Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool (MRT) for October --- Version 3.1

for 32-bit windows Vista/XP/2000:  http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=ad724ae0-e72d-4f54-9ab3-75b8eb148356&displayLang=en

for x64 systems:  http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyId=585D2BDE-367F-495E-94E7-6349F4EFFC74&displaylang=en

The remainder of today's "Patch Tuesday" updates should become available at 1 P.M. (Eastern standard time)

The November Malicious Software Removal Tool (MRT), already noted above, adds detection/removal of:

Win32/FakeVimes  and Win32/PrivacyCenter

both of which are descibed as being "a family of programs that claims to scan for malware and displays fake warnings of “malicious programs and viruses”. They then inform the user that they need to pay money to register the software in order to remove these non-existent threats".

Did you notice all the people complaining at these "Microsoft Tuesday" downloads? From rebooting systems to BSOD and error 646, and in my case limited or no connectivity. My case I just uninstalled and installed manually one by one to find the guilty party, but to my surprise all downloads installed OK and after reboot everything was OK, so I did not find out why my comp could not connect to the web. One thing though, when Automatic Update alerted me and I allowed download and install, after I checked what updates I wanted, an agreement by Microsoft to accept download was displayed; However, none of the updates displayed that agreement again when downloading and installing them manually.

Google "Windows Update 646": Workaround: http://social.answers.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/vistawu/thread/6daddbdd-f7b5-4ea0-9dd8-807d2954beba

http://en.community.dell.com/forums/t/19304256.aspx

 SD71 got a solution for BSOD.

http://en.community.dell.com/forums/t/19299068.aspx

Try install manually.

http://en.community.dell.com/forums/t/19304403.aspx

This is an OS hang.

http://en.community.dell.com/forums/t/19304145.aspx

In most cases the workaround, mind you is not a solution, is manually install the updates one by one, but what happens next Microsoft Tuesday?:emotion-18:

People have different experiences.   In my case, I downloaded/installed the updates on at least 4 machines (XP SP3) without encountering any problems.

Checking the above direct links to the Microsoft updates, I see that one:

MS09-065 - Vulnerabilities in Windows Kernel-Mode Drivers Could Allow Remote Code Execution (969947)

has been revised to acknowledge a now-known issue:

Microsoft Knowledge Base Article 969947   After you install this security update on a computer that is running Windows XP and that is using an ATI Radeon HD 2400 series video adapter, you may find that the computer does not start correctly.

With so many reporting problems, perhaps we should be stressing more the importance of having a backup/recovery strategy in-place, and performed prior to updating on Patch Tuesday.

There are so many available:

- Creating a System Restore point (XP, Vista, Win 7)
- Running ERUNT (a full registry backup for all NT-based Windows, including Vista and Win 7) +/- installing the recovery console
- Backing up your entire system to an external HD, using a 3rd party app such as Acronis True Image.
- Possibly other strategies in Vista/Win 7 with which I'm not familiar.

I can't say which is best for all operating systems, and no doubt it depends also on one's level of experrtise. I use all of the first 3 strategies above for XP, and fortunately have never had to resort to using them after Patch Tuesday, using the manual updates method from MSU.

While I suppose using Automatic Updates is the easiest way for most to ensure they keep current with patches, it also ensures that buggy patches will be installed, unless you use the notify-only option. I prefer to wait a day or two to let others report bugs/fixes (I figure if it's safe to wait a month between patches, an extra day or two is also safe).

For those not wishing to be bothered with this extra work, a recovery/backup strategy installed in advance would seem to be essential.

I don't have any trouble updating my XP computer, but have had nothing but trouble with the Vista updates. When I attempt to just do a restart after downloading and installing, the system goes through a convoluted process of  starting, stopping, and restarting several times, displays a message about configuring updates, then displays various splash screens and a DOS screen, and finally  proceeds to something about "reverting" the update...essentially the update has failed. This happens more often that I would expect, so I am foreced to download one at a time until I find which one is corrupted or faulty. Most single updates do just fine. I hope Windows 7 is better, but am not optimistic.

These updates are supposed to fix certain irregularities and vulnerabilities, but I sometimes wonder just how serious these threats are, given the abundance of security programs that we can use and by practicing safe surfing. Those MAC commercials are funny and well done...sometimes tempted to investigate the possibilities.  :emotion-15:

Those MAC commercials are funny and well done...sometimes tempted to investigate the possibilities.

Yes, there are Mac attacks: http://www.v3.co.uk/v3/news/2245704/mac-malware-attack-spotted  As more and more enterprises use Macs then the appeal of targeting Macs will increase. http://www.sophos.com/blogs/gc/g/2009/09/24/earn-43-cents-time-infect-mac-vb2009/

I was just kidding...don't have the nerve or time to try that system. Windows and I have been joined at the hip since I first learned to cut and paste and found out the wonders of key combinations like Alt-Ctrl-Delete. Thus it shall remain until the end. :emotion-5: