# For the love of all that is good and holey, PATCH YOUR OS! **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [May 1, 2004, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-the-love-of-all-that-is-good-and-holey-patch-your-os/243008 "2004-05-01T16:32:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![cichlidiot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/5f9b8f/32.png) [@cichlidiot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cichlidiot)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2004, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-the-love-of-all-that-is-good-and-holey-patch-your-os/243008/21 "2004-05-03T19:06:47Z")
> [@Cheesesteak](#): > > Unfortunately, Microsoft has put out a product so full of holes, you’d have to patch it every couple of weeks to really stay up to date. Even if this was somewhat facetious, it’s true. I told the SO last night, “We’ll never have problems with worms again… I’ve installed so many service packets, critical downloads, patches, etc. there’s not going to be room for anything else on this computer. Probably not enough memory left to connect or even play solitaire at this rate. Even the worms will be crying in frustration, when there’s just no room for them.” I guess I could count the space freed up by games which no longer run, from this most recent go-round of updates. I’m trying to look for the silver-lining, but I’m not seeing it. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2004, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-the-love-of-all-that-is-good-and-holey-patch-your-os/243008/22 "2004-05-03T19:07:23Z")
> [@rjung](#): > > Insert obligatory “Why don’t people use a [REAL](http://www.apple.com/macosx/) [OS](http://www.linux.org/) instead of Microsoft’s bloated crapfest” comment here. Insert obligatory “Why don’t people just use a proper firewall” smartassed replay here. ---
**Author:** ![badmana](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@badmana](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/badmana)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2004, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-the-love-of-all-that-is-good-and-holey-patch-your-os/243008/23 "2004-05-03T19:24:37Z")
> [@Rasa](#): > > Well, it’s Monday and Microsoft has stopped offering support on their 866 PC Safety hotline. It now refers them to Windows Update’s website. REAL helpful, since the problem is that USERS WITH SASSER CAN’T VIEW WEBPAGES. > > Phone queue’s still lit up like a Christmas tree with pissed off people. > > Man, I need a new job. Our network got hit with sasser but unlike your job, mine is dependant on my ability to connect to our server (we use a Citrix Metaframe connection) so without that, I’m out of work to do until things start working again. I love my job when things screw up! 😃 I hope my Journada has enough battery power to last me the whole 8 hours 😃 Of course I’m practically running over to my GF’s place tonight to patch her computer. And to get rid of the nasty and annoying CSW malware. ---
**Author:** ![World\_Eater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@World\_Eater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/World_Eater)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2004, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-the-love-of-all-that-is-good-and-holey-patch-your-os/243008/24 "2004-05-03T19:38:32Z")
From CNN - While a computer virus requires some sort of human intervention to be launched, such as opening an e-mail, a worm takes off on its own. Sasser spreads through a Windows vulnerability known as LSASS, or Local Security Authority Subsystem Service. Sasser scans random internet protocol addresses until it finds a vulnerable system. Then it copies itself into the Windows directory as an executable file, and is launched the next time the computer is booted. Just how safe does my WAN blocking on my Linksys keep me? From my understanding I can’t get even pinged. Can’t scan if you cant ping, right? ---
**Author:** ![Rasa](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rasa/32/3578_2.png) [@Rasa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rasa)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2004, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-the-love-of-all-that-is-good-and-holey-patch-your-os/243008/25 "2004-05-03T19:44:02Z")
> [@World Eater](#): > > Just how safe does my WAN blocking on my Linksys keep me? > > From my understanding I can’t get even pinged. Can’t scan if you cant ping, right? You understand right. You _should_ be safe behind your Linksys. But update anyway damnit! 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Cheesesteak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cheesesteak/32/3694_2.png) [@Cheesesteak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheesesteak)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2004, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-the-love-of-all-that-is-good-and-holey-patch-your-os/243008/26 "2004-05-03T19:44:02Z")
> [@cichlidiot](#): > > Even if this was somewhat facetious, it’s true. Not even close to kidding about this one, I ran a patch last week and just today ran another patch. It got so bad last year, I needed to put a post-it on my monitor with all the patches I ran so I would know which notices to read and which I’ve already patched. I wasn’t kidding about the second half of my post either. Just looking at my company, IBM, the numbers are frightening. IBM has about 300,000 workers, let’s say in the US that’s 120,000, each of whom have a computer running Windows. Each of them got a notice today to run a patch, that’s about 10 minutes each (1/6th of an hour) where their computers are tied up and they’re not working. 120,000 x 1/6th = 20,000 hours of work used just today to run just one patch. 20,000 hours, that’s a person working for 10 years! Just for one stupid patch for one, admittedly large, company. Extrapolate that out to the tens (hundreds?) of millions of computers running Windows worldwide, and you can imagine how much human effort (unfunded by MS, of course) goes into patching up this software product. ---
