MS-DEFCON 3: Get patches installed, but tread lightly, and roll back Office 2013 Click-to-Run

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With almost a hundred patches arriving since the last time I moved to MS-DEFCON 3 (March 16), the Windows and Office patching scene looks as daunting
[See the full post at: MS-DEFCON 3: Get patches installed, but tread lightly, and roll back Office 2013 Click-to-Run]

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I have installed KB3145739 on all my Win7 and Win8.1 machines. But I have hidden the Win Update Client patches KB3138612 on Win7 and KB3183615 on Win8.1 on all but one Win7 machine.

The search on my test Win7 machine (clean install with Win Update Client patches, among others, hidden) has gone from hours or a day to minutes. The time seems to be similarly reduced on the few other machines on which I have run the search for updates recently.

However, at this point there are no important updates to be found and there have been no new optional ones to find since 4/19.

The proof of the pudding will be the next patch Tuesdays – next week and the week after. MAYBE KB3145739 is the answer to a speedier Windows Update.

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Yep. We’ll have to wait and see….

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In the Windows 7 instructions you say “run GWX”. You’ve said this before, but do you really mean install GWX if not already installed? Once it’s installed, it’s always “running”…correct?

iPhone 13, 2019 iMac(SSD)

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Woody, thank you so much for MS-Defcon3 alert, and the tremendous amount of work you did to address the specifics for each version of Windows. WOW!!! Absolutely wonderful! We all owe you a debt of gratitude – – – PLUS!!!

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GWX Control Panel has a “Monitor Mode” option. If you choose to use that option, you won’t need to run GWX Control Panel again – it’s already running.

Personally, I don’t use Monitor Mode. I don’t like to leave anything running if I don’t have to. So I run GWX Control Panel manually, twice.

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P.S. Thanks for the note. I’ve modified the main post to incorporate it.

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Hi Woody,

You give the go-ahead for KB 3139398 on Windows Vista computers. How about Windows 7? OK there too? Thanks.

Cheers,

Marty

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For my Windows 7 Pro the Russian timezone fix is KB3148851.

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Got it. Thanks!

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Thank You Woody! Wanted to let you know that your recommendation on how to shorten the time needed for windows update worked for me. My almost 6 year old W7 Home Premium x64 laptop has never had windows auto update enabled. I have Always had it set to “Never check for updates.” I’ve always waited to install the updates until you give the go ahead. End of March I installed 3138612 and 3139852, I then jumped off the cliff and installed all the optional updates minus whatever was on my ‘do not install list.’ It had been a year or two since I installed any optional updates. so my thinking was it might help reduce the time needed to generate the update list. I saw a slight improvement in the update time needed to generate the list go from the 60-90 minutes that was needed previously to around 45-60 minutes. After installing 3145739 on April 19th I now see the update list in one to two minutes. Since the 19th I’ve run Windows Update 3 times including today when I installed what I needed. I have NEVER seen Windows Update work as fast as it is now, not even remotely close. The only optional update I installed today was the MSE definition. Today it took one minute to generate the list and a total of 13 minutes to find, download, install, reboot, configure and start windows. I’m still in shock! On a sidenote, 3146706 was listed as important but unchecked. I also run GWX Control Panel manually and have yet to see anything relating to WX. Thanks Again Woody!

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Is Kb 3139398 really okay? I heard that there might be issues with that in regarding to update search and other weird thing effects.

I must confess to be confused as for why the Russian time zone patch to be considered as Important.

Thank you very much

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I don’t have Office (officially), can I wait to patch till may 9th or not

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No problems with Office 2013 Click-to-Run version 15.0.4815.1001. At least with Access 2013.

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Nope, get all the outstanding patches installed, per the description here – Office and Windows alike.

Heaven only knows what havoc will reign on May 9.

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Yeah, 3139398 looks good to me.

The Russian time zone patch was kind of a joke. Sorry. There’s no need to install it, unless you’re concerned about daylight savings time in some very obscure parts of Russia.

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I think you missed my question about KB 3139398 for Windows 7. You recommended installing it now for Vista. Does the same hold for Windows 7?

Thanks.

M.

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In fact the Russian Zone patch KB3148851 is a cumulative time zone patch which include the Russian time zone.
So you may install it or not. Installing it helps with avoiding another supersedence issue slowing down svchost.exe in addition to all the others when patching in the future. Just one of those little things that all add up.

