The Windows Vista Customer Experience Improvement Program (CEIP) collects information about how you use Windows Vista. The Windows Vista CEIP also collects information about any problems that you experience when you use Windows Vista. Microsoft uses this information to improve the features that you use most frequently.

If you join the Windows Vista CEIP, Microsoft will use the information that is collected only to improve the software. Microsoft will not use this information to identify you or to contact you.

This article describes an update to the Windows Vista CEIP. This update configures the existing Windows Vista CEIP settings to improve the quality of the software-oriented information that is sent to Microsoft.

You can apply this update only if you have already joined the Windows Vista CEIP. Otherwise, the package will not be installed.

To verify that you have joined the Windows Vista CEIP, follow these steps:

1. Click Start, and then click Control Panel.
2. Click Control Panel Home, and then click System and Maintenance.
3. Click Problem Reports and Solutions, and then click Customer Experience Improvement Settings.
4. Verify that the Join the Customer Experience Improvement Program option is selected.

Microsoft has released the October 2008 Cumulative Update for Media Center for Windows Vista. This update rollup is intended for computers that are running Windows Vista Home Premium or Windows Vista Ultimate.

In addition to the fixes that are contained in the updates that are listed in the “Update replacement information” section, the October 2008 Cumulative Update for Media Center for Windows Vista resolves the following issues:

• Fixes an issue in which you cannot seek through recorded TV shows on Windows Media Center systems that have digital cable tuners. Additionally, the recorded TV shows display the incorrect length.
• Fixes an issue in which Windows Media Center Extenders cannot reconnect to a host computer after the host computer resumes from the suspend mode or the sleep mode.
• Fixes an issue which is introduced by in Microsoft Knowledge Base article 950126. In this issue, a video that is paused may resume if you minimize or maximize the Windows Media Center window or if a screen saver starts.
• Implements support for Digital Rights Management (DRM)-free copy for digital cable tuners that have the latest digital cable tuner BIOS versions that support DRM-free copy.
• Expands the solution that was introduced in Microsoft Knowledge Base article 950126 to improve the experience of recording analog TV broadcasts to include set-top box scenarios. Previously, some analog TV broadcasts were blocked with the “protected content” message.
  Note: This solution does not apply to configurations that use analog TV over digital cable tuners because the BIOS of the digital cable tuners provide content protection.

Microsoft has released the Cumulative Update for Media Center TV Pack for Windows Vista. This update rollup is intended for computers that are running Windows Vista Home Premium or Windows Vista Ultimate with the Media Center TV Pack for Windows Vista.

The Cumulative Update for Media Center TV Pack for Windows Vista resolves the following issues:

• Addresses an issue in which Windows Media Center Extenders cannot re-connect to the host computer after the computer resumes from the suspend or sleep mode.
• Improves the experience of recording analog TV broadcasts to include set-top box scenarios. Previously, some shows were blocked with “protected content” messages.
  Note: This solution does not apply to configurations that use analog TV over digital cable tuners. The BIOS for the digital cable tuners provide content protection.
• Addresses an issue in which incorrect PlayReady API is called.
• Addresses an issue in identification of systems with the Windows Media Center TV Pack installed for server-related content.
• Addresses an issue with certain extensibility applications that pass the Real Time Streaming Protocol (RTSP) protocol-based URLs.
• Addresses an issue with .wtv files that are listed as unsupported file type after the third-party decoders are installed.
• Addresses an issue with Terrestrial Integrated Services Digital Broadcasting (ISDB-T) digital TV signal when it uses component or composite output.

As described late last week, Microsoft today released the security updates for the month of October. Vista and it’s built-in components received 5 updates, all listed as ‘Important’. Another update was released that contained ‘Kill Bits’ to deactivate problem Active X controls. Keep reading →

Description: This security update resolves a privately reported vulnerability in Virtual Address Descriptor. The vulnerability could allow elevation of privilege if a user runs a specially crafted application. An authenticated attacker who successfully exploited this vulnerability could gain elevation of privilege on an affected system. An attacker could then install programs; view, change, or delete data; or create new accounts with full administrative rights. The security update addresses the vulnerability by modifying the way that Virtual Address Descriptor handles memory allocation variables. Keep reading →

Description: This security update resolves a privately reported vulnerability in Microsoft Server Message Block (SMB) Protocol. The vulnerability could allow remote code execution on a server that is sharing files or folders. An attacker who successfully exploited this vulnerability could install programs; view, change, or delete data; or create new accounts with full user rights. The security update addresses the vulnerability by modifying the way that SMB handles file name length validation and file sharing. Keep reading →

Description: This update resolves a privately reported vulnerability in the Windows Internet Printing Service that could allow remote code execution in the context of the current user. If a user is logged on with administrative user rights, an attacker who successfully exploited this vulnerability could take complete control of an affected system. An attacker could then install programs; view, change, or delete data; or create new accounts with full user rights. Users whose accounts are configured to have fewer user rights on the system could be less impacted than users who operate with administrative user rights. The security update addresses this vulnerability by changing the way that memory is allocated within the Internet Printing Protocol (IPP) service. Keep reading →

Description: This security update resolves one publicly disclosed and two privately reported vulnerabilities in the Windows kernel. A local attacker who successfully exploited these vulnerabilities could take complete control of an affected system. The vulnerabilities could not be exploited remotely or by anonymous users. The security update addresses the vulnerabilities by correcting window property validation passed during the new window creation process, correcting the manner in which system calls from multiple threads are handled, and correcting validation of parameters passed to the Windows Kernel from user mode. Keep reading →

Description: This security update resolves five privately reported vulnerabilities and one publicly disclosed vulnerability. The vulnerabilities could allow information disclosure or remote code execution if a user views a specially crafted Web page using Internet Explorer. Users whose accounts are configured to have fewer user rights on the system could be less impacted than users who operate with administrative user rights. The security update addresses these vulnerabilities by modifying the way that Internet Explorer handles the error resulting in the exploitable condition. Keep reading →

Of the 8 updates that will be released next Tuesday, 4 affect Vista (all ‘Important’) and 1 affects IE7 (’Critical’). Keep reading →