 updates as well because that’s cumulative in Aug anyways.

And seeing how MS outsourced their QA/QC some time ago it’s looking like that’s Beginners 24/7 and 365 for more year round pain.

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I’m not an IT Pro, I’m just a home user with a home network.

That being said, my drive images are automatic, weekly.  I never turn off updates, and I check for updates every couple of days.  If something gets pooched, I’ve got an up-to-date drive image.  I can restore my OS partition is under 6 minutes.

For the record, nothing has been pooched.  I had an issue with DISM about a year ago, but that was fairly easily sorted out.  Other than that, I’ve never had a black screen or BSOD caused by a Windows or Office update.  Everything continues to just work.

Always create a fresh drive image before making system changes/Windows updates; you may need to start over!

We all have our own reasons for doing the things that we do with our systems; we don't need anyone's approval, and we don't all have to do the same things.

We were all once "Average Users".

Computer Specs

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I have wanted to ask this question but always kept forgetting.

When Woody says to temporarily turned off Windows automatic update. Does this mean to temporarily turned off Windows automatic update until a certain date. Then after that date, turn Windows automatic update back ON?

I always have Windows automatic update in the OFF position all the time. Is this the correct way to set WU or am I missing something?

Thanks,

Sparky

Dell, W10 Professional, 64-bit, Intel Core i7 Quad, Group A

HP, W7 Home Premium, 64-bit, AMD Phenom II, Group A

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Sparky, I can’t speak for Woody; but if you’re asking about your Win7 system I can tell you what I do.  I keep the Windows Update setting always set to “Never check for updates (not recommended)“.  And whenever Woody gives the all-clear (generally DEFCON 4) I go ahead and do a manual “Check for Updates” at that time.  However, I don’t ever change the setting to “Install updates automatically”.  The way I see it that setting is just asking for trouble.  I want to stay in control of when my system gets its updates — at least as much as I can (despite Microsoft’s attempts at taking it over).  Based on what you said it sounds like you’re doing the same thing that I am.  So I think you should be fine.

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Lars220, Sparky

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Tom-R,

Yes, I was asking about my Win7 system.
The way you described how you do it is exactly how I have been doing it.

Thanks for the reply,

Sparky

Dell, W10 Professional, 64-bit, Intel Core i7 Quad, Group A

HP, W7 Home Premium, 64-bit, AMD Phenom II, Group A

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Myst

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Okay, so patch Tuesday is upon us once again. For my Windows 7 rig, I find three security update patches for Office 32-bit products: Office 2010 – KB4475506, Outlook 2010 – KB4475573, and Word 2010 – KB4475533. When I search for these at Softie Central, I get the standard blurb “After 10 years, support for Windows 7 is nearing the end. Learn more.” But , also getting “Sorry, page not found.” Oh, and a picture of a crane lowering “404.” I am seeing this screen more and more often when I query Windows 7 support. It appears to me that MS has deleted thousands of pages of support information for Windows 7, months and even years in some cases, before the best OS ever created by man is retired.

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Usually, the links are not posted in the catalog until 10:00am PDT US when MS releases the monthly updates. And the Support pages are usually posted at roughly the same time.

But this is August. And many of the regular Softies are on vacation, it would seem. So things may not be done as usual by those that fill in.

See Woody’s post #1906987.

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Thanks Boss. Our German friends are on this as well:

https://www.deskmodder.de/blog/2019/08/13/office-2016-2013-2010-sicherheitsupdates-13-08-2019/

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Last month I took the leap from a very old, slow and about to be terminated Win7 x32 system to a shiny new Win10 Pro 1903 installation. With all data and settings previously backed up, and the old drive still available on a usb connection, I have to say that I found the change relatively simple and the experience positive. I’ve spent the past few weeks clearing out the cr*pware, getting to know my way around all the back streets that I could find, and battening down the hatches ready for Patch Tuesday. I also bought a new tin hat, just in case. Everything bar Defender updates paused until 1st September, SSD cloned to spare  and so far holding steady at anchor.

Thank you Woody, Patch Lady and all the other major contributors to these forums.

Win10 22H2 Pro, MBAM Premium, Firefox, OpenOffice, Sumatra PDF.

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Lars220

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[EP]

new security updates for Windows and Office are out this August 2019 (no new adobe flash player security updates included)

just in: KB4474419 V2 SHA-2 update for Win7/Server 2008 R2 Aug. 2019 release is out. need the SHA-2 updates in order to receive the W7 Aug. 2019 or higher updates from WU

• This reply was modified 5 years, 9 months ago by EP.
• This reply was modified 5 years, 9 months ago by EP.

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it looks like the 4512486 security-only and 4512506 security rollup updates DO require the 4474419 SHA-2 update for Win7.

also problems will occur between these new updates and Symantec/Norton antivirus/endpoint protection software regarding SHA-2 only support:
https://support.symantec.com/us/en/article.tech255857.html

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Myst, Lars220, Microfix, woody

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Checking for updates for my Windows 10 Pro I received:

KB890830 Malicious Software Removal Tool
KB2267602 Security Intelligence Update for Windows Defender Antivirus (5 different versions)
KB4512508 Quality Update

That’s it, so far.

Always create a fresh drive image before making system changes/Windows updates; you may need to start over!

We all have our own reasons for doing the things that we do with our systems; we don't need anyone's approval, and we don't all have to do the same things.

We were all once "Average Users".

Computer Specs

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I read this article yesterday and tried to follow the instructions.  I was on 1803 and didnt want to update until next year as I don’t have a good back up of my files and I’m  not certain how the changes will affect me.  I didnt have the exact same options mentioned and i know automatic updates were turned off and i was to be notified if changes were going to be made.

About 4:30pm my laptop started doing something.  I had nothing open.  I shut down and kept it off for awhile as it was getting really hot.   I turned it back on about 90 min later and it immediately was doing something again.  I left to eat dinner and watch tv.  It’s now 9:35pm and checked my laptop.  It is still making noise and hot.  I checked the windows update screen, it is installing 1903, was at 85%!  It also shows an update for 1803. I did not want this to happen!

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One thing that I’d be interested in knowing (and probably others here as well) is whether or not your system is Win 10 Home or Pro.   And another question of interest would be knowing if your Internet connection is set to “Metered”, and if that connection is Wi-Fi or Ethernet.

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