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General discussion

Critical Update for Windows Media Player (All Versions)

Feb 10, 2004 10:35AM PST

Update for Windows Media Player URL Script Command Behavior

SUMMARY
Microsoft has released an update to the versions of Microsoft Windows Media Player that are listed in the "Applies to" section of this article. Microsoft recommends that you install this update so that you can more easily manage the behavior of embedded URL script commands in Windows Media audio and video (.asf) files and streams. This article describes the new functionality that is supported by this update and describes how to obtain the update.

The information in this article applies to:
Microsoft Windows Media Player 9 Series for Windows XP
Microsoft Windows Media Player 9 Series for Windows 2000
Microsoft Windows Media Player 9 Series for Windows Millennium Edition
Microsoft Windows Media Player 9 Series for Windows Server 2003
Microsoft Windows Media Player for Windows XP Home Edition
Microsoft Windows Media Player for Windows XP Professional
Microsoft Windows Media Player 7.1
Microsoft Windows Media Player 6.4

Date Published: 2/10/2004

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;828026

Discussion is locked

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Win98 Users, read...
Feb 10, 2004 2:33PM PST

I downloaded the update for WMP 7.1 and when I went to install it, I got a popup saying it was not applicable to my OS.

Just a heads up for Win98 users.

William

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Re:Win98 Users, read...
Feb 10, 2004 2:46PM PST

Thanks William.

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Re:Win98 Users, read...
Feb 10, 2004 2:56PM PST

SumerBrez,

You are welcome.

I was going to ask Donna if this update was for my Win98 with WMP 7.1, but decided that I should get it based on what I read.

But of course when I got the popup indicating that this patch is not for my OS, I thought I'd let others know about my finding.

William

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Re:Re:Win98 Users, read...
Feb 10, 2004 3:25PM PST

Hi William,

Thanks for the info (that Win98 users can't install the update). The "All Versions" in the subject refers to all versions of the player Wink Sorry if MS is not so clear :-P (j/k)

Again, thanks for posting it that surely helps users with system Win98 (like me).

Happy

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Re:Win98 Users, read...
Feb 11, 2004 12:05AM PST

Donna,

You are welcome. Happy

You don't need to cover for MS since many of us know who to blame. Sad

William

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Re:Re:Win98 Users, read...
Feb 13, 2004 3:56AM PST

OS:98SE IE6 I have gone to Updates several diffrent times on several diffrent days,and says the same thing each time..There are no critical updates for your PC.I have Version6 Media Player..Only ones there are for other languages etc.that dont apply to me.Should i try and get this patch from MS site? Just had a thought,maybe i already have it as i do keep up on these critical updates.I will check site for history of installs.Also i read that it was for XP 2000 NT,didnt mention 98 or SE..

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Re:Win98 Users, read...
Feb 13, 2004 8:23AM PST

I'm not certain, but since you are running Win98 SE, if you tried to install the patch like I did for my Win98, you would get the same message that it cannot be installed for your OS.

Of course I could be wrong. Happy

William

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Re:Critical Update for Windows Media Player (All Versions)
Feb 10, 2004 4:37PM PST

Hmmm...thought it strange, WindowsUpdate indicates no new critical updates for my WinXP. Checked installation history and a Security Update for Windows Media Player 828026 was installed on Oct 6, 2003. Checked Add/Remove in Control Panel and it is listed there as:
Windows Media Player Hotfix [See wm828026 for more information].

I only download critical updates when they show up on my Windows Update site for WinXp, but may make an exception.

Did a search at MS and well, at a loss as no indication that this 828026 is a replacement for the one I already have. Have downloaded this latest one but not installed. Thinking about flipping a coin to see if I should delete the one I have in Add/Remove and install 'this here' one. Happy

As far as I can tell, my media player is version 8.0.0.4490 on my WinXP puter.

