[pchelpers] Windows Update errors
- From: "Ekhart GEORGI (last name last)" <Ekhart.GEORGI@xxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: pchelpers@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Sun, 18 Oct 2009 11:36:49 +0300
Hi Inge (and others fighting with Windows Update errors in the future)
I know, Inge, that your update was eventually installed successfully on
your computer, but i figured i should help you and others be prepared
for similar situations in the future. In other words help you understand
what this was about and whether you should have been worried and how to
deal with similar situations in the future.
> This is the second day that I am desperately trying to get help from
> PCHelpers. One of the Microsoft updates did not install. No matter
> what I do it just will not install. I wrote about it today, but I am
> not getting any help. I am a little in a panic about this, because it
> does say that it is a critical update.
1) There is no reason to panic if a Microsoft update will not install.
The scary wording ("could allow an unauthenticated remote attacker to
compromise your system and gain control over it") used in descriptions
of most updates is only there to prevent lazy, sloppy, careless,
carefree people from ignoring and not downloading them. Even if you're
"paranoid" about security, you of course realise that the very fact
you're asking about an update problem means that you are none of the
above (lazy, sloppy, etc.) The scary wording usually includes the word
"could" because the details almost always explain the following (in
geekier and less direct terms):
2) Most computers would never be in real danger even if people waited
several months before they downloaded any Microsoft updates if people
used common sense, in other words didn't a) visit blatantly shady
websites or b) installed programs without verifying that these come from
a reliable source or c) opened email attachments without verifying that
these are safe. In fact, most computers would never be in danger even if
people never downloaded any Microsoft updates if people used common
sense. More info here:
http://www.local.nu/HelpDesk/index.php/Basics_of_safe_computing
3) If you want to make sure that an update that is not installing
automatically is one of the very rare ones that prevent an attack that's
possible even if users use common sense, in other words the extremely
rare situation in which an attack is possible without the user first
doing something that is not safe (and that anyone with a few months of
computer experience should realise is as dangerous as going into a dingy
side street and accepting an offer that is too good to be true), simply
click on the link provided by Microsoft together with the update. This
will provide vulnerability details (or a link to page with these
details) that will almost always say something like this:
"The vulnerabilities could allow remote code execution on a client
system if a user views a specially crafted Web page ... or if an
attacker succeeds in persuading a user to run a specially crafted ...
application."
In plain English, this means the same as in 2) above: you're safe if you
don't a) visit blatantly shady websites or b) install programs without
verifying that these come from a reliable source or c) open email
attachments without verifying that these are safe.
4) If you're annoyed that an update won't install, it's usually very
easy to find a solution and/or help. There will usually be an error code
and an explanation of it on the Miccrosoft webpage with the update's
details. And at the top of all such MS pages is info about how to get
free phone help from MS. You may have to click on a plus sign next to
Introduction.
5) In your case, Inge, you had:
> Error details: Code 643
>
> More information:
> http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=127769
>
> Help and Support:
> http://support.microsoft.com
>
> I do not know what all of this means.
It's explained when you click on the first link or call MS using the
info provided at the second link. Clicking on the first link takes you
to http://support.microsoft.com/kb/953297 By pressing Ctrl+f and
searching for 643, you get to this:
923100 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/923100/ ) When you try to
install an update for the .NET Framework 1.0, 1.1, 2.0, 3.0, or 3.5, you
may receive Windows Update error code "0x643" or Windows Installer error
code "1603"
That explains what to do to fix the problem. Since we are dealing with
Microsoft, it's good to remember that the problem may go away by waiting
a few days instead of going through the laborious solution presented on
that page. In fact, the best piece of info on Windows updates is this:
6) It's a good idea to change your Windows Update settings (in control
panel) to "download updates, but let me choose whether to install them"
and to wait a few days before installing them. Microsoft is such a huge
and badly run company that it regularly uses its customers as guinea
pigs for its products and bug fixes. Updates often don't work or even
cause problems during the first few days until enough people have
complained and the problems have been fixed.
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