April brings showers of browser patches

[Tracey Capen]

PATCH WATCH April brings showers of browser patches By Susan Bradley It seems like every other month is an especially large Patch Tuesday, but this week's is the largest we've ever had. The flood of patches — including fixes for Internet Explorer — leaves no room for the update chart in the newsletter; you'll find it in the Windows Secrets Lounge via the link at the bottom of this story. The full text of this column is posted at WindowsSecrets.com/2011/04/14/08 (opens in a new window/tab). Columnists typically cannot reply to comments here, but do incorporate the best tips into future columns.

[Tracey Capen]

Regularly updated problem-patch chart
This table provides the status of problem patches reported in previous Patch Watch columns. Patches listed below as safe to install will be removed from the next updated table.

Patch	Released	Description	Status
2387530	02-22	Win7 hotfix for configuring Wi-Fi services (optional update)	Skip
2484033	02-22	XPS document print patch for Windows 7 (optional update)	Skip
2505438	02-22	Fixes possible performance problems running some apps	Skip
2487426	02-08	Win7 fix; running x32 apps in x64 OS (optional update)	Hold
976932	02-22	Windows 7 Service Pack 1	Hold
2446708	04-12	.NET 4 — historic patching issues	Hold
2446709	04-12	.NET 2/3.5 — historic patching issues; KB 2446710 for Win7 SP1, KB 2446704 for XP	Hold
2509470	04-12	Extended Protection for Outlook — past issues	Hold
2464588	04-12	PowerPoint 2003; KB 2464617 for 2002, 2464594 - 2007, 2519975 - 2010	Wait
2467023	02-08	Win7 fix; load/unload binaries flaw	Wait
2467174	04-12	MS11-024, Visual C++ — check line-of-business impact	Wait
2467175	04-12	MS11-025, Visual C++ 2005 — check LOB impact	Wait
2506014	04-12	Hardening the system for prevention of root kits	Wait
2506223	04-12	Windows Kernel patch	Wait
2508272	04-12	ActiveX Kill bit — wait for further testing	Wait
2509503	04-12	Office 2003; KB 2509461 for XP, 2509488 - 2007	Wait
2509553	04-12	DNS flaw — unlikely threat for home/small-biz users	Wait
2511250	04-12	Printing fix for IE9 — hold back on IE9 for now	Wait
971029	02-22	Flash-drive patch for Windows XP	Optional
2393802	02-22	Kernel patch triggered BSOD; use Symantec solution	Install
2412687	04-12	GDI+ — exploits unlikely	Install
2464623	04-12	PowerPoint viewer 2007	Install
2466156	04-12	Office Compatability Pack security update	Install
2485663	04-12	WordPad — more critical on XP	Install
2491683	04-12	Windows Fax cover-page flax; KB 2506212 for XP	Install
2497640	04-12	Internet Explorer — attacks in the wild	Install
2503658	04-12	MHTML — public exploits seen	Install
2507618	04-12	OTF Font — attacks unlikely	Install
2508429	04-12	SMB Server — not at high risk	Install
2508958	04-12	Fixes issues with Office updates	Install
2510531	04-12	JScript and VBScript — exploit unlikely	Install
2511455	04-12	SMB client — likely to see exploits	Install

Status recommendations: Skip — patch not needed; Hold — do not install until its problems are resolved; Wait — hold off temporarily while the patch is tested; Optional — not critical, use if wanted; Install — OK to apply.

[MarciaG]

Re Patch 2393802 (Kernel patch triggered BSOD): Should I install the patch or use the Symantec solution? After reading the information on the Symantec site, I'm not even sure if the patch would be a problem for my home computer. I use Windows XP SP3 and I know what the BSOD is, but I don't really understand the rest of the issue. Thanks.

[Ed Y]

Any reason that 2446710 released on 4/12 is not on the list??

[SusanBradley]

IF you have those video cards, look for a new driver, otherwise install the update.

[SusanBradley]

Missed it. I'll have Tracey add it. For now hold off on ANY .net update.
OH I see why. 2446710 is for .net on Win7 sp1. I haven't installed Win7 sp1 so that's why I didn't list it.

