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The convoluted method Microsoft used to fix the MS16-098 double-printing bug is a harbinger of screw-ups to come with the new all-or-nothing approach to patching
Microsoft finally acknowledged yesterday that it has fixed the bug that breaks certain kinds of print jobs. The problem was created by a security patch issued on Aug. 9, and in the intervening six weeks the company offered a rat's nest of partial fixes, preferential treatment, and botched communications that don't bode well for Windows 10 forced patching. It's also bad news for the anticipated October patchocalypse, when Windows 7 and 8.1 customers will start being treated to a new all-or-nothing approach to patching.
The double-print bug was distributed to every version of Windows. Those users who updated earlier versions of Windows (Vista, Windows 7, 8.1, RT 8.1, as well as Server 2008, 2008 R2, 2012, and 2012 R2) got bit by the patch known as KB 3177725. If those users wanted to get rid of the bug, they only had to uninstall KB 3177725. Of course, Microsoft has dire warnings about uninstalling security patches, but if you fell victim to this particular bug (as was the case if you use, among many, the Seagull Scientific bar-code printing package BarTender), you could back it out by uninstalling the faulty patch. When the patch went away, the bug did, too.
That's been pretty much standard procedure for a decade or two.
Windows 10 users weren't so lucky. With Windows updating-as-a-service, the only option for uninstalling the buggy patch was to unwind all of the Aug. 9 patches -- all of the security patches and all of the other patches -- then use wushowhide to hide the bad patch until a bug-free version rolled around. That's not an easy task.
And from http://www.infoworld.com/article/3122260/microsoft-windows/gwx-swept-away-as-pattern-emerges-in-windows-updates.html there is this snippet:
All of the patches are optional and will thus appear in Windows Update as unchecked -- except the time zone change. It still amazes me that Microsoft hasn't implemented a more elegant way to change time zones. Guess they've been too busy with GWX.
There's a pattern emerging ... a harbinger, if you will. KB 3185278 and KB 3185279 -- the two September update rollups -- follow the pattern that I expect we'll see starting in October. Microsoft has released the September update rollups this month as Optional/unchecked, so they won't be automatically installed. My guess is we'll see those patches changed to Recommended in October.
-- submitted from IRC
(Score: 2) by Runaway1956 on Monday September 26 2016, @06:07PM
Twice in recent weeks, the wife has asked me if I installed updates on her computer. She comes in, sits down, and Windows wants to reboot to finish installing updates. That's really odd, considering that it is set to tell her when updates are available, but don't DO ANYTHING until she says to do it.
There's something fishy going on. Thankfully, Windows 10 hasn't been installed. I was really expecting GWX to force itself in despite all the precautions we took against it.
(Score: 1) by nitehawk214 on Monday September 26 2016, @07:39PM
Yes on Win10 this will happen. Our conference room computer at work is Win10 and does this constantly if it is running but nobody is there to press "not now."
Sorry customers, that conference call is going to have to wait.
"Don't you ever miss the days when you used to be nostalgic?" -Loiosh
(Score: -1, Flamebait) by Anonymous Coward on Monday September 26 2016, @08:40PM
Ubuntu does the same thing to me.
Most of the time I have the option to install updates.
But every once in a while, I'll sit down at it and there is the standard post-update dialog asking me if I want to reboot. No mention of what was installed. And all my settings, even for security updates, are set to "display" not "download and install."
(Score: 2) by https on Monday September 26 2016, @09:38PM
That's because you still haven't rebooted for the kernel upgrade to take effect - you know, the one you approved last week? You really should.
Offended and laughing about it.