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Beware, KB3135173 for Windows 10 may reset default apps (again)


Batu69

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Reports are coming in that the recent patch for Windows 10 with the identifier KB3135173 may reset default applications on systems it is installed on.

We have talked about Windows 10 resetting default applications before, the first time happening shortly after release of the operating system.

 

The changes did not affect all users of Windows 10 back then who installed the responsible update at that time but those who were affected reported that default apps for web browsing, pdf viewing and photo viewing were reset, and that programs were removed from the system as well.

KB3135173

KB 3135173 is a cumulative update for Windows 10 that Microsoft released on February 9, 2016. It fixes vulnerabilities reported in the security bulletins MS16-022, MS16-021, MS16-016, MS16-014, MS16-013, MS16-011 and MS16-009.

 

You find information about these security patches in our patch day overview for February 2016.

Users noticed that something was not right after the patches were installed and the machine rebooted for the first time.

 

The Action Center started to display one or multiple notifications on the screen that app defaults were reset listing the file type that was reset, and the default system application it was mapped to.

 

Quote

An app default was reset. An app caused a problem with the default setting for .avi files so it was reset to Films & TV.

 

This happened for custom file associates for file types such as pdf, avi, mp4, jpg or png, and each time the file type was reset to one of the default applications Windows 10 ships with.

 

Even worse, while it is seemingly possible to associate different apps or programs with the reset file types, Windows 10 would reset those associations a moment later making it impossible to use custom file associations on affected PCs.

 

Temporary solutions

 

PGAMfU8.jpg

 

So what is the solution for users who are affected by this issue? One course of action is to uninstall the update and block it from running, but it is not suggested since it patches security issues. Removing it will make the system vulnerable to attacks targeting those vulnerabilities.

 

The Winhelponline Blog created a Registry file that supposedly fixes the issue. I was not able to test it as my test systems were not affected by the issue.

 

Quote

After running the REG fix, open Control Panel > Default Programs and set file associations or default programs as you prefer. None of the built-in Universal Apps should reset the associations from now on. This method has been tested (and works fine) in Windows 10 Build 10586.

 

Changing file associations on Windows 10

 

3oTEww2.jpg

 

Windows 10 offers several options to choose default applications for file types. The starting point for all of them is the operating system's Settings application.

  1. Tap on Windows-I to open the Settings application.
  2. Navigate to System > Default Apps.

There you find programs or apps associated with popular application types such as email, web browsing or music playing.

 

You can associate programs with those types right away, but may want to use the three options listed below those for finer controls.

  • Choose default apps by file type displays all known file types and the applications they have been associated with.
  • Choose default apps by protocol displays protocols, such as http or ftp and the applications or programs they are associated with.
  • Set defaults by app finally opens the classic "set default programs" dialog of the Control Panel. Select a program from the list, and associate all file types and protocols with it that it supports (or customize the selection).

GMERJpj.jpg

 

Closing Words

 

The resetting of custom file and protocol associations should never happen on its own, and it seems that Microsoft needs to adjust the parameters that are responsible for the resetting to make sure it won't happen again in the future.

 

For now, it is wise to check default applications, file associations and even installed programs after updates regularly to make sure none were affected by it.

Windows 10 users may also want to create system backups, or at least System Restore points, before running any updates that Microsoft put out for the operating system.

 

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Good to see Microsoft's new strategy of testing Windows 10 updates on gazilions of Insiders' PCs to iron out all problems before releasing them to the masses is working well. :rolleyes:

 

Windows 7 and 8.1 updates have less problems. There's a message there Microsoft, open your eyes and remove the blinkers!

 

More details here... Windows 10 forced update KB 3135173 changes browser and other defaults

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Good to see all you good people being victimized by Microsoft's Beta Windows Programs so that by the time they get to version Windows 19 or 20, and I decide to turn off my old Windows XP box there might be a reliable working system to go to besides LInux. :P

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I had this exact thing happen to me on win 10.It set all media files back to movies and tv app even though I had Light Alloy as my default player.Not impressed again.

