Company warns on IE patch

An Internet Explorer update released earlier this week can interfere with some applications, including Google's Toolbar, according to PatchLink, a maker of patch management software.

Other applications affected by the Web browser patch include business software from Oracle's Siebel customer relationship management unit and certain Web applications that use specific versions of Java, PatchLink said Friday.

The problems arise because of changes Microsoft made to how the Web browser handles Web programs called ActiveX controls. The modifications are designed to shield Microsoft from liability in a high-profile patent dispute with Eolas Technologies and the University of California.

Microsoft had warned that the ActiveX tweaks, first announced in December, can affect how certain sites display in the browser. The software maker released a "compatibility patch" alongside Tuesday's security update that undoes the ActiveX changes for another 60 days.

In the Google Toolbar, users may experience an error when closing a window that contains an inactive ActiveX control, PatchLink said.

The problem affects only older versions of the Google Toolbar, those before version 3.0.129.2, a Microsoft representative said in an e-mailed statement. "Google implemented a fix and shipped this to users on March 8 by using its automatic servicing mechanism," the Microsoft representative said. "We expect the problem to be fully remedied."

Google did not immediately respond to requests seeking comment. PatchLink said it was made aware of the compatibility issues by its customer base.

While the Google Desktop error appears to occur only in some instances, Siebel 7 users face a bigger problem. After installing the IE patch, users must click several times to be able to use the Siebel customer relationship management program, one time for each ActiveX control in the program, PatchLink said.

Oracle is working with Microsoft to address the issue, a representative for the Redwood Shores, Calif.-based Oracle said. "In May, we anticipate issuing fixes to address this Microsoft problem for Siebel 7 users," the representative said in an e-mailed statement.

Microsoft's patch can also affect ActiveX controls that use Java Platform, Standard Edition 1.3 or 1.4, PatchLink said. Users will have to click twice to be able to use such a Web program if it uses the affected Java versions, the patch management specialist said. A newer version of Java, 1.5, is not affected, it said.

The Java issue surfaced in February, when Microsoft first publicly released the IE update, the Microsoft representative said. "Microsoft has made changes to address this issue, and we believe it is resolved," the representative said. "We are unaware of any new specific compatibility issues with Java and will fully investigate any issues we hear from customers and partners."

[swattz101]

Don't they pay attention??

[http://PatchLink said it was made aware of the compatibility issues by its customer base.|http://PatchLink said it was made aware of the compatibility issues by its customer base.]

Is it just me, or shouldn't someone who deals in 'patch management software' have been aware of possible problems, when Microsoft announced back in Dec / Feb that thier would be problems. It looks like Google and Java listened and already fixed the problem with updates. And I can understand a large database program like Oracle's Siebel which probably has tons of code that may need to be changed.

What frustrates me, is I ass-u-me-d that one of our software venders was aware of the program, and didn't worry about it. I downloaded the patch that was realesed on 28 March, and put it on some test systems and saw the same results as mentioned for the Sieble ActiveX systems with multiple controls. I called my vender to find out when they would have an update to the problem, and got the answer of "it does what?, let me ask a supervisor, oh, he didn't know that either, we'll have to alert the programers." Hopefully they'll have an update out before the 60 days is up. Meanwhile, either I don't load the IE rollup, or I go to each machine and load the temporary fix, or deal with irate users.

Life is fun, thanks for letting me vent.

Steve

[swattz101]

Don't they ever pay attention???

[http://PatchLink said it was made aware of the compatibility issues by its customer base.|http://PatchLink said it was made aware of the compatibility issues by its customer base.]

Is it just me, or shouldn't someone who deals in 'patch management software' have been aware of possible problems, when Microsoft announced back in Dec / Feb that thier would be problems. It looks like Google and Java listened and already fixed the problem with updates. And I can understand a large database program like Oracle's Siebel which probably has tons of code that may need to be changed.

What frustrates me, is I ass-u-me-d that one of our software venders was aware of the program, and didn't worry about it. I downloaded the patch that was realesed on 28 March, and put it on some test systems and saw the same results as mentioned for the Sieble ActiveX systems with multiple controls. I called my vender to find out when they would have an update to the problem, and got the answer of "it does what?, let me ask a supervisor, oh, he didn't know that either, we'll have to alert the programers." Hopefully they'll have an update out before the 60 days is up. Meanwhile, either I don't load the IE rollup, or I go to each machine and load the temporary fix, or deal with irate users.

Life is fun, thanks for letting me vent.

Steve

[Tolzer]

MS06-015

Security Update MS06-015 breaks Windows Explorer functionality. The Update for this issue installs a new file called 'Verclsid.exe'. Verclsid.exe is used to verify a COM object before it is instantiated by Windows Explorer.

However, Verclsid.exe also breaks some ************ in Windows explorer. This program does not run always, but when it is running you are unable to expand folders in the Windows explorer tree view. When you click on the plus sign next to a folder in the tree view; the busy cursor appears, but the folder never expands. However, if you kill the Verclsid.exe application with Task Manager, the folder(s) you've tried to expand will immediately do so the instant Verclsid.exe stops running. And when it is not running, Explorer expands folders normally.

Verclsid.exe appears to break even more functionality in both Windows Explorer and Internet Explorer. In Windows Explorer, I've had the send to menu completely stop working while Verclsid.exe is running, but it works fine the instant Verclsid.exe is killed. And in Internet Explorer, the address bar stops working. You can type an address into it and press enter, but IE won't navigate to the entered page until you kill Verclsid.exe. Once it is not running everything works just fine.

