Six days late, Microsoft reveals the meaning of mystery patch KB 4033637

[Karlston]

If you have a Win10 1607 machine and it automatically installed KB 4033637 last Friday, be of good cheer. Late last night, Microsoft documented it.

Martyn Williams

Last Friday, Microsoft pushed a patch down the Automatic Update chute. Like so many patches before it, KB 4033637 was completely undocumented. Those running Win10 1607 who hadn’t taken steps to block forced patches found they had a newly revised program running on their systems — and nobody had any idea what the patch actually did.

 

Informed conjecture said it was an update to the Compatibility Appraiser, to help Microsoft upgrade machines to newer versions of Windows. Other guesses were all over the map. On Reddit, a poster relates how he called Microsoft and was told that it’s a hush-hush security patch for Flash. Microsoft’s own Answers Forum is littered with posts blaming KB 4033637 for system freezes, second screen problems, installation hangs and more.

 

One customer who had the temerity to ask about the patch was told by a Microsoft employee:

May we know why you're asking for this specific update? Are you having issues with it? Can you tell us the OS Build version of your computer if possible?

Mind you, this guy just wanted to know what in the blue blazes Microsoft had pushed onto his machine.

 

Early this morning, Günter Born posted a link on his Born’s Tech and Windows World site, pointing to a new entry in Microsoft’s Knowledge Base. It says:

Updates to Windows 10, Version 1607 for update applicability: August 30, 2017

This update includes diagnostic and functional improvements for determining the applicability of updates in Windows 10 Version 1607. The files and resources in this update ensure that feature updates are installed seamlessly to improve the reliability and security of Windows 10.

Devices will automatically get the update downloaded and installed through Windows Update.

That's all she wrote.

 

I don’t know how anyone can claim to run a moderately secure PC and have Automatic Update enabled.

 

Add your voice to the no-longer-silent majority on the AskWoody Lounge.

 

Source: Six days late, Microsoft reveals the meaning of mystery patch KB 4033637 (Computerworld - Woody Leonhard)

[steven36]

I never keep them  on anymore even when I was on Windows  10  I  had them blocked with a firewall and  I just did updates once a month .. But with cumulative updates  I'm afraid when it comes too stuff like seeing if you're PC can be upgraded can't be avoided  unless  you block everything  from Microsoft  with a firewall . Because updates are cumulative and as soon as you do the next update for you're security  you will get this patch anyway ... So the only thing  would stop them from spying on  you would be block  them from calling home on you're  machine . Only other option witch is the most easiest  but maybe not the most secure way  is never do updates  and just keep them blocked this is a 100%  sure way you never get upgraded. But if you going do this why even use Windows 10?  if you' dont want updates you may well stay on Windows 7 witch runs out of updates in a few years anyway.

 

Even on windows 8.1 if you turn windows updates off  Microsoft is always in the background.

 

See how  i keep them blocked even though i keep updates turned off.

 

On Windows 10 it's much worse not only are they spying on you  but  if you don't block them they try too push updates on you and feed you force upgrades  and even blocking them  want really help too stop them from deeming you're PC is ready for the next Windows 10 upgrade  because they are millions of people many with  the same kind of PC as you that are working against you and don't block updates .

[straycat19]

I cut updates off for both Windows 7 and 8.1 in June 2015 and have not received any for either OS since.  Microsoft basically informed anyone who read all their news releases that they were going to do exactly what they are doing in Windows 10.  That they were going to take control of your system and you would no longer have a say in what was installed or run on it.  Though they had stated they were even going to have the ability to remove software packages you paid for that they didn't want on the system, I have not heard of them actually doing that, though some updates have prevented some software from running.  The fact that they threw these tidbits out and so many people still signed on to the Windows 10 Kool-Aid train is what surprised me.  Then the fact that now those same people are trying to stop what they signed up for is baffling.  They can have my Windows 7 at the same time they get my guns, when they pry my cold dead fingers from it.

[dcs18]

Have a couple of fully updated boxes — one on the 8.1 and the other running Windows 7 (both these machines are updated right up to the current August 2017 releases from Microsoft — clients machines, as well.)

 

That been said, I wholeheartedly agree that those who do not possess the skill-set to counter Microsoft's devious plans should not be using Windows Update.

[pc71520]

Way to go Micro$hoft...