**Author:** ![wring](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/838e76/32.png) [@wring](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wring)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2004, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-the-love-of-all-that-is-good-and-holey-patch-your-os/243008/27 "2004-05-03T19:44:25Z")
please don’t make fun of the poor, ok? But, of the three computers I use (one at each of two work stations, one at home), one uses Windows 98. and according to the links, I have to be using Windows 2000 or XP in order to in install the updates and fixes and all. so what’s a poor user to do? ---
**Author:** ![Rasa](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rasa/32/3578_2.png) [@Rasa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rasa)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2004, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-the-love-of-all-that-is-good-and-holey-patch-your-os/243008/28 "2004-05-03T19:46:41Z")
> [@wring](#): > > please don’t make fun of the poor, ok? > > But, of the three computers I use (one at each of two work stations, one at home), one uses Windows 98. and according to the links, I have to be using Windows 2000 or XP in order to in install the updates and fixes and all. so what’s a poor user to do? You can download the patches on your 98 computer to a disk or CD, and then intsall them on your XP or 2000 machine. ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2004, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-the-love-of-all-that-is-good-and-holey-patch-your-os/243008/29 "2004-05-03T19:57:32Z")
> [@Rasa](#): > > Oh, and **Gaudere**? I don’t know if I ever told you this but, your “Fuck you, Netscape” rant from… probably a couple years ago now, is bookmarked on my Favorites. I don’t know if you even remember it but it has to be one of the best rants I’ve ever seen on this Board. I felt your pain, and cried with laughter. 😉 Me, too. It was a great rant. I was going, “Amen!” every other sentence. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![World\_Eater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@World\_Eater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/World_Eater)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2004, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-the-love-of-all-that-is-good-and-holey-patch-your-os/243008/30 "2004-05-03T19:58:36Z")
> [@Rasa](#): > > You understand right. You _should_ be safe behind your Linksys. But update anyway damnit! 😛 K, will do. Thanks 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![wring](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/838e76/32.png) [@wring](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wring)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2004, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-the-love-of-all-that-is-good-and-holey-patch-your-os/243008/31 "2004-05-03T20:06:08Z")
> [@Rasa](#): > > You can download the patches on your 98 computer to a disk or CD, and then intsall them on your XP or 2000 machine. I’ve obviously not explained well. Computer #1 uses Windows 2000, is linked from that site has a firewall, and a tech guy who, I assume, is on top of this, so I’m not worried about computer #1 being affected. Computer #2, at home, uses Windows XP, and I can install the fix through the links alread described, not worried about this computer either. Computer #3, another work site computer, **not** linked with others, uses Windows 98. Should I be worried about this one (having read a bit more on the links, it _seems_ as if this particular nasty only infects via Windows 2000 and Windows XP - is this correct??) ---
**Author:** ![Rasa](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rasa/32/3578_2.png) [@Rasa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rasa)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2004, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-the-love-of-all-that-is-good-and-holey-patch-your-os/243008/32 "2004-05-03T20:08:12Z")
**wring** , DURRRR… I’m sorry, bad listening skillz on my part! You’re correct, it only affects 2k/XP, so your 98 machine is safe. But PATCH IT ANYWAY! ---
**Author:** ![Rasa](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rasa/32/3578_2.png) [@Rasa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rasa)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2004, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-the-love-of-all-that-is-good-and-holey-patch-your-os/243008/33 "2004-05-03T20:09:55Z")
I hit enter before I posted the “I’m joking” 😉 winkie smiley. ---
**Author:** ![trey\_goesh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e9c0ed/32.png) [@trey\_goesh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/trey_goesh)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2004, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-the-love-of-all-that-is-good-and-holey-patch-your-os/243008/34 "2004-05-03T20:26:38Z")
\>\>I realize that not everyone is computer savvy you’re talkikng about the microsoft sw injuneers, arentchya? ---
