***** sp2 bREAKS eVERYTHING!!!!! *****

  • Thread starter Thread starter nAN
  • Start date Start date
E.J.G. said:
I've installed SP2 on several computers now. No problems. Hmm...
Click to expand...
One of the fixes
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;811113
is "Windows XP Does Not Recognize a DVD-RW Disc", which I've never had a
problem with and the good news is afterwards WinXP still recognized the
disk, BUT would not allow any more files to be copied to the unallocated
disk space.
I had to move all files off of these disks, download newest version of InCD,
install new version and reformat disks, then move the files back to the
disks.
Do you know how long it takes to move 4 gig from a DVD-RW to a hard drive,
reformat the disk then move the files back on a 2GHz with 512k ram?
Well I'll tell you it's about 4 hrs per disk.
Everything worked fine before even with the ancient version of InCD I was
using and that's a problem IMHO.
I've gone out of my way to never download drivers and fixes to non-existent
hardware problems from Windows Update then Microsoft turns around and
installs them anyway.
Glad you have had no problems, however that doesn't mean that nobody else
does or will. Hmm... ponder that awhile.
 
If you turn off auto-update or use the auto-update notify option then no
such updates are downloaded or installed that you don't wish to install.
Open System in Control Panel, go to the Automatic Updates tab, you will see
the various auto-update choices.
 
I've always had it turned off.
I never install updates without checking these newsgroups for problems
first.
All the problems I've seen posted regarding SP2 appear to be a result of the
new firewall, because people haven't taken the twenty minutes needed to
learn how to configure it to allow applications access to inbound ports
those applications need open. Since I intended to turn the built in
firewall and alert program back off anyway I went ahead and installed SP2.
I could be wrong but I think the new firewall is as useless as the old.
Software vendors are going to apply patches that autoconfigure it for users
and in turn the virus and trojan writers will jump through the same hoop.
My point was, because someone had installed it on a few computers and had no
problems doesn't mean that everybody else will have no problems.
Clearly I had a problem that was easily fixed, however it was very time
consuming.
The other point I made was changing eVERYTHING to sOMETHINGS as it did break
something on my system, however it clearly doesn't bugger up everything on
every system.
 
I see your point. You keep a closed system, careful not to do driver and
other updates from Windows Update and then when you install SP2 many of the
things you've avoided are installed.

I'd say that's true of patches to close security holes and some other
patches in the setup but one of the problems many are having is that they
are not checking for application and hardware updates (specifically driver
updates) before installing SP 2. They then find various devices and
applications have stopped working.

There's a basic lack of understanding that a service pack is not a minor
update and changes the operating an environment in such a way that often
updates are also required for applications and drivers.
 
Actually, the network install is fine for single computers
Click to expand...

Probably the ONLY form that can be re-applied after "just re-install
Windows" without having to download it all over again.

That makes it the only version I'd bother with, IMO.

Installing it now. PC hard locks on the black WinXP Pro screen with
the blue progress winker, same every time, unplugging from LAN does
not help. I don't expect this is typical mileage, and I hope SR can
unroll it... this is a pretty fresh, clean XP Pro SP1a patched build.


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Click to expand...
Drugs are usually safe. Inject? (Y/n)
 
On Sun said:
I've installed SP2 on several computers now. No problems. Hmm...
Click to expand...

Any of them based on Intel 865 or 875 chipsets?

When I installed SP2 on an 875P system, it installed OK, then after
the first post-install restart, it hard-locked on the first pass of XP
Pro's blue-on-black GUI progress marker.

And when I say "hard lock", I mean as in:
- no keyboard LED response to NumLock
- no response to Ctl+Alt+Esc
- prompt response to Reset button
- delayed response to ATX Power button

Since then, it has been impossible to recover bootability:
- last-good crashes the same way
- Safe Mode GUI locks after Drivers\AGP440.sys
- Safe Mode CMD.exe locks after Drivers\AGP440.sys
- HD-booted RC resets after Enter to enter installation
- CD-based RC boots to dead black screen

I've seen posts that suggest this has happened to other 865 and 875
chipset systems - and these are very common chipsets.

This is more than just some homegrown app that breaks because it's
doing things that MS formally encouraged, and now (like us) considers
risky. This is an installation death sentence, to be pushed via WU.


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Click to expand...
Reality is that which, when you stop believing
in it, does not go away (PKD)
 
I have installed SP2 on two....an 865 based laptop and an 875 based
desktop....

Both installations went seamlessly and the machines have thus far exhibited
no issues.

Have you made sure that you have the latest BIOS and chipset drivers for
your mobo?

Bobby
 
On Fri, 20 Aug 2004 12:56:26 -1000, "NoNoBadDog!"
I have installed SP2 on two....an 865 based laptop and an 875 based
desktop.... Both installations went seamlessly and the machines have
thus far exhibited no issues.
Click to expand...

What processors?
Have you made sure that you have the latest BIOS and chipset drivers for
your mobo?
Click to expand...

Yes; the mobo had a July 2004 BIOS update to handle Prescott. Before
that, it worked, other than exiting CMOS after saving changes would
save changes and then lock up.

There are no newer BIOS updates for the mobo; I checked today, in case
there was a "use this for SP2" update.

