Problem with KB908531 - MS06-015: Vulnerability in Windows Explore

After downloading and installing (KB908531) from Windows Update I am
experiencing various problems depending on OS.

1) On Windows 2000 Server SP4 Windows Explorer hangs when I click on My
Computer in the folders list (left pane). verclsid.exe launches as a service
(viewable in Windows Task Manager) when Windows Explorer is launched. If I
try to close Windows Explorer the instance will not close.

If I try to launch Internet Explorer (6.0.2800.1106) and type in an address
in to the address bar (such as www.google.com to search for verclsid.exe) the
brower hangs.

If I manually end the verclsid.exe process Windows Explorer will then close
properly. Also, I can then browse normally with Internet Explorer.

I have noticed similar "hanging" on some Windows XP SP2 systems. I have
also noticed that on the Windows XP systems that a directory
C:\WINDOWS\Prefetch is created by virtue of the KB908531 security patch. It
apparently takes some time to generate upon launching Windows Explorer (at
least for the first time).

On the Windows 2000 Server machine the Prefetch directory is NEVER BUILT.
The default directory for Windows is C:\WINNT not C:\WINDOWS. I'm wondering
if this is not a BUG in the KB908531 code for Windows 2000 Server.

It appears that the Prefetch directory is built with a listing of legitimate
executable files. Since the Prefetch directory is not built under Windows
2000 then Windows Explorer, etc. seem to hang, and multiple instances of
verclsid.exe are launched. If I manually kill the verclsid.exe processes in
Windows Task Manager then Windows Explorer and Internet Explorer function
properly (although I assume that I am then no longer protected by the
KB908531 Security Patch).

Is anyone else experiencing this problem?

How should I go about reporting the BUG to Microsoft without having to pay
$$$?

Thanks in advance for your help.

 

I think by now that they are probably aware of this!!

You are most definitely not alone.
I have had to use system restore on 2 machines after installing this update,
I have now re-downloaded and instaalled the updates MINUS KB908531.
My machines now appear to be working as before,hopefully Microsoft will
withdraw KB 908531 and replace it with something that works.

 

Getting same hang up on the address bar. All links and fav's work but if
the addy is typed in it just sits there. Have also noticed that it will
highlite the typed in addy like it's going to be cut/paste.

 

I have Windows XP Media Edition 2002 SP2. After Installing KB908531, when
running search from Start menu, any attempt to browse from the Look in
folders field results in the program hanging. Likewise, any help would be
appreciated.
_______________________________

 

I've spent a while getting to the cause of my new display problem with the
folders pane of my Explorer window on Windows 2000 SP4 system. The culprit -
908531 which I removed and all is well. I also had to remove 912812 which
appeared to rely on 908531.

So how do you tell Microsoft that a a security patch is flawed? I can't
find a way to get feedback to them. When do we know the patch is fixed?
Does the KB number change?

I have a new attitude about quickly installing patches with Windows Update.

 

Nope, KB912812 does *not* rely on KB908531. Please reinstall at least
KB908531. Otherwise your system is like an open door to "hackers" out
there from the Internet!

Could you please confirm, that you have a HP Scanner connected to
your machine and the HP Scanner software installed?

Bye,
Freudi

 

I spent two hours on the telephone to Microsoft support yesterday -
after unistalling and reinstalling Office they discovered that many
other incoming support calls were about the same problem and figured
out that it was KB908531 that was causing the problem. Removing this
update fixed it. Microsoft said they will let me know by e-mail when a
new update is available.

 

so microsoft come out a newer update to replace this one? please update us
when you get the email. thanks!

Howard

 

I've got the same problem as "vdm20" pretty much exactly. Uninstalled
KB908531 and problem is temporarily solved until Server Update Services tells
the PC to install the patch. This I can patch via GP.

I'm curious, though, about the question regarding the HP scanner. This
machine DOES have a USB HP scanner and HP scanning software installed.

 

Having updated yesterday I experienced all sorts of problems with both
Microsoft Excel and Word. I contacted Microsoft and was told "we know there
is a problem with KB90831 and suggest you remove the update (done via
add/remove programs) and don't update again until they have posted a new
patch to fix the problem" - how long we have to wait is anybodies guess

 

I do have an HP scanner connected and their standard package loaded.
Add/Remove Programs stated that 912812 did require 908531. Therefore, I
uninstalled 912812 before 908531. Both are now not loaded. It seems that
908531 is what's causing my folder view "hangs" in My Computer. I have to
force the Shell to close and restart to clear the problem--not good. Why
would I want to reload 908531 before the patch is fixed?

