Windows Server - My WSUS server has synchronised 65 'old' updates

Asked By DaveFitto

24-Apr-07 10:48 AM

Last night my WSUS server found 65 'new updates' according to the sync
results log.

These 'new updates' have release dates ranging from Jan 2003 to November 2004.
Don't want to approve them as this doesn't look right to me.

Here's an extract from the sync results:

Type: Scheduled
Started: 24/04/2007 00:03
Finished: 24/04/2007 00:09
Result: Success

Synchronization Summary
New updates: 65
Revised updates: 0
Expired updates: 0
Errors: 0

New Updates

Title Product Classification

329170: Security Update Windows XP Security Updates
330994: April 2003, Security Update for Outlook Express 5.5 Service Pack 2
Windows 2000 Security Updates
330994: April 2003, Security Update for Outlook Express 6 Windows XP
Security Updates
330994: April 2003, Security Update for Outlook Express 6 SP1 Windows 2000,
Windows XP Security Updates
331953: Security Update (Windows XP) Windows XP Security Updates
810577: Security Update Windows XP Security Updates
810833: Security Update (Windows 2000) Windows 2000 Security Updates
811493: Security Update (Windows 2000) Windows 2000 Security Updates
811493: Security Update (Windows XP) Windows XP Security Updates
814078: Security Update (Microsoft Jscript version 5.5, Windows 2000)
Windows 2000 Security Updates
814078: Security Update (Microsoft Jscript version 5.6, Windows 2000,
Windows XP) Windows 2000, Windows XP Security Updates
817606: Security Update (Windows 2000) Windows 2000 Security Updates
817606: Security Update (Windows XP) Windows XP Security Updates
822679: Security Update (Windows 2000) Windows 2000 Security Updates
Cumulative Security Update for Internet Explorer 5.01 Service Pack 3
(KB834707) Windows 2000 Security Updates

Has anyone else seen this?
Should I approve or decline?
Server has been syncing ok for a year a so with no problems

Thanks

Dave Fitton

24-Apr-07 12:58 PM

I am getting basically the same thing - our WSUS 3.0 RC installation shows 51
security updates waiting to be approved...I am reluctant to approve too, this
seems like a mistake.

24-Apr-07 05:32 PM

Anyone have clue what's going on with this?

You are not alone. 82 old updates in total showed up for me.

