KB3004394 Finally Pulled for an Additionally Reported Reason

The hopes of a quiet patching December have been dashed on the rocks with extreme prejudice.

We've been keeping a running tally of this month's Microsoft updates problems (check in HERE), including those that have been expired and recalled because they simply just don't work. That list continues to grow.

One of our first updates included information about KB3004394 causing a multitude of problems including inability to connect to the Microsoft Management Console and specific services not able to start up. For some reason, those initially reported problems weren't enough for Microsoft to remove the update. Instead, it took a confirmed problem in Office 2010 IRM functionality for the company to finally throw up its hands and recall the update. Customers had already cried "Uncle!" days ago.

In a blog post, Dan Plastina, part of the Azure RMS team, communicated the recall and suggested that customers remove the update. Additionally, he indicated that while there's no ETA on a rerelease, it is a top priority to get it fixed. (does anyone besides me find it strange that an Azure guy is reporting the recall?)

I'm very close to providing a long rant on Microsoft's inability to provide customers with working updates, as I'm sure you are, too. This is getting ridiculous. I've heard some suggest that Microsoft's patching experience is broken because of the company's layoffs, but that's just scapegoat. The company's update woes have been ongoing for a couple years and steadily getting worse, so maybe it didn't layoff the right people. It's truly making the company look bad, and there's a growing mistrust among customers.

Sad.