THE OFFICIAL BLOG OF THE SBS "DIVA" : Patching issues

"Get Started with Office Live" (add-in) window keeps popping up after first startup of Word/Excel/PowerPoint (2007)

bradley — Sat, 07 Feb 2009 20:47:00 GMT

Microsoft Office Word OneNote Support Team Blog : "Get Started with Office Live" (add-in) window keeps popping up after first startup of Word/Excel/PowerPoint (2007):
http://blogs.technet.com/wordonenotesupport/archive/2009/02/07/get-started-with-office-live-add-in-window-keeps-popping-up-after-first-startup-of-word-excel-powerpoint-2007.aspx

I saw this the other day get offered. If you are seeing it keep popping up, there's the registry key to get it to shut up.

Patching related blog entries to read

bradley — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 05:51:00 GMT

Patch related blogs to read tonight...

http://blogs.technet.com/office_sustained_engineering/archive/2008/06/10/june-2008-update-release.aspx

http://blogs.technet.com/msrc/archive/2008/06/10/june-2008-monthly-release.aspx

http://blogs.technet.com/swi/archive/2008/06/10/ms08-036-pgm-what-is-pgm.aspx

http://blogs.technet.com/swi/archive/2008/06/10/ms08-033-so-what-breaks-when-you-acl-quartz-dll.aspx

http://blogs.technet.com/swi/archive/2008/06/10/ms08-030-all-bark-and-no-bite-the-case-of-the-bluetooth-update.aspx

Give yourself a back door

bradley — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 20:29:00 GMT

Two for Two - The Official Blog of the SBS "Diva":
http://msmvps.com/blogs/bradley/archive/2008/02/13/two-for-two.aspx

A note on this. The reboot issue is seen both before and after patching at times. It's sporatic and your best proactive stance to be prepared for it is to have alternative means to reboot the box. That means you install Ilo's and Drac cards in Servers. Or you leave a backdoor in another server or workstation so that you can get on the network and do a remote shutdown script to reboot the box.

A little command line comes in handy - The Official Blog of the SBS "Diva":
http://msmvps.com/blogs/bradley/archive/2006/08/16/107913.aspx

You click start-shutdown-reboot.
You enter the reason for the reboot.
You click okay to start the reboot process.
It begins the shutdown.
You lose the remote desktop/TS session.
The system doesn't complete the reboot process and is sitting there with 3389 not responding and the system not completed the reboot session.

The way to recover is to get onto some other system (RWW to a desktop) and run a remote shutdown script.

shutdown -r -m \\nameofcomputer

add -f to force a shutdown/reboot

Alternatively I've seen where TS/3389 doesn't respond on the way back up if something else grabs 3389 on the way up (There's a KB -- You receive a "The server may be too busy" error message when you try to connect to Terminal Services on a Small Business Server 2000 computer: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/329155 for the 2000 era.. haven't seen it as much in the 2k3 era.

Bottom line when remotely patching, be aware that we are seeing a bit more of an uptick of this issue and plan your processes accordingly. Give yourself a backdoor this month, just in case.

Two for Two

bradley — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 04:06:00 GMT

To minimize the impact of rebooting on the bloggers (and quite frankly to use this server as test beds for the rest of the fleet to confirm what patches are expected and what not), these two servers, Yoda and Brianna I hand patch and don't use my normal tools of Shavlik and WSUS. And I'm now two for two this month on remote servers that need a manual bounce.

How to prevent this? Well for one ensure you have folks like the staff at www.ownwebnow.com that I can log into their control panel and request a reboot. Otherwise invest in Drac's and Ilo's and other remote hardware that gets you in under the operating system level.

Fasten your seatbelts and prepare a little extra this weekend just in case.

