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Questions About May Ms Windows Security Updates


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#1
bloomcounty

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Hi,

These are the High Priority Security Updates that come up for me at Windows Update this month:

Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool - May 2007 (KB890830)
Download size: 7.7 MB , 20 minutes
After the download, this tool runs once to check your computer for infection by specific, prevalent malicious software (including Blaster, Sasser, and Mydoom) and helps to remove any infection found. If an infection is found, the tool will display a status report the next time you start your computer. A new version of the tool will be offered every month. If you want to manually run the tool on your computer, you can download a copy from the Microsoft Download Center or run an online version from microsoft.com. This tool is not a replacement for an anti-virus product. To help protect your computer, you should use an anti-virus product.

Update for Windows XP (KB930916)
Typical download size: 307 KB , 2 minutes
This is a reliability update. Install this update to resolve an issue where a third-party driver installed on a computer that is running Windows XP may prevent you from opening files successfully on a NTFS file system volume. After you install this item, you may have to restart your computer.

Cumulative Security Update for Internet Explorer 6 for Windows XP (KB931768)
Download size: 4.5 MB , 12 minutes
Security issues have been identified that could allow an attacker to compromise a system running Internet Explorer and gain control over it. You can help protect your system by installing this update from Microsoft. After you install this item, you may have to restart your computer.


Please note I have Windows XP SP2 and IE 6 (which I only use for Windows Updates -- I use Firefox for internet browsing).

Questions:

1. Are these all the updates that should have come up?

2. Is anyone having any issues with any of them?

2a. I've read that KB931768 is causing people problems with IE7 in Vista... so I'm not sure why this update comes up for me since I don't have either... though the update says it's for IE6 for me...? :blink: Is this the same update that people with IE7/Vista are having issues with, or does MS just assign them same KB# to all these updates, but they're actually different depending on what OS and IE version you have?

2b. If it is really for IE7/Vista, then should I really be downloading it?

2c. If it is really for IE6/XP-SP2, then will it cause the same issues that IE7/Vista people are having?

3. Concerning KB930916, if I'm not actually experiencing this issue that I know of, should I still download this update? (I recall that there was an update a couple months ago that caused issues and the solution was to not download it unless you were having the issue described.)

4. Concerning KB890830, why is this file so BIG? 7.7 megs?! And when I go to the link for the update, it says that it's 6.6 megs... Why would the sizes not match if it's the same update/file?

Any assistance/thoughts are appreciated -- thanks! :whistling:
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#2
pip22

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Regarding ALL problem-solving updates and hotfixes provided by Microsoft, you should not install any of them unless:

(a) you are experiencing that exact problem and the fix is intended for your version of Windows.

and

(b) if it's application-specific, the fix is intended for your exact version of that application.

Otherwise don't install it in the blind hope it might just work or you just can't resist a free update even though you don't need it. You may end up with a problem you didn't have before if you do that.
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#3
bloomcounty

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Regarding ALL problem-solving updates and hotfixes provided by Microsoft, you should not install any of them unless:

(a) you are experiencing that exact problem and the fix is intended for your version of Windows.

and

(b) if it's application-specific, the fix is intended for your exact version of that application.

Otherwise don't install it in the blind hope it might just work or you just can't resist a free update even though you don't need it. You may end up with a problem you didn't have before if you do that.


Duly noted -- thanks.

So that eliminates KB930916, but what about the others?

I guess Malicious Software Removal Tool is "safe" since that comes up every month (though I'd still like to know the deal with it being so big, and the size difference between what's listed in Windows Update and what's listed in its own info webpage.

Also, your letter (b) above doesn't quite apply to KB931768, because, as you can see, Windows Update tells me that it IS for IE 6 for XP ("Cumulative Security Update for Internet Explorer 6 for Windows XP (KB931768)"). Yet, all the reports of issues with it are for people with IE 7 and Vista. Why doesn't this match up? Clicking the link for this update in Windows Update gives me this info:

Cumulative Security Update for Internet Explorer 6 for Windows XP (KB931768)
Date last published: 5/8/2007
Download size: 4.5 MB
Security issues have been identified that could allow an attacker to compromise a system running Internet Explorer and gain control over it. You can help protect your system by installing this update from Microsoft. After you install this item, you may have to restart your computer.
System Requirements
Recommended CPU: Not specified.
Recommended memory: Not specified.
Recommended hard disk space: Not specified.
How to Uninstall
This software update can be removed via Add or Remove Programs in Control Panel.


And this link gives the specifics (which I don't understand) for this update:
http://www.microsoft...n/ms07-027.mspx

But it sounds like it IS for IE 6 and IE 7 and XP SP2 and Vista, etc., I guess...? So is it that IE 7 - Vista people are having the issue, but no one with XP SP2 IE6 is?

Or are you saying I shouldn't install this update at all? I really don't get whether or not this falls under your letter (b) or not...

Has anyone with XP SP2 and IE 6 installed this update yet? And if so, any issues?

Thanks!
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#4
anzenketh

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As a General Rule Always install All High Priority Updates provided by Microsoft for your Operating system. There is ways to fix your computer if it causes a problem after a update. But generaly if you are Malware free you should not have a problem and if you do Generally it is a conflict that can be fixed or Microsoft will release a update to fix the update.
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