Microsoft Details IE 8 Security Default Change
The company will enable DEP/NX (Data Execution Prevention/No Execute) by default in IE 8 when running on Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008.
microsoft -
comments -
11.4.2008 Microsoft Updates the Default Spy Tool in Vista SP1
In order to improve the quality of the software information collected from the users' operating systems and sent to Microsoft, the Redmond company introduced an update to the spy tool included by default into every copy of Windows Vista, following the release of Service Pack 1.
windows -
comments -
13.6.2008 New Default Theme for Firefox 2
There's a discussion going on in mozilla.dev.apps.firefox about "Changes
to Fx2 Chrome" which is about proposed changes to the main browser
window structure (buttons, layout, functions) that is exposed to users
by default in Firefox 2.
common -
comments -
13.3.2006 How to Restore Default Windows XP Theme
So you have installed third party theme on your Windows XP and due to some reasons your theme files are corrupted and you dont know how to revert back to official Windows XP themes.
download -
comments -
22.10.2009 Major OEMs to enable DEP/NX in Vista PC BIOSs by default
Activewin reports that Michael Howard mentions on his blog that recently MS had all the major OEMs on campus to discuss SDL (Security Development Lifecycle).
windows -
comments -
6.12.2006 Microsoft plans to issue non-update update for Win 7
Microsoft will spit out dummy updates for Windows 7 beta testers next week that will probe the forthcoming operating systems updating abilities.
windows -
comments -
20.2.2009 Windows Update versus Ubuntu Update
A few months ago, Steve Ballmer publicly noted that Windows Vista was a work in progress. That inspired a predictable outpouring of Vista-bashing.
windows -
comments -
15.7.2008 Windows Update Blocker Tool Kit - Block Automatic Windows Vista SP2 Update
After availability of Windows Vista Service Pack 2 for public download I am sure many users would have already installed Vista Service Pack 2 to see the performance improvements and its advisable to install Windows Vista sp2 as it has many noticeable changes and also includes all the fixes released after Vista sp1.
common -
comments -
27.5.2009 An Update For Windows Update
An infrastructure update has been planned for Windows Update client. The gradual roll-out of this update will begin in late July.
microsoft -
comments -
6.7.2008 Microsoft Update now works with IE7
When
Internet Explorer 7 Beta released to testers it left testers with a broken Windows Update that wouldn't load properly, disabling the ability to update Windows with critical patches that have been released since the end of July. This seems to of been fixed and on my PC it even redirects to Microsoft Update before my chosen homepage is loaded.
microsoft -
comments -
Windows update without Microsoft Genuine 2
Not only will it keep you up to date with the latest updates from Microsoft, it will also keep software and drivers from other vendors updated. However, that functionality is currently missing.
common -
comments -
Microsoft Update SP1 invites sent out
Microsoft has selected testers to help with scenarios on a Service Pack 1 update for Microsoft Update. The beta is only expected to last until the end of January. Microsoft released the Update service last year after extensive testing that brought together Windows and Office Updates on one page.
microsoft -
comments -
19.1.2006 Microsoft apologizes for update blunder
Microsoft has apologized for a Windows Server update that automatically installed the Windows Desktop Search (WDS) tool on users' desktops without approval
microsoft -
comments -
30.10.2007 Is Microsoft preparing a Zune update?
A reader of a site dedicated to Zune news has posted photos of what are claimed to be new features at Zune's Marketplace, including flash animation and a new video section.
microsoft -
comments -
5.5.2008 Windows update without Microsoft Genuine test
Two weeks ago, I posted simple javascripts to circumvent the dreaded Windows Genuine Advantage system for the sake of my and others clicky-finger. It was this day, or maybe a few days later, that Microsoft's PR looneys acknoledged the fact it can be worked around and will be patching up the holes in the "next version".
common -
comments -
Microsoft Update Windows Vista Homepage
After a brief demo at the on-going CES conference in Las Vegas, Microsoft have launched a re-vamped version of the website for Windows Vista.
The slick new look makes a break from the often bland Microsoft product pages, and moves towards the Glass theme expected in Vista.
windows -
comments -
5.1.2006 Microsoft WGA Update Anti-hack
Since the Windows Genuine Advantage debut as a pilot on 9/2004 Microsoft is slowly making the program more annoying and intrusive.
