If you thought it couldn’t possibly get worse, you ain’t seen nuthin’ yet. Lengthy, angst-filled post coming in Computerworld.
[See the full post at: Yet another massive release of patches, re-patches, re-grouped patches, and a few explanations]
|
Patch reliability is unclear, but widespread attacks make patching prudent. Go ahead and patch, but watch out for potential problems. |
-
Yet another massive release of patches, re-patches, re-grouped patches, and a few explanations
- This topic has 123 replies, 38 voices, and was last updated 5 years, 8 months ago.
AuthorViewing 33 reply threadsAuthor-
-
If you thought it couldn’t possibly get worse…
Oh, I’ve never doubted, it couldn’t…
4 users thanked author for this post.
-
“and yes, although not documented, but it does contain the AMD bootable fix”
That is my conclusion also, because every file in KB4073578 (x64 version) is also present in KB4057400 (x64 version). The analogous conclusion is also true for the Windows 8.1 January 2018 preview Windows monthly rollup (x64 version).
I don’t understand why Microsoft isn’t documenting this explicitly.
-
Does that mean all Windows 7 cumulative updates will from now on contain the AMD bootable fix?
1 user thanked author for this post.
-
Yes.
1 user thanked author for this post.
-
-
Just received KB4057270, monthly quality roll up for net framework on windows 7. didn`t down load it yet.
1 user thanked author for this post.
-
There are new registry keys that control whether the protections (and performance hits) are enabled or disabled, after the applicable updates are installed. So, if it slows things down too much for you, apply registry changes, reboot, back to performance as normal.
Yes, this leaves you vulnerable again, but, that’s the boat you’re in if you simply skip the updates anyways… except now you get to keep installing new rollups for other security issues.
1 user thanked author for this post.
-
-
-
Yes, absolutely certain.
These are the registry settings I am citing:
https://support.microsoft.com/en-hk/help/4073119/protect-against-speculative-execution-side-channel-vulnerabilities-inThese are the registry settings you are citing:
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/4072699/january-3-2018-windows-security-updates-and-antivirus-softwareThe first link being a post update install way of turning the protections (and performance impact) on and off, and as it appears, are the same registry settings InSpectre controls with the enable / disable buttons. I personally made myself two .reg files, one on, and one off. These registry settings should work on any OS version that is / will be getting patched for this.
The second link is the registry setting that controls whether or not the update is offered in the first place, and is supposed to be set by security software vendors, after compatibility testing passes on the vendors end. Issues arise when multiple security products are installed…
-
“Are you certain about this?”
See Questions 9 and 11 at https://support.microsoft.com/en-hk/help/4072698/windows-server-guidance-to-protect-against-the-speculative-execution.
-
-
-
The Registry key “QualityCompat” only allows the fix to be installed as part of the Rollup through Windows Update. If you don’t have the key signifying that the AV is compatible, WU will not offer the updates.
BUT: The lack of the key does not stop someone from installing the patch containing the fix manually. I was able to install the Security-only update, the Monthly Rollup and Win10 Cumulative manually WITHOUT the Registry key being present. You can bork your machine if you want to.
AND uninstalling the Registry key does not uninstall the patch with the fix. It only prevents you from getting any more updates from MS.
1 user thanked author for this post.
-
You know, Charlie, this has caught my eye several times while scrolling to marked new comments. I find it funnier each time I try to decide what the hazard is. At first glance it is the ‘first you say it then you do it’ loss of sphincter tension from the shock of even more bad news. But then I recognize the time spent this month, and the undivided attention required to make sense of the conflicting information. It can be difficult to tear yourself away from the continually developing problem. Fear of missing out.
I guess now I finally realize where portable devices may come in handy. If the potty will not come to the information display; take the information display to the potty. Just be careful not to drop it.
1 user thanked author for this post.
No change on Windows 10 patches binaries, just metadata revision (whatever have change)
1 user thanked author for this post.
Is there any substantive data on the impact of the meltdown and spectre patches on pre6 series CPUs; need to decided if I’m ploughing my own furrow or not
One of my systems is a i7-3820 SandyBridge_E running 4.7 Ghz in an Asrock x79 Extreme6 MB w/ 16GB’s G_Skill DDR3 running at 2128Mhz DDR. It has (2) Samsung 850 SSD’s and (2) WD Black 500GB HDD’s. It is my main, everyday in everyway, use system. This box quad boots DOS 7.1, 32b WinXP SP3, 64b Win7 HP SP1 (primary OS) and 64b Win10 Pro v1703.
I disk imaged the W7 and W10 installs on 01/04/2018 then manually installed KB4056897 & KB4056568 in Win7 and KB4056891 in Win 10 without any issues. Only Meltdown is mitigated here as Intel has not released the Spectre mitigation MicroCode for Sandy or Ivy Bridge CPU’s yet. Note both systems run Panda Free AV 17.01 which is compatible with the Windows “Meltdown” patches. Both W7 and W10 have had the “QualityCompat” registry info manually added so Windows Update doesn’t have a hissy fit and stop installing future updates.
