Posted 08/12/08 at 10:17:16 PM by Mark Edward Soper

It's a super-sized Patch Tuesday this month, and here's what to expect Windows Update to be sending you in the next day or so (if not already). Follow the links if you prefer to install the updates immediately.

Critical updates include:

• A fix for a remote code execution vulnerability in Windows Image Color Management affects users running Windows XP, Windows Server 2003, and Windows 2000 SP4 (Windows Vista users can breathe easy on this one).
• A fix for a sextet of vulnerabilities in Internet Explorer 5.01, 6, and 7 affects users of Windows 2000 SP4, Windows XP SP2 and SP3, Windows Server 2003, Windows Vista, and Windows Server 2008.
• A fix for a remote code execution vulnerability in the ActiveX control for Microsoft Access's snapshot viewer affects Office 2000 SP3, Office XP SP3, and Office 2003 SP2 and SP3 (Office 2007 users, you ducked this one).
• A fix for a quartet of privately reported vulnerabilities in Microsoft Excel. Versions from Office 2000 SP3 all the way through Office 2007 as well as viewers, Share Point Server, and compatibility packs are affected.
• A fix for a trio of privately reported remote code execution vulnerabilities in PowerPoint and PowerPoint Viewer affects PowerPoint XP, PowerPoint 2003, PowerPoint 2007, PowerPoint Viewer 2007, as well as Microsoft Office 2004 and 2008 for MacOS.
• A fix for five privately reported major vulnerabilities in handling image files in some versions of Office affects Office 2000, Office XP, Office 2003 SP2, Project 2002 SP1, MS Office Converter Pack, and MS Works 8.

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Word, windows xp, Windows Vista, Windows Server 2008, Windows Server 2003, Windows 2000, windows, Security, Project, Patch Tuesday, operating system, microsoft, Internet Explorer, IE, Excel

Posted 07/10/08 at 08:25:24 PM by Mark Edward Soper

Microsoft is going to extraordinary lengths this summer to make some of its customers satisfied with Windows Vista - or else. If they don't love Vista, Microsoft will help them downgrade to Windows XP. How much does this new customer-satisfaction blitz cost? For you, special price: nothing!

However, not everybody gets the special Microsoft Vista schmooze. To find out who gets the special love from Redmond, and how long they get primo treatment, you know what to do. We'll see you after the break.

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windows, Windows Vista, Vista Ultimate, Vista Business, microsoft, operating system, downgrade, windows xp

Posted 07/10/08 at 07:36:54 PM by Mark Edward Soper

Cut off the supply for a product that people still want, and the demand skyrockets. Windows XP is the product, and Amazon.com's Software Bestseller list proves that Windows XP is still a hot item. CNet reports that Windows XP ranks high on the Amazon.com best-selling software list. So, how popular is Windows XP? How does Windows Vista compare? And, where else can you buy Windows XP in the wake of its retail discontinuance by Microsoft?

For the answers, catch us after the break.

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windows, windows xp, microsoft, amazon.com, best-seller, discontinued, Software, operating system

Posted 07/10/08 at 03:30:37 PM by Mark Edward Soper

The August 2008 cumulative time zone update for Windows XP, Windows Vista, Server 2003, and Server 2008 is now available at KB951072. New time zone changes include the Arabic, Argentina, Iran, Morocco, Pacific SA, and Pakistan time zones, but it also includes all previous changes.

If it's been a while since you updated your system's time zone information, it's time to bring your PC up to date. For more information and for download links, go to KB951072.

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time, time zone, windows, windows xp, Windows Vista, Windows Server, KB, update

Posted 07/09/08 at 04:59:03 PM by Mark Edward Soper

Bad news for ZoneAlarm users running Windows XP: the MS08-037 security update for DNS (aka 951748) released Tuesday breaks ZoneAlarm and knocks XP users off the Internet. If you're running recent versions of ZoneAlarm on Windows XP, you should avoid the KB951748 update for now. Grab a list of workarounds (and now, solutions) here.

For what went wrong, and how to fix it if you've already been bitten, catch us after the break.

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ZoneAlarm, windows xp, windows, update, Patch Tuesday, MS08-037, KB951748, Internet, firewall, DNS, Check Point

Posted 07/07/08 at 05:27:23 PM by The Maximum PC Staff

I recently downloaded RegCure software, but I have to buy the full version of the app for a complete system repair. Is RegCure.com a reputable company?

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windows xp, Watchdog, registry, regcure

Posted 07/07/08 at 10:24:48 AM by Mark Edward Soper

Windows Update will itself be updated, starting in late July, according to Windows Update product manager Michelle Haven, in a recent TechNet post. This update changes both the WU clients used by Windows XP and Vista-based machines as well as the back-end infrastructure, and as a result, scans for updates and update installations are faster. That's the good news. But, will the update cause problems for Windows XP users who need to perform a repair installation? And, what about users who don't want Microsoft making any changes to their system?

For more light on these questions, join me after the break.

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windows xp, Windows Vista, Windows Update, windows, Security, Operating Systems, Microsoft Update, microsoft

Posted 07/06/08 at 03:14:51 AM by Justin Kerr

The dreaded day has come and gone. June 30^th 2008 marked the first milestone in Microsoft’s plan to euthanize our beloved OS. Windows XP leaves us with more of a bang than a whimper, and considerably more street credibility than it afforded at launch. Here at Maximum PC we want to take you down the nostalgic path of Windows XP one last time. A path lovingly paved for us over the years with hundreds of patches and countless upgrades.

Hit the jump and step inside for one last farewell to an old friend and to see why the future doesn’t look so bad.

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windows xp, Windows Vista, windows, Software, Operating Systems, microsoft