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Woody,
I am running Vista (I know I will have to change in the next year) and I had problems with a too-early download of KB3146706; my post on your site on 18 April 2016 refers. You now recommend getting patched-up with the April issues: does that also apply to KB3146706? If so and if that patch still causes problems, what are the risks of removing it and ignoring it?
Regards,
Gord

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As long as you’re running a “genuine” copy of Windows, you shouldn’t have any problem with it.

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Yes, I do. I just modified the main post to show it… I think…

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@Woody,

I just restored 9398 based on your post and as a result, Windows went into an auto update check.

The manual check was so silent, and so quick, that I actually thought something was wrong.

Is that where we are at with Windows that an instruction-task that performs correctly and efficiently raises concerns that Windows is having a problem?

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I’m running Windows 7 and I’m relatively new to askwoody.com. I would like to know why the GWX Control Panel is repeatedly being recommended.

I have never used automatic updates (not even “Notify”). I’ve always used Windows Update manually and I screen every update that is offered. I don’t have KB3035583 installed (or KB2952664) and, every time a new version is offered in Windows Update, I hide it. Do I really need the GWX Control Panel?

If I want some added protection to ensure that my system is never upgraded to Windows 10, why isn’t it sufficient simply to set the registry keys documented in KB3080351, or use Never10 to set them?

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The KB 3080351 keys work fine – Josh Mayfield, the developer behind GWX Control Panel, showed Microsoft what those keys actually do, and the KB has been updated so it’s now accurate.

Steve Gibson’s Never10 works well, too.

Avoiding any update that re-introduced the “Get Windows 10” campaign works, too.

Use any or all! I just find GWX Control Panel to be the most comprehensive and easiest.

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Woody: Just a clarification on KB3146706 which is referenced in your MS-Defcon3 information. It states to not check this one, and I’ve seen this several times previously.

Now I noted that it’s “okay”, in certain circumstances. If it’s not something that is “needed” then I’m leaning towards just leaving it unchecked.

Thank you for your guidance with this one.

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Microsoft’s given very few details about the patch.

General rule: If it ain’t checked, don’t check it.

Ancillary rule: If it is checked and you’re running a pirate copy of Windows 7, uncheck it.

Otherwise, don’t worry about it one way or the other.

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Woody, I have a question about this statement in your post above:

“Windows 7: If you haven’t yet followed the trick for speeding up Windows Update scans, use the method described in this InfoWorld article to first grease the skids. Yes, that means you should install KB 3139398 manually.”

Regarding the last sentence, I do not see how KB 3139398 relates to the method described in that InfoWorld article — it does not seem to be mentioned in that article, which is about 2 different KB numbers.

I have looked KB 3139398 up in your search facility here to see where you’ve talked about it before, and on April 24th you wrote about it:
“KB 3139398 is an odd USB driver fix. It’s still having problems installing on some machines, but if you remove any USB drives in the machine and disable your antivirus, it’ll probably go in fine.
…Do you need to install it right now? No. I don’t know of any exploits as yet.”

Are you now recommending installing it?

If so, to install it, do we need to remove USB drives and disable our antivirus first?

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Oops. I mixed up the two KBs. Will make changes to the main post momentarily. Thanks for catching this.

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Yes, I’m running Office 2013 CtR version 15.0.4815.1001 as well and I’ve had no problems with Outlook. I don’t use Lync.

I’m tempted to leave things as they are and will consider rolling back to the previous version only if I start to encounter problems. I’m hoping that the next set of Office 2013 CtR patches will fix the problem.

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Thank you for clarifying!

There seems to be a small typo above, in the following section:

“Last month, I warned Vista users about KB 3139398 and KB 3139852, but the first appears to be good to go, and the second has already been superseded by KB 3145739 – so if you followed my directions earlier and installed KB 3145739 already, in order to speed up your scans, the old KB 319852 won’t even appear.”

In the last line, the KB number needs another “3”.

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I am running Vista on my Dell 64 Bit machine. Both the Windows Updates and Windows Defender will not update? I got a message in Defender that says ‘The Program Can’t Check For Definition Updates’ It just sits there for hours and does nothing. I read that if I install KB3145739 it will speed up the Updates. How do I install KB3145739 if it is not listed as an update on my machine?