In the days since the “Meltdown” patch installs I have done many DOZENS of hours of benchmark runs plus real world stop watch timed runs of WinZip unzips, WinRAR unpacks and MKV movie video conversions. Benchmarks included CrystalDiskMark, Passmark, PCmark8, PCmark10, Geekbench, Cinebench, UserBenchMark and a few others.
Without getting into pages and pages of useless, boring details my results showed a slowdown of 0.0% to 2.1% (worst case) post Meltdown Patch Install in ALL of the benchmarks (and benchmark runs) in Windows 7.
Windows 7 timed runs of WinZIP, WinRAR and MKV movie video conversion Pre and Post update were identical. I used file sizes of 1 to 15 GB’s for testing. Timed bulk file copies (100 files of various sizes from 50KB to 10GB) between the SSD’s and/or HDD’s were unchanged. I saw no change in Far Cry 4 frame rates (or any game frame rates). There were no changes in Gigabit network xfer speeds with network utilization easily staying pegged at 99%.
The numbers for Windows 7 and Windows 10, both Pre and Post Meltdown patch, were virtually identical. If the OS used for the test runs was not indicated you would have not be able to tell that two differnt OS’s were used by looking at the results.
Note My Samsung 850’s top out around 550MB/sec Seq so they may be simply not fast enough for a copy slowdown to show up. If you had some Samsung 960’s that could do 2000MB/sec maybe you would see an copy slowdown with them.
The bottom line I found is MicroSoft is absolutely and shamefully trying to take advantage ot the Meltdown/Spectre issue to push Windows 10. They are totally blowing smoke up your rear end about “older silicon” (or any silicon by my Win 7 only testing of my I3-6100 Skylake box) being slowed more on Windows 7 than on Windows 10 post “Meldown” patch.
Now maybe it will very different on a multi processor server with hugh anounts of disk I/O over fiber or multiple 10Gb/sec ethernet cards, but they would be running older/newer versions of Windows Server OS’s, not W7/W10.
Viper
-
Thanks. This is good info from what has been clearly a lot of testing time on your part. I’m thinking the final ‘tell’ will be whether slowdowns become real-world significant after the microcode is released & flashed to your system. Keep us posted.
Win10 Pro x64 22H2, Win10 Home 22H2, Linux Mint + a cat with 'tortitude'.
-
-
Anyway, I see Microsoft patches as so bad because Microsoft fired a bunch of patch testers a while back and my understanding is that they were replaced with less experienced H1-B Visa holders. It makes one wonder the lengths a company will go to make a profit.
My understanding of the situation is that it’s even worse than you said – Microsoft dismissed their professional testers and replaced them with unofficial, totally unpaid testers: Windows 10 customers. Some of them will be tech-oriented but the bulk are just regular people who have no interest in trying out a new operating system, and yet they are being used as guinea pigs.
It’s an unconscionable practice, if you ask me.
10 users thanked author for this post.
-
-
Hi @Danster, and welcome to our fold 🙂
Just a wee reminder, to please stay on topic – January’s patches, in this case, not 2014 Microsoft business decisions…Also if I could, could eveyone [ p l e a s e ] remember to click “Comment on the AskWoody Lounge” before posting a comment on a blog post. Our devs still haven’t fixed the blog pages to remove the commenting (yes, it’s been a few months already) and the topic tags all vanish when commenting is done from the blog page – and they need to be manually re-added! If you can read the full article at the top of the page, it’s the blog page. If the top post is the truncated post that links back to the blog page, you’re in the right place! Thanks very much.
-
I was probably mistaken about the H1B Visas in this case – now back on topic – Stay on Target! 🙂
1 user thanked author for this post.
-
-
-
see Microsoft patches as so bad because Microsoft fired a bunch of patch testers a while back and my understanding is that they were replaced with less experienced H1-B Visa holders.
I’m sorry, but that’s pure drivel.
Microsoft cut back its internal testing staff for whatever reason, and they haven’t been replaced. Instead, the new layered rollout procedure is supposed to identify problems quickly.
I think that sucks. But it has nothing to do with visas.
-
Thanks for the correction, Woody. That is why you are here as our Fearless Leader to help prevent us from being led astray. 🙂
1 user thanked author for this post.
-
-
Not sure how Microsoft would characterise it, but clearly MS is using Win10 Home customers and Win10 Pro users who don’t “defer updates” as an extended testing bed.
Cannon fodder.
1 user thanked author for this post.
-
-
Was the “Semantec Endpoint Protection conflict” heading misspelling purposeful?
1 user thanked author for this post.
I am not a power user by any stretch of the imagination, and my head is spinning right now.
Would some kind soul be willing to tell me how to proceed?
