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Microsoft IE update borks browser

Hello world. Er, hello? Bah!

IT SEEMS Microsoft's Security Bulletin numbered MS07-069 is causing more trouble than it is worth.

An INQ reader writes to say that the update "actually cripples IE."

"This update is making our lives miserable over here at the (unspecified) help desk," he adds. "After installing this one, you can forget about surfing the net."

And he's not alone. According to a Computerworld article reproduced here, frustrated IE users have been bombarding Microsoft support newsgroups since the bulletin was released on December 11.

Many complain that installing the update stops them being able to connect to the Interweb. And since IE is a web browser that makes it about as useful as a candy-floss teapot.

You can find some tales of woe on the Windows Update newsgroup, here.

The borked update can apparently afflict IE6 and IE7 on machines running either Windows Vista or XP.

Microsoft told Computerworld it was on the case. AspokesVole said it was investigating the complaints and would update the Knowledge Base article associated with the update if necessary.

Hello Microsoft. It's necessary. µ

L'INQ
PC Advisor

Comments

There is a fix already...

www.firefox.com (I'm I the first? Please let me be the first!)

Seriously though, I haven't had any problems with IE since the update on the XP and 2003 systems I look after. Can't comment on Vista though, if I want a pretty UI I'd buy a Mac
posted by : Steve, 18 December 2007

FIREFOX

Its time for more companies to make their websites more Firefox friendly so we can get rid of this worthless (IE) completely...If only microsoft will allow MS update to run on firefox ;)

I use firefox unless some online site "requires IE" and even then I dont use it unless firefox cant run it. IE tab extension for firefox helps with this also.


SO y use IE ever
its junk
posted by : Bryan, 18 December 2007

I feel it coming

Better brace your servers for the usual anti MS flames that are heading your way...

For the record, I got all my updates and am still able to connect so as to read this story.

posted by : Mason, 18 December 2007

Let them be silent!

MS must have thought if we cut them off from the web then they can't complain about IE6 or IE7

Good plan but apparently there are some holes in it, some people can still use it.
posted by : kedas, 18 December 2007

and this is why I use firefox.

I don't have any regret or remorse for IE users. That pile of garbage that Microsoft makes is just hideous. I would still be willing to bet there is holes in IE 7 that just haven't been found yet.
posted by : viscountalpha, 18 December 2007

It got me too...

Both of my machines were affected (infected?) by this on again off again application crash. Fully updated XP and XP Media Center, both with IE6. I enjoyed spending my weekend finding which of the 6 updates that came out last week was the culprit.

How can something this obvious get released to the public?
posted by : George, 18 December 2007

get some opera into ya

www.opera.com
posted by : Craig, 19 December 2007

I warned you yeasterday

I told you yesterday to delete IE and you didn't, now look what has happened.

If you had of deleted it there would be nothing to patch. What's with you Brits anyway? You must like pain. You have the highest use of IE than any other country in Europe.

http://www.prnewswire.co.uk/cgi/news/release?id=175523

Time to throw you own IE in the harbor party..
posted by : Pete, 19 December 2007

And people call me crazy

I keep my XP box at home with XP SP2, no updates, none of that junk.

I wish I had the guts to do the same at work. At least I don't do the automatic updates. My friend who does recently lost a day's worth of work because of an automatic update, and because he didn't hit the "save" button at 4:49PM.
posted by : Nick, 19 December 2007

it's been a while

i upgraded to leopard and have had so much fun on my new os that i haven't had the desire to read any of these articles that are nothing more than a womb for controversy.... ;))
so maybe it's a secure website bug, i know i had worked with some guys that couldn't access secure websites since the update and we did the regsvr stuff, no go..... system restore was broke, too, so does anyone have a fix?
posted by : joe, 19 December 2007

More holes in IE

Have you seen it try to render the Acid2 test? All the holes in web standards support made web programming for IE6 a royal pain, and added 20+hrs/month of extra work.
posted by : jbo5112, 19 December 2007

Not quite...

I did notice some random crashes in the last week with IE. Something as simple as going to the Yahoo Mail front page will crash it. Other times it works just fine. "Cannot connect to the intarweb" is not an accurate description of the problem, at least for me.
posted by : Palek, 19 December 2007

MS Reproduces With Itself

Oh, the joys of dealing with a MS support person in India rapidly speaking barely intelligible English as he tries to explain borked IE7. Been there, done that yesterday.
posted by : Charles Greene, 19 December 2007

Microsoft finally got a security patch right !

At last they have understood what security is about ! Locking IE out of the web is a much needed first step.
I look forward to seeing a patch that cuts off Outlook and prevents it from sending mail entirely.
Then the Internet will look a lot better.
Go, Microsoft ! You can do it !
posted by : Pascal Monett, 19 December 2007

Great news at last!

'An INQ reader writes to say that the update "actually cripples IE."'

So Microsoft has finally bitten the bullet and done the right thing...
posted by : Tom Welsh, 19 December 2007

IE is fine.

Get a life...
posted by : fishbone, 19 December 2007

User Agent Switcher

Dear Firefox lovers.

There are two options for tricking sites into thinking you are running IE. Both work MOST of the time.

1. User Agent Switcher (killer plugin) https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/59

2. Install the Linux distro of your choice and run Konqueror. The user agent switcher is built in and works great.
posted by : asphaltjesus, 19 December 2007

c

I use firefox only. very rarely i need IE, and that's something like once every three months. for all of you using IE and complaining, I don't give a rat's tail what you do - you deserve this punishment.
posted by : n, 20 December 2007

Seriously...

Turn off Automatic Updates. It is the first thing you should do after a fresh Windows installation. Same with Remote Assistance etc.

Because Microsoft has a proven history of &*)&)&)&%%# up people's computer with shoddy updates/patches. Learn this fact already. Let the fools rush in headfirst.

I'm running XP Pro SP2 at home. No updates whatsoever. I haven't touched IE in a long, long time. I don't install crap 'Bonzi Buddy' type of software, have a good Antivirus/antispyware/software firewall installed.

Once again: Turn off Automatic Updates. I mean really turn off. 'Download updates but let me choose...' is not a valid option.
posted by : Josh, 20 December 2007

No wonder Ie quit working!

I thought I got hit by some spyware or something that was attacking it.

Oh wait, I did.

The dreaded hotfix.
posted by : thombone, 21 December 2007

That's it Microsoft, Keep it up!

Next they'll kill off their own bastard child of a browser and people will have to move to greener pastures (Firefox etc...) and there will be peace in web standard kingdom
posted by : xiao, 21 December 2007

IE?

People actually use IE still?

Why?
posted by : Snazz, 21 December 2007

IE New Hotfix for IE Browser out

Hi all,

Microsoft has recently put out the hotfix KB942367 to correct the IE from crashing when attempting to open up the browser.

Happy surfing, Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!
posted by : Pablo, 22 December 2007
IThound
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