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19 hours ago, straycat19 said:

I decide to turn off my old Windows XP box

I turned mine off in 2010 , Windows security has improved somewhat since XP days . Most .Antivirus ,Firewalls etc . were invented for  98/XP . So even when they had updates it was a risk, but now since no more updates every single 0day vulnerably never gets patched . So everyday you use it you put yourself at risk more . I hear many are using antiX  to bring life back to these old machines that are not very good for  many things that modern processors can do.  The best thing ever happened to pcs  was the end of XP  and mass use of  x86 .

 

And I use to be a XP diehard for 10 years  and you could not pay me to use it now .  If all i had was a old XP box i would put another O/S on it.   XP  is the whole reason Microsoft is trying to push Windows 10 on Windows 7  and Windows 8.1 users . Because too many people refused to buy a better PC and didn't update to windows 7  it took years for Windows 7 too over take XP  . It was so many left on these old machines that they gave it more years of updates and they don't want it to happen with Windows 7. they made a monster out of XP by giving it more years of updates now its a zombie O/S  out there spreading malwares . Its software developers as a wholes fault more than M$ If they cared  about you're security they would have  pulled the plug on updates for it long ago and  unless you shop at old apps .com  they be no software  for it lol.

 

When Vista come out there was 2 main  problems old XP machines processors  were not fast enough to handle Vista much less Windows 7 and the other problem  was developers had not updated there software to work on Vista yet  . But by the time Windows 7 came out witch was is just a improved Vista version  really  the programs worked for it.

 

When Windows 10 came out is was said to be a improved version of windows 8.1 but that's yet to be seen, its not as stable and has a slew of issues not present in 8.1and you can get Classic Shell  a 3rd party start menu for free  .

 

 

I bet when 2020 comes you will not get extended updates for windows 7 they made this mistake once, so ether you will update to something new  or just be vulnerable on a no longer supported O/S    :P

 

5 hours ago, OrbingStorm said:

I had this exact thing happen to me on win 10.It set all media files back to movies and tv app even though I had Light Alloy as my default player.Not impressed again.

Just put windows 8.1  on it   and you will be good tell 2023 on  updates ..Most likely by 2023 ether they will have released something new or  something else will end up taking windows place.  Why use something you're not impressed with ?

 

Id rather have Windows 10 than XP though . Most likely many kinds of videos would just freeze up and not play right .  XP  was back when everyone still watched XVID  :D

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My XP box has all my old games on it and I still play them.  I'm not worried about the security on it since nothing can get into it anyway.  Only a noob would put an old system online and not have it protected 20 ways to hell and back.  I don't worry about what other people do, or think I should do, if I did I would be in the same sad shape they are.

 

Once I saw a system running a Pentium 66 that one of the supposedly expert IT persons installed Windows 2000 on and then called me to help him because it booted slow.  It took precisely 28 minutes to boot to the desktop and become usable.  This was after I had previously told him that his system was not capable of running the new Windows 2000.  But being an expert he knew better than me, but then I never claim to be an expert because I only have 49 years and 2 months computer experience.

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antiX

2 hours ago, straycat19 said:

My XP box has all my old games on it and I still play them.  I'm not worried about the security on it since nothing can get into it anyway.  Only a noob would put an old system online and not have it protected 20 ways to hell and back.  I don't worry about what other people do, or think I should do, if I did I would be in the same sad shape they are.

 

Once I saw a system running a Pentium 66 that one of the supposedly expert IT persons installed Windows 2000 on and then called me to help him because it booted slow.  It took precisely 28 minutes to boot to the desktop and become usable.  This was after I had previously told him that his system was not capable of running the new Windows 2000.  But being an expert he knew better than me, but then I never claim to be an expert because I only have 49 years and 2 months computer experience.

I remember playing games on commodore 64 CPU MOS Technology  at school  and using a Atari 2600 even before this at home to play games   before windows existed even  but fishing stories about retro PC and game consoles   dont really interest no one but  a museum maybe   . I still have 98 and XP pcs  that collect dust but if you use them offline well that's safe just to play old games on. I read some people are putting  antiX  on these pcs and using online again but i been to lazy to dig my old ones out and really dont need them.

