If you've been trying to install last Tuesday's MS13-101/KB 2887069 patch and are having problems, you aren't alone. It seems that this "important" solution to five separately identified security holes in every version of Windows (and Server and RT) since XP is having all sorts of issues, with the majority reported on Windows 7.
Tell me if you've heard this one before: Almost a week after the patches were pushed to Automatic Update customers, Microsoft hasn't acknowledged the problems, provided a workaround, or said when a fix will be available. The patch is currently being offered to Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 machines.
The SANS Internet Storm Center says there are no known exploits for the patched security holes.
There's a six-page thread on the Microsoft Answers forum that discusses the problems people are having. Depending on how lucky you are, according to the thread, the installer may hang at 7 percent or 12 percent; it may reboot twice, dish up a message that says it "Failed to Configure" followed by a rollback; or it may result in BSoDs. There are also reports in a separate Answers forum thread of messed-up sound drivers: audio output won't work and/or the microphone won't work.
What to do?
If you've been following my years-long tirade about botched Microsoft Automatic Update patches, you know that my first recommendation is to turn off the bloody Automatic Update. Manually check for updates later in the month -- after the masses get used as cannon fodder -- when the coast is clear.
If you're seeing BSoDs and need to get your system back, apparently running System Restore from Safe Mode will make it bootable again. Heaven help ya if you have Windows 8 or 8.1, which are notorious for not creating restore points.
Here's a short list of what you can do if you really, really, really want to get this patch installed:
- If you're running AVG, turn it off, install the patch manually, reboot, and turn AVG back on.
- Right-click on your C drive, choose Properties, and run Disk Cleanup to clear out your Temp folder. Try installing the patch again.
- Uninstall all your Nvidia software -- sound drivers, video drivers, whatever. Manually install the patch. Reboot. Re-install the drivers.
None of those fixes work in every case. Microsoft hasn't figured out what's wrong. I have no idea why it's still offering the patch.
Let's hear it for another botched Automatic Update patch. Somebody tell me how long it's going to take Microsoft to fix its seriously broken patching mechanism. The very least Microsoft could do, as a stopgap, is to implement Patch Mondays. But I won't hold my breath.
t/h SB
This story, "Botched Black Tuesday patch KB 2887069 freezes, fails to configure, triggers a BSoD, and/or zaps sound drivers," was originally published at InfoWorld.com. Get the first word on what the important tech news really means with the InfoWorld Tech Watch blog. For the latest developments in business technology news, follow InfoWorld.com on Twitter.