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Windows Secrets Newsletter • Issue 125 • 2007-10-04 • Circulation: over 270,000
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Contents TOP STORY: Get free patching without Windows Update KNOWN ISSUES: A flustered Microsoft posts Windows Update trick WACKY WEB WEEK: How Halo 3 makes the world a better place LANGALIST PLUS: Part two: finishing the first Housecall WOODY'S WINDOWS: Excel 2007 bug generates wrong numbers PERIMETER SCAN: Three more rootkit scanners to consider YOUR SUBSCRIPTION: How to change your address or unsubscribe |
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For links to every topic in this issue, scroll down to the
Index |
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ADS
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TOP STORY Get free patching without Windows Update
It's easy to replace Windows Update's functions In my previous columns, I reported that Windows Update has been periodically installing at least a few small executable files without notice to users, even when those users have selected a do-not-install option in the Automatic Updates control panel. This stealthy behavior upsets many people, but they don't want to completely do without a method of installing new security patches from Microsoft. Windows Update (WU) does three things when it scans a PC: it determines which upgrades are needed, downloads the relevant files, and ultimately installs them. Fortunately, you can replace each of these tasks without spending any money. In doing so, you give up some of the ease of automation offered by WU and Microsoft Update, WU's big brother, which also upgrades Microsoft Office applications. But the good news is that using alternatives makes it easier to update software from all major vendors, not just Microsoft. In two previous articles, I explained how to determine which security upgrades a system needs. The best free scanner to diagnose your patching needs is currently Secunia.com's Online Software Inspector. My Sept. 9 article explains how to use the service with Internet Explorer. A Sept. 13 article explains the steps using Firefox. I'll show you today how to add to your monthly Software Inspector routine an alternative to Windows Update. Not many completely free alternatives exist, but there are a few that are worth examining: • The Software Patch • Windows Updates Downloader • Microsoft Download Center • AutoPatcher • WindizUpdate The Software Patch is my number-one pick The best updating tool I've found is a service called The Software Patch (SP). This Web site provides not only Microsoft security updates but also a great deal more. The site includes necessary hardware drivers and updates, Microsoft Office and WordPerfect service packs, patches for Adobe and Corel products, updates for games, and more.
In addition to Software Patch, other solutions have may have value for some users. The Windows Updates Downloader is Microsoft-only. If you find yourself downloading a large number of Microsoft updates every month, you may like a free utility called Windows Updates Downloader (WUD). Created by Jean-Sebastien Carle, a frequent contributor to MSFN (Microsoft Software Forum Network), WUD makes it easy to select which patches you need and then download them all with a single click. Although WUD was designed to slipstream updates into new installs of Windows, it can also be used for downloading patches for existing installations. Unfortunately, the tool is designed to download Microsoft patches only; it provides no options for getting updates for non-Microsoft products. In addition, keeping up to date requires you to download new Update Lists from the WUD site each month. And because the product automates downloading only, you still have to launch each update's installer one by one. Microsoft Download Center is disorganized. Another option that avoids using MU or WU is to use the Securities & Updates section of Microsoft's own Download Center, where you can obtain patches, documentation, and other tools. Unfortunately for the average user, the listings at this Microsoft site are not well organized, with important patches mixed in with optional utilities, technical seminars, and other content. Moreover, it offers no patches for non-Microsoft products. AutoPatcher is out of commission. Until recently, one popular source of patches for Windows and other products was AutoPatcher. Unfortunately for the service's fans, however, Microsoft requested that the site suspend its offerings in August. The software giant cited security concerns, because patches were being stored on AutoPatcher's server instead of being downloaded directly from Microsoft. Despite that setback, project leader Antonis Kaladis hopes to launch a comparable replacement service, perhaps as soon as this month, according to a post on the AutoPatcher site. Until then, users must content themselves with other sources for patches. WindizUpdate isn't up to snuff. Another patch-download site is WindizUpdate, owned by Phil Young of Auckland, New Zealand. Unfortunately, the site requires an unsigned plug-in for your browser, frequently asks to scan your Registry, and lacks updates for non-Microsoft applications. Editorial director Brian Livingston gave the service a tepid review in the Windows Secrets Newsletter on June 29, 2006. Keeping your system up to date requires that you analyze, download, and install patches on a regular basis. Secunia's Online Software Inspector does a great job of system analysis. In addition, The Software Patch gives you one-stop upgrades for a variety of platforms and applications. The Software Patch is the clear winner for patch downloading. In combination with Secunia's service, The Software Patch is a welcome solution. If you need to keep Windows 2000 patched, however, the Windows Updates Downloader can be a useful assistant as well. Readers David Todd and Leland G. Whitlock will each receive a gift certificate for a book, CD, or DVD of their choice for their help in researching this topic. Have a tip to share? Send us your comments via the Windows Secrets contact page. Scott Dunn is associate editor of the Windows Secrets Newsletter. He has been a contributing editor of PC World since 1992 and currently writes for the magazine's Here's How section. |