New categories on WSUS and MU

bradley — Sat, 19 Jan 2008 02:01:00 GMT

Microsoft Update Product Team Blog : But wait.......there's more.... Another new product family, Silverlight coming Tuesday, 1/22/08 !:
http://blogs.technet.com/mu/archive/2008/01/18/new-product-family-and-update-silverlight-available-to-wsus-mu-and-mu-catalog.aspx

Microsoft Update Product Team Blog : New Product Family Expression coming Tuesday, 1/22/08!:
http://blogs.technet.com/mu/archive/2008/01/19/new-product-family-expression-appearing-in-wsus-and-expre

How Vista does it's notification

bradley — Thu, 13 Dec 2007 02:45:00 GMT

Microsoft Update Product Team Blog : Office 2007 SP1 Update Availability:
http://blogs.technet.com/mu/archive/2007/12/13/office-2007-sp1-update-availability.aspx

On Vista, if you have notify me that patches are available, you will see that the icon will tell you that patches are available.

Then when you launch the WU/MU interface you will see that patches are offered up.

Then when you click on the details, you will see that Office 2007 sp1 is offered.

By that process, ~~if you are~~ ~~not awake and brain dead~~, you might end up with Office 2007 sp1 on your system. I've done tests here and if Auto updates is turned on a NON SP1 (beta test) Vista system, or if download but notify is enabled, neither option will install Office 2007 sp1 on a system. In fairness, what's not understandable is why Office 2007 sp1 is even pre-checked like that.

So bottom line, I only saw Office 2007 sp1 auto installed when I was running Vista sp1 beta or was pointed to a beta-MU site. And the setting "Check for updates but let me choose whether to download to install them" is the most confusing setting and is apt to get you in trouble.

Be prepared

bradley — Fri, 07 Dec 2007 08:30:00 GMT

http://msmvps.com/blogs/bradley/archive/2007/12/04/net-2-and-3-service-pack-1-are-on-wsus-tonight.aspx

So why do I urge caution on .net patches? Because they have historically had issues getting installed so that you have to uninstall them and reinstall them to get them patched... because sometimes you have to use the windows installer fix up to fix them ...and lastly sometimes they "update" your web sites to a newer version of .net that they aren't supposed to be on.

After you install these .net service packs, run the www.sbsbpa.com and ensure the RWW and the default web sites of SBS stay on version 1.1.

Windows installer clean up tool - http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx/kb/290301

Troubleshooting installer issues - http://support.microsoft.com/kb/908077

.NET clean up tool - http://blogs.msdn.com/astebner/archive/2007/12/04/6659905.aspx

Just be prepared is all and run the www.sbsbpa.com afterwards.

.NET 2 and 3 Service pack 1 are on WSUS tonight..

bradley — Wed, 05 Dec 2007 07:05:00 GMT

.NET 2 and 3 Service pack 1 are on WSUS tonight..

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/.NET_Framework

I am not a fan of .NET patching so I wouldn't be rushing to install these and in fact would probably manually install them.

If I were in charge of the universe....

bradley — Wed, 31 Oct 2007 01:40:00 GMT

Sometimes it's nice to just pretend .... what if I were in charge of the Universe.

Well the first thing I would do is that I would put out a formal statement (and not just a blog post) about how I'd be planning to help the patching admins clean up the Windows Desktop Search .... well...mess that was blogged about here: http://blogs.technet.com/wsus/archive/2007/10/25/wds-update-revision-follow-up.aspx

I'd state a timeline of actions and I'd give people a variety of tools, options and guidelines to pull that patch back off.

I'd first build a scan tool that would allow folks to scan their networks for that patch. MBSA is already build, how about a special build that would look for that Search KB/registry?

I'd then give guidance on removal.

I'd take what was added as a suggestion on the blog...

Put the script in your Active Directory Computer Startup GPO and this runs with the necessary rights, also /norestart if you don't want it to retart the PC
[ instead of /promptrestart ]
%windir%\$NtUninstallKB917013$\spuninst\spuninst.exe /q /promptrestart

And I'd see if there's more options I could do to help admins.

And then I'd start a WSUS advisory council. Okay so it's probably too much to ask that there's an external WSUS test network, but if there was some way that Microsoft would have WSUS deployments monitored around the world so that when they deployed something, they could call the admin and just say "everything okay?" and confirm that what was intended to occur, really did occur.

