Newsletter Archives

• MS-DEFCON 4: Wrapping up a short month

  Posted on February 28, 2023 at 02:45 CST by Susan Bradley • Comment in the Forums

  

  ISSUE 20.09.1 • 2023-02-28

  

  By Susan Bradley

  February’s patches affected you either severely, or not at all.

  The good news: If you are a consumer, home user, or business that does not use Windows Server 2022 or any version of on-premises Exchange server, you will be just fine installing the updates at this time. Therefore, I am very comfortable with lowering the MS-DEFCON level to 4.

  However, if you are a business patcher with Windows Server 2022 hosted in VMware, you may have been significantly impacted. In addition, patch administrators are still dealing with the side effects of the Exchange updates.

  Anyone can read the full MS-DEFCON Alert (20.09.1, 2023-02-28).

  AskWoody Plus Alert, MS-DEFCON Alerts, Exchange Server, MS-DEFCON, MS-DEFCON 4, VMWare, Windows Server 2022, Windows Update, Windows Update block

• Dealing with incremental updates, aka “dribbles”

  Posted on November 7, 2022 at 02:41 CST by Susan Bradley • Comment in the Forums

  PATCH WATCH

  

  By Susan Bradley

  Last year, Microsoft announced that Windows was moving to an annual release schedule rather than the twice-a-year release cadence.

  The impression at that time was that Microsoft would be settling into a nice, boring release schedule with only one disruption per year. But the reality so far has been the exact opposite. Even with the Insider testing program, the timing is such that you can’t really test things until they get to the general public.

  Read the full story in our Plus Newsletter (19.45.0, 2022-11-07).

  Patch Watch Hardware drivers, Newsletters, OpenSSL, Patch Lady Posts, Patch Watch, Windows Update

• MS-DEFCON 2: More “dribbled” changes coming

  Posted on November 3, 2022 at 02:45 CDT by Susan Bradley • Comment in the Forums

  

  ISSUE 19.44.1 • 2022-11-03

  

  By Susan Bradley

  Defer them.

  Microsoft’s incremental protocol for bringing new features to Windows has its good and bad sides. To the good, one or two new features is better than 50 delivered all at once. To the bad, we must study the safety of such updates every month, not every year.

  In effect, “dribbling” requires a heightened state of awareness because we’re not dealing just with bug fixes — we must deal with new stuff as well. That increased awareness is reflected in my raising of the MS-DEFCON level to 2.

  Anyone can read the full MS-DEFCON Alert (19.44.1, 2022-11-03).

  AskWoody Plus Alert, MS-DEFCON DCOM, MS-DEFCON, MS-DEFCON 2, OpenSSL, Patch Lady Posts, Windows 22H2, Windows Update

• Printer bugs squashed this month

  Posted on July 18, 2022 at 02:42 CDT by Susan Bradley • Comment in the Forums

  PATCH WATCH

  

  By Susan Bradley

  If you are like me, you still print. A lot.

  Just this week, I was fighting a Lexmark printer that no longer would recognize “Tray 1” and refused to print. To get someone to look at the printer is going to cost nearly as much as it did to purchase the printer.

  But we’re not here to hear about my printer woes — we’re here to discuss potential side effects due to July’s updates. In yet another chapter of this sad story, we’re once again patching Print Spooler elevation of privileges. That means, once again, I’ll be keeping a very sharp eye out for printing side effects. And my sharp eye will also be on label printers, because those have been impacted by previous patches. (This has been going on for a really long time.)

  Read the full story in our Plus Newsletter (19.29.0, 2022-07-18).

  AskWoody Plus Newsletter, Patch Watch AskWoody Plus Newsletter, Patch Lady Posts, Patch Watch, Windows Update

• Debugging feature-update failures

  Posted on May 23, 2022 at 02:42 CDT by Susan Bradley • Comment in the Forums

  PATCH WATCH

  

  By Susan Bradley

  A long-time reader recently got in touch to mention his difficulty in getting a PC update past Windows 10 version 1909.

  Plus member Lee Gruenfeld indicated that he had worked with several Microsoft support agents to get a more contemporary version installed, a process that lasted several months and resulted in continued failure.

  Read the full story in our Plus Newsletter (19.21.0, 2022-05-23).

  AskWoody Plus Newsletter, Patch Watch AskWoody Plus Newsletter, Patch Lady Posts, Windows Update

• May updates fix risks to networks

  Posted on May 16, 2022 at 02:42 CDT by Susan Bradley • Comment in the Forums

  PATCH WATCH

  

  By Susan Bradley

  It’s looking like consumers may have an issue-free month — if they don’t run Windows 11 machines — and businesses will have to decide whether they want to patch sooner versus later.

  Once again, we have a vulnerability that has already been used and abused, but the good news for home and consumer users is that the vulnerability under fire is seen only in Active Directory domains.

  Read the full story in our Plus Newsletter (19.20.0, 2022-05-16).

  AskWoody Plus Newsletter, Patch Watch .NET Framework, Active Directory, AskWoody Plus Newsletter, browsers, Patch Lady Posts, Patch Watch, Windows Update

• Update fails, and WaaSMedic runs for hours …

  Posted on November 1, 2021 at 02:44 CDT by Fred Langa • Comment in the Forums

  LANGALIST

  

  By Fred Langa

  Windows 10/11’s built-in WaaSMedic agent is supposed to automatically detect and repair problems with Windows Update.

  But sometimes, it can’t fix what’s wrong; other times, WaaSMedic itself is the problem!

