IE patch KB 3139929: When a security update is not a security update

This is a new low, even for Microsoft’s much-maligned “Get Windows 10” campaign.

InfoWorld Woody on Windows

Can any of you get the blue banner to trigger on “new” tabs in Internet Explorer? I’ve been trying and trying, and can’t get it to work. Shoot me email, please: woody@askwoody.com.

UPDATE: Annemarie, who’s quoted in the article, has dropped me a  note to give the correct attribution. The original discovery (in Dutch) came from Bobo. Thanks, Bobo!

If you’re participating in the Win10 update blocking experiment, here’s what to do next

Microsoft has just released its March 8 cumulative update for Windows 10, which brings version 1511 up to build 10586.164.

If you’re participating in the blocking experiment (see my next post), use Wushowhide to go into the list of available updates and check the box next to “Cumulative Update for Windows 10 Version 1511 for x64-basied Systems (KB 3140768)”. Click Next, and Windows will tell you it’s “fixed” the problem with that patch.

At that point, you can just wait overnight and see if it gets installed. Or you can go into Windows Update (Start > Settings > Update & security and click Check for updates) and try to force Windows to install it.

Any time you want to back out of the experiment, go back into Wushowhide, click to Show hidden updates, check the box next to “Cumulative Update for Windows 10 Version 1511 for x64-basied Systems (KB 3140768)”. Click Next, and Win10 will be back to its old forced updating ways.

Thanks for participating! Post any comments or observations you may have here, please – and remember you can post anonymously, no need to enter any identifying information.

UPDATE: I’m testing on three Win10 machines, two with Pro, one with Home.

On the Home machine, I didn’t run Wushowhide soon enough – by the time I got to it, Windows Update had already downloaded. Windows Update was set for a restart. After restarting, I confirmed that KB 3140768 had installed — running “winver” in the Cortana search box revealed that I was at 10586.164.

On one of the Pro machines, manually running Windows Update “Check for updates” brought a long list of Office updates, but there was no Windows 10 update (not even the “non-security content” Update for Windows 10/KB3141032, or Dynamic Update for Windows 10/KB3142588). I assume those two are running late.

On the other Pro machine, running Windows Update “Check for updates” brought no listed patches. Oddly, the top of the Windows Update pane says “Some settings are managed by your organization,” although the PC isn’t connected to a domain.

Help me test a method for blocking Windows 10 forced updates

Check InfoWorld Woody on Windows for details.

If you’d like to join in, here’s what to do:

Step 1: Go to KB 3073930 and download Microsoft’s Wushowhide tool. (Click the link marked Download the “Show or hide updates” troubleshooter package now.) Drag the downloaded file, Wushowhide.diagcab, to any convenient location. I put mine on the desktop.

Step 2: Wait until this afternoon – after the cumulative update is released. Watch @gabeaul or @woodyleonhard on Twitter, or check AskWoody.com for the go-ahead.

Step 3: When the patch is out, but before your machine has a chance to swallow it (presumably on Tuesday afternoon or evening), double-click on Wushowhide.diagcab to run it. Click the link marked Advanced. Uncheck the box marked Apply repairs automatically. Click Next.

Step 4: Wait for Wushowhide to look for all of the pending updates on your machine. When it comes up for air, click Hide Updates. There should be a box marked “Cumulative Update for Windows 10 Version 1511 for x64-based Systems (KB xxxxxxx)” or something similar. Check that box, click Next, and “X” out of Wushowhide.

Then wait. Let’s see if Wushowhide can delay a Windows 10 forced update before it happens – and if there are any unforeseen complications. Watch here and join in the reporting.

NOTE 1: After talking with a few people, I want to emphasize that this change is completely reversible. Just wait overnight and confirm, on Wednesday, that the new Cumulative Update wasn’t installed. If you then feel comfortable installing the CU, simply re-run Wushowhide and use the program to unhide the update.

Microsoft Office 2016: InfoWorld Technology of the year award winner

You may like Office. You may hate it. But there’s no doubt that the past year has brought amazing changes to Office in general, and Office 365 in particular.

InfoWorld Technology of the Year Award

Windows 10 Insider beta build 14279 has a couple of improvements

If Microsoft’s going to ship Redstone 1 by June, there’s a long way to go, and not much time left.

Redstone 2’s apparently been pushed out to 2017.

InfoWorld Woody on Windows

MS-DEFCON 2: Time to make sure you’re locked down

Tomorrow’s Black Tuesday. Time to make sure your cows are in and the barn door’s closed.

Make sure you have your Vista, Win7 and 8.1 Windows Update set to “Notify but don’t download.” If your Windows 10 machine is set up with a Wi-Fi connection, set it to a metered connection. To do all of that, see the Automatic Update tab above.

This month I’ll be trying a new trick. I’m going to see if I can get wushowhide to hide the Win10 cumulative update (assuming there is a cumulative update) before my Win10 machines download and install the patch. It’s all in the timing. For details on running wushowhide, see my discussion about the Outlook 2010 Calendar bugs. You’re most welcome to join me in testing the catch-if-you-can technique. (I’m still too skittish to shut down Windows Update in Win10 entirely.)

Anyway, I’m headed to MS-DEFCON 2: Patch reliability is unclear. Unless you have an immediate, pressing need to install a specific patch, don’t do it.

If you’re able to test the hair-trigger wushowhide approach on a working Win10 system, chime in here and tell me how it goes.

Latest Office 365, dated Feb. 16, still clobbers POP3 mail in Outlook 2016

Microsoft is still very slow to fix anything “as a Service”

InfoWorld Woody on Windows

t/h DA

Bad Windows 10 driver in 10586.122 poses serious questions about forced patching and Windows as a Service

How is Microsoft going to fix the problem with the new, bad driver?

InfoWorld Woody on Windows

Three obnoxious Win7/8.1 updates return, plus two warmed-over patches, KB 3138612 and 3138615

KB 2952664, KB 2976978, KB 2977759, KB 3138612 and KB 3138615 all basically useless.

InfoWorld Woody on Windows

New Windows 10 build 10586.122, KB 3140743, brings few fixes but some significant changes

I’ve got to admit it’s getting better
A little better all the time.,..

Really.

InfoWorld Woody on Windows

A bunch of new optional patches

Those of you running Windows 7 and 8.1 will no doubt discover a handful of new patches waiting for you.

KB 2952664 our old “compatibility update” for upgrading Win7 to Win10 is back. KB article says it’s been revised 18 times.

KB 2976978 same-same, for upgrading Win8 and Win8.1 to Win10. KB article says it’s up to revision 21.

KB 2977759 same thing for Win7 RTM. It’s only at version 17.

KB 3138612 updates the Windows Update program for Win7 and Server 2008 R2. Those of you who are waiting and waiting and waiting for Windows Update to work may want to install it.

KB 3138615 covers the same bases for Win 8.1 and Server 2012 R2. Again, if you’re having trouble with Windows Update, it might be worth a whirl.

The two at the end of the list are both “version 1.0.” The new KB 3138612 supersedes last month’s KB 3135445 , but there’s no indication of what may have changed. Similarly, KB 3138615 supersedes last month’s KB 3135449.  I talked about both of last month’s patches last month.

More details in the morning in InfoWorld

Windows 10 version 1511 build 10586.122, KB 3140743, out now

And it’s documented.

I’ll play with it tonight, and get a full report out in InfoWorld in the morning.

Wouldn’t it be easier to call this one Windows 10.1.9 – or, if need be, 10.1.122?