Then again, consider; an OS is supposed to work on the hardware as the
hardware is. Once the hardware has to have special changes for the
benefit of one particular OS, it's rolling down a slippery slope from
being an OS-agnostic platform to a Windows-only toy.

After about 4-5 hours, I've got my PC back to life. It took that long
to run XP and uninstall SP2, once L1 and L2 cache were disabled.
Disabling these caches was the only way to get back in.


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Click to expand...
Our senses are our UI to reality
 
Did you have to reactivate Windows? I did.
Click to expand...

It's a new installation that I activated recently, so let's see... no,
WPAInfo says I'm still "Fully Licensed" with no lost component votes.

If you had to "just format and re-install" then YMMV. If part of your
recovery dance was to reformat C:, then you'd lose the vote of C:'s
volume serial number. With votes lost from other causes, that might
tip you into having to reactivate XP.



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Click to expand...
Never turn your back on an installer program
 
cquirke (MVP Win9x) said:
It's a new installation that I activated recently, so let's see... no,
WPAInfo says I'm still "Fully Licensed" with no lost component votes.

If you had to "just format and re-install" then YMMV. If part of your
recovery dance was to reformat C:, then you'd lose the vote of C:'s
volume serial number. With votes lost from other causes, that might
tip you into having to reactivate XP.




Never turn your back on an installer program
Click to expand...

Well, the only thing I had done to my system before installing SP2 was to
add a CD-RW drive and add more RAM. I downloaded SP2 from the Microsoft
website intended for system manufacturers, rather than wait for it to appear
in the Windows Update screen.
 
Both were on Prescotts, with the caches enabled. What revision number is
the mobo you are using? If it is an early revision, it may have issues with
Prescotts.

Bobby
 
On Sat, 21 Aug 2004 10:37:40 -1000, "NoNoBadDog!"
Both were on Prescotts, with the caches enabled.
Click to expand...

Ah, good. So far it looks as all failures have had the Prescott
factor, so more mileage on that is welcome. Nice to know that not
every Prescott will crash and burn, at least - next is to scope out
which boxen will be affected, and perhaps exclude these before
indtalling SP2 via a bit of installer stub intelligence.

That's what I'd do if I were MS, and didn't want to re-version the
whole of SP2 beyond RTM just yet.
What revision number is the mobo you are using?
Click to expand...

Dunno about the mobo itself, but the BIOS it came with wasn't Prescott
ready (lockup after saving CMOS settings before exiting CMOS). I
applied a BIOS upgrade to "04", being of July 2004, and when I looked
yesterday, there was no newer BIOS available.
If it is an early revision, it may have issues with Prescotts.
Click to expand...

Evidently ;-p


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Click to expand...
Tip Of The Day:
To disable the 'Tip of the Day' feature...
 
It is dumb asses like you that are the problem, not SP2. You simply do not
know what you are doing.. It's ok though, all first computer users go through
this stage.. So how long has it been for you? These problems are very easy to
fix, all you need to do is TYPE WITHOUT CAPSLOCK and get your head straight
so that someone will answer your question!
To answer your problems:

1.) See a brain sergian
2.) It all has to do with the firewall, go in there and read a little bit,
if you know how to, give permision to other comptuers to access yours.
3.) You can turn that off just by going into the "Change how the Security
Center notifies me" and unchecking all of the boxes, which i do not suggest
you do.
4.) Since a lot of spyware comes from java-activated webpages it has been
blocked, you can simply give access to those web pages, CLICK ON THE
INFORMATION BAR, then go on from there!
5.) The new boot screen is made more generic, which to me is better! You
can use theme-xp to change it back to normal.
6.) Shut up
 
Hopefully, Microsoft will include precise instructions with the download, so
as to enable those of us who are not computer experts, (as so many of you
assume to be....)to download and reconfigure as necessary. The major problem
with XP has been Microsofts inability to be upfront, forthright, and honest
with the general public. Detailed installation and detailed information, not
KISS which is their normal routine, need to be available, and if not
available, then FREE support needs to be available.
I don't need Microsoft telling me to get anti-virus software, I need
Microsoft to do their job, and fix their program. Too many sites require
pop-ups to function properly. I work hard and do not have time to reconfigure
programs, sites, etc... to allow that site to operate correctly with XP
because Microsoft developed a poorly written operating system with flaws
thruout. Unfortunaltely they are, realistically, the only operating system
available (Microsoft).
Click to expand...

I happen to agree with you completely. Microsoft should have a
site that makes it possible to download and upgrade their programs
and patches easily. There's too much Active-X, popups, cookies,
JavaScript bullshit. It's as though they want to make it
impossible for you to download their upgrades unless your running
Internet Explorer at its default setting. Which is insanely
unsafe. I don't run IE at all. I haven't used it, ever, and don't
want to. I also don't want to use cookies, JavaScript or Active-X.
What's Microsoft's response to me? That's right -- "go screw
yourself."

They also shouldn't install stuff you don't want and haven't asked
for, and they should always make their patches so that they
uninstall. I think Microsoft's doing a crappy job. They can get
away with it because they are the gods of the computer world, and
we are the poor peasants groveling at the toes of their satin
slippers.
 
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