I Shoulda Known
Critical Windows patch may wreak PC havocYes, just as I read this article yesterday I was in the last stages of installing the problem ... er ... updates. So I read Microsoft's review of the issue and determined I hadn't done anything to tag my computer as a likely victim. Then everything seemed fine after I rebooted the computer. That was yesterday.
"A Microsoft patch meant to fix critical security flaws in Windows 2000, Windows XP and Windows Server 2003 is causing trouble for some users, the company said Friday.
The patch was released Tuesday to fix four Windows flaws, including one that experts predict will be exploited by a worm in the coming days. The flaw, tagged 'critical' by Microsoft, lies in a Windows component for transaction processing called the Microsoft Distributed Transaction Coordinator, or MSDTC.
Installing the patch can cause serious problems, Microsoft said in an advisory posted to its Web site Friday. The patch could lock users out of their PC, prevent the Windows Firewall from starting, block certain applications from running or installing, and empty the network connections folder, among other things, the software maker said." (CNET News.com)
This is today. Until I rolled back the update via the System Restore utility, I had plenty of problems:
- Clicking any link in any browser caused the page to open in a new window (IE) or in a new tab (Firefox).
- Selecting text was near impossible as the system focus danced around selecting whatever it wanted.
- Trying to click the Next button in System Restore was hit-or-miss depending on how many times I restarted the unit.
- Activating a text box for typing was about as easy as month-old pie.
- Right-clicking ceased to exist, for the most part, after any browser window was opened.
A fix is available and the cost starts at $1299 -- but it is priceless in the long-run. I should have saved the money to switch rather than buy my current machine.Until then I have to access the Microsoft Insecurity Panel and disable the Update alerts. If I'm not going to install them then I don't need to know about them.
