Microsoft Update Breaks Office 2013 – KB2971668

Office IT, Repairs and Upgrades, Software, , , ,
16
Jun 2014

Onsite_PC_Solution_Office-2013-Logo

Do you have Microsoft Office 2013?  If so, read on before you install the latest Windows updates released on June 10, 2014 which could break your Office install.

Many users have been reporting this update has been causing stability issues in Office 2013.  Some worst case scenarios involve having to completely re-install Office 2013 after the update.

All Onsite PC Solution managed services clients will be protected during their monthly routine maintenance.

If you haven’t installed the updates for June 10-11th

You can selectively filter out the updates for Office 2013 by following these steps:

4-new-windows-update-pop-up

First, if Windows is offering you updates, click the update prompt at the bottom of the screen shown above. This will bring you to the Update Center.

Windows_Update_Center

Do not summarily click the Install Updates box. Instead click the important updates that are available and review them.

updates_available 

Uncheck any updates that mention Microsoft Office 2013 or KB2971668.  Click Install. When you are sent back to the Update Center, go through the same steps for the optional updates that you went through for the important updates. In the optional updates, we recommend not installing anything related to Bing as these are unnecessary and may slow your computer down. Finally, click Install to go back again to the Update Center, then click Install Updates.  

This will give you all the latest updates for Windows without the problematic update that may corrupt your Office 2013 installation.

If you already installed the update and Office 2013 is broken

First uninstall the update. To do this, click the Start button and select Control Panel.

start-control-panel-windows7

Next click either Uninstall a Program or Programs and Features.

windows-7-control-panel-screen-categories

programs_features

In the Programs and Features window, click View installed updates.

3-View-Installed-Updates

From the list of installed updates, find any that involve Office 2013 dated June 10-11 2014 or KB2971668.  Click to highlight them. Then, when given the prompt,  uninstall them.

eb_uninstall_vista_sp1

After you uninstall all the Office 2013 updates dated the week of June 10th 2014, you will need to completely remove Office using the steps in this article.

For more information, consult your local IT professionals.

Read More
Fix Failed Windows 7 Update
Fix Failed Windows 7 Update

What to do When Windows Won’t Update Properly

Company Updates, Office IT, Repairs and Upgrades, Security, Software, , ,
31
May 2014

Fix Failed Windows 7 Update

Does Windows keep telling you that the computer needs to restart to finish installing updates even after you have already restarted the computer repeatedly?  Here’s how you can fix the problem.

restart-your-computer-to-finish-installing-important-updates

It is paramount to install these updates correctly because getting the latest updates means getting the latest security fixes that prevent infections from compromising your system.

Before trying anything else, run a System Restore:

In Windows 7, click the Start button, click the Accessories folder, then System Tools, and select System Restore.

sr1w7

In Windows 8, use the mouse to swipe the right edge of the screen of the cursor, then click the Search Charm.

search_charm

In the box that comes up, type restore point and click Create a restore point.

restore-computer

Choose the last date your computer worked correctly before the failed update. In the System Restore Wizard window, select the restore point that corresponds with that date. If the wizard doesn’t display the date in question, check Show more restore points. 

ShowMoreRestorePoints1

After you have found the correctly dated restore point, click Next. Then select Finish to allow Windows to run the wizard and reboot.

finish_restore

After rebooting, run Windows Update again.

If Windows fails to update again, malware may be the culprit. Malwarebytes anti- malware is a useful tool that can remove these types of infections that block updates. For more information on how to remove malware, please refer to the following article.

If the failed updates are not the result of malware, try the Windows Update Troubleshooter. It is a free Microsoft diagnostic tool that can sort out update problems.

If all of the solutions mentioned above cannot rectify Windows update, try rebooting one more time. Sometimes temporary problems arise that prevent updates from installing. A simple reboot often clears Windows of these problems.

As a last resort, you can reset windows update. This is a very complicated process that involves precisely following the steps described in this Microsoft support article.

For more information on this or other issues with your PC, consult your local IT professionals.

Read More

Scammers Hijack SOHO Routers to Steal User Information

Internet, Office IT, Office Network, Repairs and Upgrades, Security, Services, , , , , , , , ,
06
Apr 2014

TL-WR1043ND-01

TP-Link is among the vendors affected by the SOHO pharming campaign.

Recently, it was discovered that several hundred thousand routers fell victim to a hijacking scheme that could become a prevalent problem to many internet users worldwide.  The attack, dubbed as a ‘small office/home office (SOHO) pharming campaign,’ was targeting Vietnam, but according to a report by Team Cymru, the SOHO pharming campaign also made its way into regions like the US and Italy.

