Microsoft Apologizes again for Unpredictable Downloads

Microsoft Corp., the giant maker of software, has once again apologized because Windows Server Update allowed the evasion of controls and installation of Windows Desktop Search on computers through an automatic program even without the approval of the users.

This is the second time over the past several months that Microsoft is regretting the automatic installation.

IT managers subscribing to Microsoft's WSUS or Windows Server Update Services program found in the fourth week of October 2007 that the software company had by default planted the Windows Desktop Search tool on customers' computers, whether they did or did not opt for it.

Microsoft is therefore saying sorry for the mess. In a blog posting, Bobbie Harder, WSUS Program Manager, said that the company was regretful of the inconvenience the program caused its customers and was genuinely apologizing to them for the impact. InformationWeek reported this on October 29, 2007. According to Harder, the problem occurred on account of a fault emerging during updating of the Windows Desktop Search program for Windows Server SP 1+ and Windows XP SP2.

Microsoft said that its team of experts was resolving the issue while it had temporarily withdrawn the search application.

Harder further said that Microsoft would build a fresh package for WSUS very soon that would not require updating and because it would have auto-approval configurations its update behavior would be predictable. Builderau published this in news on October 28, 2007. The company was also preparing to improve its internal publishing activities to make sure there wasn't a repetition of such an incident, Bobbie Harder added.

Unexpected updating and restarting of computers is also bothering Microsoft's users of OneCare security program. OneCare is configured to download and plant updates by default, Microsoft added.

A newsletter 'Windows Secrets' had reported the problem about the OneCare product that led to the installation of all updates through an automatic mechanism on Windows Vista. The publication then warned that trying to change back the setting could put the user to a security danger.

Microsoft said that the report was correct and the purpose of confirming it was to save users from being attacked.

Related article: Microsoft Patches Live OneCare to Tackle Quarantined E-Mails

» SPAMfighter News - 11/16/2007