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Re:Re:Critical Update for Windows Media Player (All Versions)
Feb 10, 2004 7:48PM PST

My computer also shows that I already installed WM828026 back on October 4, 2003. WMP version is 9.00.00.3075. I'm not going to install this update, until I hear more about it from the rest of you. Happy

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Pls. don't check the version of WMP in Help>About. Check the versions of the files that were updated by this patch ;)
Feb 10, 2004 11:42PM PST

Same here. I have the 828026 which was installed last year Happy ... still I installed this critical update because the versions of wmpcore.dll and msdxm.ocx are different from what it should be now and this newly published update will change the way WMP handles url script commands as stated by MS Wink

Below are the filenames & version of what I have before installing this update:
msdxm.ocx - 6.4.9.1129
wmpcore.dll - 8.0.0.4492

Below are the filenames & version AFTER installing this critical update and which should WinXP users should see as per MS:
wmpcore.dll 8.00.00.4491
msdxm.ocx 6.4.9.1128

Hope the above helps.

Donna

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Re:Pls. don't check the version of WMP in Help>About. Check the versions of the files that were updated by this patch ;)
Feb 11, 2004 12:10AM PST

Donna,

Your "after" version of msdxm.ocx 6.4.9.1128 is a lower number than the "before" version, which makes no sense.

William

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Ole Eagle Eye! :)
Feb 11, 2004 12:36AM PST

I am waiting for a final resolution and also wonder if I should uninstall the version from last year before installing the new version. If this is a critical update, why didn't Microsoft so list it on the update site? Confused Life sure is complicated!! Wink

Glenn

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Re:Ole Eagle Eye! :)
Feb 11, 2004 1:07AM PST

I sure hope I did not do the wrong thing by installing this patch to our WinXP comp.

If my wife yells at me, I'll have my answer. Happy

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Re:Ole Eagle Eye! :)
Feb 11, 2004 1:13AM PST
wonder if I should uninstall the version from last year before installing the new version.

I did not uninstall the old KB828026. Add/Remove Programs still displays 1 entry only that point to this KB:

Windows Media PlayerHotfix [See wm828026 for more information]
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Re:Re:Pls. don't check the version of WMP in Help>About. Check the versions of the files that were updated by this patch ;)
Feb 11, 2004 12:57AM PST

Confused me too while comparing it from the KB page before I installed the update but I decided to install it as it is what it should appear now and to take advantage of changes that WMP handles URL script commands that are embedded in a stream added by some authors.

Happy

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Still puzzled Donna.........
Feb 11, 2004 12:52AM PST

Aren't there millions of people who have the October version of 828026 installed and MS has not indicated on Windows Update anything to notify them of a new critical update? So, therefore they will not be installing the 2-10-04 version. Also, can't find anything saying this is a "update" or change of the 828026, although what you say makes sense.

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Re:Still puzzled Donna......... me too..
Feb 11, 2004 1:01AM PST

I have XP home and I too installed this update last year.. I have checked windows update site and no new updates..,show up.??

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Re:Still puzzled Donna.........
Feb 11, 2004 1:06AM PST

I also posted this update in GRC newsgroup and there is a response from another poster after someone asked why it doesn't appear in WU:

In Microsoft's opinion this is no security patch because the original behaviour was no bug but intended.

http://news.grc.com/news.exe?cmd=article&group=grc.news.latestversions&item=4620&utag=

Seems correct. Since MS mentioned in their page "This behavior is by design" Happy instead of the usual "A security vulnerability exists in..." Wink

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So, a guy in Germany...'schrief' is giving out MS opinion...
Feb 11, 2004 1:20AM PST

without a URL reference, although he may be correct?
I feel you may be correct, but how are millions of other people who don't read your comments are going to go ahead and download a 2-10-04 version of 828026 when they do not know about it because it has not come up in Windows Update when they check for Updates. Also those who do not read at the news.grc.com site, and if they did?