  Fortunately, there are a number of known solutions — including some new advice from Microsoft — to remedy this and other common Update problems.

  Plus: Edge won’t stay dead! And: A Wi-Fi dongle takes down a keyboard and mouse.

  Read the full story in the AskWoody Plus Newsletter 18.42.0 (2021-11-01).

  AskWoody Plus Newsletter, LangaList AskWoody Plus Newsletter, Edge, LangaList, USB, Windows Update

• Printing is a nightmare, once again

  Posted on October 25, 2021 at 02:42 CDT by Susan Bradley • Comment in the Forums

  PATCH WATCH

  

  By Susan Bradley

  The October updates are again triggering issues with some — but not all — printers.

  This month, printing problems are rearing their heads with older platforms hosting the print server. After reviewing many postings describing this situation, I find the operating systems on the older platforms are no longer being updated and thus not getting the PrintNightmare fixes. Then, when client workstations that have been updated try to print, printing fails.

  Read the full story in the AskWoody Plus Newsletter 18.41.0 (2021-10-25).

  AskWoody Plus Newsletter, Patch Watch AskWoody Plus Newsletter, Patch Lady Posts, printing, Windows Update

• PC refuses to upgrade to newer version

  Posted on October 11, 2021 at 02:44 CDT by Fred Langa • Comment in the Forums

  LANGALIST

  

  By Fred Langa

  Even as Windows 11 is coming down the pike, some readers are still having trouble getting their PCs to upgrade to the current version of Windows 10!

  But whether you’re updating Win10 or moving to Win11, here are several steps you can try — ranging from simple to severe — if your PC refuses a standard upgrade via Windows Update.

  Plus: What to do when your PC won’t respond to any keystroke!

  Read the full story in the AskWoody Plus Newsletter 18.39.0 (2021-10-11).

  AskWoody Plus Newsletter, LangaList AskWoody Plus Newsletter, LangaList, Windows, Windows Update

• Time to block vNext

  Posted on October 4, 2021 at 02:42 CDT by Susan Bradley • Comment in the Forums

  PATCH WATCH

  

  By Susan Bradley

  Not ready to move to Windows 11? PC not compatible? Block it!

  Microsoft has expanded the setting we love at AskWoody: “TRV,” or TargetReleaseVersion. Previously, we were able to set the specific feature release we wanted for Windows 10. Now we get the option to ensure that we stay on Windows 10 — and only on Windows 10.

  (Why do I always insist that we are better off holding back and not installing the latest thing? Because unless you want to be a beta tester, you shouldn’t have to become a beta tester.)

  Read the full story in the AskWoody Plus Newsletter 18.38.0 (2021-10-04).

  AskWoody Plus Newsletter, Patch Watch AskWoody Plus Newsletter, Exchange, Patch Lady Posts, Windows 11, Windows Update

• MS-DEFCON 2: Pause on patching

  Posted on May 10, 2021 at 12:00 CDT by Susan Bradley • Comment in the Forums

  ISSUE 18.17.1 • 2021-05-10 By Susan Bradley It’s time for both business users and consumer or home users to pause Windows updates. Accordingly, I’m changing the AskWoody MS-DEFCON level to 2. Patch reliability is unclear. Unless you have an immediate, pressing need to install a specific patch, don’t do it. Consumer and home users If you are a home/consumer user, I recommend two actions to ensure you do not get inadvertent updates. First, select Start, Settings, Network & Internet, and then Wi-Fi or Ethernet (whichever connection you are using). Next, click Manage known networks; click on the network that you use, click Properties, and turn on Set as metered connection. This “tricks” the computer into thinking that your Internet connection is not unlimited (i.e., you might incur charges) and thus will download patches only after you approve the process. The second action is picking a deferral date after May 11, when Microsoft will push out the next Patch Tuesday security releases. Click on Start, Settings, Update & Security; then click on Advanced Options. Pick a date far enough in the future to give you comfort. I always wait at least a week, usually more. I’ll be re-evaluating the update situation closer to the end of the month, but for now choosing May 28 should be safe enough. For those of you with an Office click-to-run (CTR) edition, I strongly recommend that you change to the semiannual channel rather than the monthly one because it will keep you from the Autocomplete bug. Business users Coming this month in the May Security releases, Microsoft will be including a new “News and Interests” taskbar item featuring items of interest to your users. Remember, if you want to proactively block it, there are registry keys and group policy to control it. References AskWoody Master Patch List Read the full story in the AskWoody Plus Alert 18.17.1 (2021-05-10).

  AskWoody Plus Alert, MS-DEFCON, Patch Watch AskWoody Plus Alerts, MS-DEFCON, MS-DEFCON 2, Patch Lady Posts, Windows Update

• Last call for 1909

  Posted on May 3, 2021 at 01:00 CDT by Susan Bradley • Comment in the Forums

  PATCH WATCH

  

  By Susan Bradley

  All’s clear for updating. Plus, I bid farewell to the man who saved the Internet.

  As noted in my Alert last week, I’ve given the all-clear to install updates this month. The printing bugs have been squashed, and no other issues are apparent.

  If you have still not installed updates, review your deferral settings. If you’ve chosen to defer updates to a specific date, click on Start, Settings, Windows update. If updates are deferred, you will see a bold notice that updates are paused plus a Resume updates button. Clicking that button will clear any deferrals you have set.

  Read the full story in the AskWoody Plus Newsletter 18.16.0 (2021-05-03).

  AskWoody Plus Newsletter, Patch Watch AskWoody Plus Newsletter, Patch Lady Posts, Patch Watch, Win10 1909, Windows Update
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