SP3, IE7, KB929798.

[spar1grep]

Hello All,

I think after my 10 plus years in Infrastructure Support/Development I have
come across my first proper DLL hell scenario. Whilst a solution does sort
of exist (disabling Windows File Protection), I thought if I post here
Microsoft will pick up the issue and deal with it (rather then me paying the
£££'s on there pay-per-support incident line, to be told what I already know
and then have to wait for a fix). BTW MS do provide free support for XP SP3
until March 2009, but only if the install fails or kills your computer, not
for something 'minor' like this.......

Here it goes:

If you visit the MS update site with a XP SP2/IE 6 PC you will be asked to
install XP SP3 before anything else, dont pass go, dont collection £200 until
SP3 is installed. SP3 includes the hotifx MS KB929798. Which if it has
affected you is good.

Now after having SP3 installed, the next 'major' upgrade is to IE from 6 to
7. Alas IE7 has the old flawed urlmon.dll.

Reapplying the hotfix from MS KB 929798 will not work because it detcts that
SP3 is installed and will not let you execute the hotfix.

Removing SP3, IE7. Reinstalling IE7 then SP3 does not do the trick either
you still end up with a dll which is a older version.

How is this possible, I did some digging around and figured this out:

urlmon.dll version in the hotfix KB929798 is 7.00.6000.20544
urlmon.dll version in the i386 folder from SP3 is 6.00.2900.5512
urlmon.dll version in IE7 is 6.00.2900.2180

How on earth is it then that XP SP3 includes this hotfix when the hotfix
version number for the file is higher then the SP3 file, I figured it would
have at least been the same (most probably higher).

 

[PA Bear [MS MVP]]

[X-post to IE General]

...Alas IE7 has the old flawed urlmon.dll.

Explain, please.

1. Does this behavior persist if you start IE7 in No Add-ons mode? To start
IE7 in No Add-ons mode:

• Right-click on the blue IE desktop icon and select Start without
Add-ons; or

• Start > (All) Programs > Accessories > System Tools > Internet
Explorer (No add-ons).

Troubleshooting and Internet Explorer’s (No Add-ons) Mode:
http://blogs.msdn.com/ie/archive/2006/07/25/678113.aspx

2. Does the problem persist if you Reset IE7 Settings (RIES)?
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/923737 <= Read before using!

3. If you uninstall (a) IE7 *exactly* per the link below (which
automatically returns you to IE6), (b) all toolbars and (c) all third-party
Windows Themes (including Window Blinds) and do NOT reinstall IE7, does this
behavior persist?

NB: If it does, do NOT reinstall IE7.

Uninstalling IE7
http://www.ie-vista.com/kbase2.html
[Only use the Command %windir%\ie7\spuninst\spuninst.exe if you cannot
uninstall via Add/Remove Programs! Ignore any references to Vista on the
above page. It's safe to ignore any "such and such may not work" warnings.
Ignore any references to Vista on the webpage.]

Also see:

IE7 (Un)Installation and Anti-Malware Applications:
http://blogs.msdn.com/ie/archive/2006/10/11/IE7-Installation-and-Anti_2D00_Malware-Applications.aspx

4. Assuming IE6 does not have these problems (other than opening a link in a
new tab, which will not be available), the follow is required reading IMHO
before reinstalling IE7:

Sandi's Installation Tips <= Steps #1-8, #10 & #11; take note of #12, then
STOP
http://www.ie-vista.com/known_issues.html#pre-install

I strongly recommend using
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/downloads/ie/getitnow.mspx as the
installation source, not Automatic/Windows Update.

Or use this Download link:
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=9ae91ebe-3385-447c-8a30-081805b2f90b
(Tip: Save the installer to your desktop, do not Run it.)

5. Make *certain* that you check in at Windows Update immediately after
reinstalling IE7 to install any critical updates offered. If Optional
Software Updates category offers Root Certificates update, opt to install it
to take full advantage of IE7's additional security.

=> Those with IE7-specific questions or comments are asked to post to and
seek support in this newsgroup: microsoft.public.internetexplorer.general

On the web:
http://www.microsoft.com/communitie...?dg=microsoft.public.internetexplorer.general

In your newsreader:
news://msnews.microsoft.com/microsoft.public.internetexplorer.general

 

[spar1grep]

Both the respodents so far have asked what the flaw in IE7 is? This is
explained in the KB929798 article. It is due to the urlmon.dll not
recognising a mapped drive (to a UNC path) is part of the local intranet zone
(as it is specified as so through group policy), which causes problems when
accessing certain file types on the mapped drive (i.e. .exe's). However if
the UNC path is is accessed (rather then using the mapped drive) it is
recognised correctlyy as a local intranet zone.

The issue is not with IE7 it's self but with the urlmon.dll file, which with
IE being integrated into Windows replaces this file when IE7 is installed.

Copying over the urlmon.dll in the Windows System32 folder results in the
file being replaced with the WFP dllcache version. I tried replacing the
urlmon.dll in the dllcache also to prevent this from occuring but it did not
seem to work. I will give the copying the fixed file to the IE7 folder a
try, but with the issue occuring under the explorer.exe process rather then
the iexplore.exe process the chances are it will use the WFP protected
version in fhe Windows System32 folder....

Cheers.

Gary Jall.

 

[PA Bear [MS MVP]]

Why not simply install the available Hotfix? See the top of this page:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/929798