KB976902 the black hole update seemed to have vanished from windows update, i searched around the net and others have stated the same thing, No one seems to know why it was there or why it disappeared, Did someone at ms screw up? I never installed this update as i was waiting for documentation on it, does anyone got any information on why it was there and why it was removed and what is going to happened to all the pc's that automatically installed it? This is the exact reason why i set windows update to let me choose when to download and install updates, This just makes me believe having windows update on automatic is just a big security risk.
For people who are still looking for a KB article, the files updated are listed below Code: PkgMgr.exe CbsCore.dll cmiv2.dll drvstore.dll fastprox.dll helpcins.dll smiengine.dll wbemcomn.dll wbemcore.dll wcp.dll wdscore.dll All the above files have Product version 6.1.7601.17105
Ok now listen carefully! I'm examining sp1 RC and trying to slipstream it. This particular update is included in the sp1 exe, and it's an update for the servicing stack to make it ready for sp1 install. So prior to install the big servicepack cab file this update has to be installed to the system. I extracted this update (which is already in cab format inside the sp1 exe) and took a look at it. It contains several files with buildnumber 6.1.7600.16385 and the same hash as their RTM versions, so they are the same and could never harm your system. However there are also versions with 6.1.7601.1705 buildnumber (sp1 RC). This makes me indeed think that this update was never meant to be pushed to end users. BUT the funny part is that none of these files are actually copied to the directory they are supposed to be! For example the new 7601.1705 pkgmgr.exe doesn't replace the 7600.16385 one in system32. This means windows still uses the old rtm files. All the files in the update are just extracted to C:\Windows\winsxs\x86_microsoft-windows-servicingstack_31bf3856ad364e35_6.1.7601.17105_none_0b7293d225839c39 So this update DOESN'T HARM YOUR SYSTEM AT ALL, I think those files are just waiting there untill sp1 is actually being installed. And when the final sp1 is being installed it will contain a newer version of the update and use that one. So these are the facts: - THIS IS NOT SOME KIND OF SPYWARE - THIS DOESN'T INSTALL ANY FILES UNTILL YOU ACTUALLY INSTALL SP1 RC1, OTHERWISE THE FILES WILL JUST SIT THERE AND DO NOTHING - THIS ALSO MEANS WINDOWS DOESN'T USE THE NEW FILES WHEN YOU DON'T INSTALL SP1 RC1 - WHEN INSTALLING THE FINAL SP1 IT WILL USE A NEWER VERSION OF THE UPDATE, SO ALSO IN THIS SCENARIO THE UPDATE WON'T AFFECT YOUR SYSTEM
thanks for the info guys im just glad i didn't install it, When it comes out officially then i may install it but not till sp1 is out, I wonder if that update still may go through some changes causing problems down the road when sp1 officially comes out for people who install it by mistake before it is finalized as that update may still have addition changes possibly. I think it is weird for it to be there then gone without Microsoft saying anything about why or how it got there and why it was removed. Example: say you downloaded the update when it came out but it wasn't ready yet and it was still being tested and there may be changes. well the update is needed for sp1 but u have the old version of that update and not the correct released one that's for everyone. It could probably confuse windows update making it think your ready to install sp1 and problems happen, either it don't install or completely wacks out crap in your system, Maybe im overly paranoid but that is learned from other mistakes Microsoft has made with updates, Actually i don't trust anything that is closed source, I would use linux only if it could play all games that are made with direct x but that's Microsoft only bulls**t so they can have there monopoly and opengl just can't do it and almost all games are direct x and wine isn't really a good substitute Specially for high end 3d gaming.
It's not WAT related and really the only concern should be is will it affect activation. Again it's not anti-piracy update!
It doesn't matter if you can remove it cause it doesn't harm anything. It even does nothing unless you start installing the sp1 rc1. If you start installing sp1 beta it will just do nothing cause the beta will use it's own version. And if you install the final when it's released it will also do nothing att all cause the final will also use it's own newer verion. And if I'm forgetting something and it can do something wrong than MS will bring an update on the next patching thuesday that force-removes this update on every system that hasn't sp1 rc1 installed (and by this also doesn't need it). And also sp1 final will know about this so if you don't install the uninstall update (IF it comes) than sp1 final will take care of everything.