But first off... I'd make a formal statement. No this isn't because blogging is maturing or dead or anything else... I just think that Blaine and his fellow Patch Admins deserve it is all.

Casualties of the time change...

bradley — Tue, 30 Oct 2007 01:26:00 GMT

1. I think the router on our DSL freaked ..as yesterday we lost DSL connectivity for most of the day and all night and today I had to log all the way into the DSL modem/router before it would connect to the Internet.

2. Our Ricoh copier thinks it's an hour earlier... obviously we missed that patch....

Heard about some VOIP systems that had some minor date issues.

And I had patched all the phones so didn't see this.. http://blogs.technet.com/dst2007/archive/2007/10/29/windows-mobile-update-102907.aspx

I should have gone with my gut

bradley — Thu, 25 Oct 2007 00:40:00 GMT

I should have gone with my first instinct. I was at SMBnation and said never ever ever ever ever ever ever install a driver from Microsoft update ..and I was redoing an older machine for a temp employee and while deploying patches and doing a final manual MU scan, I saw a video driver offered up. And I should have gone with my gut that said no. Instead I said yes......

So I clicked, installed and rebooted... and came back to a lovely BSOD. (Sigh.) I knew I shouldn't have installed that driver from Windows/Microsoft update and instead just used it as an indicator that I needed to go look for a driver.

And one dump file later that sent me to http://wer.microsoft.com/responses/Response.aspx/11/en-us/5.1.2600.2.00010100.2.0?

http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=293078

Last known good does nothing. The only way I could roll back was to log in with a VGA driver and get to the video card section and roll back the driver and then tick the box on Microsoft update to "forget" to offer up that driver to me.

Also note that this driver is not down in the driver section, but it's an driver offered up in the high priority section that I see on certain OEM machines (Dell in this case).

So remember.... never ever ever ever ever ever ever install a driver from Microsoft update.

Yes, Virginia, that is another Daylight savings patch that was on WSUS last night

bradley — Wed, 29 Aug 2007 07:52:00 GMT

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;933360

Yes that's another time change patch for workstations and servers that just hit WSUS tonight.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/894199

Tuesday, August 28, 2007

New non-security content

•

Update for Windows Vista, Windows Server 2003, and Windows XP (KB933360)

Locale: All
Deployment: Windows Update, Microsoft Update, Important/Automatic Updates, WSUS, and Catalog
Classification: High priority, non-security, update rollups
Target platforms: Windows Vista, Windows Server 2003, Windows XP
Approximate file sizes:

•	Windows Vista update: ~ 251 KB
•	Windows Vista 64-bit update: ~ 400 KB
•	Windows Server 2003 x86 update: ~ 527 KB
•	Windows Server 2003 IA-64 update: ~ 1096 KB
•	Windows Server 2003 x64 / Windows XP x64 update: ~ 735 KB
•	Windows XP update: ~ 525 KB

Description:
Installing this update lets your computer automatically adjust the computer clock on the correct date in 2007. This date may have changed because of revised daylight saving time laws in many countries. After you install this item, you may have to restart your computer.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/933360 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/933360)

The second patch Tuesday of the month

bradley — Wed, 29 Aug 2007 07:26:00 GMT

The fun thing lately with Vista is that you can pretty much count on not just one Patch Tuesday a month...but two. The last Tuesday of the month is another "patch release" time frame if you having figured that out by now.

One way to keep an eye on what's coming is watch either the latest stuff from the download page: http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/results.aspx?freetext=&productID=&categoryId=&period=&sortCriteria=date&nr=50&DisplayLang=en or Sandi's blog... http://msmvps.com/blogs/spywaresucks/Default.aspx

~~Some of these "Second patch Tuesday" patches are not MUing or WSUSing down but you may want to grab a few nonetheless.~~ I spoke too soon...most of these are MU or WSUSing down.

