Update Problems Again

[Guest]

Ran Windows Defender again this morning and checked for updates. The new
signiture file 1353.2 was downloaded and installed according to Windows
Defender. I turned around and ran Microsoft Update and of course the Windows
Defender update was listed there. I ran the Msiexec command to get rid of the
current signiture file and rechecked with Windows Defender for updates. It
came across again and loaded. Microsoft Update does not show the Windows
Defender update now. This is about the 5th time I have had to go through this
process. Does anyone out there know when this problem will be fixed, or if
there is a fix, what is it? Thanks.

 

[Bill Sanderson]

So did you succeed, in the end--this time around? There are engine updates
in todays update, but I don't know whether it is possible to fix the update
issues with an update to the engine code or not.

 

[Guest]

UPDATE ON UPDAATE!

I just closed my Spy Sweeper program while I tried to update WD and it
updated. I wonder if this could be part of MY problem. Not everyone's but
mine. Does that sound reasonable? Am anxious to try it next update.

 

[Guest]

Interesting. The update process does use AutoUpdate, which intentionally
tries not to use bandwidth on the Internet Connection unless it is free--so
it can take some time to update. There are a fair number of folks using
other programs here, including Spy Sweeper.

Thanks for the observation--maybe check this again next set of updates?

 

[Guest]

I believe I saw a statement by someone (Mike?) that this would require an
update to the 'GUI'. It's really more likely an update to the MsMpEng.exe
module, since this is the always running Defender service and so must contain
the updating code, unless another module is launched on demand or schedule.

Bitman

 

[Bill Sanderson]

Updates are at least triggered by mpcmdrun.exe. I'm not sure I would know
how to spot what is really triggering the bits service to get the update, in
the end. I suppose I could test by shutting down the Windows Defender
service and seeing whether mpcmdrun.exe and the UI were enough to accomplish
the update.

I remember seeing that statement too, but I don't remember well enough the
context--i.e. that this was in relation to updates--I'll go back and re-read
it!

Hmm - the one I found was from Joe Faulhaber to Donald Anadell, and related
to the 0x80004003 "invalid pointer" error when you hit the "Start Scan"
button.

So--that one definitely isn't fixed yet. Updates? Still no data.
--

 

[Guest]

Here we go again. The update was installed and as usual, it wanted to
install the same update. So I cancelled the update, went into Help (updates)
and told WD to check for updates. Surprisingly, this stopped the problem of
the same update trying to re-install. Doesn't make any sense to me. Hope
this information is useful.

 

[Bill Sanderson]

Thanks--I'm going to need to wait 'til the next update cycle for what I want
to hear, I think--which is whether this code update will have any effect on
the update issues. I don't consider your case a fair test--I want this set
of updates clearly installed (which I agree is the case after your second
check!)--and then let's see what happens next time around.

I'm revealing my ignorance here--I don't have any inside knowledge about
what it will take to fix the update issues--I've seen one Microsoft post
suggesting that they have put some fixes into place--and that was some time
back. This is the first code change since that statement. We'll see....

--

 

[Guest]

Along with that there are the remaining issues of corporate networks and
WSUS, so it will take some understanding of the real reason 'Updates don't
work!' in any case.

I noticed on my OneCare Firewall that only 'Command Line Utility' and 'User
Interface' are listed from Defender, but since the updates are passed through
the Automatic Updates system, the Firewall may never see this transfer anyway.

The biggest update problem seems to be 'looping' which is either corruption
or lack of identification of the received update. Whatever tracks and
confirms the delivered update is more likely the problem than what transfers
it. That _could_ be the Engine or it could be somewhere else in the Defender
modules. Not really something we can answer without lots of experimentation.

I won't be really concerned about these reports until the next GUI is
released, since then only those behind WSUS or Proxy should have issues.

Bitman

 

[Bill Sanderson MVP]

Along with that there are the remaining issues of corporate networks and
WSUS, so it will take some understanding of the real reason 'Updates don't
work!' in any case.

I noticed on my OneCare Firewall that only 'Command Line Utility' and
'User
Interface' are listed from Defender, but since the updates are passed
through
the Automatic Updates system, the Firewall may never see this transfer
anyway.

The biggest update problem seems to be 'looping' which is either
corruption
or lack of identification of the received update. Whatever tracks and
confirms the delivered update is more likely the problem than what
transfers
it. That _could_ be the Engine or it could be somewhere else in the
Defender
modules. Not really something we can answer without lots of
experimentation.

I won't be really concerned about these reports until the next GUI is
released, since then only those behind WSUS or Proxy should have issues.

I'm hoping for some improvement with last weeks engine patches, but we may
need to wait for the GUI release. I hope they'll be able to identify that
"command line utility" a little better before release--it'd be nice to at
least get Microsoft into the name.