MS-DEFCON 2: Patch Tuesday beckons, make sure Auto Update is turned off

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Tomorrow’s Patch Tuesday and you probably know what that means – it’s a good time to get Windows Automatic Update turned off. This month we have some
[See the full post at: MS-DEFCON 2: Patch Tuesday beckons, make sure Auto Update is turned off]

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geekdom, Microfix, abbodi86

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I think it’s great that we’re finally getting some relief from the insane two-versions-a-year pace. But has anybody thought through how this is, you know, actually going to work?

If I remember correctly Microsoft said the 1909 as CU is a one time affair.

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Here’s the M$ link Woody referred to in his original article about Win10 1909 being a “Service Pack”: https://blogs.windows.com/windowsexperience/2019/07/01/evolving-windows-10-servicing-and-quality-the-next-steps/. M$ said No Such Thing. If Woody’s interpretation is correct, 1903 AKA 19H1 AKA yyH1 is a Full version. AKA “feature update”. Then 1909 AKA 19H2 AKA yyH2 will be a Cumulative Update. AKA “Service Pack” AKA “quality update”. Unless Micro$oft changes their mind in 2020 or even sooner, each yyH1 will have new features & each yyH2 will clean up minor bugs and/or feature changes that can wait for 6 months. Each “quality update” in-between may fix major bugs or goofs that can’t wait. Which so far has been every month! M$ is tempting me to finally upgrade from Win8.1 to Win10 1909… but until Woody is satisfied with how that works, I won’t be either.

Bought a refurbished Windows 10 64-bit, currently updated to 22H2. Have broke the AC adapter cord going to the 8.1 machine, but before that, coaxed it into charging. Need to buy new adapter if wish to continue using it.
Wild Bill Rides Again...

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Microsoft is surely going to call it a “feature update”, no matter how big or small it is.  Why? Because they have a sales & support strategy built up around the idea of “two feature updates every year”…. especially the part where the second-half releases get 30 months of support.  This strategy was introduced, what, two years ago, tops?  They’d look pretty foolish to dump it so soon.

That’s why they can’t just skip 19H2, even if it is just 19H1 with the “H1” scribbled over with red crayon, and “H2” written next to it.  They have to put out something!

And besides, there will surely be some new things in 19H2…. I’ve heard that a few items may be backported from 20H1 that are already finished, like performance improvements.  Personally I think the Accessibility features should be backported…. no reason to sit on completed work that actually helps folks with special needs.

We’ll see what happens there.

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The funny would be how MS would service and patch two Windows 10 version with the same base build
it will create two CUs for each which would apply for both?

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Maybe Microsoft will get its patching act together before 1909 becomes a reality.

They already did? A lot of people cannot get 1903 exactly because they actively prevent you from installing it if you’re within conditions of known issues.

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New computer with Win 10 Pro 1809 installed in May.  I am running my first update today before Patch Tuesday. When I change my deferral times to allow updates, do I change the feature update (currently at 365) to zero or leave it to prevent 1903 from installing? Once I have run wushowhide, I can click Check for Updates, correct? I have tried to follow along on all the referenced articles/replies, but sometimes it is difficult because they specifically refer to older versions. I realize all this can change at any time.

Thx!

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Here are some settings for controlling Windows Updates for Pro version and why I recommend each one. Check against what you have set. The Quality update deferral should be set to zero if they aren’t already showing.
Before you check for updates, you need to be sure the ones you think you have hidden are no longer in the update queue. Instructions and links in the post.

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@PKCano:  I’ve never seen anything about “turning the automatic update on or off”, so guess I’m in the dark about that.

I did notice that if I don’t “watch it”, after updating and using the computer, if I go back and turn the “check updates”,  the updates will actually be “ready” to DL and install.  Strange.  I’ve noticed it a few times before, however I’m careful before I “jump”.  Am I missing something?   I have the “Never Check” on always so thought that in the past this was sufficient to keep it under control, apparently I’m wrong since I’ve seen this occur previously.

I only have a stripped down version of Windows 7, x64, Home Premium (I think it is)., no sophisticated programs at all.   Am currently “up to date”.  Thank you for all of the excellent advice you so freely share with all of us.   It is sincerely appreciated.

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@walker

Those instructions are for Win10, NOT Win7.
You are OK.

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@PKCano:    Thank you so very, very much for that information!!  What a relief that was!   WONDERFUL!!     Thank you again for the “good news”, it was Grrrreat!!  You deserve a “huge” BIG STAR for all of the work you do for so many of us !!

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It is good to remind Windows-10 users to NEVER install updates as initially released by Microsoft.  Pity, that what could (emphasis on could) have been a great successor to Windows-7 continues to be sabotaged by rogue updates that so often fix nothing and break things that used to work.

Yet, Microsoft keeps encouraging Windows-7 users to upgrade to Windows-10.  There is whole lot to be said to keep using a solid and very reliable OS.  As for the much-hyped “security enhancements” of Windows-10,  it remains just that “much-hyped.”  Any sense of additional security would be misplaced.  I’ll take reliability over security…thank you.  I Have much better things to do than having to constantly “diddle and twiddle” with an OS to try to get and keep it reliable.

2 users thanked author for this post.

Geo, Microfix

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The patch quality problem is not unique to Windows 10.  Windows 7 got hit by the recent Event Viewer Custom Views and IE SVG rendering bugs, too.

