Newsletter Archives

• MS-DEFCON 4: A perfect calm before the next patching storm

  Posted on December 7, 2018 at 11:44 CST by woody • Comment in the Forums

  Well, not literally perfect, but pretty close. Get your patches installed.

  There’s a new Flash update, KB 4471331, that you need (if it appears in your Windows Update list) and a new KB 4023057 that you don’t want.

  Last month’s tactic of setting Win10 Pro “quality update” (cumulative update) deferrals to 15 days seems to be working well. If you followed my advice last month, you already have your patches, and everything should be fine. You don’t need to lift a finger.

  Details in Computerworld. Woody on Windows

  We’re at MS-DEFCON 4: There are isolated problems with current patches, but they are well-known and documented here. Check this site to see if you’re affected and if things look OK, go ahead and patch.

  Windows Patches/Security KB 4023057, KB 4471331, MS-DEFCON 4, November 2018 Black Tuesday

• Where we stand with the November patches

  Posted on November 29, 2018 at 10:37 CST by woody • Comment in the Forums

  Not all is doom and gloom. Microsoft’s finally learned how to approach Win10 1809 patching with some finesse — a trait that’s been in short supply over Win10’s three-plus years of existence.

  Computerworld Woody on Windows.

  Windows Patches/Security November 2018 Black Tuesday

• New cumulative updates for Win10 1803 and 1709 — and a taste of what might be right in 1809

  Posted on November 28, 2018 at 08:01 CST by woody • Comment in the Forums

  

  The second monthly cumulative update for Win10 1809 is late. And I say bravo and huzzah.

  (Not a self-portrait.)

  Details  in Computerworld. Woody on Windows

  Windows Patches/Security November 2018 Black Tuesday, Win10 1809 bugs

• Yes, the next cumulative update for Win10 version 1809 will fix the mapped drive and default program problems

  Posted on November 27, 2018 at 21:15 CST by woody • Comment in the Forums

  Microsoft has announced that the Insider Preview Ring-only update to Win10 1809 — the one that’s still being baked — fixes these problems:

  • Addresses an issue in Microsoft Edge with using the drag-and-drop feature to upload folders from the Windows desktop to a file hosting service website, such as Microsoft OneDrive. In some scenarios, files contained in the folders fail to upload, with possibly no error reported on the web page to the user.
  • Addresses an issue that prevents some users from setting Win32 program defaults for certain app and file type combinations using the Open with… command or Settings > Apps > Default apps.
  • Addresses an issue that may cause mapped drives to fail to reconnect after starting and logging onto a Windows device.

  Most importantly, MS has NOT released the fix through the normal Windows Update channels.

  If you’re curious, take a look at that list of bug fixes and marvel at how bad the original Win10 1809 must’ve been.

  Windows Patches/Security November 2018 Black Tuesday, Win10 1809 bugs

• New cumulative updates for Win10 1803, 1709, 1703, and 1607 – but NOT for 1809

  Posted on November 27, 2018 at 12:47 CST by woody • Comment in the Forums

  By Jove, I think somebody in Redmond has figured this stuff out.

  Win10 version 1803 KB 4467682 brings the build up to 17134.441. Lots and lots of little bug fixes. Still shows two known issues: The SqlConnection exception in .NET, and the Seek Bar is broken in Windows Media Player.

  Win10 version 1709 – KB 4467681 brings the build up to 16299.820. Another big list of bugs, same acknowledged problems.

  Win7 Preview KB 4467108 is a real yawner – one bug fix for the Japanese date change, and two time zone updates, for Russia and Morocco.

  Win8.1 Preview KB 4467695 also lays on the zzzz’s, with more Japanese calendar change bugs and more time zone updates.

  Of course, you don’t want any of them.

  As of this moment, there’s no Win10 version 1809 cumulative update. As I explained this morning, that’s a good thing.

  Now let’s see how long Microsoft lets Win10 1809  build 17763.167 bake before it gets pushed. If we’re lucky, MS will wait until next Patch Tuesday — and fix all of the known bugs before we have to go through another patch cycle.