I would suggest the following:
1. Uninstall the KB908531 update and reboot your PC.
2. Perform a Disk Cleanup.
3. Perform a Checkdisk (error-checking).
4. Wait for an update for this patch.

Security Update for Windows XP (KB908531)
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=392C2F1B-AA24-48E5-8D5B-EA56341DB936&displaylang=en

Description of the Disk Cleanup Tool in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;310312&Product=winxp

How to Perform Disk Error Checking in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;315265&Product=winxp

If you are having difficulty opening and saving Microsoft Office documents. The issue is related to a recent Windows Update. If you have experienced problems opening or saving Microsoft Office documents, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook, please read the following information and follow the instructions below to resolve the issue.

At this time, we do not believe this issue is related to any worm, virus, or spyware.

What is the problem?
When affected users attempt to open or save a Microsoft Office document, the application stalls.

How do I fix it?
If a document stalls during a save or autosave you must first end the "verclsid.exe" process then delete the file.

End the process by following these steps:
Press Ctrl + Alt + Delete
Select Task Manager
Select the Processes tab
Look for file "verclsid.exe"
Highlight the file name and select End Process (note that there may be multiple instances of the file running)
Delete the file by following these steps:
Double-click My Computer on the Desktop
Double-click on the C: drive
Open the WINDOWS folder
Open system32 folder
Highlight file ? verclsid.exe ? (files listed alphabetically)
Right-click and select Delete

As a reminder, back up your data regularly to avoid loss of important information on your workstation.

Tolzer

[drmidi]

MS Update KB908531

I, too, had trouble with this update with my HP Media Center PC. It was one of seven security updates which were delivered by the Windows Update at the same time. Because of a loss of a tab in the Keyboard driver in the control panel which assigns five user buttons (the tab for this option was removed by this update), I had to install each one of the 7 updates in order to determine which one was causing the problem, and setting individual restore points for each successful installation so that I could undo the one which was the culprit. Number 5 (KB908531) was the rotten apple in the barrel, but I now see that there are other problems listed by CNET with some of the other updates, such as, number two (KB911567), so I am wondering if I should "go back" and uninstall that one, as well. However, I ask what is the point of security updates from Microsoft if they are going to compromise my system's functionality, or create problems which require that I edit my registry, etc., and do their beta-testing for them? In light of all of this, I just had to turn-off the automatic downloading and updating of my system and hope for the best. Even HP support did not have fixes ready for this situation... I had to undo these with my own "game plan," and I think that most end users simply don't have either the time or knowledge to be editing their system registry, either.

[Sligoth]

Thats why i use FIREFOX

thats why microsoft sucks

[Tomcat Adam]

They suck...

...because of flaws in a program that they force you to use only once?

Besides, they learned their lesson. IE7 won't be tied into vista as heavily, remember?

[i_made_this]

Using FF on this issue won't help you...

...if you employ a Windows operating system (XP, 2000, etc). As long as you use a Microsoft o/s, by definition, you must use Internet Explorer - if only to install the monthly critical patches that have nothing whatever to do with your browser. None of us like this situation anymore than you but this is the hard reality. In brief, as long as you employ any part(s) of Microsoft software at all, unless you deploy the ActiveX component of IE, you must use IE or your puter will die. Sorry. So far as IE7, IMHO anyone who thinks things will be substantively different is kidding themself. I pray I'm wrong on this forecast but I sincerely sincerely doubt it. ActiveX will continue to be core to Microsoft software for the foreseeable future; ergo, Microsoft software will continue to kill your computer. FF *helps* - true - but ultimately it will not protect your Microsoft o/s.

[Aditya Ratnaparkhi]

Isn't it getting older now?

Bash Microsoft & become cool. Right?
Cut it out people its lame.
MS has given details almost 3 months ago now whos fault is it that other software doesn't work?

[Tolzer]

Other Software? Take a close look!

MS06-015 breaks Windows Explorer and Office functionality, not just "other software" as you sated. They broke their own applications with MS06-015.

Tolzer

[Tolzer]

Other Software? Take a close look!

MS06-015 breaks Windows Explorer and Office functionality, not just "other software" as you stated. They broke their own applications with MS06-015.

Tolzer

[anarchyreigns]

What's really getting old are lame apologists....

What's really getting old are lame apoligists such as yourself. Stop pretending that you're technical and that you know what your talking about. <rolls eyes>

[GarageOwl]

IE Host Containers and JRE 1.5 Broken

They said that Applets that use JRE 1.5 aren't affected, it's wrong. Only cached applets still work. If the applet changes it doesn't work anymore. Also my Custom ActiveX IE 6.0 host Containers are now broken. They lockup in release mode, debug works. Microsoft is trying to destabilized everyone's machines to force the Vista upgrade. This is the biggest misstep I have ever seen! They are going to drive all the corporate users to Firefox. How many .NET apps have you seen? If they can make exceptions for certain ActiveX Controls like the Flash Plug-in, I would call that a bias, and they are picking favorites. It's obvious they're trying to stop the momentum of Java in the Enterprise.

[microsoft slayer]

It serves them right to support IE

Another example of being locked into a vendor (MS). You code for ActiveX, now you will pay for it.

[Razzl]

Oracle and Google get their share of the blame

My employer had to forbid us from having toolbars on our browsers because Google, Yahoo, and our Oracle accounting module all try to read/use some of the same files and dll's were getting corrupted. I'm not a programmer and can't assign the blame for that, but it seems like the toolbar makers and Oracle are johnny-come-lately's to web interfacing who should have taken steps to avoid that problem...