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Microsoft Looking Into Patch Problems

By Nate Mook, BetaNews

April 18, 2006, 1:00 PM

Microsoft on Tuesday acknowledged that a patch released as part of its monthly updates last week could block some users from accessing "My Documents" or "My Pictures," and crash applications when the "Open" dialog is activated. The problem affects systems with certain HP software and older Nvidia drivers.

The MS06-015 update installs a new executable to validate shell extensions before they are loaded into the Windows Shell or Windows Explorer. However, Hewlett Packard's Share-to-Web software, which ships with HP printers, scanners and cameras, causes this program to stop responding.

Older video drivers from Nvidia are also incompatible with the change, leading to similar lock-ups and crashes. Microsoft says the latest Nvidia drivers and HP software known as "Image Zone Version 5" are not affected by the issue.

Microsoft notes that out of 120 million installations of MS06-015, it has received under 1,000 reports of problems. Still, the company acknowledges that "even one customer having a problem is too many and that’s why we’ve been working on investigating this and determining solutions."

An updated security bulletin details the software conflict, and Microsoft has posted a knowledge base article instructing users on how to fix the problem. The company plans to offer links to unaffected versions of the HP and Nvidia software. "We’re working directly with the manufactures of the affected software to assist customers," says Mike Reavey from Microsoft's security response center.

"Meanwhile we're still looking at the best way to assist customers who may have been impacted by this and I encourage everyone to review KB article 918165," adds Reavey.

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By mmmmmmmm

edited Apr 14, 2008 - 2:28 AM

I have not been able to scan with my c5180 since i have bought it. yes there is a problem with hp printers and nividia drivers how can they sell them like this come on people test this stuff or leave it off the shelf do you think we are stupid will we buy them in the future

Score: 0

By trebor

edited Apr 20, 2006 - 10:26 AM

Yes I'm positively P.O'ed with MS. I let Autocomplete install all and low and behold, my HP printer/scanner, on first fire-up of the Scanning program, actually tries to install Apple iTunes FIRST, which was something I installed 4 weeks ago, still having the install file in some path....(I can repeat this trick ad-nauseam!). Eventually the scansoftware started up, surmising that my register got corrupted by the Redmond friends. All AFTER METICULOUSLY APPLYING THE REGISTER FIX PRIOR TO EVEN ATTEMPTING T START AN HP!!!!!...meanwhile (in MS words), I'm looking at a permanent ditch of MS for Linux...if I have to tweak, i'll go tweaking in Linux rather! This btw is after the march update mess up of the MS update to some Bug removal tool they circulated, causing BSOD havoc and requiring a complete re-install. Oh I have an NVIDIA card....should I be standby for more surprises? ARE THEY STARK RAVING MAD?

Score: 0

By Kalstream

edited Apr 18, 2006 - 1:28 PM

That count of 1000 reports of problems is meaningless. Imageing how many people have HP digital cameras or scanners. Each of those up until recently installs Share-to-Web software. It would be nice if Microsoft released a tool to tell users they could see problems with this update and their installation because of a conflicting software already being present. I guess the moral is not to do a windows update until the update to the update comes out.

Score: 0

By m4dj

edited Apr 20, 2006 - 6:44 AM

Hi ! I have this problem listed above. Last week some of the updates take care to bring me this problem... so now when i try to open a dialog box "my documents" under outlook for attachements... the application just freeze and stop sesponding. WTF ? I sucessfuly get rid of this problem by unninstaling the update 908531 from c:\windows (show hidden files must be anebled).... and now it works fine. This is quicker then fixing the problem :)

Score: 0

By Controletti

edited Apr 20, 2006 - 12:17 AM

Oh, guys.
Throw your trash on HP. Microsoft only closes security holes, which are used by crackers, hackers, HP and Nvidia. They crashed and spied you for years, and, now, being stopped, you blame it on Billy Gates. By the way, I use Linux - ...

Score: 0

By crystaldragon

edited Apr 19, 2006 - 11:16 PM

You can put me on the list of the affected. I have spent the last 3 days reinstalling applications and recreating my files. As an internet DJ and business owner this this is not good. Join me in offering MS a big round of applause for affecting so many with so little.

Score: 0

By M.Sweazey

edited May 12, 2006 - 4:53 AM

Score: 0

By squantz06812

edited Apr 18, 2006 - 10:40 PM

The problem isn't limited to HP devices. I don't have HP devices hooked up to my laptop but mine crashed. The registry was changed rendering Internet Explorer useless. That's why I couldn't report to MS! I couldn't save anything, move anything, no programs would run, I couldn't access the internet. The only thing that I could do was send and receive email. My machine is currently being repaired by professionals. What a disaster!

Score: 0

By sophist_dreams

posted Apr 18, 2006 - 10:15 PM

The problem affects certain older Nvidia Drivers....no cowpies. like the ones in my Sony Vaio you mean? Like the rest of you I just spent a week trying to figure out what I had screwed up on my computer. Just installed the latest Nvidia beta and it works great now.......thanks for nothing Microspud.

