Microsoft Releases Mysterious Windows Update with No Details About What It Does

[Batu69]

KB3103709 is specifically aimed at Windows 8.1 users

KB3103709 is one of the updates released by Microsoft as part of this month’s Patch Tuesday rollout, but as compared to the typical Windows patch, this one comes with zero information about its content or purpose. So while users are being offered this update, nobody can tell for sure what it does.

Specifically, KB3103709 is only offered to computers running Windows 8.1 and is listed as optional, so users need to manually select it when installing updates via Windows Update. But if they do, it’s nearly impossible to say what it changes, although Woody Leonhard of InfoWorld says that at least one user claimed that a Windows 10 upgrade popup was spotted after installing the update.

Windows 10 is offered as a free upgrade to Windows 7 and 8.1 PCs and Microsoft uses patches shipped via Windows Update to let users know about their promo, to prepare computers for the upgrade, but also to “nag” them every once in a while to make the move.

On the other hand, there are some posts that KB3103709 is actually related to Microsoft’s Active Directory Services given some of the files included in the archive, but with a confirmation from Microsoft, it’s nearly impossible to tell this for sure.

The Windows 10 upgrade push

It wouldn’t be the first time when Microsoft rolls out a patch that’s supposed to bring more upgrade notifications on computers running an older version of Windows.

Previously, the company has implemented a popup notification system in an Internet Explorer security patch offered as recommended, with users of the browser getting a message to upgrade to Windows 10 whenever they opened a new tab.

But for the moment, it’s not clear if this update is related in any way to the Windows 10 upgrade push, so we’ve reached out to Microsoft to ask for an answer and will update the article should an answer be provided.

Article source

[Skunk1966]

it's quite simple; never install optional updates

[steven36]

41 minutes ago, Skunk1966 said:

it's quite simple; never install optional updates

Maybe they will explain by the next time i decide to go on windows   if not i will just hide  it .. It dont matter any more if  optional updates or any updates if there is no info don't install it . Windows 8.1 still has mainstream support tell January 9, 2018  these could be stability  improvements or it could be another trick so i just dont install nothing that dont have info yet.

 

What I read here it dont seem to be harmful . read both pages .

http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows8_1-update/is-update-kb3103709-fake/c9fea314-1469-4d6f-b22f-d1fa0c11c503?page=1

 

Quote

gator2013 1Day ago

KB3103709 is gone from my PC's as well. Never installed. I hid the update, just now Restored it, checked for updates and it was gone.

I too wonder what that was all about??????????????????

 

http://www.eightforums.com/windows-updates-activation/74431-updates-kb3103709-kb3115224-should-i-install-these-post538464.html?s=a478ae1caf3b55025f73fea6fec1083f#post538464

 

It seems it was pulled  so i think it will not matter to me after all

[LeetPirate]

the FBI backdoor patch?

[pc71520]

1 hour ago, LeetPirate said:

the FBI backdoor patch?

OR an NSA one?

[D1v1n3D]

uhh im pretty sure they already had back doors since many years ago considering I just watched a video of a testimony from a computer software programmer in the year 2000 he built a program to rig Elections in America with there computers making any Election flip 51 - 49 to whoever you want to win and only way to detect it is to compare it to paper ballots which isn't really used anymore so USA is probably the most corrupt Just like ROME was USA is copying the same thing out reaching its reach and poking the grizzly bear in the face the empire will fall if it continues at this steady pace. This will if course correction doesn't happen this will start ww3 specially if hillary criminal clinton becomes president.

[Karlston]

My money would be on it being yet another piece of Windows-10-upgrade malware.

 

If you're like the almost 1 billion Windows 7/8.1 users who do NOT want Windows 10 forced on them, just make sure you have GWX Control Panel installed and kept up to date. And for now, avoid this update until more is known.