I have a 4-year-old Intel Core i3 4330 Haswell processor with Win 7 64-bit SP1 and Microsoft Office 10. I have Windows Update set to notify me of updates, but not to install them automatically. I rely on Microsoft Security Essentials and am not currently using any other programs to protect against viruses etc.
Earlier this month I installed security updates KB4056568 (“Cumulative security update for Internet Explorer”) and KB4056897 (“Security-only update”). I have downloaded but NOT installed the Win7 Monthly Rollup patch KB4056894. I also confirmed that my ‘QualityCompat’ registry key was updated, and I’ve enabled site isolation in Google Chrome (which is the sole browser I use at the moment). So far so good.
I had a family crisis, was away for a few days, came back and am now wondering how to proceed with the latest glut of prompts from Windows Update.
I am currently being prompted to download and install the following “important” updates:
Office 2010:
- Security Update for Microsoft Excel 2010 (KB4011660)
- 32-Bit Edition Security Update for Microsoft Office 2010 (KB4011610) 32-Bit Edition
- Security Update for Microsoft Office 2010 (KB4011611) 32-Bit Edition
- Security Update for Microsoft Outlook 2010 (KB4011273) 32-Bit Edition
- Security Update for Microsoft Word 2010 (KB4011659) 32-Bit Edition
Windows 7:
- 2018-01 Security and Quality Rollup for .NET Framework 3.5.1, 4.5.2, 4.6, 4.6.1, 4.6.2, 4.7, 4.7.1 on Windows 7 and Server 2008 R2 for x64 (KB4055532)
- 2018-01 Security Monthly Quality Rollup for Windows 7 for x64-based Systems (KB4056894)
- Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool x64 – January 2018 (KB890830)
I’m also being prompted to install one optional update for Windows 7 (the second – the daily MSE definitions update – was installed manually earlier today via the MSE interface):
- 2018-01 Preview of Quality Rollup for .NET Framework 3.5.1, 4.5.2, 4.6, 4.6.1, 4.7, 4.7.1 on Windows 7 and Server 2008 R2 for x64 (KB4057270)
Which, if any, of these are safe to install? I’m specifically concerned about KB4055532 and KB4056894.
Sorry to throw this question up here – I really prefer to do my own due diligence – but I also suspect I’m well out of my depth at this point. Thanks very much.
2 users thanked author for this post.
-
I have Office 2010 32 bit as well. I have had no trouble with those Office 2010 updates. The January Windows Software Malicious Tool is fine. I will await guidance from Woody or someone else on what else if anything you should install. Do Not Install This One –
2018-01 Security and Quality Rollup for .NET Framework 3.5.1, 4.5.2, 4.6, 4.6.1, 4.6.2, 4.7, 4.7.1 on Windows 7 and Server 2008 R2 for x64 (KB4055532)
In general Net Framework updates have been very dangerous in the past for me. They should be the last thing to install once testing is done on them. If they are released for you then just wait for Woody to give us the okay to proceed.
-
I have the same list of updates on offer, including the Office 2010 ones on my “work” machine but not on my “gaming” machine which doesn’t have Office installed. I haven’t downloaded or installed anything yet. Wait for further advice here when the DefCon rating moves to 3 or 4.
As a general principle, however, never install a Preview update (such as KB4057270). Previews are just that – not the finished thing, so wait until it is offered the next month as an Important rather than Optional update – unless you’re running a test environment.
As for .Net Framework updates generally, it’s always considered good practice to install them on their own rather than in a bundle with other stuff. As @Danster has said above, it’s a good idea on that basis to leave them until last (although I actually get all the Windows updates done first, and only then tackle the Office ones, and I always leave a couple of days between updating my two machines so I’m sure the first one is running normally before risking the second one).
For now, however, take the option that I always find the easiest in life generally – do nothing!
-
We’re all out of our depth here. Except maybe abbodi, MrBrian and PKCano.
Best bet is to follow the MS-DEFCON system and stay put. There’s no immediate reason to install anything – unless you click “Enable edits” on unknown Word documents that contain spurious Equation Editor content. Don’t use IE or Edge, and you’ll be fine.
Stay calm.
-
Best Advice from you Woody – “Stay Calm” I work on many computers and people are always panicking. My Website https://computerrepairdudeabq.com/ Okay, now back on target 🙂 and if this post needs to be removed since I mentioned my website then that is okay. I did not see that in the rules. Anyway, installing any patches at this point can be dangerous. I would rather have my Office 2010 hosed than my os.
-
No problem at all mentioning your web site.
1 user thanked author for this post.
-
-
@Danster I noticed you haven’t added a bio in your profile yet 😉
-
-
-
Thanks. This is good info from what has been clearly a lot of testing time on your part. I’m thinking the final ‘tell’ will be whether slowdowns become real-world significant after the microcode is released & flashed to your system. Keep us posted.
I believe MicroSoft clearly stated right after the original release of the “Meltdown” patches, AND BEFORE Intel had released any Spectre microcode changes (even Beta) for testing, that THE PATCHES for Meltdown proper would cause higher performance degregation in Windows 7 than Windows 10 especially with older silicon. That is proving to be outright self serving Buffalo Nuggets.
My I3-6100 Skylake system has updated Microcode and is now Meltdown and Spectre mitigated. Minimal rechecking shows the Microcode change hasn’t made a difference with it but it is no fireball to begin with either. If the past is any indication then more than likely future Microcode “tuning” will restore at least some of the lost performance.
Viper
5 users thanked author for this post.
-
THE PATCHES for Meltdown proper would cause higher performance degregation in Windows 7 than Windows 10 especially with older silicon. That is proving to be outright self serving Buffalo Nuggets.
Indeed. Red Hat, I think it was, had a before and after set of benchmarks on a Core 2 Duo Lenovo laptop, very obviously qualifying as “older hardware,” and across the board, the performance loss was negligible except for slowing of disk performance. Hopefully, that will be improved in time.
I had been concerned about the possibility that MS might use security patches to poison previous versions of Windows while ostensibly complying with their obligation to keep them patched. Given Microsoft’s previous unethical efforts to boost Windows 10, this would not be unthinkable. It would be right in line with the rest of them.
Dell XPS 13/9310, i5-1135G7/16GB, KDE Neon
XPG Xenia 15, i7-9750H/32GB & GTX1660ti, KDE Neon
Acer Swift Go 14, i5-1335U/16GB, KDE Neon (and Win 11)7 users thanked author for this post.
-
Thanks for the news about the BSOD on your machine and I am sorry for your loss. However, anonymous by now everyone looking at this group should know not to deploy any released patches unless you have test machines that can see if they are stable and safe. This is sadly the new normal at Microsoft.
Seriously, my head hurts with this months updates situations.
Please refresh my memory why you can’t be in group A and then update like group B for a month such as this fiasco so one doesn’t have their computer turn into a brick?
I’m thinking CanadianTech’s way maybe a “good thing” at this point.
sheeeeeeesh!
Dell Inspiron 660 (purchased in 2013) just replaced hard drive in November 2017 and had Windows 7 reloaded.
Windows 7 Home Premium 64 bit SP 1
Server 2008 R2 x64
Processor: Intel i3-3240 (ivy bridge 3rd generation)
chipset Intel (R) 7 series/C216
chipset family SATA AHCI Controller -1 E02After new hard drive installed went to
Group A-
I don’t blame you. I usually don’t get confused with these things, but the NET stuff for this month got to me a little bit. Unfortunately, it’s true that CT’s “Group W” strategy is becoming more and more viable every month.
Personally, I download the SO, IE and NET updates and sort them all out months ahead of time as my machine is updated through June right now and might do July next month. I am never in any hurry to update as my (non-professional) experience with computers of about 25 years now has taught me that there is no reason to rush to do such things especially in today’s Windows Update climate which degrades a little bit more every month. It poses more of a threat than any exploit in existence by FAR and also causes more stress and worry than the exploits themselves which have a very, very, very low chance of ever coming in contact with the home user especially one with good habits.
So, for me, I am seven months behind and it’s quite comfortable back here. No rush and I get to survey all the carnage from a safe distance and download (or not download) patches and label them as needed. Of course, I have to install them manually using a DISM in a batch file which I just edit for every new file and save as a new batch, then place the msu files in a designated folder and run the batch file to install the patch(es) with a reboot on both ends of the process. The same goes for the NET updates.
I find it to be a very comfortable approach to all of this for me with no real drawbacks at all, but it may not be feasible for people who aren’t so technically oriented and that’s really the problem. I know people say that Group W is “no longer viable”, but I think it’s Group A that is losing it’s viability and that a Group W approach is looking better every day for those that don’t want to bother with Group B. With January’s debacle, even Group B may start to lose viability as well, but that is yet to be seen. All I know is I am glad to be using Windows 7 and I am glad to be behind seven months in updates. It gives me plenty of time to figure out what I want to do when I get to January 2018’s patches.
Hang in there! If you don’t know what to do, just stand pat and wait it out. No need to stress out about this stuff. 🙂
7 users thanked author for this post.
-
I’m three months behind and will get around to catching up to December, but the craziness since then is off-limits until it’s sorted out. And that may a long time. I see no indication that the necessary preconditions for the January patches–the BIOS update, the browser update, choosing the correct M$ update, at risk of making my computers useless–will be in place.
Until then, it’s all just chatter.
1 user thanked author for this post.
-
-
“Please refresh my memory why you can’t be in group A and then update like group B for a month such as this fiasco so one doesn’t have their computer turn into a brick?”
As far as I know, from a security perspective, it’s ok to switch between them at will.
