Windows Updaters: Where Is the Unified API?
In the last couple of years nearly every program comes with its own updating software. Don’t believe me? Try Apple Software Update, Adobe Updater, Google Updater, Mcafee AutoUpdate, and the list goes on. All of these pieces of software have their individualized settings and behaviors with no unified interface which leads to confusion and missed updates–some of which are critical for security.
Several attempts have been made to consolidate this process with the ultimate goal of simplicity for the end-user. Examples include CNet’s defunct CatchUp, VersionTracker, Secunia PSI, and FileHippo.com Update Checker. The one underlying theme is none of these systems catch everything on their own and most of them fail to detect some software altogether.
I wonder why Microsoft hasn’t addressed this issue especially since they’ve claimed pursuing a security-centric approach with the Windows platform. Microsoft should provide a framework for a System Update Center for third party applications and encourage its usage through its development tools. A robust API will give software developers the ability to tailor the system for their applications while allowing end-users to be free of the particulars. How great would it be just to push a button and have all the needed updates install in the background without any further intervention? Gone will be the days of multiple updaters runnings in the background chewing up resources.
Windows XP SP3 Leaked onto Bittorrent and Usenet
UPDATE (5.6.2008): Microsoft has updated the TechNet article detailing official download locations. If you are updating more than one computer then you can download the full 300+ meg version here. Otherwise, for single computers go through Windows Update.
As expected Microsoft’s upcoming Windows XP Service Pack 3 (SP3) has been leaked onto Bittorrent and Usenet ahead of the official release to the general public.
The official filename is: WindowsXP-KB936929-SP3-x86-ENU.exe. (MD5 Hash: BB25707C919DD835A9D9706B5725AF58)
SP3 doesn’t offer many new features. Of the new features it does offer, the backported items from Windows Vista leave me a bit concerned about security application compatibility. These should all be discovered and addressed between now and June 10 (the official release date of SP3 on Windows Update) as I’m expecting to see a surge of SP3-related posts in all of the usual technical help forums. This makes the job of us close enough to the bleeding edge to live vicariously though early adopters without getting burned. I’m not saying don’t update, but I’m suggesting that we wait until the official release so the computer whizzes and troubleshooters of the world have a stab at SP3 and any of its unknown problems.
As expected, there are early reports of endless reboot loops in botched SP3 upgrades due to an error in GDI32.DLL. If you do go the route of upgrading via leaked copies then be sure to backup your system using Acronis TrueImage or Norton Ghost. Also make sure you’ve review the legality of using leaked software in your jurisdiction.
Corsair Flash Voyager: Lifetime Warranty
During the last few years we’ve seen price competition in the electronic gadget arena become so fierce that the bottom line often times trumps customer service. That is why I’m so excited and surprised by the package that came in the mail today. Let me explain…
In December 2006 a European friend of mine asked me to bring him back the bigger USB flash drive money could buy in the good ole USA. At the time, the 8gig Corsair Flash Voyager USB drive was the beast that best met his storage requirements. He used it for about 9 long months before the drive fell apart due to excessive wear-and-tear. (The fact that is lasted 9 months in his possession is a feat in and of itself but that’s not the point.) The drive was only showing 4 gigs of usable space and would cause the USB subsystem to become extremely unstable on any Windows machine after it was plugged in.
On yet another hiatus back to California, he gave me the drive hoping there would be some way to get it warrantied. My personal assessment of the device was rather bleak but I took it back with me anyway. After several months of procrastinating and delays I asked for an RMA form on Corsair’s website. At first they asked me to do a low-level format but that failed. The next email was a link to a shipping label and instructions on how to send it in. Corsair did a wonderful job of keeping me up-to-date with the progress of the RMA through automated email alerts. After two weeks, I have a brand new USB drive sealed in a plastic display case.
I’m speechless. They not only honored the warranty but sent a brand new drive! This sort of customer service is worth the little extra cost. As a result of this experience I’ll be sure to heavily favor purchasing other Corsair products for myself and give recommendations to friends/family for their headache-free approach to customers.
Note: I wasn’t paid at all for this entry nor did Corsair know I have a personal blog. Googling the drive shows others who have had similar experiences. Corsair is the real deal.
Upgrading to WordPress 2.5… Slowly!
I’m slowly upgrading the site to WordPress 2.5. Not everything works but the posts should be viewable. If you catch any fatal errors then drop me a comment with details.
I’m in no rush to get this done because this blog has always been a sandbox for a hobby that has absolutely nothing to do with my professional pursuits, training, or education. However, I’m still flattered by the occasional blogger who wrongly suggests this blog is “aimed at the IT professional, corporate surfer.” Thank you–though it may be a few more months until my next update. Ha!
Safari-gate Continued: Disabling Apple’s Second Update for Windows
I’m unamused by Apple’s desire to push Safari 3.1 down the throats of Windows users. I, too, was surprised by Apple’s move. While in Europe a week and a half ago we were trying to fix a friend’s computer that was badly infected with viruses and malware. When we finally got everything cleaned up Apple Software Update wanted to install Safari 3.1. I searched the hard drive, registry, and other places to see if we missed a phantom Safari install somewhere but couldn’t find it anywhere. After an exhaustive search, we all gave up and figured it would be more productive to head out for dinner. Had I known Apple was dubiously sending out updates then we could have saved ourselves a lot of time–unfortunately the blogosphere hadn’t picked up on the issue at that point. Anyway, the fundamental issues have been discussed elsewhere ad infinitum. My opinion is that Apple needs to change its software update model so that new products are opt-in while currently installed products are opt-out.
Playing the role of the family IT guy can be quite difficult and I’ve set up each machine I “remotely administer” such that updates are done automatically. Apple Software Update was on my safe list until Safari-gate. Now its a matter of making sure Apple doesn’t get Safari 3.1 installed on any machines especially because of the exploits being found in the browser. I’m not very happy with Apple and they have yet to pull the updates so a permanent solution is necessary that still allows iTunes updates.
Dan over at dcunningham.net has done some great investigative work and found registry keys that can be used to ignore updates pushed by Apple Software Update. His solution is to block updates via Product ID in a REG_MULTI_SZ key named Update_Ignore_List. Unfortunately, this is a temporary measure. The first Apple Safari 3.1 update was labeled 061-4516. A second update is now showing with a label of 061-4588.
This key below should work to block all known Safari 3.1 updates as of April 1, 2008:
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Apple Inc.\Apple Software Update]
“Update_Ignore_List”=hex(7):30,00,36,00,31,00,2d,00,34,00,35,00,31,00,36,00,00,\
00,30,00,36,00,31,00,2d,00,34,00,35,00,38,00,38,00,00,00,00,00
Because Apple could push more updates at any time this necessitates removing Apple Software Update from the scheduled tasks folder on Windows until a more permanent solution is found.
In one last interesting twist from Apple, it seems like there is no way (known to me) to block updates machine-wide. Granted this could be a Windows installation issue on my end but I’m severely doubting Apple at the moment. In Dan’s solution above the blocking is done in the HKEY_CURRENT_USER (HKCU) hive not HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE (HKLM). If I replicate the Update_Ignore_List key in HKLM for a machine-wide block while deleting the key in HKCU, then Apple Software Update still shows Safari 3.1 in the update list. Maybe I’m doing something wrong? Only further testing will tell.
This is the key I’m using if you want to test it yourself:
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Apple Inc.\Apple Software Update]
“Update_Ignore_List”=hex(7):30,00,36,00,31,00,2d,00,34,00,35,00,31,00,36,00,00,\
00,30,00,36,00,31,00,2d,00,34,00,35,00,38,00,38,00,00,00,00,00
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