[straycat19]

It's not just the Windows 10 upgrade crap you have to worry about, it is the fact that all the telemetry that exists in Windows 10 has been pushed down to Windows 7 and 8.1.  This has come in the critical and recommended updates and has been hidden very well.  Even GWX has come in the recommended, not optional, updates.  My opinion has not changed.  The First Commandment of Running Windows is 'Thou shalt not run Windows 10'  and the Second Commandment is 'Thou shalt not install updates after June 2015'.  And as Spock said, "Go forth and prosper."

[Actarusse]

2 minutes ago, straycat19 said:

It's not just the Windows 10 upgrade crap you have to worry about, it is the fact that all the telemetry that exists in Windows 10 has been pushed down to Windows 7 and 8.1.  This has come in the critical and recommended updates and has been hidden very well.  Even GWX has come in the recommended, not optional, updates.  My opinion has not changed.  The First Commandment of Running Windows is 'Thou shalt not run Windows 10'  and the Second Commandment is 'Thou shalt not install updates after June 2015'.  And as Spock said, "Go forth and prosper."

[steven36]

6 hours ago, Karlston said:

My money would be on it being yet another piece of Windows-10-upgrade malware.

 

If you're like the almost 1 billion Windows 7/8.1 users who do NOT want Windows 10 forced on them, just make sure you have GWX Control Panel installed and kept up to date. And for now, avoid this update until more is known.

It would not make any sense for them for them to just target windows 8.1 like this update did. because Windows 10 is already ahead of Windows 8.1 .The Masses  are still on windows 7  every time there's been a update to windows 10 in the wild they push it out on Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 both . From what i read this update was too fix bugs for using it with a VM  . Windows 8.1 gets many updates windows 7 dont  because it still has mainstream support . People are so paranoid about updates  Microsoft could patch something serious  and they would  catch a virus and blow up there PC just so it want update too windows 10. Microsoft pushes enough bad updates out on there own  without some misleading the public and making stuff up . anyway this update seems to be pulled .

 

 

A billion dont use Windows 8.1, only thing  Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 has in conman, they both  get windows 10 updates at the same time  and its Microsoft Windows. Before Windows 10 all windows 7 users done was dog Windows 8.1  . You people created  windows 10 by not buying Windows 8.1  I bought windows 8 and windows 8.1 i done my part. Just like the people that were on XP  dogged Vista and then Windows  7 . People hate change and most that are on windows 7  were the ones that complained and rode out  XP's  end of life.  . And most of you will be on Windows 10 or 11 complaining  about change .Even some Windows 10 users complain about change  and there on Windows 10.

 

If im going  to use windows  im going to at lest update the ones i know that is not bad . It dont matter to me if it update everyone to windows 10 , ill just use Linux  instead tell they stop .

[steven36]

Quote

 

A few problem patches among March’s many updates

 

Microsoft is cranking out needed Windows 10 servicing-stack updates plus a slew of Windows Server fixes.

While none of these updates raise general alarms, one should be of concern to users of dual-boot systems.

 

There was some buzz on the Internet about a mysterious update, KB 3103709, which apparently showed up only on Windows 8.1 systems. As reported in a WindowsEightForums thread, the patch showed up in Windows Update and then disappeared several days later. To the annoyance of those who received the update, Microsoft never posted a description online.

The patch wasn’t for updating to Win10-update; rather, it was a Active Directory hotfix that probably should have never been widely posted. It did not show up on my Win8.1 machine, but then I keep the Windows Update option “Give me recommended updates the same way I receive important updates” unchecked.

MS16-035 (3141780)

.NET causing issues for some

After months of trouble-free .NET updates, we’re not so lucky this month. As reported in the MYOB Community forum, after installing March’s batch of .NET security updates, some AccountRight clients are getting an error message that the application must close.

MYOB recommends either upgrading to the most recent version of AccountRight or running a hotfix tool.

The problem gets a fix on the server side, too. MS Support article 3148821 provides Registry changes that correct how files with SignedXml are processed.

http://windowssecrets.com/patch-watch/a-few-problem-patches-among-marchs-many-updates/