•

Update for Windows Vista (KB939159)

Locale: All
Deployment: Important/Automatic Updates, WSUS, and Catalog
Classification: High priority, non-security
Target platforms: Windows Vista
Approximate file sizes:

•	Windows Vista update: ~ 332 KB
•	Windows Vista 64-bit update: ~ 425 KB

Description:
Install this update to resolve an issue in the Background Intelligent Transfer Service (BITS). After you install this item, you may have to restart your computer.

http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=96415 (http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=96415)

•

Update for Windows Vista (KB938979)

Locale: All
Deployment: Recommended/Automatic Updates, WSUS, and Catalog
Classification: Updates, non-security
Target platforms: Windows Vista
Approximate file sizes:

•	Windows Vista update: ~ 10194 KB
•	Windows Vista 64-bit update: ~ 14687 KB

Description:
This update resolves some performance and reliability issues in Windows Vista. By applying this update, you can achieve better performance and responsiveness in various scenarios. After you install this item, you may have to restart your computer.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/938979 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/938979)

•

Update for Windows Vista (KB938194)

Locale: All
Deployment: Recommended/Automatic Updates, WSUS, and Catalog
Classification: Updates, non-security
Target platforms: Windows Vista
Approximate file sizes:

•	Windows Vista update: ~ 2087 KB
•	Windows Vista 64-bit update: ~ 3683 KB

Description:
This update resolves some compatibility and reliability issues in Windows Vista. By applying this update, you can achieve better reliability and hardware compatibility in various scenarios. After you install this item, you may have to restart your computer.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/938194 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/938194)

•

Update for Windows Vista (KB939165)

Locale: All
Deployment: Recommended/Automatic Updates, WSUS, and Catalog
Classification: Updates, non-security
Target platforms: Windows Vista
Approximate file sizes:

•	Windows Vista update: ~ 22 KB
•	Windows Vista 64-bit update: ~ 23 KB

Description:
This update configures the Windows Customer Experience Improvement Program to improve the quality of software information that is sent to Microsoft. This information is used to help improve the features that you use most frequently. Participation in the program is voluntary, and no information that we collect is used to identify you or to contact you. After you install this item, you may have to restart your computer.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/939165 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/939165)

•

Update for Windows Vista (KB938952)

Locale: All
Deployment: Recommended/Automatic Updates, WSUS, and Catalog
Classification: Updates, non-security
Target platforms: Windows Vista
Approximate file sizes:

•	Windows Vista update: ~ 270 KB
•	Windows Vista 64-bit update: ~ 343 KB

Description:
Install this update to resolve a display issue that occurs when you install a language pack and when you access the Regional and Language Options item in Control Panel. After you install this item, you may have to restart your computer.

http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=938952 (http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=938952)

•

Update for Windows Media Player 11 for Windows XP (KB939683)

Locale: All
Deployment: Windows Update, Microsoft Update, Automatic Updates, WSUS, and Catalog
Classification: High priority, non-security
Target platforms: Windows XP
Approximate file sizes:

•	Windows XP update: ~ 567 KB
•	Windows XP x64 Update: ~ 684 KB

Description:
Install this update to improve how Windows Media Player manages shortcuts that you create and add to the pinned list on the Start menu. After you install this item, you may have to restart your computer.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/939683 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/939683)

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/894199

So why do we NEED Sp2?

bradley — Sat, 07 Jul 2007 21:49:00 GMT

So the question came up ...why do we really need SP2 on SBS anyway? If you don't install it are there security implications (assuming you are up to date on everything else)?

hmmmm... I'd argue no. I haven't seen anything earth shatteringly security wise different like in the case of XP sp2 versus XP sp1.

So why do we really NEED sp2 anyway?

First off.... forget this marketing top 10 list:http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/windowsserver/bb229702.aspx

Total yawn for SBSers. And let's not even get started on how #3 is the very thing we're hacking off that has caused us problems or how #6 has some known issues as well.

Here's my list of why:

1. Extends the supportability of the box. RTM of SBS rolls out of support on 7/10/2007 so its only SBS 2003 sp1 in support now.