Cumulative Security Update for Internet Explorer 5.01 Service Pack 3
(KB883939)
Cumulative Security Update for Internet Explorer 5.01 Service Pack 3
(KB890923)
Cumulative Security Update for Internet Explorer 6 (KB867801)
Cumulative Security Update for Internet Explorer 5.01 Service Pack 3
(KB832894)
Security Update for Microsoft Data Access Components (KB832483)
Cumulative Security Update for Internet Explorer 6 (KB832894)
Cumulative Security Update for Internet Explorer 5.01 Service Pack 3
(KB867282)
Cumulative Security Update for Internet Explorer 5.01 Service Pack 3
(KB867801)
Cumulative Security Update for Internet Explorer 6 Service Pack 1 (KB834707)
Cumulative Security Update for Internet Explorer 6 (KB834707)
Cumulative Security Update for Internet Explorer 5.01 Service Pack 4
(KB834707)
Cumulative Security Update for Internet Explorer 5.01 Service Pack 3
(KB834707)
Security Update for Windows 2000 (KB824146)
Security Update for Windows XP (KB810217)
Security Update for Windows XP (KB824146)
Security Update for Microsoft Windows (KB819696)
Security Update for Windows 2000 (819696)
Security Update for Windows XP (KB828741)
Security Update for Microsoft Windows (819696)
811493: Security Update (Windows 2000)
Security Update for Windows 2000 (KB824141)
Security Update for Windows 2000 (815021)
330994: April 2003, Security Update for Outlook Express 6
330994: April 2003, Security Update for Outlook Express 5.5 Service Pack 2
330994: April 2003, Security Update for Outlook Express 6 SP1
Security Update, February 14, 2002 (Internet Explorer 6)
822679: Security Update (Windows 2000)
Security Update for Windows XP (KB821557)
811493: Security Update (Windows XP)
Q328310: Security Update (Windows 2000)
Cumulative Security Update for Internet Explorer 6 SP1 (KB824145)
Cumulative Security Update for Internet Explorer 6 (KB824145)
Cumulative Security Update for Internet Explorer 5.01 SP4 (KB824145)
Cumulative Security Update for Internet Explorer 5.01 SP3 (KB824145)
Cumulative Security Update for Internet Explorer 5.5 SP2 (KB824145)
October 2003, Cumulative Patch for Internet Explorer 6 Service Pack 1
(KB828750)
October 2003, Cumulative Patch for Internet Explorer 5.5 Service Pack 2
(KB828750)
Security Update for Microsoft Data Access Components (KB823718)
Flaw In Windows Media Player May Allow Media Library Access (819639)
814078: Security Update (Microsoft Jscript version 5.6, Windows 2000,
Windows XP)
MS03-026: Security Update for Windows 2000 (823980)
Q328676: Security Update (Outlook Express 6)
Q323255: Security Update (Windows 2000)
Q323172: Security Update (Windows XP)
Q326830: Security Update (Windows 2000)
Q324096: Security Update (Windows 2000)
Q324096: Security Update (Windows XP)
329170: Security Update (Windows 2000)
329170: Security Update
October 2003, Cumulative Patch for Internet Explorer for Windows Server 2003
(KB828750)
October 2003, Cumulative Patch for Internet Explorer 5.01 for Windows 2000
Service Pack 3 (KB828750)
October 2003, Cumulative Patch for Internet Explorer 5.01 for Windows 2000
Service Pack 4 (KB828750)
October 2003, Cumulative Patch for Internet Explorer 6 (KB828750)
Security Update for Microsoft Windows (KB824141)
817606: Security Update (Windows XP)
Q329414: Security Update (MDAC 2.6)
Security Update, February 13, 2002 (MSXML 3.0)
Security Update, February 13, 2002 (MSXML 2.6)
Security Update for Windows 2000 (329834)
Security Update (326886)
Q320206: Security Update
Security Update for Microsoft Windows XP (KB825119)
Security Update for Microsoft Windows (KB824141)
814078: Security Update (Microsoft Jscript version 5.5, Windows 2000)
810577: Security Update
Q329048: Security Update
Security Update, February 13, 2002 (MSXML 4.0)
Security Update for Windows XP (819696)
MS03-026: Security Update for Windows Server 2003 (823980)
MS03-026: Security Update for Windows XP (823980)
Q327696: Internet Information Services Security Roll-up Package
810833: Security Update (Windows 2000)
Q318138: Security Update (Windows XP)
Q327696: Internet Information Services Security Roll-up Package
817606: Security Update (Windows 2000)
Q320920: Security Update (Windows Media Player for Windows XP)
Q328676: Security Update (Outlook Express 5.5 SP2)
Q313450: Security Update
Security Update, February 14, 2002 (Internet Explorer 5.01)
Security Update, December 17, 2001
Q311967: Security Update
Security Update, February 22, 2002

BTW - long time reader - first time poster.

24-Apr-07 05:42 PM

If you're talking about WSUS 3, it doesn't seem surprising to me.  It sounds as
if there were a number of older updates which Microsoft only just got around to
packaging and releasing to WSUS 3 (being a new product which isn't in production
yet).

At a quick glance it seems they're all or mostly updates which aren't needed if
you have the latest service pack installed.  My guess is these were considered
low priority.

Harry.

24-Apr-07 05:49 PM

I had 80 'new' updates ranging from 2003 to 2005 on my WSUS 2 server.  I
accepted a couple to my test group, and one of them did my favorite
trick:  reinstalling itself over and over and over.  So I just declined
all of the old ones, figuring that they're so old that they shouldn't be
needed.

24-Apr-07 05:50 PM

That very well could be the case...good point Harry!