 

BTW: I am also running Norton Antivirus Corporate Client S/W...

 

Same here, after automatically downloading 5 updates on 12th April I
couldn't open Word or Excel files without 'program not responding' and
I couldn't get to my CD drives within Windows Explorer. I thought maybe
Office 2003 was corrupted so I re-installed, when that didn't work I
removed the 5 updates within Add/Remove and that seemed to fix it. I
was lazy though, I should have tried each update in isolation until I
found the culprit but couldn't face the aggravation. Thanks for letting
me know it was KB908531!

Tom

 

Sorry for the delay in my reply.

The Windows 2000 Server SP4 V5.0.2195 does have a HP ScanJet 4C Scanner
(SCSI) attached and uses the HP DeskScan II software. I tried to un-install
HP DeskScan II from the computer (restarted). Then, I uninstalled KB908531
(restarted), then re-ran Windows Update and re-installed KB908531 (restarted)

I had hoped that the problem was related to the HP DeskScan II software (see
comments immediately below on the XP Pro computer with HP Scanner, but
without HP DeskScan II). Not sure what to try next.

I also downloaded the all updates onto another computer (today) Windows XP
Pro SP2 V5.1.2600 Build 2600. This computer also has a HP ScanJet 3C Scanner
(SCSI). This computer DOES NOT have the HP DeskScan II software (instead I
rely on the drivers included with MS Office Pro 2003 - In MS Word >
Insert|Picture|From Scanner or Camera|Device > Hewlett-Packard ScanjJet 6100C
or 4C/3C. This XP computer with the HP Scanner DOES NOT experience the same
"hang" problem that the Windows 2000 Server computer does.

 

It did look like there's a conjunction. I'm not sure any longer.

To exclude other ideas, I would like you to answer the following
questions:

#1 Which Windows Version with which Service Pack installed is used?

#2 Is MS Office installed? If true, which version of MS Office
(2000, XP, 2003)?

#3 Could you verify whether KB911831 or KB911701 (both MS06-017) is
installed on either the machines in trouble and/or the fine running
ones?

#4 Is ZoneAlarm installed on any machine?

TIA,
Freudi

 

Hm, see end of message.

Na, you could and should ignore the waring from Windows Installer in
these cases. Please reinstall KB912812 in any case. Thanks!

Back to the "KB908531 Problem":
To exclude other ideas, I would like you to answer the following
questions:

#1 Which Windows Version with which Service Pack installed is used?

#2 Is MS Office installed? If true, which version of MS Office
(2000, XP, 2003)?

#3 Could you verify whether KB911831 or KB911701 (both MS06-017) is
installed on either the machines in trouble and/or the fine running
ones?

#4 Is ZoneAlarm installed on any machine?

TIA,
Freudi

 

I'm sorry to here that. Thanks for trying anyway!

Is any MS Office version installed on the Server? If true, which one exactly?

Could you verify whether KB911831 or KB911701 (both MS06-017) is installed
on either the machines in trouble and/or the fine running ones?

Is ZoneAlarm installed on any machine?

TIA,
Freudi

 

I have had the same problem with the verclsid.exe file. Reading thru
the posts I saw your references to HP. I Had 3 people with the problem
and they all had a HP scanner connected.
I narrowed it down to the HP Share-to-web software included with HP
scanners.
Some versions you can uninstall it thru the add/remove programs.
Others I had to use msconfig and prevent hpgs2wnf (or similiar) from
starting at boot up.
After a reboot, the problem was gone.

It seems to be a conflict with the update and HP software, at least for
us.

Hope it helps

 

Ooops, fine, thanks for sharing!

Bye,
Freudi

 

The Windows 2000 Server is running MS Office Professional Edition 2003
containing:
Outlook 11.8010.6868, Word 11.6568.6568, Excel 11.8012.6568, Powerpoint
11.6564.6568, Access 11.6566.6568, and Publisher 11.6565.6568. Neither
KB911831 nor KB911701 nor ZoneAlarm are installed on the Server.