Microsoft supports approx two service packs at a time. By putting on SP2 it's a longer support window. My guess is, it's the last SP I might be putting on this system before Longhorn era? (we'll see)

2. There's a bundle of VSS hotfixes in SP2. Anyone seeing backup issues? I've seen enough smatterings to know that I'll bet most of you are seeing one or two intermittent backup failures a week on the servers under your control if you have a fleetful of SBS boxes. Some of this may be due to USB drives getting to the end of their useful lives as backup devices.. but some may be due to the need of these hotfixes.

3. Wireless stuff (ask Owen the wireless guru). (That's their number 10 and my number 3)

4. Lots of hotfixes and other stuff besides the hotfixes (look at the what's included in SP2 KB and you kinda go .. okay so maybe some of those are a good thing to be getting on my system, you know?)

5. Because if I were your client and I was under a managed service contract I'd say ... exactly how long are you going to wait? Because being on the latest service pack is a best practice item. (Okay, okay, I'm giving you a bad time but you get the idea.... another consultant could come in and say "well there's your problem.. he doesn't have you on the latest service packs...")

6. Because if you are in a regulated industry being a service pack back can be a point knock off on a score. Seriously. All those security auditor best practice checklists say "check for being on latest service pack". I know that I've said before that I believe "best practice" is YOUR best practices and not a cookie cutter checklist done by some Government agency still running Windows NT, but I can't argue about the overall goodness of being on a currently supported and service packed product.

7. Because sooner or later every patch, every service pack should go on a system. It's a matter of timing and preparedness and when...not "should we?" Microsoft can and has made changes to systems that make better security included in Service packs. Look, for example on the vast difference between XP sp2 and XP sp1. Being on the latest service pack is a general good thing.

8. Read this http://support.microsoft.com/kb/914962 and go "dang some of those look a mite interesting ... I may want those". Yes I know I'm repeating #4 but it needs repeating. There's a lot of hotfixes in there and if you called for each one, even though you could call individually FOR FREE and get them one at a time, this gives them to you.

9. Because we know the issues, they've been identified, we have a "fix up" patch and we know what we're facing.

10. At some point in time in the far far future there will be a patch that needs SP2 prior to install. Just like the Vista/connectcomputer/join patch aka the "Ripcurl" patch needs SBS 2003 sp1 to be installed, there will be a time at some point in the future where you HAVE to get it on. It's much better to plan for it, install it when it's on YOUR schedule, and not part of a manditory "I must get this on otherwise I can't patch/install what I really need to install". Never get yourself into a situation where you HAVE to get a service pack on because something else demands it is my personal view.

Getting on a latest service pack is never a matter of "if" it's always a matter of "when".But it's when I'm good and ready.We know the issues now and the game plan... ensure you are on the latest nic drivers, install the SP2, install the post MUable RSS hacking off patch.

What was the annoyance at first was the total silent release on a Patch Tuesday when we were told no patches, right after a very rough DST patching month, the no eula that it didn't have, was supposed to have and finally does have (thank you to the folks at MS who fixed that one), and the lack of SBS experience with it. Show me a newsgroup of people with SP2 issues and I'll show you a measurable number of Help and Support blow ups that people don't know are blown up until they are told to go check if it's blown up. We count that as a SP that breaks things but that's so minor of an issue when the bulk of us don't even realize it's broken in the first place. The KB to fix it, KB937231 ... you don't even have to call in for the fix, you can use the workaround that does the same thing.

The posts about "consuming SP2" while we were counting up the dead bodies didn't help either. I know that one post in particular was the straw that broke the camels back and sent me right over the "rant" edge on that one. But in fairness... I've seen many a Admin post on www.patchmanagement.org that they've had flawless upgrades of SP2 on a good fair number of Servers. Our unique use of dual nics make us more intolerant of the advanced networking code they put in SP2. Score one for the single nic folks, eh?

The rest of us that lose the vpn/rdp/Exchange stuff are ISA folks who haven't updated the NIC card driver since we installed the box in 2004 (I was guilty of that one).

