KB4056894 -- Spectre and Meltdown Update

On 17/01/2018 7:04 PM, Paul wrote:
Maurice Helwig wrote:

Another Question while I wait for this mess to resolve --

If I hide the KB4056894 Update will it present itself again, or will
it be rolled up into February's 2018 Updates when they are released.
If they are rolled up into February's Updates, then they will be
installed whether I like it or not.

I am at the point of turning off updates all together -- the last two
years have been a real mess.

Patience is a virtue!!!!!!!!!!!!


Maurice Helwig

They have a bulletin about AMD crashes. There should be
new KB numbers (and obviously, a cumulative in a few
weeks time is going to include the "success" patch not
the "fail" patch).

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/...-based-devices


https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/4056897

Â*Â* January 3, 2018—KB4056897 (Security-only update)

Â*Â* Microsoft has received reports from some customers
Â*Â* about AMD devices getting into an unbootable state

Â*Â* This issue is resolved in KB4073578.


https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/...ws-server-2008


Â*Â* Summary

Â*Â* An update is available to fix the following issue that
Â*Â* occurs after you install January 3, 2018—KB4056897
Â*Â* (Security-only update) or January 4, 2018—KB4056894 (Monthly Rollup):

Â*Â* "AMD devices fall into an unbootable state"

Go here, and install this. This assumes you have an AMD
processor or some sort. There was one report of an Intel
processor doing this too, for whatever amusement that is worth.

http://www.catalog.update.microsoft....px?q=KB4073578

Â*Â* 2018-01 Update for Windows 7 for x64-based Systems (KB4073578)
Â*Â*Â*Â* Windows 7Â*Â* UpdatesÂ*Â* 1/12/2018Â*Â* n/aÂ*Â* 66.9 MBÂ* Download

Too bad the description is so terse. And there are maybe 3000 files
inside that thing, so hard to spot a "theme" in terms of what they're
trying to fix with that one. I can't tell if that replaces
the other one, or irons out a driver bug.

You could try MBSA 2.3 security analyzer, to see what Windows Update
might try to bring in. Or, do a backup (offline), go online,
install '578, reboot, then go to Windows Update and see what it proposes
to install after that. If it "looks bad", you always have your
backup to return you to the state you're in right now.

So the message is, the AMD bug has some sort of workaround,
but I don't have any info on the root cause, and the KB itself
is so devoid of info, I might as well be asking a large rock
for information.

Â*Â* Paul

Thank you for your reply Paul --

There seems to be utter confusion wherever you read most of it coming
out of Microsoft unfortunately.

All my computers that I am responsible for are 64 bit and have Intel
CPU's and Intel onboard Video cards. The only exception is my wife's
Dell Inspiron 15R Laptop which has an I7 CPU but an AMD Radeon HD 7670M
video card.

The only update being offered to all of these computers is KB4056894.

The server is a WHS 2011 and it is being offered nothing in the way of
updates at all. I guess this is because it does not have Avast antivirus
on it. I am not too worried about it as it is only used in house and is
not accessible from outside the local network.

I am still confused -- even more so as days go by especially when I read
"Ask Woody" and he is obviously confuse too.

Come on MS spell it out plain and clear for all of us -- or are you
unclear about it all too!!!!!!!!!

--
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Maurice Helwig
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