Microsoft Update Catalog now works with any browser

From abbodi86:

Microsoft Update Catalog is finally updated to work with any browser
http://www.catalog.update.microsoft.com

tested opera (old) and chrome

even in IE, the above link gives similar new experience, where you get download link directly
the other link (without www) gives the old ActiveX experience
http://catalog.update.microsoft.com

I just tested it in Firefox, using the search term “October x64” and, yes, it works quite well.

AWWWWRIGHT!

The interface is a little funky – in order to download a file, you have to click on “Download” and, in the resulting box, click a hyperlink to the filename – but it works.

Now we’re ready for “normal” people to join Group B. It isn’t time to download anything yet, but the tools are now in place.

UPDATE: Several folks have noted that the new link does not work in Edge. It doesn’t work in Edge for me, either. Maybe that’s why MS hasn’t announced it officially just yet.

“Give me recommended updates”

Good question from SC:

In Windows Update I don’t understand why I should check  the  box that says “Give me recommended updates the same way I receive important updates”.

I see conflicting info on AskWoody.com about  this.

Please explain.

I should’ve pointed this out explicitly.

Microsoft releases patches with one of (at least) three categories: Important, Recommended, Optional. Every patch is identified with one of those three settings.

Windows Update, on the other hand, only recognizes two categories – Important and Optional – but it also has boxes next to each patch. If you check the box, you get the patch the next time Windows Update runs; if you don’t check the box, you don’t get the patch.

Checking the box marked “Give me recommended updates the same way I receive important updates” makes Microsoft-designated Recommended updates show up in your Windows Update list as Important, and the patch is pre-selected for installation.

If you don’t have that box checked, the patch appears in the Optional section, the name’s italicized, but the installation box is not selected. Thus, the patch won’t be installed on the next run of Windows Update.

Clear as mud, I know. But the good news is that it won’t make much difference soon.

If you’re in Group A, you’ll be getting the whole Monthly rollup, which includes both security and non-security patches. Microsoft designates those as “Important.”

If you’re in Group B, you won’t use Windows Update, so the patches’ categories don’t mean anything. Like points in Who’s Line is it Anyway?

Microsoft refuses to honor Panos Panay’s promise for $200 replacement of defective Surface Pro 3 batteries

And a whole lot of Surface Pro 3 owners are steamed about it.

InfoWorld Woody on Windows.

Windows 7 & 8.1 patchocalypse springs a few surprises

I’m in catch-up mode here. I posted this two days ago.

This should give you some perspective on how the patchocalypse is going, in real life.

InfoWorld Woody on Windows

Thanks to JO for nudging me! Man, it’s been busy around here.

Eight cumulative updates in ten weeks, and Win10 anniversary update still not baked

If you’re on Win10, stay with 1511.

InfoWorld Woody on Windows

New Flash and Adobe Reader patches, plus a speed-up for Vista scans

Just in from EP:

Hi Woody.

New Adobe Flash Player security updates posted in security bulletin APSB16-32
https://helpx.adobe.com/security/products/flash-player/apsb16-32.html

and new Adobe Acrobat & Reader security updates posted in security bulletin APSB16-33
https://helpx.adobe.com/security/products/acrobat/apsb16-33.html

And the only way to speed up WU scans on Windows Vista SP2 is to install the KB3191203 security update, which contains the newest win32k.sys files, a short-term solution that will work from October 11 to November 7.  KB3191203 has been mentioned here: http://wu.krelay.de/en/

King Bhumibol Adulyadej, Rama IX, RIP

Very sad to report that Thailand’s King Bhumibol has passed away at age 88. He’s been king since age 18. Born in the US. Jazz musician and Swiss educated engineer, consummate ruler. The Thai community here in Nashville – and throughout the world – is in shock and mourning.

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/10/14/world/asia/thai-king-bhumibol-adulyadej-dies.html

http://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/2027797/thailands-king-dead-nation-plunges-mourning-and-uncertainty

What do you know/think about KB 2952664?

We know KB 2952664 snoops – and we’ve known that for more than a year.

Microsoft re-released it as a standalone patch today – Optional, Recommended.

Do we have any definitive word on what the patch does, whether it’s actually beneficial (and, if so, how?), or if it’s just a spy that deserves to get ignored and/or uninstalled?

Windows 7 scan speedup

Standard disclaimer: We’re going to be discussing today’s patches, but DON’T ASSUME THAT YOU SHOULD INSTALL THEM. You have plenty of time to wait and see if they break anything.

With that said, many of you are asking about speeding up Windows 7 update scans. Those of you in Group A will need to scan sooner or later, and anybody who needs the .NET update rollup will probably want to get it from Windows Update – thus a speedup will help.

The only way I’ve seen to speed up Win7 scans is by installing both KB 3020369 and KB 3172605. See http://wu.krelay.de/en/ for details about problems with both.

Yes, 3172605 is a rollup patch (and thus suspect) that, among other things, breaks Bluetooth on Intel machines, but Intel has a new driver.

The Win10 cumulative updates are out

KB articles are out. (Thanks, MN!)

KB 3194798 for 1607 brings the OS build number up to 14393.321

KB 3192441 for 1511 brings the OS build number up to 10586.633

KB 3192440 for the original release (“RTM,” “1507”) brings the build up to 10240.17146

Unless you want to be an unpaid beta tester, don’t install until the MS-DEFCON level has gone to 3.

Don’t install any updates yet – but here’s where to find them

We’re going to be discussing today’s patches, but DON’T ASSUME THAT YOU SHOULD INSTALL THEM.

You have plenty of time to wait and see if they break anything.

With that as prolog, addobi86 just provided info for the two patches that’ll be on everyone’s minds.

The security-only Win 7 Oct 2016 patch is KB3192391. You can find it here:

http://catalog.update.microsoft.com/v7/site/Rss.aspx?q=KB3192391

The security-only Win 8.1 Oct 2016 patch is KB3192392. Find it here:

http://catalog.update.microsoft.com/v7/site/Rss.aspx?q=KB3192392

There’s also a security Win 8.1 patch for Flash, KB3194343 and it’s here:

http://catalog.update.microsoft.com/v7/site/Rss.aspx?q=KB3194343

Windows Update in Win7 now showing Oct 2016 “Security Monthly Quality Rollup” (in other words, the security + non-security cumulative update) KB 3185330 and Oct 2016 “Security and Quality Rollup for .NET” KB 3188740. No surprises.

And our good friend KB 2952664 – the detested snooping patch – is back, as a Recommended, optional patch.

Look but don’t touch, OK?

The Security Bulletins are up. They don’t include KB numbers, as expected, but I continue to wonder… how will Vista users install security patches?

Windows Update is wonky this morning

“wonky” being a technical term.

Canadian Tech just posted a detailed description of his experiences this morning on the Microsoft Answers thread about the patchocalypse.

I responded with this:

I, too, installed Office on two VMs this morning. Office 2013 Pro on one, 2016 on the other.

This morning, I had no updates for either one. So I just left the machines idling with Windows Update set to Never.

At this point – 8:20 am Pacific time, two hours later – I have a bunch of Office 2013 updates waiting, but no Office 2016 updates.

Don’t be too surprised if Windows Update gets the jitters while Microsoft is reloading for the patchocalypse. Just follow Canadian Tech’s advice from the post:

Stay away from Windows Update today and for the foreseeable future until we find out what is going on.  We need a viable strategy that keeps our Windows 7 systems running as Windows 7, reliably and predictably.  If we want Windows 10 and the loss of privacy that brings, we will buy systems like that.  Meantime, we intend to keep our Windows 7 systems, which we invested our own hard-earned money in, running to our satisfaction.