In the beginning the WGA was an opt-in feature, and then slowly it became mandatory. Users who choose not to validate their copy of Windows can not download updates from Windows update (they still can download critical security updates via automatic update feature in Windows).
windows -
comments -
4.5.2006 Update for Microsoft Windows Vista Beta 2
Install this update to address an issue where Windows Customer Experience Improvement Program (CEIP) does not consume intermediate session data.
download -
comments -
23.7.2006 Microsoft Advises Users To Run Update Again
Windows users may have to update their PCs more than once to completely patch one of the vulnerabilities Microsoft fixed last week, the company's support site said Monday.
microsoft -
comments -
18.10.2006 Microsoft update brings PCs to a standstill
Something seems to have gone horribly wrong in an untold number of IT departments on Wednesday after Microsoft installed a resource-hogging search application on machines company-wide, even though administrators had configured systems not to use the program.
microsoft -
comments -
25.10.2007 Understanding OneCare's integration with Microsoft Update
We have recently been hearing some concerns that Windows Live OneCare has changed settings in Windows Update to allow for automatic installation of important updates, and that some PCs are rebooting as a result.
microsoft -
comments -
26.10.2007 Microsoft readies Zune Firmware Update 2.3
The Microsoft Zune team plans to soon release firmware version 2.3 for the portable multimedia device.
microsoft -
comments -
18.12.2007 Microsoft confesses to posting a flawed update
Microsoft Corp. re-released one of its Aug. 11 security updates yesterday, explaining that it had posted an incomplete version to its own download center last week.
microsoft -
comments -
25.8.2008 Microsoft: Update on Windows 7 UAC issues
Before getting into the actual news, lets take a while to understand the current Windows 7 UAC dilemma
windows -
comments -
5.2.2009 Microsoft urges users to update Flash Player
In an unprecedented move, Microsoft has issued a critical advisory urging users to apply a critical update from Flash Player update from Macromedia.
The vulnerability first reported by eEye Digital Security and Sec Consult, can allow malicious parties to inject unauthorized code, using invalid array indexes, to be executed by Flash Player.
microsoft -
comments -
Deploying Microsoft Windows Server Update Services
Comprehensive guidance on deploying Microsoft Windows Server Update Services (WSUS), including a description of how WSUS functions, and descriptions of WSUS scalability and bandwidth management features, as well as step-by-step procedures for installation and configuration of the WSUS server.
microsoft -
comments -
18.2.2006 Microsoft announces first major Xbox 360 update
The folks at joystiq.com spoke with Aaron Greenberg, Group Marketing Manager for Xbox Live, about the first major update to the Xbox 360 since last November's launch.
microsoft -
comments -
27.5.2006 First Impressions: Microsoft Windows Update Services 3.0 Beta 2
YESS, Microsoft finally got it right and moved away from web interface to MMC where it should have been since the beginning. I've been complaining about this a lot, when I was MVP.
windows -
comments -
15.8.2006 Update on the Microsoft Windows Vista Start-up Sound
Windows Vista Start-up sound was designed to move beyond the boundaries of a basic audio alert, reflecting the operational status of the system. As an embedded sound, it has a core concept of a trademark segment of media, initializing, personalizing and reflecting the Windows Vista brand and Experience.
windows -
comments -
24.9.2006 Microsoft Unveils First Windows Home Server Update
Microsoft on Tuesday issued its first update for Windows Home Server, which addresses several minor glitches that have arisen since the software was released to manufacturing.
windows -
comments -
27.9.2007Microsoft Deployment New Feature: Windows Update
One of the new tasks and scripts in the Microsoft Deployment Lite Touch Task sequence is called Windows Update. This task is disabled in the default
task sequence for the Client Template. The task runs a script called ztiwindowsupdate.wsf. One item to note is that the current version of this
script requires client access to the Internet and also does not support proxy authentication. However if you meet those requirements, there are some
really nice advantages of using this action. Here is a brief description of what actions this script performs.
This script will
install and download updates from
Windows Update and
Microsoft Update over the Internet using the
Windows Update Agent API. By default this feature is disabled in
each Task Sequence, it must be manually enabled to run, and each computer must have a connection via proxy to the Internet. This script was designed
to run on Windows XP, 2003, Vista, and should be compatible with Windows Server 2008 when released.
winbeta.org -
14.11.2007Update Rollup 2 for Microsoft Dynamics CRM 3.0
Microsoft has released Update Rollup 2 for Microsoft Dynamics CRM Server 3.0 and Microsoft Dynamics CRM client for Outlook 3.0.
