Vista Security Update Bricks USB Devices

It's bad enough when consumers opt for your last operating system over the new one. Worse still when an update to that new and not-so-hot OS is bricking USB devices.

Microsoft recently admitted to the media that reports that a Windows Vista security update is disrupting USB devices are indeed accurate. Released last week, the Windows Defender update was intended to patch a critical hole in its spyware blocking program. While that may have been successful, Vista owners haven't been so pleased to find their mice and keyboards no longer function.

In a statement, Microsoft admitted, "We are aware of concerns that a recent Microsoft update may be causing problems with USB devices. We are investigating the matter, and at this time, do not have any information to share." No help there. (Source: channelregister.co.uk)

The company's attention may be elsewhere, as it finally releases Vista Service Pack 1 (SP1) to an additional 31 languages through its Windows Update web site. Unfortunately, not even that has gone without a hitch; the automatic version of the download -- that is, a version not requiring the Vista user go find it -- has yet to be put into action. Given that Microsoft promised the update in its entirety by mid-April, it looks like the company will be missing another important deadline. (Source: arstechnica.com)

Scrambling to save face, the Redmond-based company told the media, "Microsoft wants to ensure customers have the best possible experience with Windows Vista, including installing SP1; this has always been the priority. Until SP1 is automatically distributed via Windows Update, consumers are able to download SP1 manually using Windows Update."

Let's just hope our hardware components still work afterwards.