Re: OT: Problems with latest Micorosoft security update

On Mon, 17 Apr 2006 12:21:41 +0100, "George Weston"
<george@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:


"Steve Cobham" <steve@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:qqo6425vgkqhea1dv48fu1aanne9aud54o@xxxxxxxxxx
On Sun, 16 Apr 2006 22:09:04 +0100, "George Weston"
<george@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

Whilst you and I might have no qualms about editing the registry - and
that always has to be done carefully and after backing it up - let's
take a new user, or an OAP or someone with maybe less intelligence
than the norm and think what havoc they could wreak............

That MSoft should suggest such a course of action is the height of
irresponsibility and plumbs new depths of cockwittery even for them.

I don't think we're at issue here, Steve. This is one god-almighty fcuk-up
by MS, who took 4 days to recognise there was a problem and then reluctantly
issue a "physician, heal thyself" fix, which, as you say, won't get picked
up by the majority of windoze users. Even if some of them do, they might
well have a problem in carrying out the registry fix if they don't copy and
paste the line of code, as it uses curly brackets { } . I made the mistake
first time of typing it in and using ( ) brackets and wondered why it didn't
work first time!

I'm sure we're not at issue here, George. I'm just in rant mode ;)

What I'm really stirred up about is the registry "fix" that most
people won't ever find unless they know where to look, that a lot of
people will be unable to perform, that a lot of people will be
unwilling to perform and that merely papers over the fatal cracks
which are appearing in the whole update structure.

Here, meanwhile, is a registry "fix" that can be performed without
lifting the bonnet and that seems to be winning favour on the various
discussion groups that are humming with discontent very loudly as I
type.

http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/regs_edits/hp.vbs

As ever, don't use without checking it out first and back up your
registry, etc, etc. If it screws up anyone's system don't say you
weren't warned.

Moreover, the HP factor is a red herring IMO - people without any HP
peripherals and/or software are reporting errors in Office and IE.

Then again, in view of this almighty error on MSoft's part you'd
expect them to shift the blame, wouldn't you, to go by past form?

Meanwhile, the best course of action, as far as I can see and after
much web searching, is to opt for notification of updates but do not
install them, remove the faulty patch, wait until MSoft releases a
patch that doesn't barf up your PC, follow what seems to be a very
strong movement towards using alternative browsers and be a little
more sceptical about the so-called security flaws that these updates
claim to be guarding us against.

In terms of immediate and impactful threats, an up-to-date firewall,
anti-spyware and AV software are by far the best defence against the
more prevalent problem of trojans, viruses and other menaces.

BTW, if anyone mentions linux or macs then I shall refuse to be drawn.
Many, many people use Windows in its various forms because it makes
life easier in many ways and rather than migrating to other platforms
we should be being more proactive in our own security measures and
more vociferous towards MSoft who need to sort out *** ups like the
one under discussion by adequate testing before public release.

Steve.
.