Score: 0

By uberfly

posted Apr 18, 2006 - 8:01 PM

I'm surprised this sort of thing doesn't happen more. Incompatibilities with 3rd party software that is...

Score: 0

By doubleshot

posted Apr 18, 2006 - 7:48 PM

yea, i installed their updates on my dhcp server and it blew out 6 scopes... bas**** software

Score: 0

By CMSTech

posted Apr 19, 2006 - 1:43 PM

Did the updates do the same thing in your test environment before you installed it onto a production machine?

Score: 0

By zanshina

posted Apr 18, 2006 - 7:32 PM

I just spent three days trying to fix my computer, thinking it was something I did. Everything started working properly again after I unplugged my HP camera, HP scanner and HP printer, and removed all the associated drivers and software. Grrr!!

Score: 0

By mjm01010101

posted Apr 18, 2006 - 4:05 PM

"Microsoft notes that out of 120 million installations of MS06-015, it has received under 1,000 reports of problems."

That is because customers don't have a freaking clue where/who to call when something like this happens.

-Do customers read the details of the patches last tuesday?
-How can customers make the link between the patches and certain elements of unrelated aspects of their OS?
-Does MS pop-up a support number when My Documents isn't working?

In my example, I had two attorneys page me after hours because their home machines were hit by this. the advisory wasn't out yet on Wednesday, so I only knew from other admins that the problem was there. They both told me they *NEVER* would have deduced the problem was from HP's software or MS's patches.

So, Microsoft, this issue has far greater impact than your shabby statistical methods allow.

Score: 0

By fewt

posted Apr 18, 2006 - 8:39 PM

The results are flawed. If one company with 100K seats has the problem and it's only reported by one guy in IT then Microsoft only counts that as "one report".

Score: 0

By mjm01010101

posted Apr 18, 2006 - 4:00 PM

Microsoft: Thank for the overtime this past weekend. I'm sure you'll tell more customers about better ROI, right?

Score: 0

By kholdstare

posted Apr 18, 2006 - 1:53 PM

reminds me of years ago when XPSP1 came out and HP had to make special patches for there computers.

Score: 0

By spef

posted Apr 18, 2006 - 5:43 PM

That was exactly the first thing I was thinking when I read the article.

Score: 0

By bourgeoisdude

posted Apr 18, 2006 - 3:19 PM

First of all, Microsoft makes Windows for manufacturers to make applications for. MS is not required to make their OS be compatible with existing third-party software; that's a freebie. HP's Share-to-Web application is spyware when you boil it down anyways. Every major PC manufacturer seems obsessed with including spyware on all PCs out of the box, and MS is getting the blame.

Score: 0

By sophist_dreams

posted Apr 18, 2006 - 10:17 PM

Crap, crap and more crap.

Score: 0

By fewt

posted Apr 18, 2006 - 7:53 PM

Answer me this, why can't Microsoft actually do anything wrong?

Do they pay you for this crap?

:-P

Score: 0

By spef

posted Apr 18, 2006 - 5:53 PM

An on that information HP made its third-party software. It worked until MS changed its OS with the update after which Windows didn't function normal anymore. A slight difference than you make it look.
Probably they share the blame because there is other third-party software causing the same problems. MS for making a security mistake in the past where other software makers built on and HP for making way too intrusive spyware-like software. For a couple of years ago I contacted HP about all the processes that were running after a clean install (an HP-image) on a HP-pc. Nowadays I'm only running one of them and the rest is just a load of crap.

Score: 0

By The Man

posted Apr 18, 2006 - 1:30 PM

not sure i understand this: an update patch (to fix things i think) causes "my documents", "my pictures", and the "open" dialogue to malfunction because of video drivers AND HP software.

and this is all going to be fixed in the next version of windows right? you know, the bigger, more complex one.

Score: 0

By spef

posted Apr 18, 2006 - 5:40 PM

If people can update their windows they probably also can update their video drivers or their Image Zone software so don't make the problem any bigger that it is.

Score: 0

By sophist_dreams

edited Apr 19, 2006 - 12:38 AM

You are kidding right? Microspud puts out an update that affects a whole lot more than 1000 people (unless, of course, you think only 1000 people use Nvidia Graphics Cards or HP products), most of whom spent the last week trying to figure out what happened to our computers not b****ing to Microspud, and it's somehow our fault for not being smart enough to update our drivers until the geniuses in Seattle tell us there is a problem? You sir, are an idiot.

Score: 0

By Intrusive_Rogue

edited Apr 19, 2006 - 9:26 AM

So if you don't change the oil in your car every 3000-3500 miles who's fault is it when the motor siezes up? Ford, GM, Chrysler, Mobile, Valvoline, Midas, Sears, your dealership, the local "pump and munch?"

Right now I've got a RIP50 Printer that is not compatable with OS X, and Adobe Post Script level 3 printing because there are no drivers for it and the RIP50 just flat out can't handle PS L3. This is Apples fault I spose, that the 10yo printer isn't compatible with the new versions and that I havent gotten a new printer? (and don't you dare say it's my fault for not keeping my hardware current, according to you...it's not!)

