Microsoft's Worst Automatic Windows Updates of 2012


Release date: May 8, 2012

Problem: Duqu patch installation failure

This massive patch, named MS12-034 (with many associated KB numbers) left Windows users wondering what just happened. After installing, people started finding an Error Code 0x8007F0F4. Further researches revealed that users where asked to delete a keyboard log file. But many couldn’t find it.

The update was really meant for modifying and moving keyboard layout files, according to Microsoft. But gradually the patch turned out to be a huge disaster and Microsoft eventually had to create FixIt software to make the patching easier.

 

Release date: May 21, 2012

Problem: Yellow alert that won’t go away

For some unanswered reasons, somebody blended in three old .Net patches into the Automatic update released on May 21, 2012. KB 2518864 (MS11-044, June 2011), KB 2572073 (MS11-078, October 2011), and KB 2633880 (MS12-016, February 2012) failed to install on many Windows XP and Server 2013 systems that had Automatic Update turned on.

The end result was so confusing. When some had no problems at all, others kept getting a yellow alert icon that said, “Some updates could not be installed.”

On further enquiries, it was revealed that Microsoft originally scheduled and then later on pulled out a .Net update, MS12-035. This resulted in three old updates to pop up in the Auto update queue.

 

Also Read: India's Top 10 CRM Software Systems

Also Read: SAP Just Gave a Major Blow to IBM, Oracle and Microsoft