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Re:So, a guy in Germany...'schrief' is giving out MS opinion...
Feb 11, 2004 1:54AM PST

We can only hope that it will appear in Recommended Updates if it's not a security or critical update Sad

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Microsoft does call it a Critical Update........
Feb 11, 2004 2:01AM PST
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It's in WU page (?)
Feb 12, 2004 6:16AM PST

Found a post in microsoft.public.security newsgroup -

Greetings & Salutations

When I visit windows update is scans my computer and
tells me that I need "Critical Update for Windows Media
Player Script Commands (KB828026)" According to the
installation history I have successfuly installed the
patch 8 times. What gives?


Posted: Feb.11

More thread for KB828026

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Re:It's in WU page (?)
Feb 12, 2004 8:00AM PST

Thanks Donna. It seems to me that all those point to what "Quandry" says, and I personally don't think she is presenting it correctly from the view of myself and others here. IMO if she already has the Oct 2003 KB 828026 installed then Windows Update would not "tells me that I need "Critical Update for Windows Media Player Script Commands (KB828026)".

It just does not come up at all on Windows Update if the Oct 2003 828026 has already been installed.

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Re:Re:It's in WU page (?)
Feb 12, 2004 9:21AM PST
IMO if she already has the Oct 2003 KB 828026 installed then Windows Update would not "tells me that I need "Critical Update for Windows Media Player Script Commands (KB828026)".
Another user reported that WU detected 828026 that needs to be installed though he has this 828026 (several times?)

It just does not come up at all on Windows Update if the Oct 2003 828026 has already been installed.

Could be a glitch with WU site as others are reporting that this 828026 is included in the list of updates when they viewed WU page (they already have the last years same KB update) while others (including myself) didn't see it listed in WU (but I decided to manually install it after comparing the file versions.

Since we aren't sure if there's a glitch with WU page, IMO this revised copy should be installed by users because it is a critical update. Critical updates are important but this particular update was not released as a Security Bulletin (e.g. MS03-xxx or MS04-xxx)

Hope this helps.

Happy
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The Big Picture Donna.....
Feb 12, 2004 9:59AM PST

So, two maybe 3 people on the net say Windows Update tell them they need the critical update and they supposedly already have the October update and want to know what's up. We already have several people here including me and you that have the Oct 2003 update and nothing comes up when going to Windows Update.

So, eEye Digital Security estimates there are at least 300 million Machines getting security updates from MS. So the 3 net people and maybe a handful of us here in CNet will go ahead and install the new update over the old. What about the other millions that may have the old installed and who don't read forums and have no clue of a update if MS doesn't list it in their Windows Update? How are they to know that it is best if they go ahead and install the new over the old? I don't know of but 1 person out of 40 on my relatives email address that visit any type of secutiry forums.

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Not the 1st time JR :(
Feb 12, 2004 10:47AM PST
What about the other millions that may have the old installed and who don't read forums and have no clue of a update if MS doesn't list it in their Windows Update?

Not the first time that WU did not list a security update in Windows Update.

Larry Dantus posted before asking why WU don't show that his system missed 2 important updates and learned about it after running a scan using Pedestal free webscan - the discussion on this link

I learned that "Windows Update focuses only on Critical security updates and does not typically cover Low, Moderate, or Important security updates from Microsoft." - I previously posted this info after comparing Windows update vs Pedestal webscan and HFNetChkPro Limited Edition - the here.

HTH

Donna Happy
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Re:Critical Update for Windows Media Player (All Versions)
Feb 11, 2004 8:58AM PST

You said you downloaded but did not install the WM critical update. I just downloaded it from the link you provided and is's a 2.78 MB file. Would you please check your download and see if it's the same size? Rather large for patch.

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Re:Critical Update for Windows Media Player (All Versions)
Feb 11, 2004 9:06AM PST

Walt,

Quick Info
File Name:
WindowsMedia-Q828026-x86-ENU.exe

Download Size:
2846 KB

Date Published:
2/10/2004

Version:
828026

click here

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Re:Re:Critical Update for Windows Media Player (All Versions)
Feb 11, 2004 9:34AM PST
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Re:Critical Update for Windows Media Player (All Versions)
Feb 11, 2004 10:52AM PST

I too am waiting to install it. I have Win XP Home Edition and WMP 9 Series version 9.00.00.2980.