Need Help With Oct Windows Updates

Hi,

I have XP Home and Office 2003 Professional installed on my computer. I have Windows updates set to notify me of the updates, but not to download or install.

I download the updates manually using the Microsoft Security Bulletin Summary as my guide to get the updates MS says I need.

For October, I have been notified by MS that I need KB924191 for XP and KB924424 for Office. These seem to have something to do with MSXML Core Services which I know nothing about and I have no idea what version is on my system. I installed both and then I received a notification that I had to download KB925672.

I am very unsure whether I need any of these especially the last one. Can anyone help me? I would rather wait before installing any more unnecessary updates.

TIA for any help.

Ann

 

Hi, Ann.

I tend to believe Microsoft's recommendations regarding security updates. Both of your first 2 updates were also recommended for my machine (13 security updates total: 6 for Windows XP Home and 7 for Office 2003).

Here is a link to Microsoft's information regarding KB925672.

 

Hi mailman,

Thank you for your reply. You stated that my first two updates were also recommended for your machine. What about 925672? Did you get notification on that one as well, and did you install it?

I read the page you gave the link to, but I do not really understand what it says. Therefore, my posted question in the hopes that some of the more able computer users can clarify it for me.

I usually will download and install only the critical updates and leave the other ones alone.

I would appreciate any further comments. TIA

 

Hello Ann,

KB925672 patches a flaw in the parser (reader) of XML (Extensible Markup Language) portions of a html document which is the standard form of web pages that browsers deliver to your system.

The patch fixes a potential flaw that malicious web sites could use to gain access to your system.

There isn't an easy way to determine what version is running - it involves writing code.

I would install the patch. Since it is a security patch, it should create a System Restore point and add a Add/Remove entry in case it creates a problem.

Regards - Charles

 

Hi Charles,

Thank you so much for helping me to understand what this update is all about. MS makes it so confusing.

I will follow the advice given by you and mailman as you both know more than I do, but I am truly resistant to all the updating MS makes us do.

Ann

 

Hi, Ann. I tried to post this message last night but I had trouble connecting to Windows BBS.

Strangely, I did not receive a critical update notification for KB925672 for my home computer (Windows XP Home SP2 stand-alone). I even checked the Microsoft Update site Monday evening (Oct. 16) and KB925672 was not listed there either. I am puzzled about that.

However, KB925672 and all the other October "Patch Tuesday" Microsoft critical updates WERE recommended for my workstations at work (Windows XP Pro SP2 networked) so I DID download and install all October hotfixes (including KB925672) on those workstations.

Perhaps the reason KB925672 was not recommended for my machine is because it is a stand-alone computer or because my home computer is Windows XP Home instead of Pro.

I also do not use Internet Explorer (IE) for general web browsing. My default browser is Firefox. I usually use IE only when absolutely necessary (for times such as retrieving Microsoft's critical updates and certain websites that do not function properly with non-IE web browsers).

If anyone can shed some light on why my home machine apparently does not trigger Microsoft to recommend KB925672, I will appreciate your input.

 

Hi mailman,

From my searching on this subject, I think the answer to this is the version of MSXML Parser on any given system. I think the version being patched is 2.6

Along with that is whether MS Office and .Net Framework are installed.

Regards - Charles

 

Thanks, Charles.

I have Office 2003 installed (like Ann does, except mine does not include MS Access) but I have not installed .NET Framework v2.0 (I'm still using v1.1, if I remember the version numbers correctly.) so that might be at least one variable that affects the need for KB925672.

Ann, do you have .NET Framework v2.0 installed?

I will do some more research on the differences between the .NET Framework versions and evaluate whether I want to upgrade. If I do decide to upgrade my .NET Framework and it triggers the KB925672 update, I'll post that info.

Thanks again for the details. I will also research the functions of the "MSXML parser" and see what I can learn.

 

Hi, Christer.

I use Microsoft Update. I can still determine which updates are for Windows XP and which are for Office (according to that site anyway).

Thanks for the MS link. That gives me a starting point for my research.

Like you, I have also been offered (and installed) only KB924191 of the ones you listed.

I run Win XP Home SP2 and Office 2003 (both fully patched, security-wise, according to Microsoft Update).