Blog Archives

• Microsoft agrees to clean up a small Win7 mess

  Posted on February 3rd, 2020 at 01:05 Tracey Capen Comment on the AskWoody Lounge

  PATCH WATCH

  By Susan Bradley

  The NSA might have rained on Windows 10’s patching parade in January, but most of the attention was focused on the demise of Windows 7.

  You’d think Microsoft would get the last batch of free Win7 updates right — but apparently not. January’s Patch Tuesday fixes broke Win7’s wallpaper. If you used the “Stretch” option for background slide shows, you ended up with just black! Microsoft’s initial response? The fix would be offered only to those who had purchased Win7 Extended Security Updates (ESU) keys.

  Read the full story in AskWoody Plus Newsletter 17.5.0 (2020-02-03).

  Patch Watch AskWoody Plus Newsletter, Chromium Edge, Win7 extended security updates, Windows Updates

• Here’s why we’re not patching Internet Explorer

  Posted on September 30th, 2019 at 01:05 Tracey Capen Comment on the AskWoody Lounge

  PATCH WATCH

  By Susan Bradley

  There’s no way to sugar-coat this: The current Windows updating situation is a disaster.

  No, I’m not talking about the usual round of side effects in the second–Patch Tuesday updates, the lack of overall patch quality, or the known issues that impact only a small set of Windows users but that we’re still forced to track.

  Read the full story in AskWoody Plus Newsletter 16.35.0 (2019-09-30).

  Patch Watch .NET Framework, AskWoody Plus Newsletter, Internet Explorer, Office updates, Patch problems, Windows Updates

• The patch waiting game — September edition

  Posted on September 16th, 2019 at 01:05 Tracey Capen Comment on the AskWoody Lounge

  PATCH WATCH

  By Susan Bradley

  For those of us in the northern hemisphere, September can be a time when days seem to be noticeably shorter — the daylight hours more precious.

  Time has value, too, when it comes to patching our systems. As regular Patch Watch readers know, we need some time for the monthly updates to sort themselves out. In the days following Patch Tuesday, some updates get reissued due to significant issues, while others need clarification.

  Read the full story in AskWoody Plus Newsletter 16.33.0 (2019-09-16).

  Patch Watch AskWoody Plus Newsletter, Cumulative Updates, NET, Office updates, Windows Updates

• August update warnings prove overblown

  Posted on August 19th, 2019 at 01:05 Tracey Capen Comment on the AskWoody Lounge

  PATCH WATCH

  By Susan Bradley

  Recent headlines might make you think we’re deep into a Windows-patching panic.

  The buzz centered on August’s Windows updates — specifically, more fixes for the ongoing Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) threat, aka BlueKeep. But the predictions of doom were, as usual, well off course.

  Read the full story in AskWoody Plus Newsletter 16.29.0 (2019-08-19).

  Patch Watch .NET Framework, AskWoody Plus Newsletter, Office updates, Update previews, Windows Updates

• Wrapping up July Windows and Office updates

  Posted on July 29th, 2019 at 01:10 Tracey Capen Comment on the AskWoody Lounge

  PATCH WATCH

  By Susan Bradley

  For those of us who live in the slightly toasty northern part of the world (and by toasty, I mean cooking!), it’s almost too hot to sit at a keyboard and deal with July’s patches. Almost.

  We humans might suffer in the hot weather, but it can be just as challenging to our digital devices, as noted in a related article. According to the report, Apple recommends keeping Macs and iPhones at operating temperatures under 95° F — but our Windows machines hate excessive heat, too.

  Read the full story in AskWoody Plus Newsletter 16.28.0 (2019-07-29).

  Patch Watch .NET Framework updates, AskWoody Plus Newsletter, Office updates, Windows Updates

• Are we ready for the new Windows 10 1903?

  Posted on June 17th, 2019 at 02:10 Tracey Capen Comment on the AskWoody Lounge

  A Microsoft tweet announced that the company is now offering Win10 Version 1903 — but only to those who specifically seek it.

  Opening Windows Update and selecting Check for updates should trigger the Version 1903 download. If you clicked the button but did not receive the update, you probably have some sort of blocking condition. You’ll just have to wait — and you should.

  Out today in AskWoody Plus Newsletter 16.22.0.

  Patch Watch, Windows News, Windows Patches/Security AskWoody Plus Newsletter, Office updates, Patch Watch, Win10 1903, Windows Updates

• New Windows 10 Windows Update explained

  Posted on June 1st, 2019 at 14:28 joep517 Comment on the AskWoody Lounge

  Ed Bott of ZDNet has published an article explaining the ins and outs of the new/revised Windows Update debuting with the Windows 10 May update (aka 19H1, version 1903) – Windows 10 version 1903: When will you get the next big feature update?. Don’t pay attention to the title there is an in-depth explanation of the Windows Update changes.

  As usual, Windows 10 Home users come out on the short end. They can not automatically defer any updates. All updates may be paused for a week at a time up to 35 days. On versions that have not yet reached their end-of-service date, feature updates are offered but are not installed automatically.

  Windows 10 Pro users can set deferral policies for both quality and feature updates. You can set these Windows Update for Business policies using the Windows 10 Settings app or by applying Group Policy.

  Enterprise and Education users have the same deferral policies as Pro users. Additionally, there is a 36-month servicing period for some versions.

  The biggest change though is that if you are running Home or Pro when a version nears its end-of-service date Microsoft will automatically upgrade the machine to the current release. In other words, end-of-service trumps deferral. Also, note that effective June 2019 there is only one servicing channel for Windows 10. That is the semi-annual channel.

  There is much more detail in the article. It behooves every Windows 10 user to read it.

  Windows News, Windows Patches/Security Win10 1903, Windows 10, Windows Update for Business, Windows Updates