“Two patches released in Microsoft’s April batch of security updates are causing system hangs, Windows crashes and the appearance of strange dialog boxes,” Ryan Naraine reports for eWeek. “The problems stem from a nonsecurity modification to Internet Explorer and a critical fix for a code execution hole in Windows Explorer and affect third-party programs from Google, Siebel and Microsoft’s own Windows Media Player.”
“On some consumer-facing programs running Hewlett-Packard’s Share-to-Web software and Sunbelt’s Kerio Personal Firewall, the new binary stops responding,” Naraine reports. “Windows users deploying the MS06-015 update have also complained about problems accessing special folders like ‘My Documents’ or ‘My Pictures.’ In addition, the update is causing Microsoft Office applications to stop responding when Office files are saved or opened in the “My Documents” folder; system freezes when opening a file through an application’s file/open menu; and lockups when typing a URL into IE. According to PatchLink, of Scottsdale, Ariz., the MS06-013 mega-patch, which includes a significant modification to the way IE renders certain ActiveX controls, is also causing workflow issues for its enterprise clients.”
Full article here.
Yet another one for the “Macintosh. Because life’s too short” file.
Note for Boot Campers, as Apple states on their website, “Windows running on a Mac is like Windows running on a PC. That means it’ll be subject to the same attacks that plague the Windows world. So be sure to keep it updated with the latest Microsoft Windows security fixes.”
Obviously, if Microsoft’s security “fixes” also cause your Windows install to crash, hand and/or lockup, you can always boot into Mac OS X to get your work done.
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Related articles:
Dude, you got a Dell? What are you, stupid? Only Apple Macs run both Mac OS X and Windows! – April 05, 2006
Microsoft: The safest way to run Windows is on your Mac – October 08, 2004
And the beat goes on.
how great is that, microsoft releases a “fix” that to fix you need a mac! hehe
Well, at least this is one case where MS is fair-the patches screw up their own apps too.
This is why big companies don’t apply patches immediately. My employer hasn’t installed any since February.
in other words, this update smoothly and by the numbers…
Man, I knew it was bad, but I never fully fathomed how bad until after using Parallels Workstation to run Windows XP for only a few hours, I started noticing evidence of spyware on my Windows XP install. Downloaded Ad-Aware, a program I’ve heard my PC using friends talk about, I ran it and it found 57 critical spyware/adware/malware issues.
God, how do Windows users put up with this? Also, is it just me, or is Windows Update ALWAYS wanting to reboot my computer because it installed some update in the background?
Damn, I’m glad I can quickly switch to my Mac programs with a Command+Tab or a click of my mouse on the Dock…
The only reason I am playing with these Windows options is so I can show them to my Windows using friends who are sitting on the fence about getting a Mac. Once I’ve converted them, I’m deleting my Boot Camp partition and my Parallels Windows disk image.
Forget Windowz….. Use Mac OS X!!! Forget BootCamp. Mac OS X is the only OS you’ll ever need!
The problem is this, third party developers have a nasty tendency to infiltrate their code as deeply into a OS as possible, using all sorts of shortcuts to get things done the way they want.
This sort of thing happens on Mac’s as well, just not as bad usually provided you don’t give these third party softwares your administrative password to install something, use third party Os modification software, like the APE framework for instance.
So what happens later is when Apple makes a change to Mac OS X, it sometimes breaks these third party OS modifications. Apple expresslly tells you that these OS modifications can and will cause problems with OS updates.
On the Windows side this problem is compounded on a greater scale because there is so much third party garbage fighting for control over the PC’s.
And how would one tell the difference between crashes, system hangs, and lockups caused by previous updates and those caused by this latest update? Was Microsloth good enough to provide popups?
this patch was released by microsoft right after the inception of boot camp by apple, to create the appearence that windows will not run well on a Mac
this is really funny.