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Follow the instructions in the article to download it directly from the Microsoft web site.

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GACK! Change coming right up. Thanks!

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Very good idea. If you don’t have problems with Outlook, don’t throw out the baby with the bathwater.

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Woody, I have a question about this part of the post:

“There’s a lot of debate about the advisability of installing the April Office patches, and it appears as if a couple of them have been pulled. Susan Bradley in her nearly-biblical Patch Watch column in Windows Secrets Newsletter (paywall) recommends that you install KB 3114566, KB 3114888, KB 3114993 and non-security patch KB 3114996, if any of those should appear.”

I have Office 2007, and I didn’t get any of those 4 KB patches you mentioned for Office, so I looked them up, and found that (at least, according to the search engine):
3114566 is an Office 2010 patch from within MS16-039
3114888 and 3114993 are Office 2010 patches from within MS16-042
3114996 seems not to be from within a larger grouping

The Office 2007 patches that I have been offered today when checking Windows Update are all dated 4/12 and are:
3114542
3114982
3114892
3114983
plus the Outlook junk mail thing

I am beginning to look them up individually on a search engine, but so far I have not seen many complaints about those 5 patches.

I have looked these up on Susan Bradley’s free Excel sheet
at https://onedrive.live.com/view.aspx?resid=C756C44362CD94AD!2257&ithint=file%2cxlsx&app=Excel&authkey=!AIOQkIu7flF7lPE
(I can’t see behind the paywall of her Windows Secrets column)
for April, and there she flags MS16-039 and MS16-042 regarding “side effects” of them with Office 2010, but she does not mention any problems with Office 2007.

(I am always a little confused about all this stuff — they make the organization of this stuff complicated with these different KB numbers and MS numbers and all the different versions of the systems — so it’s likely that I am confused right now!)

My questions are —
When you say “There’s a lot of debate about the advisability of installing the April Office patches,” I have not seen that so far in my search-engine search regarding the April Office 2007 patches that I have been offered, so I just wanted to double-check with you to see if Office 2007 is involved in those debates (or is it only Office 2010),

And to ask, as far as you are aware (I realize you probably do not have Office 2007, since it’s a few iterations behind the times!), if any of the 5 April patches that I listed as being offered for Office 2007 have been flagged by folks as problematic.

Thank you!

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I haven’t seen any problems with Office 2007 and the latest crop of patches. But they’re all optional and non-security, aren’t they? See the list at the end of https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/3150264

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Thank you, Woody, for the advice on KB3146706. I’ll just leave it unchecked as you recommended.

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Re: KB3148851

Since I’m not “computer literate”, I’m not certain that this patch is required on Win 7. It is checked, however is not a “security update”, so I’ve been removing the check mark next to it. Can you please provide clarification on this? Thank you.

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When it says “description of the security update for 2007 microsoft office suite”, doesn’t that mean it’s a security patch? I assumed it did.

Susan Bradley seems to have at least a couple of the MS16-0xx patches in the upper, security area of her Excel sheet and not in the “non-security” area below.

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Yes, you’re right. 3114983, 3114892, 3114985 and 7 are all security updates for Office 2007. Install them if you see them.

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Great, thank you.

—–
By the way, my manual check for updates has been consistently taking 30-40 minutes in the past 6 weeks (which I thought was not too bad, considering what others have been going through), and my first check today (before installing anything) took the same amount of time and the CPU usage during it wasn’t too bad (considering).

Then I decided to install the new IE 11 one first, by itself (3148198), and my subsequent check for updates took the CPU usage sky-high for an hour and 20 mins, at which time I decided enough was enough, and stopped windows update.

I’ll now system restore to before I did the IE 11 update installation (if I can get that to work, which I should be able to) and move to the kb3145739-before-anything-else installation instructions (in the hopes it will give me a quicker windows update process).

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In case anyone is interested, this is what I ended up doing:
I didn’t system restore to an earlier point, or uninstall the new IE11 update – I just turned off the Windows Update service in the services area, as recommended on an earlier discussion thread here, and manually downloaded the standalone update of 3145739. After that installed, my check for updates still ran the CPU really high, but it only took 7 minutes.