I'm not saying you will have no issues but I think we scared ourselves because of how this Service pack just got shoved down our throats on a Patch Tuesday. Some of the MS folks wax poetically about SBS 2000 sp1(?) as being a really solid service pack experience. Except I had to go without XP sp1 on all workstations for 6 months because every time I installed that service pack I had Office files lock up on me due to the internaction of SMB signing between the Win2000 service pack and XP sp1. It took six months to get a patch for that out of Microsoft because it was security related. This didn't take six months to get sorted out.

We know what we're facing now.

We got a map.

Install latest nic drivers
Install SP2
Install post SP2 RSS disabling patch that shows up on Microsoft update in the optional section after SP2 is installed
Check help and support (do the quick and easy workaround to fix it back up if needed)

And I think that's the important thing.

And that top ten list of why to upgrade to SP2 list is even more important if you have a trouble free install. Service packs are not optional in my network.

But they are installed when I want them to be installed.

If you are delaying because there's no room on that 12 gig drive... I'd recommend what Les said recently... if you can't fit SP2 on that C:\ they won't last too much longer patching. You won't make it with that size of a drive until Longhorn comes out. Start planning a harddrive change out to a larger one.

P.S.

11. Don't wait so long to install a service pack that when you finally do get around to installing it and you have some questions about it and you ping me .... I go...dang...that was like how long ago I did my last service pack 1 install...and I can't remember if what you are seeing is normal or not....Stay with the flock and don't wait too long to install.

ISA Server 2004 Service Pack 3

bradley — Wed, 02 May 2007 01:53:00 GMT

ISA Server 2004 Service Pack 3 - now on the download site

Download size: 11.2 MB , less than 1 minute
ISA Server 2004 Service Pack 3 provides increased security, new troubleshooting options and tools available directly from the ISA Server Management console, new diagnostic logging functionality, and enhanced log viewer and log filtering options for ISA Server 2004 Standard Edition and Enterprise Edition. In addition, this service pack adds support for publishing Microsoft Exchange Server 2007 with ISA Server 2004

http://www.microsoft.com/technet/isa/2004/sp3.mspx

Install this update to resolve an issue where you receive a digital signature policy error message

bradley — Wed, 25 Apr 2007 03:36:00 GMT

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=8effe1d9-7224-4586-be2b-42c9ae5b9071&displaylang=en&tm

Install this update to resolve an issue where you receive a digital signature policy error message when installing a large Microsoft Windows Installer (.msi) package or a large Microsoft Windows Installer Patch (.msp) package.

Can't get .Net sp1 on the box

bradley — Wed, 17 Jan 2007 20:27:00 GMT

Was installing Quickbooks 2007 on a system and it wouldn't install...come to find out it couldn't install .NET 1.1 service pack 1 and it couldn't install that as "hotfix" 886904 MS 05-004 was already installed http://support.microsoft.com/kb/886904/en-us I had to uninstall 05-004 to get .Net SP1 on there so I could install Quickbooks.

So if you find that you can't install something.. either Quickbooks 2007 ..or.. NET 1.1 sp1... check to see if you have KB886904 on that system and remove it first.

Bluetooth driver needs patching

bradley — Sun, 15 Oct 2006 17:33:00 GMT

Another driver to check and see if we need to patch it.....I have an Acer 
Tablet with a Bluetooth... and I'll bet I need to.

  Multiple Vendor Bluetooth Memory Stack Corruption Vulnerability
------------------------------------------------------------------------


SUMMARY

A flaw exists in the Toshiba Bluetooth wireless device driver, used by 
multiple vendors, that allows a remote attacker within wireless range of a 
Bluetooth device to perform a denial-of-service (DoS) attack or execute 
arbitrary code at the highest privilege level.

DETAILS

Vulnerable Systems:
 * Toshiba Bluetooth host stack implementations version 3.x
 * Toshiba Bluetooth host stack implementations version 4 through 4.00.35, 
including all shipping OEM versions are vulnerable.
 * Toshiba Bluetooth stacks running on 64-bit platforms are not 
vulnerable.
 * Toshiba is the OEM for multiple vendor Bluetooth stacks including, but 
not limited to:
  o Dell Computers
  o Sony Vaio
  o ASUS Computers and possibly other brands.