Yeah Dvorak…
I can’t WAIT to drop a secure, WORKING, STABLE OS for one that can’t keep it’s act straight and causes me to hate computing all together…
Sure, that’s gonna happen
How can he think Mac users would voluntarily choose to subject themselves to that permanently… sheesh,
I’m waiting on the 17″ Core Duo MacBook Pros before I upgrade, but even when I get one, I doubt I’ll implement ANY kind of windows compatibility options simply for the fact that they little bit that I use VPC now, I absolutely HATE it and every time I get a call from a relative with windows issues they want ME to help them fix I develop a burning hatred for all things Gates!!!! Just gotta love it.
Andy C. – glad that you added Ad Aware to your Windows instal, but be sure to understand the “57” number it produces. Ad Aware counts harmless “cookies” in it’s list of “trackers” because they are, after all, trackers.
But does my MDN cookie really deserve equal weight with the Bot.z9 virus? Only in a world ruled by Microsoft.
“This is why big companies don’t apply patches immediately. My employer hasn’t installed any since February.”
And that’s also why viruses spread so readily on the MS platform. Large blocks of machines stay unpatched and networked for months at a time.
I am not sure why everyone is gloating about this. Just a few Updates ago, Mac users were losing all the data on their external FireWire drives. Was that funny too? We can all agree that Windows is garbage without losing sight of the fact that, as a general rule, updates are a good thing.
MS is purposely railroading its own Vista project and all its legacy OS versions with bug ridden fixes and security holes that it has no intention of correcting. With this MS is setting users onto the Apple path so that it can focus on other ventures knowing damn well it cant keep up with bug fixes and creating a decent modiern OS.
Apple as a result of this conspiracy came up with Boot Camp, with the help of MS, in order to creat a smooth transitional path to the Mac OS. Leopard will have virualization so that all Window OS versions will be usable on the Mac and all softtware investments wont be lost.
DUH !
Hmmm! Having spent most of the day reinstalling software on my 15inch AL PBk following the 10.4.6 update which more or less trashed my disk, I would refrain from crowing.
First time I have had any problems whatever with updates but I guess there is always a first time. Needless to say it’s when you forgot to back up first…..
My initial reaction on reading the headline to this article-
And……..
You underestimate the brilliance of these patches. A PC that cannot run cannot be infected.
I just reinstalled OSX 10.4 this morning because of system crashes everyday. The Mac genius bar was of no help!!!
Don’t crow too loud, because OSX is no where near perfect, and sometimes it’s downright dissapointing. When I started having problems I started reading the blogs and found that I had plenty of company.
I am forced to use Windows a lot.
I count on MDN to keep me up to date on all of the Windows news I need to know.
Keep reporting the Windows bad news MDN. I won’t be downloading this month’s security fix until they get it right.
I can’t wait until virtualization in Leopard.
“just patch it” is not good enough!
Yeah, OS X has holes ‘n bugs. A lot LESS of them than Windows.
That means less chance of THIS kind of nonsense.
“Microsoft Windows patches causing crashes, system hangs, lockups.”
I think you’re lying. A company that large with that many programmers run by two of the smartest, wealthiest men in the world couldn’t possibly allow for such sloppy QA. </sarcasm>
“We’re better than you.” – SJ
“It doesn’t matter.” – BG
Tacitus – I had to do the very same thing to my 15″ AL PB after the last major update to 10.4. But all is well now and running smoother than ever. Sometimes it’s just better to start fresh. A great argument for regular backups! But to put in perspective, that was the first and only time I have ever had to do anything of that sort to my Mac. Now, these P.O.S. Gateways here at work…all I have is problems – all the damn time. So, without discounting the pain in the ass you just went through, I’ll take a reinstall every three to four years on my Mac over the constant battle I have with these win boxes, any day.
P.S. Enjoy your fresh Mac!
Teflon
Did you buy cheap third-party RAM? That’s what your problem sound like, Macs don’t like cheap RAM. Remove it and see if there is a difference.