**Author:** ![cichlidiot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/5f9b8f/32.png) [@cichlidiot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cichlidiot)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2004, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-the-love-of-all-that-is-good-and-holey-patch-your-os/243008/35 "2004-05-03T21:18:13Z")
> [@Cheesesteak](#): > > Not even close to kidding about this one, I ran a patch last week and just today ran another patch. It got so bad last year, I needed to put a post-it on my monitor with all the patches I ran so I would know which notices to read and which I’ve already patched. I’d laugh about the post-its, but I have a list I keep right next to the computer also. I waited until I beat a recently installed game, before I went back to d/l the latest patches. Started at 9:30 am and was finished with everything installed at 1:30 pm. A lot of it is dial-up, but my headache didn’t care. Turned out to be a smart move about the game (yes, justification for procrastination), it no longer runs. Whee! But my computer is patched to hell and back, so I suppose that’s what counts. :::smiles at **Rasa** ::: ---
**Author:** ![Rasa](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rasa/32/3578_2.png) [@Rasa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rasa)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2004, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-the-love-of-all-that-is-good-and-holey-patch-your-os/243008/36 "2004-05-03T21:21:27Z")
> [@trey goesh](#): > > \>\>I realize that not everyone is computer savvy > > you’re talkikng about the microsoft sw injuneers, arentchya? No, I was talking about the customers that call me. Most are very very old and very very not good with computers. Weird, I’ve run tons of Windows Updates, and never had it “break” anything on my machine. Sorry, **cichlidiot**! ---
**Author:** ![The\_world\_s\_most\_deadliest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bc79bd/32.png) [@The\_world\_s\_most\_deadliest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_world_s_most_deadliest)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2004, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-the-love-of-all-that-is-good-and-holey-patch-your-os/243008/37 "2004-05-04T02:28:29Z")
I picked up the Sasser on Saturday night. I had to wait to get to work today to dl the fixes, etc. Of course, I forget to put them on my flash drive, so I come home and face another offline evening, until… I restarted in safe mode, deleted the avserve2.exe (no avserve.exe file found) file, deleted the registry key, and restarted. Easy as pie. I figure it will hold me until tomorrow when I install the patch. I also bear the shame of dial up, and requested a free SP disk from Microsoft so I wouldn’t have to spend 4 hours downloading everything I need. I’m not saying the above will work for everybody, or even that its a smart course of action. But it seems to be doing the trick so far. fucking Sasser… ---
**Author:** ![Rasa](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rasa/32/3578_2.png) [@Rasa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rasa)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2004, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-the-love-of-all-that-is-good-and-holey-patch-your-os/243008/38 "2004-05-04T19:00:15Z")
[QUOTE=The world’s most deadliest…] I restarted in safe mode, deleted the avserve2.exe (no avserve.exe file found) file, deleted the registry key, and restarted. Easy as pie. I figure it will hold me until tomorrow when I install the patch. [QUOTE] Yup, that’ll let you browse so you can DL the patches. It’s been our “quick fix” to get people back online so they can update. ---
**Author:** ![Aslan\_of\_Narnia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecd19e/32.png) [@Aslan\_of\_Narnia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aslan_of_Narnia)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2004, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-the-love-of-all-that-is-good-and-holey-patch-your-os/243008/39 "2004-05-04T20:28:13Z")
> [@rjung](#): > > Insert obligatory “Why don’t people use a [REAL](http://www.apple.com/macosx/) [OS](http://www.linux.org/) instead of Microsoft’s bloated crapfest” comment here. Obligatory “Windows runs just fine for me, do you live in an alternate world where Windows bugs/errors/downloading patches steals your soul and murders your firstborn?”. Obligatory “Most people do not have the inclination/time/skills to learn how to program their OS”. ---
**Author:** ![cichlidiot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/5f9b8f/32.png) [@cichlidiot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cichlidiot)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2004, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-the-love-of-all-that-is-good-and-holey-patch-your-os/243008/40 "2004-05-04T22:11:56Z")
> [@Rasa](#): > > Weird, I’ve run tons of Windows Updates, and never had it “break” anything on my machine. Sorry, **cichlidiot**! Naw, I wasn’t blaming you, I had already installed the latest updates before I read the thread. I know a computer that runs, is better than the trouble of reinstalling a game. Just adding my woes to the thread. My smile was for your vehemence about patching things, “Patch it anyway!” [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-the-love-of-all-that-is-good-and-holey-patch-your-os/243008.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-the-love-of-all-that-is-good-and-holey-patch-your-os/243008.md?page=3)