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Conley Powell

     The negative comments on XP don't make sense. I've been using XP since shortly after its release, and I'm still using it. It works just as well, in every way, as any of the newer versions. And I've never had a malware problem. I certainly haven't missed Microsoft "support".

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3 hours ago, Conley Powell said:

     The negative comments on XP don't make sense. I've been using XP since shortly after its release, and I'm still using it. It works just as well, in every way, as any of the newer versions. And I've never had a malware problem. I certainly haven't missed Microsoft "support".

Windows XP's days were numbered  back in 2011 when  it lost its marketshare  to Windows 7.   The only people  who have anything positive  to say about it is the 11.42%  who make up excuses to hang on to the 14 year old o/s .   I left it 5 years ago and i 1st  bought it in 2001 the year it came out . Most all 3rd party FW   were built on the fact it didn't have a very good one .

 

In 2004 many people got infected  in 20 mintites using XP

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2004/08/19/infected_in20_minutes/

 

In 2016 people still get infected from computer virus using XP

http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/royal-melbourne-hospital-attacked-by-damaging-computer-virus-20160118-gm8m3v.html

 

Do I miss using tons  of 3rd party security software  just to try to protect  myself  on a computer that's  have a accent  slow processor ?  No I dont ...

Now days on modern windows most people just use built in Firewall and Windows Defender and most are fine . XP came with a really bad firewall and no antivirus  they use to install AVG free and get infected anyways. Last XP i bought  it came with 2GB  of ram  it could not even play x264 videos  right above 480p  , A computer  with windows 8.1 with 2 gb  of ram  and  a low end modern  processor  can play 1080p x264  with no problems  . :)

 

Me being a Linux  user were i use no Antivirus  at all , were on it I depend on my Distro to patch 0days and my browser security knows how important  doing O/S updates are .  In the modern age were  they try to patch any known holes in all supported  O/S  its just silly and reckless to not to do updates or use machines  that cant update.

 

In a poll done 60%  people who use Linux  said  no to Antivirus ..25% said yes...  15% didn't know

http://fossforce.com/2016/02/readers-say-no-to-antivirus-on-linux/

 

 

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Conley Powell

     All this nonsense about XP use putting out the welcome mat for hackers is just that...nonsense. I've never had any malware problems at all...and I don't think I'm favored by the gods. Yes, I use an antivirus program; I don't find this an intolerable burden.

     No rational (and honest) person could reasonably say that I would be better off with any post-XP Windows OS other than 7...and I just don't like 7, for purely subjective reasons. Perhaps my wants are simpler than some, but my computer does everything I want in a manner that is entirely satisfactory to me. When Microsoft releases an OS that I like better than XP, I'll switch. I'm not holding my breath.

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27 minutes ago, Conley Powell said:

     All this nonsense about XP use putting out the welcome mat for hackers is just that...nonsense. I've never had any malware problems at all...and I don't think I'm favored by the gods. Yes, I use an antivirus program; I don't find this an intolerable burden.

     No rational (and honest) person could reasonably say that I would be better off with any post-XP Windows OS other than 7...and I just don't like 7, for purely subjective reasons. Perhaps my wants are simpler than some, but my computer does everything I want in a manner that is entirely satisfactory to me. When Microsoft releases an OS that I like better than XP, I'll switch. I'm not holding my breath.

Its not nonsense every o/s ever made was /is vulnerable ...  Since i got off XP  in 2010 I've not ever been infected but i cant say that about XP  even back when it was getting updates  the few times i was ever infected  it was on XP . So it not getting updates makes it  more  vulnerable . Sooner are latter all developers will drop it anyhow  . By 2023  if they dont make windows 11 ..Windows 10 will be the only Windows O/S  that still gets security patches . :)

 

I remember when developers still supported  windows 98 back in the 1st decade of the 21st century and that's in the past now .

 

If you was using Linux something 15 years old  you're software  would have too be 10 years old because developers drop support  when distros stop security  patching.

 

There's no future in the past and there never has been .

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