I decided _not_ to install 3138612 along with 3145739 because in my notes I have it down as a new version of 3135445, which was a new version of 2990214, which was a windows-10-prep update.

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Unlike for Windows, there are no Optional or Recommended updates for Office in general. The only ones that I remember as being Optional were help files for Office 2007 long time ago. All other patches for Office are either Security or Critical (functional) Updates, checked by default or not. In my experience, even those which are not checked will eventually become checked. The best practice is as usual, do not check what is not checked by default but do not hide them and wait. If Microsoft decides to retire those unchecked patches, they will disappear from the list without causing any negative side-effects, otherwise they will become checked later.

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It should take less than 5 minutes if everything is working correctly. This is based on the assumption that all updates are installed and installed correctly. The only updates which I would avoid are KB3035583 and KB2952664.

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@Walker,
Woody said above about KB3148851 —
“There’s no need to install it, unless you’re concerned about daylight savings time in some very obscure parts of Russia.”

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Woody,

I have two questions for Windows 10 Home.

I am going to sound like a broken record, but 2 update rounds ago for Windows 10 you told my daughter and I to hide KB3140741–the update related to stacking. You repeated this advice for the last MS-Defcon 3. It had been giving some people issues. We haven’t been told to install it. Should we install it before the cumulative update KB3147458?

I asked the following question too too many days after the original post on the crowd blocking run of questions, so I will ask Noel C. this here:
We noticed at the very same time (9:35) PM we downloaded Noels Win 10 tool for Crowd Sourced Blocking (ConfigAutoUpdate tool) a WBDNB44I.dll file showed up in my daughters downloads file folder. Noel, is this related to your ConfigAutoUpdate tool? What is it? Why would it be some sort of a stand alone from your tool—or separate from your tool? Nothing else was downloaded that day.

According to the description it is an application extension. It is a WIL script processor DLL made by Wilson WindowWare, Inc. file version 6.14.2.0. It was created on 8/17/2014, but downloaded on 4/11/2016 when we downloaded the Win10ConfigAutoUpdate tool.

Does anyone recognize what it would be? We are just novices.

A search of C shows it only located in the download file, and a scan said it was safe–we just can’t figure out what it is related to other than your tool, and or if we should keep it or delete it.

We thank you very much!

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KB 3140741 was the March 22 cumulative update for Windows 10. It’s been superseded – you shouldn’t even see it available any more. Try to install the latest Windows 10 cumulative update, 3147458.

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Woody:
I installed KB3145739 off the Microsoft Website as you directed. The downloads have increased in speed. Everything seems to be working OK for now. Thank you for all your help.

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excellent advice on the WU speedup issue. kudos all around.

has anyone else noticed that Windows 10 is not showing up in the “optional” updates list anymore.

i know my computer is still on Win 7, and i get the “Get Windows 10” popup when i start my computer, but the full optional update is gone from the list.

or am i missing something?

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Woody,

I know you are the expert, but I believe you are mistaken. I think the numbers are so close you have forgotten. The March update build is KB3140768.

From Reddit: KB3140768 (OS Build 10586.164)** This update includes quality improvements and security fixes. No new operating system.

I am talking about this: KB3140741 is servicing stack update.

From Softpedia
Microsoft rolled out Windows 10 update KB3140741 to provide stability improvements for the servicing stack on computers running version 1511, but it appears that a number of PCs are actually experiencing some issues after installing the patch.

We did install KB3140768.

So, what can you tell us about the servicing stack update KB3140741?

Thank you!

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oh, and a second issue, maybe OT…

i started up IE11 as instructed, but it just opens the program, shows a wait spinner for a very short period, and never goes to the homepage (set to google.com). it won’t go to any website typed into the address bar. just a blank screen, no wait spinner, nothing. and the About Internet Explorer under the gear at right is greyed out.

any thoughts? feel free to refer me elsewhere.

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May I ask for clarification regarding KB3138612 and KB3145739? The first thing to mention is that I have not experienced any slowness as described above on my Win 7 machine — at least, I don’t think I have. The second thing is that I have never downloaded or used GWX Control Panel; my way of avoiding the Win 10 notifications is simply unchecking all non-security updates before installing each month, and it has worked so far.