The criminals behind the pharming campaign took advantage of exploitable security holes in various consumer-grade routers, and from there they were able to redirect users to malicious websites to steal login credentials and/or dropped malware onto the users’ computer.  The scary part about this SOHO campaign is that more than one type of routers are affected.  According to Team Cymru, the compromised routers could be a brand name like D-Link or and off-brand like TP-Link.

soho-hijack

A diagram depicting the ‘man-in-the-middle’ hijacking scheme from Team Cymru.

Cyber security experts found that once the attackers had control of their targeted routers, they changed the devices’ Domain Name System (DNS) settings to force users to send out requests to the 5.45.75.11 and 5.45.75.36 IP addresses.  The new DNS settings then acts as a ‘middle-man’ and redirect users to malicious sites instead of legitimate ones.

While it is easy to point the fingers directly at the people manufacturing the routers, it’s not completely their fault.  There’s no such thing as a ‘hands-off’ policy when it comes to protecting yourself from intrusions by cyber criminals.  That said, there are a few things many router owners can do to lessen their chances of becoming victims to the router hijacking scheme.

  1. Disable router’s remote user-mode and graphical user interface. Disabling remote access will help keep users who aren’t directly connected to your network from accessing your routers’ admin properties.  Disabling the GUI will, reportedly, mitigate the likelihood that someone can find a hole in the routers’ software.  Instead of making changes to the routers’ setting via a graphical interface, try to change the settings via command lines.
  2. Corporate networks may want deploy tracking systems (i.e. an HTML code on the externally facing servers) to detect possibly malicious IP addresses.
  3. All SOHO router settings (especially DNS) should be controlled at the host level.
  4. Admins must proactively monitor router settings periodically to ensure that the router’s DNS is pointing at those that belong to their internet service providers (ISP).

These are just a few of the basic security measures you must consider if you or your organization is using a SOHO router.  Should you have any questions or concerns regarding the recent SOHO pharming campaign or what you should do tighten up your network security, contact our IT professionals.

Read More

Sony Exits PC Business, Support for VAIO May be Limited

General, Office IT, Repairs and Upgrades, Services, , , ,
11
Feb 2014

sony-vaio

Outside of Japan, the VAIO brand is no more.

Sony is ditching the PC business in an effort to restructure amidst a declining PC market.  The Japanese tech-giant has been struggling in recent years to keep up with the evolving consumer tech segment, and this latest move away from the PC is just a small step forward for the company.

Read More

Microsoft Extends Antimalware Updates for Windows XP Until July 2015

Repairs and Upgrades, Security, Software, , , , , ,
18
Jan 2014

1314

Windows XP, despite its age in the software ecosystem, still controls nearly 30% of worldwide operating system share distribution.  Microsoft announced several months back that it will cease supporting Windows XP as of April 8, 2014.  For consumers, especially those that have already upgraded to Windows 7, the news didn’t mean much.  Businesses that rely on Windows XP for their IT solution, however, the news meant that they will have to either upgrade or find an exemplary IT partner to maintain their infrastructure.

There’s no running away from Windows XP if your business relies heavily on the dated OS to run things like legacy software.  So when Microsoft announced earlier this week that it will continue to provide antimalware signature and engine updates until July 14, 2015, most were relatively happy about the news.

Old Software and Hardware Can’t Keep Up

According to Microsoft, XP users will continue to get antimalware updates because Microsoft wants to ‘help organizations complete their migrations.’  On the enterprise end, the patch updates apply to System Center Endpoint Protection, Forefront Client Security, Forefront Endpoint Protection and Windows Intune.  Casual XP users will continue to receive the antimalware patch as a part of the Microsoft Security Essentials.

Although antimalware support will last for a bit longer, Microsoft recommends that XP users upgrade as soon as possible.  The reason being, old software and hardware may not be capable of keeping up with modern day threats.

What Are the Upgrade Options?

As we’ve already mentioned in a previous post, businesses that have a heavily connected infrastructure should consider upgrading from Windows XP.  When patches and update packages stop coming, the systems will become vulnerable to hackers and other threats on the internet.  Windows 7 still has quite a bit of shelf life left in it, so upgrading to this version of Windows is ideal if businesses are seeking a similar-to-XP experience.

6175_large

At the moment, most businesses will probably stay away from Windows 8 as it is a rather new platform that will take some getting used to.

If your business is still running Windows XP, contact our IT professionals for advice on how you can extend the life of the system without official Microsoft support, or how you can leverage your current hardware and save by upgrading to Windows 7.

Lastly, Microsoft also clarified to XP users that as of April 8, 2014, the ‘no longer supported operating system’ means that users will no longer get the official security updates, non-security hotfixes, free or paid assisted support options, or online technical updates.

Read More
1 2 3