For
more information about this release, see Microsoft Knowledge Base article 927751:
Update Rollup 2 is available for Microsoft Dynamics CRM 3.0
This update rollup includes packages for Microsoft Dynamics CRM Server and Microsoft Dynamics CRM client for Outlook 3.0 to maintain parity
between the client and server components of Microsoft Dynamics CRM 3.0.
winbeta.org -
05.02.2008Microsoft to Change Default Browser Installs
Microsoft, in response to complaints that Internet Explorer 8 was being designated as the default browser during some installations, will change the
installation process starting this week, the software giant told a U.S. district judge.
By Tuesday, Microsoft will change the way
the express install works for Internet Explorer (IE) 8, the company said in an antitrust settlement compliance report released late Friday. In May,
browser makers Mozilla and Opera complained that Microsoft was quietly changing the default browser back to Internet Explorer when the browser was
updated with Microsoft's Windows Update service.
winbeta.org -
11.08.2009WDS update revision follow - up
Bobbie Harder: I wanted to get back to you with more information and guidance around the Windows Desktop Search (WDS) issue and the results of our
investigation today.
As you know, Windows Desktop Search was published last February 07, as an optional update that was only
applicable to systems which had WDS previously installed. Then on Tuesday of this week we revised that update package to be applicable (but still
optional) to Windows XP SP2 and Windows Server 2003 SP1+ systems which did not have WDS installed. Unfortunately, in revising this update, the
decision to re-use the same update package had unintended consequences to our WSUS customers. Namely many of you who had approved the initial update
package for a limited number of machines, had Tuesdays' WDS revision 105 automatically install on all clients because of the expanded applicability
scope and because by default, WSUS is set to automatically approve update revisions. We sincerely regret the inconvenience this has caused and extend
a sincere apology to all impacted customers.
For those of you who want to uninstall the WDS update revision released Tuesday of
this week, this can be done via.....
winbeta.org -
26.10.2007Microsoft releases activation exploit detection update
Microsoft has released an update for Windows Vista designed to detect activation exploits that bypass product activation and that interfere with usual
Windows operation. This update is tagged as KB940510.
According to Microsoft "when the update is installed, no functionality of your
operating system will be affected. If no exploits are detected, the update silently exits. If exploits are detected, you will be provided a link to a
Web site that describes how you can remove the exploits. When the exploits are removed, you may be asked to use a valid product key to activate your
copy of Windows. If you do not want to remove the exploits, Windows may disable the exploits and then ask you to use a valid product key to activate
Windows."
neowin.net -
27.02.2008WinVerifyTrust update will be mandatory for WSUS
Cecilia Cole: A couple of weeks ago, I
posted about Windows Vista Service Pack 1s availability to WSUS. In that post, we mentioned that you should install the
WinVerifyTrust update (
KB 938759) if you are running your WSUS server on a
Windows 2003 server to prevent Windows Vista SP1 from being continually re-downloaded to the server once the service pack is released to WSUS.
Today, wed like to let you know that, in order to make sure all customers are well protected, we will be marking this particular
update as mandatory, which means it will appear in the Updates/WSUS Updates node of the Admin console, and will be auto-approved by default (since the
Advanced/WSUS Updates checkbox is checked by default in Options/Automatic Approvals).
winbeta.org -
20.06.2008New Windows Small Business Server 2003 R2 Update
An update is available to enable automatic approval of definition updates and to fix two problems in the Update Services component of Windows Small
Business Server 2003 R2.
This update provides 2 fixes and introduces 1 new functionality.
New:
-
Automatic approval of definition updates (No longer have to manually approve them)
Fixed:
- Not getting approvals as expected when the
update level is set to Low
- In some scenarios, some updates may not be synchronized as expected.
Check the following for more
details:
940357 - An update is
available to enable automatic approval of definition updates and to fix two problems in the Update Services component of Windows Small Business Server
2003 R2
Expect to see this update on Microsoft Update and WSUS.
winbeta.org -
22.09.2007Upcoming Update to Windows Update
Michelle Haven: I'd like to let you know that, beginning at the end of this month and continuing over the next few months, well be rolling out an
infrastructure update to the Windows Update agent (client). I wanted to take this opportunity to provide some background on the update and discuss
the value these updates bring to you.
winbeta.org -
03.07.2008Windows Vista Homepage, Get's
an update!
Check out the new Windows
Vista homepage, now updated
with Screenshots, and
information of the nifty
features! Click
http://www.microsoft.com/windo
wsvista/default.aspx>Here To
be Redirected! ..
winbeta.org -
06.01.2006Announcing the Infrastructure Update for Office Servers
On July 15th, 2008 Microsoft announced the availability of the Infrastructure Update for Office Servers. The Infrastructure Update for Office Servers
is a set of updates to improve platform performance and contain several customer driven fixes. The updates are applicable to Microsoft Office
SharePoint Server 2007, Windows SharePoint Services 3.0, Microsoft Search Server 2008 & Microsoft Search Server 2008 Express, Microsoft Office Project
Server 2007 and Microsoft Office Project 2007.
winbeta.org -
16.07.2008Windows Home Server Update Later Today
Today, the Windows Home Server team will release a new update for Windows Home Server software. This is a scheduled update - part of the ongoing
process of continually enhancing the customer experience with Windows Home Server. The new functionality will be downloaded via Windows Update and
made available to existing Windows Home Server customers.
Details are available
here, but the main
benefit of the update is that it will improve the remote access experience for Windows Home Server users by providing them with a “trusted SSL
certificate” for their home servers. That means customers will be able to access their home server from outside the home more seamlessly,
without any security warnings. The Windows Home Server team worked closely with Windows Live Domains and GoDaddy, a leading provider of Web domain
addresses, to provide the certificate for the homeserver.com web pages customers use for remote access.
In addition, this month’s
update provides a new “Delete All” button to let users delete all home computer backups that are stored on the home server, as well as a
few improvements to the Shared Folders and Server Storage components of Windows Home Server.
neowin.net -
27.11.2007Microsoft planning updated UI for Windows Update
Beginning next month Microsoft will start an upgrade to the Windows Update and Microsoft Update services. Microsoft plans to start the
infrastructure update in late August, claiming "it will take a couple of months to complete the rollout." The update is required to "maintain and
improve service quality, reliability, and operations." The update will simply improve the user interface for Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008
computers running Windows Update, adding a more visible and detailed description of updates as well as improvements in how users are notified about
service packs. If you currently apply your updates automatically then this update will not modify the look and feel of Automatic Updates.
Read full story.....
neowin.net -
17.07.2009Internet Explorer 7 to be distributed via WSUS February 12, 2008
On February 12, 2008 Microsoft will release the Windows Internet Explorer 7 Installation and Availability update to Windows Server Update Services
(WSUS) marked as an Update Rollup package. Windows Internet Explorer 7 Installation and Availability Update is a complete installation package that
will upgrade machines running Internet Explorer 6 to Windows Internet Explorer 7. Microsoft Knowledge Base article 940767 contains more information on
the Windows Internet Explorer 7 Installation and Availability Update. For more information, click the following article number to view the article in
the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
940767 Description of the Windows
Internet Explorer 7 Installation and Availability update
Since the download center and Microsoft Update describe the Windows Internet
Explorer 7 Installation and Availability Update as Windows Internet Explorer 7, the remainder of this article will simply use Windows Internet
Explorer 7.
If you want to install Windows Internet Explorer 7 using WSUS today, you can import this package from the Microsoft
Update catalog site by following the instructions in the section titled "Deploying Windows Internet Explorer 7 using WSUS."
winbeta.org -
15.01.2008XP SP3 Goes on Automatic Updates This Thursday
Although a Microsoft manager had mentioned that XP SP3 would arrive "shortly" to Automatic Updates on Monday, the timetable became specific as the
company quietly said today it would release the upgrade on Thursday at 10 a.m. PDT. Microsoft will add Windows XP Service Pack 3 (SP3) to Windows
Update at that time, and trigger its automatic download and installation for users who have left the operating system's update service at its
default "Automatic (recommended)" setting.
