News - Windows users hit with black screen of death

[HEXUS]

Microsoft investigates as potentially millions of users face Windows woes.

Read more.

[Phage]

The Register covered this a couple of days ago.
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/11..._black_screen/

"According to a blog post by Prevx late last week, Redmond tweaked the Access Control List (ACL), which among other things details individual object permissions for a logged-on user within the Windows file system.

Microsoft’s latest modification to ACL registry keys have rendered some installed apps as useless, by preventing them from running and causing a black screen to appear.

Prevx noted that security apps were particularly badly affected by the patch..."

[GheeTsar]

The cynic in me can help but think whether part of this is a marketing ploy by Prevx

[Phage]

I wouldn't be at all surprised.

[spoon_]

Windows 7 isn't that good after all? Haha

[Jay]

has this hit the server OS's or not?

[Phage]

has this hit the server OS's or not?

According to Prevx "Windows 7, Vista, XP, NT, W2K, W2K3 or W2K8". are affected.

[dangel]

Windows 7 isn't that good after all? Haha

Windows NT can be barfed by crappy software

[duc]

Actual encountered this once on W7 RC when logging back onto system after an RDP session. Haven't been affected since moving to Retail 32bit and OEM 64bit versions of Windows 7 though.

Seems to me like Prevx is playing-up the problem, listing just about every Microsoft OS as affected.

[kingpotnoodle]

Windows 7 isn't that good after all? Haha

Because update errors NEVER happen to other OS like Linux or OS-X do they... never, not once, ever.

/over-the-top-sarcasm

[12GaugeShotty]

Windows 7 isn't that good after all? Haha

I installed all patches from that date and had no issues at all. I suspect more rumor than fact.

[kalniel]

MS not to blame - Prevx have issued an apology.

"Since more specifically narrowing down the cause we have been able to exonerate these patches from being a contributory factor."

Prevx apologised to Microsoft for "for any inconvenience" its earlier claims may have caused.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/8388253.stm

Apparently it's probably malware caused, and affects OSen other than Windows 7 as well.

[GheeTsar]

I stand by my assessment of "marketing ploy". Who had heard of Prevx before this?

[Phage]

I stand by my assessment of "marketing ploy". Who had heard of Prevx before this?

I have.
An aquaintance of mine gave them a good rep in 2006, and I've used their products on and off ever since.
http://dansdata.blogsome.com/2006/11...are-adventure/

[GheeTsar]

I have.
An aquaintance of mine gave them a good rep in 2006, and I've used their products on and off ever since.

I stand corrected!

[kalniel]

I stand by my assessment of "marketing ploy".

Aren't marketing ploys meant to increase your reputation rather than lower it?