How can the end consumer be responsible for anything, right? After all, they're just using the product. They assume absolutly no responsibility for it's functioning. It's all mfg defect, or the mfg fault for not holding their hand.

YOU sir, are not only an idot, but a Donkey also.

Score: 0

By sophist_dreams

edited Apr 19, 2006 - 2:58 PM

What a moron. When the people who make my car tell me that I need to change parts to make it run better for some reason I expect that the parts they are asking me to install will work in the car. In addition since the updates are supposed to be "automatic" I expect that they will be tested before they pass them out. By your analogy, I should be happy to let my computer be unsecure and not install the updates. We are not talking incompatibilites in hardware, we are talking about incompatibilities in drivers, which Microspud is fully capable of checking for. Or do you really believe no one at MSN has Nvidia cards or HP products on there systems?

I might be a donkey, but you are a complete ass.

Score: 0

By The Man

posted Apr 19, 2006 - 12:21 PM

one problem with your analogy, "I" change my oil, a chrysler mechanic doesn't come to my house in the middle of the night to change my oil and possibly make mistakes that i'm not aware of when i go to drive it. and if i take it to a mechanic to get it done, i expect my car to work the same when i get it back.

maybe try thinking a little more before taking in up the *** from MS and posting your misled thoughts.

Score: 0

By spef

edited Apr 19, 2006 - 6:16 PM

I was referring about the latter comment.

Maybe I made it look that it's the consumers fault, I'm sorry about that. There is always a probability software screws up other software and that's why MS tests their patches before releasing them but they can't test everything.

On the contrary I'm running a HP desktop and didn't have any problem.
About the idiot part you're probably right because I keep hearing that a lot lately.

Score: 0

By Intrusive_Rogue

edited Apr 18, 2006 - 4:05 PM

"not sure i understand this: an update patch (to fix things i think) causes "my documents", "my pictures", and the "open" dialogue to malfunction because of video drivers AND HP software.

and this is all going to be fixed in the next version of windows right? you know, the bigger, more complex one."

---------------------------------------------

You're a donkey.

Did you even read the article?

Score: 0

By The Man

posted Apr 18, 2006 - 4:11 PM

sticks and stones....

did you?

Score: 0

By Intrusive_Rogue

posted Apr 18, 2006 - 10:02 PM

Yep, sure did.

If you would have read the article, you would have noted that this ONLY effects a very small amount of outdated versions of software and drivers.

By your logic then, it's microsofts fault that anything before version 10.5 of Symantec's PCAnywhere crashed Windows 2000? Because, of course, microsoft didn't take the time to insure that their OS was backwards compatible with every 3rd party software out there made previous to it's release.

I spose Microsoft should also be writing and forcing updates to all 3rd party software to be checked for and installed with out the user's knowledge...becuase this would have certianly prevented this "error," on MS's Part.

Score: 0

By sophist_dreams

edited Apr 19, 2006 - 9:31 AM

Another idiot statement. A few outdated versions of drivers and software in how many THOUSANDS of computers? I hate Microspud fan boys.

Score: 0

By TomA102210

posted Apr 19, 2006 - 10:28 AM

I hate Microspud fan boys.
-----------------------------------------------
Don't use Microsoft then. There's always Mac's and there's always Linux.

Score: 0

By Intrusive_Rogue

edited Apr 19, 2006 - 9:25 AM

The same concept holds true for every other OS.

The article just happens to pertain to Microsoft and I was keeping it on topic.

Score: 0

By The Man

posted Apr 18, 2006 - 10:35 PM

your right, 1000 people isn't alot. but you'd have to figure, there's at least twice that that don't bother reporting because they don't know what happened. so that's about 3000 people out there that logon to their computers and think they have some type of virus taking over. because MS thought they knew what would please everyone or maybe strengthen their grip on the OS running on your machine without your knowledge.
the point is MS screwed up a patch once again, the idea is to fix problems, not create more.
don't get me wrong, i like my legal version of Windows, but the 1001 patches and updates, and the several steps you need to take to activate it, and more activation steps to update to newer MS program versions (IE,OE, etc.)which are nothing more than bugfixes usually , AND THE AUTOMATIC UPDATES that mess with your computer to the point that you think you've got a virus, are begining to drive me crazy.

Score: 0

By Intrusive_Rogue

edited Apr 19, 2006 - 9:49 AM

Hmmmm....I don't have any of those problems.

You may want to check your OE Logs for ID 10 T errors.

Score: 0

By The Man

edited Apr 19, 2006 - 1:57 PM

actually, i think OE sucks, i prefer Outlook. but even after installing Outlook, OE still updates itself and is a royal pain to remove. I would think Outlook would upgrade OE not reside with it.

ps: and yes, i get your techie joke, but the only one putting idiot errors in my puter is MS.

Score: 0

By Das mod

edited Apr 18, 2006 - 1:19 PM

well, nobody's perfect.... and at least they're doing something to correct it ...
UNLIKE many other companies

plus, if microsoft released PERFECT software
there would be LOTS of unemployed IT people ...

so be grateful for that you inconsiderate b-a-s-t-a-r-d-s .... !!!!

Score: 0

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