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KNOWN ISSUES A flustered Microsoft posts Windows Update trick
Microsoft scrambles to respond to negative press Associate editor Scott Dunn's lead story last week broke the news that executable files recently installed silently by Windows Update actually prevent further updates from working in some cases. Windows XP users who run the "repair" option from a CD-ROM of the operating system find that all security patches subsequently fail to install. Many blogs and computer industry publications picked up on the trail. Several sources conducted their own tests and verified Scott's findings. ZDNet confirmed that Windows Update does not repair itself in this problematic scenario, apparently no matter how long it's left alone. Computerworld also released an article confirming the story. In response to the flurry of comments, complaints, and criticisms, Microsoft jumped into action. Windows Update program manager Nate Clinton assembled a blog post, which went live at 2:11 a.m. Pacific Time the day after our newsletter went out. His report confirmed the problem, outlined a solution, and promised that a Knowledge Base (KB) article would be posted soon. That article, KB 943144, appeared later that day. In addition to repeating the repair steps from Clinton's blog, the piece discusses the source of the problem, indirectly admitting that the stealth update was at fault:
Last week, Scott listed seven separate DLLs that needed to be manually registered to enable a "repair" install of XP to receive patches. Microsoft researched the code and found that only one of these files is the hang-up: wups2.dll. Microsoft's official fix for the problem requires that you enter only three commands in a command window to register that one DLL. The other six DLLs don't require this. For 32-bit Windows, open a command prompt and enter the following lines: net stop wuauserv regsvr32 %windir%\system32\wups2.dll net start wuauserv For 64-bit Windows, the second line differs due to the location of the DLL file: net stop wuauserv regsvr32 %windir%\syswow64\wups2.dll net start wuauserv In each case, the first and last commands stop and then restart the Windows Update service. This is a precaution to keep the service from becoming unstable. In our tests on a 32-bit system, however, a single short command — regsvr32 wups2.dll — solved the problem without confusing the WU/AU service. Side-stepping the primary issue Although the KB article alludes to the stealth updates, Microsoft did not address the core issue or take responsibility for causing the problem in the first place. Basic pieces of the puzzle are still missing. Users should be able to read a KB article discussing the executables that Windows Update silently installed and manually download the .381 version of the installed files (a procedure that's typically available for other patches). It would also be nice for Microsoft to stop writing files silently to disk when users configure Windows not to install downloads without warning. Until Microsoft steps up and addresses these issues, many customers will remain suspicious of Microsoft in general and Windows Update in particular. Dial-A-Fix solves multiple update problems When she has trouble with Microsoft Updates, reader Gabrielle Accatino relies on the free Dial-A-Fix utility from DjLizard.net. This software helped a number of users who ran XP's repair option and then could not install security patches, as we described in the Sept. 27 newsletter. Dial-A-Fix corrects a number of problems with Windows Update, Microsoft Installer (.msi) files, and more. However, the developer offers only limited support for the tool. The site strongly recommends that novice users seek experienced help before using this utility. Beta version 0.60.0.24, which is now available, is recommended over version 0.57.7. Reader Accatino will receive a gift certificate for a book, CD, or DVD of her choice for sending tips we printed. Send us your tips via the Windows Secrets contact page. The Known Issues column brings you comments on our recent articles. Virginia Culler is managing editor of WindowsSecrets.com. |
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EDITOR'S BOOKSHELF
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WACKY WEB WEEK How Halo 3 makes the world a better place
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YOUR SUBSCRIPTION The Windows Secrets Newsletter is published weekly on the 1st through 4th Thursdays of each month, plus occasional news updates. We skip an issue on the 5th Thursday of any month, plus the week of Thanksgiving and the last two weeks of August and December. Publisher: WindowsSecrets.com LLC, Attn: #120 Editor, 1700 7th Ave., Suite 116, Seattle, WA 98101-1323 USA. Vendors, please send no unsolicited packages to this address (readers' letters are fine). Editorial Director: Brian Livingston. Editor-at-Large: Fred Langa. Associate Editor: Scott Dunn. Contributing Editors: Susan Bradley, Mark Edwards, Woody Leonhard, Ryan Russell. Research Director: Vickie Stevens. Program Director: Brent Scheffler. Managing Editor: Virginia Culler. Editorial Assistant: Diane Korngiebel. Trademarks: Microsoft and Windows are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation. The Windows Secrets series of books is published by Wiley Publishing Inc. The Windows Secrets Newsletter, WindowsSecrets.com, LangaList, LangaList Plus, WinFind, Security Baseline, Patch Watch, Perimeter Scan, Wacky Web Week, the Logo Design (W, S or road, and Star), and the slogan Everything Microsoft Forgot to Mention all are trademarks and service marks of WindowsSecrets.com LLC. All other marks are the trademarks or service marks of their respective owners. HOW TO SUBSCRIBE: Anyone may subscribe to this newsletter by visiting our free signup page. WE GUARANTEE YOUR PRIVACY: 1. We will never sell, rent, or give away your address to any outside party, ever. 2. We will never send you any unrequested e-mail, besides newsletter updates. 3. All unsubscribe requests are honored immediately, period. Privacy policy HOW TO UNSUBSCRIBE: To unsubscribe from the Windows Secrets Newsletter,
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