-
The only problem I can see with switching is that if you avoid Group A one month because the monthly rollup has a component in it you don’t want, and so you hand-pick what you do want that month from the Catalog under Group B, once you revert to Group A the monthly rollup will likely give you whichever component you missed previously.
This will become increasingly problematic the more MS make the single monthly rollup a totally cumulative catch-up on everything you’re missing back to the Year Dot which as I recall was their original intention under the new patching regime.
-
Looks like the inmates are running the asylum I mean microsoft. They should change their name to Bedlam
I’m inclined to give MS a little leeway in this. Everyone is scrambling to get patches out immediately, and rushing doesn’t tend to create good code. The hysteria over this greatly outstrips the actual threat at this point… there is an article on The Register about how Apple is being sued for allegedly knowing about this threat for six months but waiting until now to patch it, even though there are zero infections that have resulted from that vulnerability on any platform. It’s an absurd lawsuit, but it shows the level of hysteria out there (and maybe a little of the opportunism and greed). In that environment, it’s not hard to see how “not ready for prime time” patches could be released.
That leeway has its limits, though. If the final shakeout of all of this is with Windows 7 and 8 performing worse than Windows 10 as a result of the patches, that’s not going to fly. If this cavalcade of instability we’ve been seeing doesn’t improve, that won’t fly either.
Dell XPS 13/9310, i5-1135G7/16GB, KDE Neon
XPG Xenia 15, i7-9750H/32GB & GTX1660ti, KDE Neon
Acer Swift Go 14, i5-1335U/16GB, KDE Neon (and Win 11) -
The patches this month are a larf. Just got offered an office 2010 patch KB2825635 on a machine running XP pro and office 2007 More straight jackets are needed
1 user thanked author for this post.
MS is acknowledging a new known issue for KB4056895, the January monthly security and quality rollup for W8.1 and Server 2012 R2. It appears that system crashes may be experienced post installation on systems running bot PIC and APIC interrupt controllers. They do not appear to know the exact cause of the crashes at this time. Everyone just be cool and let the dust settle out on all of these patches. I would not install anything until some modicum of consistent documentation from MS becomes available. Unless you have a dedicated test platform, waiting to install is prudent IMHO. In the meantime, I am spending more time in my Linux virtual machine as that is where my future direction may take me.
4 users thanked author for this post.
I await with trepidation on how things will finally shake out with this months WU patch fiasco. I’m not tech oriented but maybe a notch above the average user. I’m running WIN7 on an older HP AMD Athlon machine that I have faithfully applied updates to. Group “A”. WIN7 on this has been rock solid for years. Never a BSOD. A few glitches over time as to be expected but nothing I couldn’t straighten out. I have a fresh system image on an external HD with a restore disc sitting by. And have printed out every recovery workaround, DISM commands etc., that have been presented on this and other forums. Registry key is set. I plan on using my PC for another 2 years until support for WIN7 finally ends. By then I hope MS will have WIN10 to the stability level of 7. If I continue to see reports of BSOD even with the newer patches I am seriously considering going Group “W”. It has gotten to the point where MS update “Malware” definitely bricking me is a far greater threat than the odds of other future digital contagions. I also managed to dodge the underhanded forced WIN10 skullduggery. Had I not been following this site my machine would have been tanked already. I wonder if it will ever get to the point where Woody cannot honestly recommend an all clear DEFCON 3 before the next month rollout. I can really relate to this November 2016 Woody post…….https://www.askwoody.com/2016/the-case-for-not-updating-windows-7-ever/
1 user thanked author for this post.
-
According to AKB2000003, it’s KB 4056568. You’ll find links for Win7 & Win8.1 downloads there, for both -32 & -64 bitness. Sorry, I don’t know if you’re using Win10.
-
Thank you so much, Kristy. My PC runs Windows 7; forgot to mention that, sorry.
Good to know the IE 11 Security update KB number has not changed since I downloaded the executables from the MS Catalogue some days ago.
It has been a bit overwhelming keeping up with the offers and retractions and additions to previous additions for each and every item in the list of January patches. Except, maybe, for Office 2010 – 16 and the MS Malware Removal Tool (MSMRT), that have remain stalwartly in the Windows Updates list offered to me by MS since the beginning, without any retractions (yet) that I’ve seen. (Yesterday, I installed the MS Office January updates in the Mac, and it is still in one piece, or seems to be.)
Maybe, once the dust (might) have finally settled, Woody could put up where we can’t miss it a list of the finalist numbers for: Office, the MSMRT, Windows 7 – 10 Security Only, E 11 Cumulative Security Only. And the last, last, last — and no kidding! — standing NET Security Only ? Just a suggestion.
Ex-Windows user (Win. 98, XP, 7); since mid-2017 using also macOS. Presently on Monterey 12.15 & sometimes running also Linux (Mint).
MacBook Pro circa mid-2015, 15" display, with 16GB 1600 GHz DDR3 RAM, 1 TB SSD, a Haswell architecture Intel CPU with 4 Cores and 8 Threads model i7-4870HQ @ 2.50GHz.
