Today I got notification to upgrade my Microsoft Security Essential installation. Frankly speaking, I like its weightless operation on my Windows 7 system.

After Upgrade, version info:

Microsoft Security Essentials Version:  1.0.1961.0
Antimalware Client Version: 2.1.6519.0
Engine Version: 1.1.5502.0
Antivirus definitions: 1.77.667.0
Antispyware definitions: 1.77.667.0

Then What is new in this version? As per Microsoft latest version is having improved messaging, scan reports and have few performance improvements. Now the new version also assure running the “Windows Activation Technology” for it. Not much clear with the last line

For more info, click Here

Today I installed 5 WU on my Win7 Ultimate laptop. As nothing special to do on this night, I thought to write about them.

1. KB979306: Related to Daylight saving time and new time zone laws.

2. KB976662: IE8’s JSON interoperability in Conformance with new ECMAScript, 5th Edition.

3. KB977863: Cumulative update for media center for Windows 7. For a complete listing of issues fix, refer the KB article here

4. KB971033: Hero of the day! Update for Windows Activation Technologies, which detects activation exploits & tampering to key windows system files. KB article here

5. KB976264: Related to AppCompatibility issues. For a complete listing of the fixed issues, refer the KB article here.

Here, I want to discuss about the last update, which is related to Application compatibility issues. This fix is applicable for LongHorn SP2 and above and makes no registry key changes, no restart required. If I am wrong, This is the first AppCompatibility package for Windows 7 & Server R2.

Around 329 Apps fixed with this (on Win7). Like in NERO 8,  Preview option should work when you open a photo in Nero PhotoSnap. Hmm! Sound useful fix as it covers many popular apps. FYI, it also (Hard/soft)Blocks around 52 Applications. Why? Just for making Your Windows Experience better!!

Introduction:

The kernel in Microsoft Windows NT 3.1 through Windows 7, including Windows 2000 SP4, Windows XP SP2 and SP3, Windows Server 2003 SP2, Windows Vista SP1, and SP2, and Windows Server 2008 RTM and SP2, when access to 16-bit applications is enabled on a 32-bit x86 platform, does not properly validate certain BIOS calls, which allows local users to gain privileges by crafting a VDM_TIB data structure in the Thread Environment Block (TEB), and then calling the NtVdmControl function to start the Windows Virtual DOS Machine (aka NTVDM) subsystem, leading to improperly handled exceptions involving the #GP trap handler (nt!KiTrap0D), aka "Windows Kernel Exception Handler Vulnerability."

Solution to the original problem:

Well, it’s a 17 Year Old Bug that MS guys fixed in this month’s Tuesday Updates.

http://www.microsoft.com/security/updates/bulletins/201002.aspx

In this release, they included 13 packages including the kernel fix.

Twist

After installing packages, System requests for reboot and once you do so, you may get BSOD. MS guys found that there is only one patch that requires un-installation to resolve the blue screen issue. KB977165 is the patch in question; the other patches do not seem to cause the blue screen behavior and do not need to be uninstalled.

So, focus is on that KB only. Here is its bulletin:

http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/bulletin/ms10-015.mspx

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/977165

Now What??

They are investigating it.

Here is the official response from MS Guys.

http://blogs.technet.com/msrc/archive/2010/02/11/restart-issues-after-installing-ms10-015.aspx

Your vision is the first symptom of your future.

 

Billu bhai started MS with  a vision of a computer on every desk and in every home. This become reality now. At this year PDC, MS came up with a new vision for the end users : Three Screens and a Cloud. After all its everybody’s Business…

Read more Here

http://blogs.msdn.com/stevecla01/archive/2009/05/21/three-screens-and-a-cloud.aspx