[MarciaG]

What are the video cards that would require a new driver? How do I know if I have them? If I do, how do I get the new driver? I have a Dell Dimension 8300, purchased in 2004.

[Ed Y]

Missed it. I'll have Tracey add it. For now hold off on ANY .net update.
OH I see why. 2446710 is for .net on Win7 sp1. I haven't installed Win7 sp1 so that's why I didn't list it.

Makes sense. Thanks for the info.

[JoeP517]

What are the video cards that would require a new driver? How do I know if I have them? If I do, how do I get the new driver? I have a Dell Dimension 8300, purchased in 2004.

Please post this question in the hardware forum.

Joe

[bbroers]

Is there a recommendation for KB2464583 (for Excel 2007)?
Thank you.

[MarciaG]

Please post this question in the hardware forum.

Joe

Sorry. I was trying to get a further explanation from Susan Bradley of how to handle KB2393802 and determine whether, as she wrote, I install the patch or use the Symantic solution and update my graphics driver. I don't know how to determine whether I have the video card that requires the Symantic solution and then, if I do, how to get the appropriate driver. Do I need to post that to the hardware forum? Thanks.

[JoeP517]

Sorry. I was trying to get a further explanation from Susan Bradley of how to handle KB2393802 and determine whether, as she wrote, I install the patch or use the Symantic solution and update my graphics driver. I don't know how to determine whether I have the video card that requires the Symantic solution and then, if I do, how to get the appropriate driver. Do I need to post that to the hardware forum? Thanks.

All the more reason to post in the hardware forum. The folks who hang out there have lots of experience with most aspects of hardware.

Joe

[SusanBradley]

Print issues Outlook 2007 after installing KB2509470 | HowTo-Outlook:
http://www.howto-outlook.com/news/pr...-kb2509470.htm

After installing KB2509470 <http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2509470>, you can experience an issue with printing or previewing messages or other Outlook items in Memo style and receive the following error;

There is a problem with the selected printer. You might need to
reinstall this printer. Try again, or use a different printer.

For Plain Text messages this error can be preceded by;

Outlook has encountered a problem. You will not be able to undo this
action once it is completed. Do you want to continue?

After this error, Outlook could take high CPU (100% CPU for a single core).


Workarounds

1. Close Outlook.
2. Locate |OutlPrnt| and rename it to .old. This will reset your
current print settings.
* Windows XP
|C:\Users\%username%\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Out look\|
* Windows Vista and Windows 7
|C:\Documents and Settings\%username%\Application
Data\Microsoft\Outlook\|
3. Restart Outlook and you should now be able to print again.

Sadly this often only works for 1 print or preview and you’ll have to repeat the process again for your next print. In some cases, restarting Outlook is sufficient and you can print as long as you no longer use the Print Preview function.

*Workaround 2*
Another workaround is to save the message as a htm-file or txt-file first and then print the saved file.

The Outlook Team is aware of this issue and is looking into it. If you need to do a lot of printing and suffer from this issue, you can safely uninstall the update for now as it is a functional update and not a security update.

[SusanBradley]

Certain systems that have Intel integrated graphics or AMD ATI HD graphics cards may crash after this security update is installed. Microsoft has investigated this issue in partnership with both Intel and AMD. We have identified an incompatibility between this update and certain older versions of the Intel and AMD graphics drivers. Both Intel and AMD have posted updated drivers that resolve this issue.

For more information about how to obtain updated drivers to resolve this issue, visit the following webpages:

Intel
http://wer.microsoft.com/responses/r....aspx?sid=3320 (http://wer.microsoft.com/responses/r....aspx?sid=3320)


AMD
http://wer.microsoft.com/responses/r....aspx?sid=3319 (http://wer.microsoft.com/responses/r....aspx?sid=3319)

[SusanBradley]

Is there a recommendation for KB2464583 (for Excel 2007)?
Thank you.

Haven't seen issues with that one. I think I missed it in the chart, go ahead and deploy and I'll have Tracey update it.