You might guess where this is going: both KB3138612 and KB3145739 are listed in my updates to install, but KB3138612 is the kind I usually uncheck. This seems to present a dilemma: I can either uncheck it and risk getting delays (assuming I’ve interpreted your article correctly), or I can leave it checked and risk getting those annoying Win 10 reminders I’ve so far avoided.

I’m inclined to try the first option since it’s been working so far, but for all I know I am just misunderstanding everything you are saying. Do I need to worry about this “scan speedup” procedure if I’ve never had a problem in the first place? Thanks for any guidance you can provide.

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p.s. actually IE11 works if i Run As Administrator…. so i guess it is there and working if i ever need (but i detest it, so will only use it if absolutely necessary).

doing this, i was able to check the “install new versions” box… so all set, i guess.

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From my Excel list of updates (both important and optional updates) that I have avoided installing on my Windows 7 computer in the last 12 months,
below are the kb numbers that I have recorded that I was avoiding specifically for the two reasons of avoiding unwanted telemetry and/or of avoiding get-Windows-10 preparatory stuff.

(Many of them have been withdrawn or replaced by Microsoft since being published.)

kb2952664
kb2990214
kb2999226
kb3021917
kb3022345
kb3035583
kb3050265
kb3065987
kb3068708
kb3075249
kb3080149
kb3083324
kb3112343
kb3123862
kb3135445
kb3138612

==========================================
I have my updates set to manual updating, and usually dive into it for an afternoon at the end of each calendar month.

The following are the webpages/resources that I usually check out every month before deciding which patches to install.
They are of varying usefulness, and certainly none of them at an individual level have been as helpful to me as Woody’s reports have been.

A. Woody Leonhard’s advice at askwoody.com
https://www.askwoody.com/

B. Woody Leonhard’s articles at InfoWorld.com
http://www.infoworld.com/blog/woody-on-windows/

C. Susan Bradley’s articles at Windows Secret
(Note that only the first couple of paragraphs are free to read – the rest of the content is behind a paywall.)
http://windowssecrets.com/author/susan-bradley/

D. Susan Bradley’s Excel spreadsheet of patches
https://onedrive.live.com/view.aspx?resid=C756C44362CD94AD!2257&ithint=file%2cxlsx&app=Excel&authkey=!AIOQkIu7flF7lPE

E. Martin Brinkmann’s overview of monthly patches at Ghacks
http://www.ghacks.net/2016/04/12/microsoft-security-bulletins-april-2016/

F. Wilders Security Forum’s running thread about “Bork Tuesday”
http://www.wilderssecurity.com/threads/bork-tuesday-any-problems-yet.370217/page-88

G. Windows Seven Forums’ subset of discussion threads on “windows updates and activation”
[Note: There was an unpleasant incident on a thread in that forum recently where Woody was treated unprofessionally and rudely by the moderator/owner of the site, which was naturally very surprising and disappointing]
http://www.sevenforums.com/windows-updates-activation/

H. Softpedia’s articles by Bogdan Popa about Microsoft “patches and vulnerabilities”
http://news.softpedia.com/cat/Microsoft/Patches-and-Vulnerabilities/

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By the way, the other day under a different blog post on askwoody.com, Noel Carboni said that, as of now, his top five Windows 7 updates to hide if you don’t want to move to Windows 10 are:

kb2952664
kb3021917
kb3035583
kb3068708
kb971033

(Windows update didn’t offer me the last one.)

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The post above from “Anonymous” was mine. It went out as Anonymous because I used another computer and clicked on submit before entering the required details.
KB3148851 is a time zone Cumulative Update which includes the information about the Russian time zone update in addition to previous information about all the other time zones.
From the KB: “This is a cumulative update rollup that includes all previous Windows time zone changes. For more information about how DST changes may affect other Microsoft products, go to the following Microsoft websites”
My point of view is that this update should be installed and only ignored if known to be buggy or causing other problems.

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Uncheck it. While it apparently helps with delays this month, there’s no telling what’ll happen next month. Ain’t broke, don’t fix.

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I frequently, frequently mis-type KB numbers. And I always welcome corrections!

KB3140768 is the March 8 cumulative update for Win10, which brings it up to 10586.164. I call it Windows 10.1.10 because it’s the 10th cumulative update for Windows 1511.