Intel Iris Pro GPU with Built-in Bus, VRAM 1.5 GB, Display 2880 x 1800 Retina, 24-Bit color.
macOS Monterey; browsers: Waterfox "Current", Vivaldi and (now and then) Chrome; security apps. Intego AV1 user thanked author for this post.
-
I’ve tried to install one by one first 2018-01 Security Monthly Quality Rollup for Windows 7 for x64-based Systems (KB4056894) & then January 19, 2018—KB4057400 (Preview of Monthly Rollup) on 3pcs of win7sp1x64 intel based machines around – well, there were no fatal OS crashes and/or BSOD but 2 of 3 machines returned dwm.exe issues with nVidia driver. That was tested both with Spectre & Meltdown protection enabled & disabled in registry.
ErrorID9020 The Desktop Window Manager has encountered a fatal error (0x8898009b)
Actually I guess there is one idea on how to repair this error:
but didn’t try. Just removed these patches and put both to hidden list.
On the other hand both .NET patches for v4.7.1 2018-01 Security and Quality Rollup for .NET Framework 3.5.1, 4.5.2, 4.6, 4.6.1, 4.6.2, 4.7, 4.7.1 on Windows 7 and Server 2008 R2 for x64 (KB4055532) & 2018-01 Preview of Quality Rollup for .NET Framework 3.5.1, 4.5.2, 4.6, 4.6.1, 4.7, 4.7.1 on Windows 7 and Server 2008 R2 for x64 (KB4057270) have been installed sequentially without any odd stuff to mention.
p.s wish you all luck with handling of this d**n m$ mess!
1 user thanked author for this post.
-
Thanks for the information, but can I ask why you installed the Preview updates? Do you operate a test environment? If not, they should be ignored until the final version is issued as an Important Update the next month.
-
-
-
if your machine BSOD or has any trouble then please don’t seek sympathy from us in this group.
I abound with sympathy. Unfortunately, what I don’t have is time.
I remember well how hard it was to get started. Lots of helping hands here. People should feel welcome to post their problems – and share their expertise….
5 users thanked author for this post.
-
-
Man, I sympathize! I was just complaining about sleep deprivation to @MrBrian. Between the Meltdown/Spectre stuff, requests for more articles, and a sweeping renovation of “Windows 10 All-In-One For Dummies” I sleep on alternate Wednesdays. My son’s started calling me “sir.” And my wife, who found me asleep behind the computer, freaked out.
Hang in there. It’ll get better. Unless it doesn’t. 🙂
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Do you want me to post all of my 50+ Windows Updates that I have hidden due to telemetry and Windows 10 update junk from my Windows 7 64 bit machine?
1 user thanked author for this post.
-
-
-
Hello, Walker,
There has been a lot of discussion and checking things out (so a very large number of posts), while Microsoft and Intel have been putting out patches and patches for patches. I was getting quite anxious, but have been reassured… just because the more technically and adventuresome inclined have jumped in and tested them, so far the rest of us are just waiting for the smoke to clear. There is nothing to do, except wait for the Defcon level to change. I’ve been reassured several times about that… so sharing it with you. Notice that nothing is being reported as happening bad to those who are holding off from applying patches… and that is because the Spector and Meltdown vulnerabilities haven’t been exploited in the wild. Keep your browser updated, and enjoy reading about the exciting BSOD adventures of others…
Non-techy Win 10 Pro and Linux Mint experimenter
1 user thanked author for this post.
-
-
Note that Symentec is reporting that various catalog re-patches (depending on OS version) fix the Symantec Endpoint Protection system tray icon issue. See:
https://support.symantec.com/en_US/article.TECH248552.html1 user thanked author for this post.
-
Intel has released (state uncertain atm., may be re-released…) microcode for their entire range of chips. All of them. Period.
Microsoft has decided not to take advantage of that offer. Motto: “Can’t move fast enough”.
If you want to have friendly and continuing OS support, go for a Linux distro.
…
Linux, the little OS that cares. 😀
1 user thanked author for this post.
-
Thank you very much, I shall commence updating my Bloomfield desktop too then :D. I do have Windows 10 on it so that’s a non issue.
And the funny part is that that old i7 from 2008 still in practice perform better at multitasking than many new CPUs with DELL etc. deciding to go with dual core processors in laptops instead of quad.
1 user thanked author for this post.
-
-
@Jan K
Jan K said: “Intel has released (state uncertain atm., may be re-released…) microcode for their entire range of chips. All of them. Period.”
What “entire range of chips…” do you mean? How far back in the past? Do you have a link to where Intel has a list of the “entire range of chips…'” that they might have microcode for?
I have several older systems with Intel CPU’s in them, and any lists I’ve see don’t go back to them.
Any more info will be appreciated.
1 user thanked author for this post.