  Windows Patches/Security November 2018 Black Tuesday

• Windows 10 version 1809 advances to build 17763.165 – with no documentation, of course

  Posted on November 16, 2018 at 08:29 CST by woody • Comment in the Forums

  I’m reading between the tea leaves here, but it appears as if KB 4469342 was released to the Insider Release Preview ring, then to the Win10 1809 masses at large, early this morning. It’s not showing up on my machines just yet, but there are reports popping up all over.

  If you install KB 4469342, you end up with build 17763.165.

  The official update page doesn’t list it, of course.

  Thx @hoyty

  UPDATE: The cumulative update was only distributed to the Insider Preview Ring — which is precisely what the Insider Preview Ring was built for. See https://www.askwoody.com/2018/the-folks-running-win10-1809-seem-to-know-what-theyre-doing/

  Windows Patches/Security November 2018 Black Tuesday

• Patch Tuesday problems include even more reported bugs with Win10 version 1809

  Posted on November 14, 2018 at 08:10 CST by woody • Comment in the Forums

  Server and WSUS have their share of problems, too, and the new SSUs may need feeding.

  Details in Computerworld. Woody on Windows

  Windows Patches/Security November 2018 Black Tuesday

• Microsoft security patches are up

  Posted on November 13, 2018 at 12:06 CST by woody • Comment in the Forums

  I count 128 of them on the Microsoft Update Catalog.

  Martin Brinkmann has his usual stellar overview on ghacks:

  • Windows 7: 13 vulnerabilities of which 2 are critical and 11 are important.
  • Windows 8.1: 16 vulnerabilities of which 2 are critical and 14 are important.
  • Windows 10 version 1607:  18 vulnerabilities of which 2 are critical and 16 are important
  • Windows 10 version 1703:  16 vulnerabilities of which 1 is critical and 15 are important
  • Windows 10 version 1709: 18 vulnerabilities of which 1 is critical and 17 are important
  • Windows 10 version 1803: 17 vulnerabilities of which 1 is critical and 16 are important
  • Windows 10 version 1809: 17 vulnerabilities of which 1 is critical and 16 are important
  • Internet Explorer 11: 1 vulnerability, important
  • Microsoft Edge: 2 vulnerabilities, 2 critical

  November 2018 updates for Microsoft Office are available for Office 2016, Office 2013, Office 2010, the Office Viewers, and the SharePoint servers.

  Windows Patches/Security November 2018 Black Tuesday

• MS-DEFCON 2: Turn off automatic updates, adjust Win10 Pro if you have it, and let’s see what surprises this month’s patching will bring

  Posted on November 12, 2018 at 09:28 CST by woody • Comment in the Forums

  Tomorrow’s Patch Tuesday, and you know what joy that will bring.

  I have a full description of my new recommendations for Win10 Pro update deferrals, and a refresher course on metered connections for Win10 Home, in Computerworld Woody on Windows.

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

  Windows Patches/Security MS-DEFCON 2, November 2018 Black Tuesday

• November 2018 non-Security Office Updates have been released

  Posted on November 7, 2018 at 06:47 CST by PKCano • Comment in the Forums

  UPDATE: The reported bug, where installing these patches deletes the desktop version of OneNote, isn’t a bug at all. The bug was related to the September patches.

  These are November 2018 Office updates. They are not included in the DEFCON-4 approval for the October patches. Unless you have a specific need to install them, you should wait until Susan Bradley (Patch Lady) approves them and any problems have been reported.

  Office 2010

  Update for Microsoft Office 2010 (KB4461522)
  Update for Microsoft Office 2010 (KB2863821)

  Office 2013

  Update for Microsoft Office 2013 (KB4461482)
  Update for Microsoft Office 2013 (KB3178640)

  Office 2016

  Update for Microsoft Office 2016 Language Interface Pack (KB4461475)
  Update for Microsoft Office 2016 (KB4461505)
  Update for Microsoft Office 2016 (KB4461438)
  Update for Microsoft Office 2016 (KB4461474)
  Update for Microsoft PowerPoint 2016 (KB4461502)
  Update for Microsoft Visio 2016 (KB4461472)

  There were no non-security listings for Office 2007 (which is out of support).
  Office 365 and C2R are not included.
  Security updates for all supported versions of Microsoft Office are released on the second Tuesday of the month (Patch Tuesday).

  Office Patches/Security November 2018 Black Tuesday, November 2018 Office non-security, Office 2010, Office 2013, Office 2016, Office non-security updates