KB 3147458 is the 11th cumulative update for Windows 1511 = Windows 10.1.11, dated April 12, which identifies itself as build 1511 OS version 10586.218.

KB 3140741, dated March 22, is a different kettle of fish. It “updates the servicing stack” in Windows 10, which means it makes changes to Windows Update. Since it’s a Win10 patch, it’s forced just like all the other patches. Originally there were several reported problems with 3140741, but I haven’t heard many screams lately. Yes, you should install 3140741 if you’ve blocked it. If it doesn’t install properly, don’t sweat it – hide it again and forget it. Servicing stack updates come and go, and there will be another one some day.

I’ll add that to the main description. Thanks!

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Nope, I get the same thing. Microsoft’s changing its tactics again.

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Hi Woody,

I’m using Windows7 x64. With regards to speeding up the Windows Update scans you state KB3145739 should be installed “manually”. I have it sitting in Windows Update under Important updates. Is it best to install it from Windows Update or download and install it manually. The main difference I see is the WU route will take a while the manual install will be immediate. Can the manual install cause any problems if the patch is already in WU?

The same situation and question applies to KB3138612.

FYI, I really did not have any WU problems until recently. This month, patches are now taking several hours to download and install.

Thanks

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Install them manually. It won’t hurt Windows Update at all.

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I just received (13) updates listed as Microsoft.net Framework 4.5, 4.5.1, and 4.5.2 for Windows 7 and Vista. Should I download and install them?

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If they’re listed as security patches, and they’re checked, install them.

Otherwise, don’t bother.

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Hello guys

I just wanted to warn you a minor thing.

After I installed the update and rebooted, I fired up the IE. The pop up was there, asking me to change the homepage of IE to bing.com. Of course I shoo it off and pressed the x. Fortunately, it is one time thing as it did not pop up again even when I retested it.

However I did notice a second of pause for the IE and computer prior to the pop up. This led me to believe that this may be the reason for problems with IE for few of people, especially if they did not change the default homepage already. Maybe I am wrong.

Anyway, I just thought you would like to have a head up about this IE update.

So far, everything else about the update seemed to went just fine but then again I just rebooted the computer about a hour ago.

Good luck to you guys

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Probably I should complete what Woody said and this is Microsoft’s official position.
If you have any .NET Framework 4.x version already installed, then you should either upgrade to 4.6.1 or if there are incompatibility issues with installed applications (more likely on servers than on desktops), then 4.5.2 is still fully supported. Any other version of 4.x is no longer supported.
If you don’t have any version 4.x installed, then it is entirely optional if you need to install it, depending on the applications in use.
All version 4.x are supposed to supersede each other and be fully backwards compatible and this is true for most purposes. There are known major server applications not compatible yet with 4.6.1, the most important being Exchange 2013, but this is only at the server level, desktops should be OK.
.NET Framework 2.0/3.5 is not relevant for this discussion as it can coexist with versions 4.x and they are not related.
The .NET Framework subject is as confusing as the differences between IE versions and their sometimes conflicting compatibility modes.
Microsoft could and should do better in explaining and naming their core components.

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FYI, I really did not have any WU problems until recently. This month, patches are now taking several hours to download and install.

There must be something else causing this issue which is not typical.
Do as Woody already advised and you should be fine.

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Woody I have Office Home & Student 2013, Click-to-Run version & am at 15.0.4815.1001. Since I have the 4 basic Office apps (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote) & not using Outlook or other affected pieces, I’m relatively OK?
BTW, if I do need to roll back to a previous level at some time, how do I do it? As you said, Microsoft doesn’t make it easy, so it must be a b***h!

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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Yep, you’re OK. I wouldn’t try rolling back unless you absolutely have to. If you look at the directions in the post, it’s horrendous.

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Thank you!

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Woody,

What about KB3011780 from back in November. You had said to not install it. Okay to still not install it? I’d rather err on the side of not installing than causing problems.

https://technet.microsoft.com/library/security/MS14-068

Thanks!

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I haven’t heard of any problems with it recently. Go ahead and install it.

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I read the article about the 2 updates to speed up the checking for updates but that brings me to my problem. I would do the updates from the article links bu I never know whether to use 32 or 64. Both Program directories are on my computer with active programs. How do I know which to use? I’m also assuming I need to do the 5739 one first and then 8612?