-
-
Thanks for that link. For me, that reminds me of the scene in a movie where the hero has to decide which wire to cut to disarm the bomb.
It does show a lot of activity back to 1996, which is good for those of us flogging old reliable hardware (Bloomfield on X58), but I can wait. Given the number of experts here advising caution, with far more expertise and experience than I have or could get, I am listening.
It reminds me of the old t-shirts some EOD folks wore that said, “EOD – If you see me running try to keep up!”
1 user thanked author for this post.
-
Thanks for that link.
I’ve flashed a few BIOS’s in the past (back as far as the 80’s…I’m old) with what ever flashing utility the motherboard maker supplied. Back that far (if you are also old…), a DOS program was used, usually run from a floppy disk (!).
Since Windows took over the world, the OEM vendor usually supplies a Windows EXE file to do the flashing. EG: I had to update the BIOS on 6 Dell systems last fall to ‘fix’ the last Intel security hole.
The list of CPU”s is organized by some obscure (to me anyway) codes, that I think involve a CPU “ID” code.
I’ve used “Speccy” and various versions of the CPU-Z utility, but none of them seem to show a “CPUID” number/code.
For Intel CPU’s, CPU-Z shows a “Code Name”, like “Conroe” or “Wolfdale”. (yes, I have some OLD systems kicking around) On an AMD system, it shows “Propus” (another old system).
In CPU-Z, it shows that “Conroe” is a Core 2 Duo, E4600. But when I look up an E4600 on Wikipedia, it shows it’s a “Allendale” CPU (a sub-member of the “Conroe” family?). Trying to cross-reference any Intel CPU (and probably AMD’s) is like a scavenger hunt.
I can’t seem to make the next jump to a “CPUID”.
Then the next step would be flashing what ever BIOS file I might find, and where to get the flashing utility and how to flash it (yes, I still have 3.5″ floppy disk drives around, even some 5.25″!).
I’m in no rush to flash any BIOS, plus there’s a good chance that any of my OLD systems will never get a BIOS update. Oh well.
So, any more information on how to relate any CPU (Intel, AMD) to a “CPUID” would be appreciated.
1 user thanked author for this post.
-
-
-
Ok, as long as we’re venturing down memory lane… WinHacker95 anyone? Best s**t ever…
Also, the only real thing that’s changed, *as far as DOS based firmware updates go*, is that we are now using USB devices, booting what is essentially an image of those old DOS floppies, rather than floppies themselves… AKA all that’s really changed, is the physical device itself, to boot and apply the update(s) from.
Coincidentally, this is one of the best methods to open up and apply the firmware reversions discussed earlier in the thread. The DOS utilities typically have CLI switches, to enable things like skipping the version compare.
-
Eh? Floppies, you say? Why you little whipper-snapper! I my day we used iron tape. yep that’s right, good old magnetic audio tape. Don’t reuse your mixtape of do-wop, soda-pop, rock hits, that’s too dirty for the new signal. And make sure you fine tune the VOLUME knob on that standard tape player that you have your cute new Personal Computer plugged into the HEADPHONE jack. And keep that degaussing electromagnet in a separate room at least two doors down the hall.
Above was just for laughs. That sort of rewritable memory was way too unstable for this function. But a floppy was only one order of magnitude higher on the reliability scale.
1 user thanked author for this post.
-
Some of my best work used to be stored on floppies! I seem to remember having little stacks of them knocking around. It was tough having to throw them all out a while back, but I haven’t got a drive that will read them now. Those were the days, being able to boot a PC from a floppy – and trying to complete anything on a computer that kept telling you it had performed an illegal action and would have to shut down! (I never did find out what the ‘illegal action’ in question was!)
1 user thanked author for this post.
-
-
-
-
You’re welcome :).
There is a CPUID database and also a program mentioned at post https://www.askwoody.com/forums/topic/intel-has-released-microcode-update-v20180108-with-meltdown-spectre-fixes/#post-158148.
1 user thanked author for this post.
-
Methinks I now remember where I found the link I posted (she says, embarrassed). Thank you, MrBrian :)!
Win 7 SP1 Home Premium 64-bit; Office 2010; Group B (SaS); Former 'Tech Weenie'1 user thanked author for this post.
Danster wrote:
Actually Google Android powers a majority of smartphones
That’s funny.
Who wants to tell him that Google’s Android was and is based on Linux.If unsure on this point, see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Android_(operating_system)
where the first half of the first sentence rightly acknowledges: “Android is a mobile operating system developed by Google, based on a modified version of the Linux kernel”…1 user thanked author for this post.
To Sue W, MrBrian, GoTheSaints:
Thanks for those links, I’ll check them out later, see if I can find CPUID’s for my ‘senior’ CPU’s. I’m too fried from other stuff this evening (USA-PST).
I have to LOL at the ‘trip down memory lane…’ I seemed to have started earlier.