I think I will it a day or so then go through the approve/deny superceeding
fun. :)

24-Apr-07 06:25 PM

Huh.  I'll have a look tomorrow when I'm back at work.  (It's a public holiday
over here.)


Hmmm.  Probably not the best choice.  Any that are superceded should presumably
be declined, but some may still be needed in some circumstances.

Harry.

24-Apr-07 06:33 PM

Makes sense -- I've got one Windows 2000 machine kicking around that
reports fully patched from Windows Update, but it wants an IE 5.01
rollup as reported by WSUSv3.

I'm --><-- tempted to nuke the machine and start over anyway (it's
virtual, I have a fresh unpatched version of the VHD)

--
Ah, the miracle mile, where value wears a neon sombrero and there's
not a single church or library to offend the eye.
-- Homer

24-Apr-07 07:04 PM

Yep, running WSUS Build 2.0.0.2620. We probbaly have slightly different
product/classification settings.

I still am not able to get a warm fuzzy about this...

24-Apr-07 07:27 PM

I'm curious, why decline the old updates?

It might just be a workflow issue, but I have never declined an update
unless I specifically don't want it installed, otherwise I only approve
the updates I want installed, and once they are installed the "needed"
status disappears from older updates, so they essentially disappear from
my view.

I can count on one hand the number of updates I have in declined status
right now, and that is only to isolate the ones I don't want from the
ones that are new and not yet approved.

Am I misunderstanding how and when declines are needed?

--
Ah, the miracle mile, where value wears a neon sombrero and there's
not a single church or library to offend the eye.
-- Homer

25-Apr-07 01:36 AM

On Tue, 24 Apr 2007 17:27:11 -0600, DevilsPGD <spam_narf_spam@crazyhat.net>


I decline old and superceded update because they have content which is taking up
space on the disk. Once declined then my monthly "mowing the grass" batch job
cleans out the content.

--
Dave Mills
There are 10 type of people, those that understand binary and those that don't.

25-Apr-07 03:07 AM

In message <00qt23pf45qt2nnriqvbb7l46k8q4lpa4q@4ax.com> DaveMills


Fair enough.  WSUSv3 only downloads updates once approved, so that
shouldn't be an issue any longer, once v3 goes gold...

--
Ah, the miracle mile, where value wears a neon sombrero and there's
not a single church or library to offend the eye.
-- Homer

25-Apr-07 06:28 AM

I am running same build - 2.0.0.2620

25-Apr-07 05:50 PM

There's certainly something odd here.  I looked at a few of these updates and
we've got them on our WSUS server but there is no sign that they've only just
appeared, as far as I can tell we've had them there for ages.

If you do a search on the update number, do you find both a new and old copy of
the update?  What dates show up on the revision list?  What was the update
approval set to when they first appeared - Detect Only or Not Approved?


Superceded by 826939 so should probably be declined.


Superceded by 911567 and 837009 so should probably be declined.

[...]


Not superceded in WSUS (though the Windows XP equivalent patch is) but is
included in Windows 2000 service pack 4, so you could decline it if that is your
usual procedure.

... bit of pattern developing though that might just be because they're so old.

Best guess:- something happened to your server to cause the metadata to be lost
for these updates, and then synchronisation restored them.  Or perhaps something
happened to cause the Declined status to be lost, which could make them show up
as new updates again.

My recommendation for how to proceed:- examine each update individually and
approve or decline it as appropriate.  If it is superceded, check that the
superceding update is approved, then decline the old update.  If it is included
in the latest service pack, decline it if that is your usual procedure,
otherwise approve it.  If it is current, approve it - and let us know!

Harry.

25-Apr-07 06:15 PM

On Wed, 25 Apr 2007 01:07:55 -0600, DevilsPGD <spam_narf_spam@crazyhat.net>


WSUS 2.0 only downloads content once approved for install too. Approved content
still gets superceded. I miss your point.

--
Dave Mills
There are 10 type of people, those that understand binary and those that don't.