Bluetooth is a standards-based wireless technology used for short-range 
data communications between electronic devices. The vulnerable Bluetooth 
wireless device drivers are subject to potential attacks through specially 
crafted Bluetooth packets. An attacker can potentially take advantage of 
these conditions to cause a memory corruption, a system crash, and/or the 
execution of arbitrary code at the highest privilege level. An attacker 
would need to be within approximately 10 meters of the victim. 
Additionally, an attacker would need the Bluetooth address of the victim s 
device. Bluetooth addresses are easily enumerated through active scanning 
if the device allows discovery.

Detection:
Users of Toshiba s Bluetooth stack are encouraged to check the current 
Bluetooth stack version by selecting:
Version 3.x    Device Properties  , then  General
Version 4.x    Options , then  General , then  Details 

Toshiba has advised that security patches are normally offered for all 
Bluetooth stacks. Please consult the download details document for further 
information.

Users of Dell Bluetooth products are encouraged to verify the presence and 
version of their Bluetooth stack by double-clicking on the Bluetooth icon 
in the system tray to open the Bluetooth client utility
and selecting  Help , then  About.

Recommendations:
Toshiba has recommended that affected users visit their Bluetooth vendor s 
website for an updated Bluetooth stack. If a patch is unavailable, please 
visit the Toshiba Bluetooth website, which offers security updates for all 
Bluetooth stacks including OEM versions, as well as a Bluetooth Stack 
Security Pack at:  
<http://aps.toshiba-tro.de/bluetooth/redirect.php?page=pages/download.php> 
http://aps.toshiba-tro.de/bluetooth/redirect.php?page=pages/download.php

Users of Dell Latitude D820/D620/D420/D520 are asked to verify the version 
of their Bluetooth stack using the method described above. If your version 
is not 4.00.22(D) SP2 or newer, then it is recommended that users upgrade 
to the latest driver versions located at  <http://www.support.dell.com/> 
http://www.support.dell.com/.

Users of Dell Latitude D810/D610/D410/D510/X1 are asked to verify the 
version of their Bluetooth stack using the method described above. If your 
version is not 4.00.20(D) SP2 or newer, then it is recommended that users 
upgrade to the latest driver versions to be made available by November 
4th, 2006 at  <http://www.support.dell.com/> http://www.support.dell.com/.

Bluetooth device users should be set to non-discoverable mode during 
normal operations to reduce risk from this and other potential future 
Bluetooth attacks.

References:
 
<http://aps.toshiba-tro.de/bluetooth/redirect.php?page=pages/download.php> 
Toshiba: Bluetooth Download Page
 <http://www.support.dell.com/> Dell Support
 <http://trifinite.org/trifinite_advisory_toshiba.html> Buffer Overrun in 
Toshiba Bluetooth Stack for Windows


ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

The information has been provided by  <mailto:research@secureworks.com> 
David Maynor.
The original article can be found at:  
<http://www.secureworks.com/press/20061011-dell.html> 
http://www.secureworks.com/press/20061011-dell.html



========================================

Seeing issues with the .NET 2.0 patch?

bradley — Sun, 15 Oct 2006 17:25:00 GMT

Jamshed's blog : Problems while installing an update for the .NET 
Framework 2.0:
http://blogs.msdn.com/jamshedd/archive/2006/10/13/Oroblems-while-installing-an-update-for-the-.NET-Framework-2-0.aspx

Jamshed blogs about some fixes and workarounds to the install issues people are seeing out in the newsgroups and what not...

1-800-936-4900

bradley — Sat, 23 Sep 2006 16:24:00 GMT

I have called that number for free hotfixes so much that I have it memorized.... the one I'm calling about today?

Error message when you use MMC 3.0: "MMC has detected error in a snap-in":
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=915797

When you are following this Post about adding a script to your group policy, on a SBS 2003 R2 box with MMC 3.0 installed, you'll get that error on the Group Policy Management Console... but no worries it's just caused by MMC 3.0. Call for the hotfix and get the fix ...or just click on continue running. (It's more of a cosmetic annoying issue)