To Paul: Yes, I used ‘magnetic tape’ on my TI99-4A system, on a cassette recorder/player. I still have 3 of them stashed, 2 brand new, still in the original boxes. I even ‘upgraded’ that to an Expansion Chassis box with 2 DS/DD 5.25″ floppy drives in it. Still have a bunch of TI program cartridges.
All that stuff came before I got ‘serious’ and started selling Kaypro CP/M ‘portable’ computers, still have one of those stashed, doubt it would boot up though (still have the 5.25″ floppies for it). Back then we all laughed at the 1st IBM-PC.
-
-
-
Central Processor User Identification, I think? My main tinkering with computers, Walker started out with 98 and I still have it in an older machine dual booted with XP Pro. on 2 physically separate hard drives. I remember when one service I was using was hacked and they got right into my machine in XP Pro. but could not touch 98. The most they could do was a denial of service against Mozilla Firefox at the time on the 98 side when using the service but could not use the compromised service to break into 98. It was actually 2nd edition. I am being deliberately vague – sorry goes with just who I am. I did have scripting disabled as well as the remote assistance disabled. I still think it would be difficult to remotely compromise that machine. Now if someone had local access to the machine then it is easy to compromise.
1 user thanked author for this post.
-
-
-
Good Morning, Walker! Bob99 here using a shared computer, so I can’t sign on with username and password due to security concerns.
Anyway, CPUID stands for Central Processing Unit ID, which is a code that software reads from your CPU in order to positively identify your central processing unit and all of the features it supports. This, in turn, enables the software to “behave properly” on your computer. I could get really technical, but no need to here.
Hope you’re having a Great Day! 🙂
1 user thanked author for this post.
-
Viewing 33 reply threads
Plus Membership
Donations from Plus members keep this site going. You can identify the people who support AskWoody by the Plus badge on their avatars.
AskWoody Plus members not only get access to all of the contents of this site -- including Susan Bradley's frequently updated Patch Watch listing -- they also receive weekly AskWoody Plus Newsletters (formerly Windows Secrets Newsletter) and AskWoody Plus Alerts, emails when there are important breaking developments.
Get Plus!
Recent Topics
-
Permanent posts for blocking Copilot
by 1 hour, 52 minutes ago
-
9000003 Blocking Copilot in Microsoft 365
by 2 hours ago
-
9000002 Blocking Copilot in Windows 10 and 11 Professional sku
by 1 hour, 47 minutes ago
-
Add Group Policy Editor to Windows 10 Home Version
by 2 hours, 1 minute ago
-
USB webcam no longer working after November 2023 updates
by 11 hours, 28 minutes ago
-
Will we have both Windows 11 24H2 and Windows 12 ?
by 13 hours, 21 minutes ago
-
9000001 Blocking Copilot in Windows 10 and 11 Home sku
by 1 hour, 57 minutes ago
-
Will ChatGPT write ransomware? Yes.
by 1 day, 3 hours ago
-
Basic data partition almost full
by 1 hour, 14 minutes ago
-
Do I need these C++ updates ?
by 6 minutes ago
-
Woman in front of 2 mirrors. One shot 2 different reflections
by 1 day, 23 hours ago
-
Steam drops macOS Mojave support, effectively ending life for many 32-bit games
by 2 days, 1 hour ago
-
Requiring Bit-Locker key when it isnt activated after Win 11 update
by 19 minutes ago
-
KB5032189 Not installing on either of my PCs
by 1 day, 15 hours ago
-
Outlook.com – is there a way to delete all contacts in bulk?
by 2 days, 7 hours ago
-
Apple zero days fixed – November 30, 2023
by 2 hours, 1 minute ago
-
found a skneaky way to get windows 11 free still.
by 2 days, 12 hours ago
-
Quickbooks – no new desktop subscriptions to be sold
by 2 days, 15 hours ago
-
Does updating to Win10 from Win7 Retain your applications successfully?
by 2 days, 13 hours ago
-
Using Dropbox source data for a Connection in Excel with different machines
by 2 days, 16 hours ago
-
Microsoft installing HP Smart secretly on non HP PCs
by 2 days, 15 hours ago
-
Fun Stuff – Mystery Zone
by 3 days, 5 hours ago
-
How to make sure GMAIL does not delete my account since they are not letting ..?
by 2 days, 4 hours ago
-
Windows Explorer – search for files that are not shortcuts?
by 3 days ago
-
Windows 11 Insider Preview build 23595 released to DEV
by 3 days, 12 hours ago
-
Windows 11 Insider Preview build 26002 released to Canary
by 2 days, 14 hours ago
-
Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.2776 released to BETA
by 3 days, 12 hours ago
-
Getting ‘not genuine Windows’ after replacing HDD
by 2 days, 18 hours ago
-
Amazon Alexa Echo Hunches
by 3 days, 13 hours ago
-
Microsoft Defender Application Guard for Office is being deprecated
by 3 days, 14 hours ago