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[EP]

but those minor problems got fixed later in June when MS released small patches for them

• This reply was modified 4 years, 2 months ago by EP.

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I was Win7 Group B until Dec 2017, switched to Group W, haven’t updated since.

Woody urges “drop everything” and install the May 2019 BlueKeep patches.

Can I leapfrog from Dec 2017 to May 2019, then resume Group W?

Or would I have to update every-single-update-in-between, in sequence, first?

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I received notification today of ‘Update for Windows Defender Antivirus antimalware platform – KB4052623 (Version 4.18.1906.3).’ Has anyone installed the update, or should I treat it like the usual monthly patches?

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It’s OK to install the Defender updates whenever they are available.

1 user thanked author for this post.

davinci953

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Quick question: can Windows Defender updates be installed manually? If Windows Updates are deferred, can the Defender Updates still be downloaded within the Defender program, or do they have to come through Windows Update?

Thanks!

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davinci953 wrote:

I received notification today of ‘Update for Windows Defender Antivirus antimalware platform – KB4052623 (Version 4.18.1906.3).’ Has anyone installed the update, or should I treat it like the usual monthly patches?

yes, no problems here

* _ the metaverse is poisonous _ *

1 user thanked author for this post.

davinci953

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[geekdom]

Unless you like beta testing (guinea pigging), turn off your updates: Windows 7, Windows 8.1, Windows 10, and all the other Windows operating systems that fall into the cracks.

And backup your system, just to be safer.

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

• This reply was modified 4 years, 2 months ago by geekdom.

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I hope it’s not necessary to pause updates- otherwise Windows Defender will not receive definition updates, which are crucial.

Molli10

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[davinci953]

Molli10 wrote:

I hope it’s not necessary to pause updates- otherwise Windows Defender will not receive definition updates, which are crucial.

Molli10

Review PKCano’s information on controlling Windows updates. There’s a link to the information in the post #1871729 above.

• This reply was modified 4 years, 2 months ago by davinci953.

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new July 2019 security updates are out as well as new July 2019 Servicing Stack updates for Win8/8.1 and for several Win10 versions

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(again, you have to wonder which bug fixes MS is holding back to beef up the 1909 cumulative update),

You can see public sites for the exploits that are not patched yet.

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There are two  zero-day vulnerabilites that have been exploited in the wild that are patched.

Is that still the advice?

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Guidance under this topic is “If you haven’t recently patched Windows XP, Vista, Win7 [etc.] drop everything and get patched now.” The urgency is related to BlueKeep.

Repeating a question that remains unanswered above, for those who fall into this category (Group W, or Win7 Group B procrastinators, or vacationers just back from Mars):

Is it possible to jump ahead to May 2019 and install the BlueKeep security-only patches?

Or is the choice between:

1. installing the current monthly rollup;
2. installing every skipped security-only update prior to May first;
3. “You’re on your own!”; or
4. none of the above

Although it is now too late to install the green-lighted June monthly rollup (not because the question wasn’t asked in time) it would still be helpful to know the options for a month from now, when the July patches presumably become a “Go!”

Tak.

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If you are patching Group A (Rollups), you only need the May Rollup or any one that comes after, since they are cumulative.
If you are patching Group B, you may try to install only the May Security-only Update. If it installs, you should be OK. Security-only patches are not cumulative.

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walker

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Tak for the quick reply. To be sure I understand, not to be pedantic:

1. if the May 2019 security-only updates successfully install, that amounts to verification that the OS has been protected against the vulnerabilities addressed in those particular updates?
2. Woody comments (or PKCano does, I’m not sure who has pride of ownership) in AKB 2000003: “In order to be protected, you must install all of them. Every. Single. One. By hand. More than that, you have to install them in chronological order – the October patch, followed by the November patch, followed by the December patch, and so on.” That does not imply that using security-only updates to build protection is like fabricating a chain that will fail its intended purpose if any links are missing or out of prescribed order, it just means protection will be incomplete only with regard to the missing updates ?
3. If the answer to #2 is “Yes”, which would imply that each link stands alone, and is capable of integrating with the previous and subsequent one, then why is chronological order imperative?

Trying something to see if it will work represents a significantly higher category of risk than does implementing a procedure others have already confirmed works.

Facing a choice between:

1. staying put with a stable OS well-protected from intrusion by multiple other verifiable defenses, and
2. leaping into the unknown by installing specific security-only updates out of strict sequence through an untried procedure which, even if they successfully install, could not be verified as to additional protection imparted, but night actually leave the OS more vulnerable than it was before (cannot be ruled out, how would one know?), creating a false sense of security…

I would stay put with the belt, rather than trying to add suspenders.

The decision is up to the individual user, I know. I am seeking to collect all relevant information so that decision an informed one.

Tak.

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1.. The Security-only patches are not cumulative. You get patched only the fixes they contain.
2.. The installation sequence is not written in stone, as the updates are supposedly stand-alone. BUT, if there are dependencies from somewhere earlier in the chain, and you do not have that earlier required patch installed, the later one may not work as intended or may not install. I do not have that kind of information. All I can say is try to install the May patch.

The choice:
The consensus is that Bluekeep is coming and is a serious vulnerability. Better to try, with the chance that the patch will will install and you will be protected, than not try at all (IMHO).

1 user thanked author for this post.

walker

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