" Updated applicability rules and updated metadata to target the update to Automatic
Update channel, " read a Microsoft support document revised Tuesday after the company unveiled its monthly security patches . " The Automatic
Update change will be published at 10:00 A.M. on July 10. " Microsoft delayed the distribution of Windows XP SP3 twice this spring, but the July
10 date seems firm; it was included in the cumulative list of all updates available via Windows Server Update Services (WSUS), the server-side update
tool many businesses use, as well as via the client-side Windows Update (WU) and Microsoft Update Web-based services. A Microsoft spokeswoman,
however, was not able to immediately confirm that July 10 will, in fact, be XP SP3's automatic update debut.
neowin.net -
09.07.2008Disable Windows Server 2003 SP2 Scalable Networking Pack features
Michael Platts: As you may know, Service Pack 2 for Windows Server 2003 included the
Scalable Networking Pack (or SNP) which allowed for increased performance in many situations by allowing some TCP functionality
to be handled by the network driver and network adapter instead of the Windows TCP/IP stack itself. This functionality was enabled by default in
Service Pack 2.
There have been some problems seen in some environments where Windows Server 2003 SP2 has been deployed on
systems that support the SNP features. Issues like this have been discussed in several previously published Knowledge Base articles.
There is now a new update available that will turn off the Scalable Networking Pack features on Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 2
systems. The article lists a number of symptoms that have been seen when Windows Server 2003 SNP is enabled and links to download the update for
x86, x64, and Itanium-based systems:
An update to turn off
default SNP features is available for Windows Server 2003-based and Small Business Server 2003-based computers winbeta.org -
14.03.2008Microsoft Preps Third Zune Update
Microsoft plans to release an
update to the firmware of its
Zune music player in
mid-March, remedying several
issues including skipping.
However, the update does not
include any support for direct
video downloading or podcasts
just yet...
betanews.com -
01.03.2007Microsoft apologizes for update blunder
Microsoft has apologized for a Windows Server update that automatically installed the Windows Desktop Search (WDS) tool on users desktops without
approval. The mistake happened because Microsoft reused the same update package for when WDS was first published in February as an optional update
that was only applicable to systems with the search tool previously installed. This meant organizations that had approved the February update package
for a limited number of machines had this weeks new update automatically install WDS on all clients because the Windows Server Update Service (WSUS)
is set by default to automatically approve update revisions.
One IT manager affected by the update told silicon.com: "I came into the
office this morning and found that every one of our desktops and servers which are on WSUS have had the WDS tool automatically installed. We were
shocked as we do not automatically approve anything for our systems, unless we have already approved an old version of the same update. So Microsoft
has decided to push this directly out, bypassing any approval opportunity we have set. To say the least we are not happy and were currently reviewing
what we are going to do." In a post on Microsofts
WSUS blog Bobbie
Harder, program manager for WSUS, said: "We sincerely regret the inconvenience this has caused and extend a sincere apology to all impacted
customers."
neowin.net -
30.10.2007Microsoft My Phone update and feature request(s)
Microsoft My Phone Team has announced that an update is available for My Phone application to address some of the known issues. Users will receive a
prompt to download and install the update the next time their phone syncs with their online account. The update can also be obtained by visiting the
My Phone installation page from the phone's browser. My Phone service will stop working if the update is not installed within 7 days of receiving
the prompt. Meanwhile in another blog post by the My Phone team, the team has acknowledged some of the great feedbacks discussed on the forums.
Read full story.....
neowin.net -
04.03.2009Microsoft to push IE8 as an automatic update
Microsoft has announced it plans to offer IE8 via Windows Update. In a move that will likely anger rivals such as Apple and Google, Microsoft will be
pushing Internet Explorer 8 via Windows Update. Google raised concerns back in 2006 when IE7 was originally released via Windows Update. Apple
received negative press last year when it tried to push Safari to iTunes users. Many users never had Safari installed but it was listed under
Apple's software update program for install. The IE8 update will be released as the highest priority update for each operating system. For
Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008, it will be listed as Important.
Read full story.....
neowin.net -
07.01.2009Newest IE7 Patch Can Disable Browser
Microsoft on Thursday said it
was working to resolve a minor
problem caused by its latest
cumulative update for Internet
Explorer 7, which can prevent
the browser from opening
altogether. The issue occurs
when customers change the
default "Temporary
Internet Files" after
installing the patch...
betanews.com -
17.05.2007
