back to article Microsoft pulls faulty Exchange 2013 patch HOURS after release

Microsoft has pulled a security update for Exchange 2013 after problems emerged with the latest patch to the email server software just hours after its release. The critical MS13-061 security update for Exchange Server 2013 broke the message index service, preventing Exchange 2013 email users from searching their mailboxes. …

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  1. 404

    HA!

    I called it yesterday!

    Re: Windows Update: http://forums.theregister.co.uk/forum/1/2013/08/14/microsoft_cloud_problems/

    Do I get a cookie?

    ;)

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: HA!

      Just came to say: OMG! 404 got it right!!!one!... http://forums.theregister.co.uk/forum/containing/1925414

      No cookie I'm afraid (the EU in its "wisdom" is hobnobbling them) will an upvote do?

  2. Newt_Othis
    Facepalm

    Not the only dodgy patch this Tuesday

    MS13-066 is also causing problems to ADFS servers, as we found to our displeasure yesterday.

    Microsoft have pulled it, but not before the damage was done.

    http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2843638

    1. M Gale
      Joke

      Re: ADFS Servers

      Wow, still rockin' with the BBC Micro. Hats off to you, sir.

      (I know, I know..)

    2. Wzrd1 Silver badge

      Re: Not the only dodgy patch this Tuesday

      Shades of NT4 SP6. Remember *that* debacle? When the service pack broke some obscure software that Redmond's lawyers used extensively, something called Lotus Notes. ;)

      Also due to shitty testing.

      Apparently, Microsoft still hasn't learned.

      1. Solmyr ibn Wali Barad

        Re: Not the only dodgy patch this Tuesday

        Worse than that. They didn't test normal user accounts properly.

        Any program, which wanted to open TCP sockets over 1024, could do so only with administrative rights.

  3. Ben Rose

    MS Quality Assurance at its best

    Does nobody test this stuff?

    I mean, they even forgot to put the Start button in Windows 8!

  4. Anonymous South African Coward Bronze badge
    Trollface

    Microsoft slipping?

    Is this the beginning of the end?

    1. theblackhand

      Re: Microsoft slipping?

      I think Vista could be argued to be the beginning of the end as the first major product that went Pete Tong.

      So this is probably the end of the beginning of the end and they are now moving into the beginning of the middle of the end.

      1. Don Jefe

        Re: Microsoft slipping?

        You forgot Windows ME.

        1. Anonymous Coward
          Anonymous Coward

          Re: Microsoft slipping?

          IE 1 - 5?

          Windows 1 & 2?

          MSDOS 1 - 4?

          etc...

      2. This post has been deleted by its author

      3. Wzrd1 Silver badge

        Re: Microsoft slipping?

        "I think Vista could be argued to be the beginning of the end as the first major product that went Pete Tong."

        Erm, Microsoft Bob. Windows ME both come to mind.

        But, they're still in business churning out shitty patches.

        Remember NT4 SP6? The lawyers were howling over their broken Lotus Notes.

        You'd have thought the Microsoft would've learned from that debacle!

  5. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    I love the QA section in the blog

    "Q: You have told us time and time again that you were going to improve your testing procedures, and yet each time you have to tell us that you missed something. When will it end?"

    Good that they're asking the questions, bad that this isn't the first time it has happened.

  6. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Did this take outlook down ?

    Is it a coincidence that Outlook.com fell on it's arse on patch tuesday ?

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Did this take outlook down ?

      from the blog linked in the article:

      "Q: How was this issue not detected in Exchange Online if Exchange Online is always receiving fixes before on-premises customers?

      A: Exchange Online does not deploy .msp patches into the environment; instead, Exchange Online deploys new full builds of the product (cumulative updates, if you will) on a regular release cadence. As a result, Exchange Online was not impacted by this issue."

      1. Tom 35

        Exchange Online was not impacted by this issue

        It um... fell down the stairs.... and hit it's eye on a door knob.

  7. AndrueC Silver badge
    Happy

    A post on the Microsoft Exchange blog puts the problems down to shortcomings in Redmond's testing process.

    I'd mock, but the challenge is gone :)

  8. launcap Silver badge
    FAIL

    Oracle and Microsoft..

    .. the perfect storm of incapacity..

    1. Wzrd1 Silver badge

      Re: Oracle and Microsoft..

      You forgot Adobe.

      They're right up with the pack.

  9. Pazl

    Yet another, KB2859537 patch that kills

    KB2859537 does not allow Trion at least one of their mmorpg games (RIFT) to crash on execution. this patch is to protect against a local attempt to hijack the PC, but still, seems Microsoft released the monkeys in the security floor in Redmond.

  10. N2

    But would anyone

    Permit Exchange to update automatically? I used to search non MS sites for 'problem with SP... 'before applying patches or test on a spare box if there was a lot of them.

    1. Getriebe

      Re: But would anyone

      This.

      1. Al Jones

        Re: But would anyone

        Someone has to be first!

        The problem that occurred in this case is one that you might easily have missed if you relied on testing patches yourself on a test server, but luckily, if you are taking that approach, you're probably not planning to get all your testing finished within the first 24 hours of patches being released, so you'll still benefit from the reports trickling in of other people encountering problems.

        1. Wzrd1 Silver badge

          Re: But would anyone

          "The problem that occurred in this case is one that you might easily have missed if you relied on testing patches yourself on a test server,..."

          Except when the patch works on the test server, but fails for obscure reasons when it hits the production environment.

          Had that a few times in the past.

          Annoying as hell.

  11. asdf

    look on the bright side

    Its things like this that keep MCSE's employed unless of course their own testing methods suck.

    1. Wzrd1 Silver badge

      Re: look on the bright side

      True enough. I've long held that Microsoft's flaws and gaffes are simply job security for me.

      Unless I chose to work for the NSA, where the majority of network administrators are getting fired...

  12. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    So... Another Oracle failure which manages to take a MS product with it.

    Guys: STOP USING ORACLE SHIT!!! We know everything that comes out of them is full of holes.

    While at it, roll these patches out to your OWN servers FIRST. When you have the kinks worked out then put it out for general usage.

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