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Click Start, right-click Computer, click Properties. Under System, you can see if your have 32-bit or 64-bit Windows.

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Cindy… 3138612 was released in March and 3145739 was released in April (note the latter is a higher KB number). I’ve been installing 3138612 first with a 100% success rate, I don’t know what the outcome would be taking the other route.

FWIW…I had to use a 32 bit system to obtain the 32 bit patch and a 64 bit system to obtain the 64 bit version, so it appears the download site directs you to the proper version for the system downloading the patch.

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Oh, super! Thanks, Woody.

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Thanks, Ed. I will do 3138612 first. Good to know the site directs you as well.

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KB3035583 showed up just now (yet again). Optional, unchecked, italicized.
No other “optionals”. Three “Important” updates also were offered for Office 2010.
Win7 Ult x64

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I downloaded the 3138612 update, had to save it, no choice to run. So then I clicked on the downloaded file to install it and it said it was looking for updates on the computer. I finally cancelled it. I wasn’t having this issue before. I also notice this was an Update file which Woody doesn’t normally recommend installing. I know the 3145739 is a Security Update though. But you guys say we need to do both. Do we really? I will slog through the 3138612 if you guys say I really need to. Just making sure. Oh, I save downloads in my own directory structure, would that make a difference?

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Yep. I have an InfoWorld post coming as soon as it’s out of copyedit.

Thanks for the heads up to you, and PKCano…

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Windows 7 (32bit) comments: I just followed Woody’s suggestions for this round of updates. My approach was to manually install the 3138612 and 3145739. Had to stop service wuauserv and unplug my LAN cable before I could get the evil “Searching” grip to let go and allow me to manually run the manually downloaded 3138612 and 3145739 MSU packages. I then was successful in installing 3138612 first, followed by 3145739. Wow! After rebooting a couple times and then plugging LAN cable back in, I ran Windows Update and it sure did speedily get me the updates available listing. Went from hours/days to less than 2 minutes!! Found 10 important and 27 optional. Taking Woody’s advice, I picked the important ones except the ones he advised NOT to check. BAM, 5 minutes later all updates had downloaded and installed. Rebooted without issue. For grins, I then ran Windows Update and after about 3 minutes I got “Windows could not search for new updates” and Code 80244019 [Windows Update encountered an unknown error]. I simply rebooted once more and waited about 10 minutes. Retried Windows Update and it ran without issue in under 1 minute. Anywho, all seems fine now:-) Very grateful for the time and energy Woody and other contributors put into this site!!!

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That’s one of the load balenced servers for windows update that is missing a file. Windows update gives up when it can’t query that file and aborts the update check in a few seconds. (not as bad as when DNS and hosting was in Brazil and was unreachable from certain ASNs)

I’ve seen a 404 error from:
https://fe2.update.microsoft.com

Try again until you get a server that isn’t broken. Some month here microsoft might fix the missing file.

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@Eric:

Like you, I don’t use GWX Control Panel, I just keep a close eye on every update I install.
(This may or may not be foolhardy, I admit! I gave my reasons for doing this in an earlier discussion.)

This was my experience with 3138612 and 3145739 last week:

I didn’t install 3138612 (like you, I am avoiding that kind of update).

I only installed 3145739.

Before then, for the prior 6+ weeks, my windows updates were taking 30-40 minutes. This was longer than they used to take, but it was not the multiple hours/days that other people have been experiencing lately, so I felt reasonably lucky with that.

However, after I installed 3145739, my windows updates went down to 7 minutes.

Therefore, for me, speeding up windows updates drastically did not require 3138612.

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@Cindy M.,

Last week, I didn’t install 3138612.

I only installed 3145739.

After I installed 3145739, my windows updates went down to 7 minutes from their previous time of 30-40 minutes.

Therefore, for me, speeding up windows updates drastically did not require me to have 3138612.

(You might just do the “safe” 3145739 now, and wait another month to see if you find a particular reason to install 3138612, which has an association with get-windows-10 stuff — I have tried to avoid installing that kind of update.)

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Thank you Bob(maybe)OrNot! Helpful explanation:-)

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Woody: Thanks for this info. I just bought a new Windows 7 PC and followed your instructions for updating it. It took a couple of hours to do three passes through Windows Update. I got a whole bunch of updates successfully installed.

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