Tech Talk

[Microsoft preps for SP1 for Windows 7?]

FYI...

Microsoft preps for SP1 for Windows 7?
- http://www.h-online.com/security/news/item/Microsoft-prepares-for-SP1-for-Windows-7-1168977.html
13 January 2011 - "An "important update", which may be a prerequisite for installing Service Pack 1, is now being offered to Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 users by Windows Update. Despite the publication date being given as '11.01.2011', it is not a new update – update number 976902* first put in an appearance back in October... The update is not yet being installed automatically. It may be that Update 976902 is required in order to install SP1 for Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 via Windows Update. This would not be unprecedented – when SP1 for Windows Vista was first released, it could only be installed via Windows Update if other patches, also distributed via Windows Update, had previously been installed. Service Pack 1 is scheduled for release shortly, indeed any day now. It contains a whole heap of patches and hot fixes. There is likely to be little new functionality, previously a standard feature of service packs. However, support for the Advanced Vector Extensions (AVX) instruction set extensions used by forthcoming generations of processors is set to be one new feature. Also new are RemoteFX (an extension to the existing Remote Desktop Services) and Dynamic Memory (intelligent allocation of main memory), both relevant only when running Server 2008 R2 on large networks. Users interested in trying out SP1 in advance can now download the release candidate, which, like all beta software, is not recommended for use in live environments."
* http://support.microsoft.com/kb/976902
January 11, 2011 Revision: 4.0 - "... This software update will be a prerequisite to install service packs. Additionally, this update improves reliability when you install or remove Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 updates and service packs..."
 
 
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Microsoft Windows SDK for Windows 7 and .NET Framework 4 GraphEdit Insecure Library Loading Vulnerability
- http://secunia.com/advisories/41202/
Release Date: 2010-09-02
Criticality level: Highly critical
Solution Status: Unpatched

 

[Win7 SP1 available]

FYI...

Win7 SP1 available
- http://support.microsoft.com/kb/976932
Last Review: February 22, 2011 - Revision: 3.1

- http://windows.microsoft.com/installwindows7sp1
"... How to get SP1
The recommended (and easiest) way to get SP1 is to turn on automatic updating in Windows Update in Control Panel, and wait for Windows 7 to notify you that SP1 is ready to install. It takes about 30 minutes to install, and you'll need to restart your computer about halfway through the installation..."

What's included in Windows 7 SP1
- http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows7/whats-included-in-windows-7-service-pack-1-sp1

- http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows7/learn-how-to-install-windows-7-service-pack-1-sp1
"... Installation method
Estimated amount of free disk space required
Windows Update
• x86-based (32-bit): 750 MB
• x64-based (64-bit): 1050 MB
Downloading SP1 from the Microsoft website
• x86-based (32-bit): 4100 MB
• x64-based (64-bit): 7400 MB
Installing SP1 using an installation DVD
• x86-based (32-bit): 4100 MB
• x64-based (64-bit): 7400 MB

 

[Win7 / 2008 R2 SP1 problems]

FYI...

Win7 / 2008 R2 SP1 problems...
- http://isc.sans.edu/diary.html?storyid=10453
Last Updated: 2011-02-24 13:45:34 UTC ...(Version: 1) - "... some of the problems we are hearing about with Windows 7 SP1 and Windows 2008 R2 SP1. Right now, there is no urgent reason to install this service pack and it should be tested first...
Specific examples. Consider them anecdotal but if you run any software mentioned here, or similar software, this list should give you a guide to test.
* Users with old versions of Microsoft Security Essentials may not be able to install SP1. Upgrade first.
* Samsung Galaxy S phone drivers may have problems with SP1
* some users reported very long install times (> 1hr. but not all that unusual for a service pack)
* Chrome 10 and 11 have issues according to some tweets
* Word 2003 VBA
* slower boot times with SP1 then without
* some reports of download issues due to overloaded servers
* Lenovo's Thinkvantage System Update may not work (update it before applying the SP)
* EVGA Precision Utility 2.0.2 (Graphics card stats program liked by gamers)
* MSI Afterburner
* some issues with Bitlocker are reported. But no confirmation at this point and it may also be due to entering the wrong password on reboot (you have to reboot a couple times in certain situations)

Link to a technet page with reports of install issues:
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ff817622%28WS.10%29.aspx
If all fails, here's a link with an uninstall procedure for SP1:
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows7/uninstall-sp1
To temporarily block installation of the service pack:
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/en/details.aspx?FamilyID=d7c9a07a-5267-4bd6-87d0-e2a72099edb7&displaylang=en
...This tool can be used with:
• Windows 7 Service Pack 1 (valid through 2/22/2012)
• Windows Server 2008 R2 Service Pack 1 (valid through 2/22/2012) ..."

 

[here]

FYI... Win7 SP1 goes "missing"...

'You do not have the option of downloading Windows 7 SP1 when you use Windows Update to check for updates'
- http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2498452
Last Review: April 24, 2012 - Revision: 11.0
"... To resolve this issue, follow the steps in the methods below..."
(See the site)

 

[Windows 7 SP1]

FYI...

Windows 7 SP1 to start rolling out on Windows Update
- http://blogs.windows.com/windows/b/bloggingwindows/archive/2013/03/18/windows-7-sp1-to-start-rolling-out-on-windows-update.aspx
Mar 18, 2013 - "...  Windows 7 RTM (with no service pack) will no longer be supported as of April 9th, 2013..."
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Win7 SP1 Browser Choice errors ...
- https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/news/press/2012/Jul12/07-17statement.aspx
July 17, 2012 - "Under a December 2009 decision of the European Commission, Microsoft is required to display a “Browser Choice Screen” (BCS) on Windows PCs in Europe where Internet Explorer is the default browser. We have fallen short in our responsibility to do this. Due to a technical error, we missed delivering the BCS software to PCs that came with the service pack 1 update to Windows 7. The BCS software has been delivered as it should have been to PCs running the original version of Windows 7, as well as the relevant versions of Windows XP and Windows Vista. However, while we believed when we filed our most recent compliance report in December 2011 that we were distributing the BCS software to all relevant PCs as required, we learned recently that we’ve missed serving the BCS software to the roughly 28 million PCs running Windows 7 SP1. While we have taken immediate steps to remedy this problem, we deeply regret that this error occurred and we apologize for it. The Commission recently told us that it had received reports that the BCS was not being displayed on some PCs. Upon investigating the matter, we learned of the error... the engineering team responsible for maintenance of this code did not realize that it needed to update the detection logic for the BCS software when Windows 7 SP1 was released last year. As a result of this error, new PCs with Windows 7 SP1 did not receive the BCS software as they should have. Since most computer users run earlier versions of Windows, we estimate that the BCS software was properly distributed to about 90% of the PCs that should have received it. We recognize, however, that our obligation was to distribute the BCS to every PC that should have received it. Therefore, we have moved as quickly as we can to address the error and to provide a full accounting of it to the Commission."

- http://thenextweb.com/microsoft/2012/07/17/microsoft-confirms-28-million-pcs-affected-by-browser-ballot-snafu-promises-fix-by-the-end-of-the-week/
"... 28 million PCs in question... Distribution of the fix started on July 3rd..."

What is the Browser Choice update?
- http://support.microsoft.com/kb/976002