Today is Patch Tuesday! Run Windows Updates. Watch for SP3

[Wiz Feinberg]

Today, May 13, 2008, is Microsoft's Patch Tuesday for this month. Please avail yourself of the patches that are available and the updated Malicious Software Removal Tool. Updates I received pertain mostly to components of Microsoft Office, and the Jet Database .dll file, as well as Windows Defender malware definitions updates (9 mb).

Bundled with today's updates is XP Service Pack 3, which is not optional, IF you run manual updates for "Critical" patches (button). However, if you run a Custom manual updates check you can bypass installing SP3 until a date in the future. I believe there was a button labeled Skip SP3 which lets you just install actual critical patches. I'm not sure if SP3 is being forced on Automatic Updates recipients, since I have that turned to notify only and I check manually anyway.

The reason I mention this is because installing a new service pack brings with it it's own hassles. The first one that comes to mind is that once you upgrade your XP installation to SP3 you will not be able to perform a System File Check scan/repair, because the files on your SP2 CD won't match those on the computer. Secondly, you won't be able to install the Recovery Console from Windows, for the same reason. Third, there are problems being reported for people with AMD processors and various failures to complete the installation, all of which can leave your computer unbootable, if they happen to you.

Not accepting XP SP3 has zero consequences, as long as you do allow all other critical patches. I have verified this with the Secunia Software Inspector, after refusing SP3 and taking the other updates offered to me.

Finally, the best way to upgrade to XP SP3 is by means of a slipstreamed upgrade CD, which merges your existing licensed copy of XP SP2 with the updated files, which go into the i386 directory, on the CD. I have downloaded an ISO image of SP3 and will burn to a bootable CD and try on my own computer, then advise you of my success, or lack thereof. The advantage of this method is that you get a usable CD containing the new service pack, for use in SFC repairs and Recovery Console installations.

If you feel you simply must upgrade to SP3, I strongly recommend that you backup everything on your computer, including your Files and Settings (Transfer Wizard), to an external disk. If you, like me, use Acronis True Image, save a complete backup of your C drive before installing the service pack, making sure you have burned and tested a bootable recovery CD, and that it can see the drive on which the image has been saved.

Stay tuned...

[Wiz Feinberg]

I just read an article explaining the reason why many AMD processor equipped computers are going into an endless reboot cycle, after upgrading to XP SP3. If you built your own computer this probably won't apply to you (or me). However, if you bought a name brand AMD equipped computer, from HP, for instance, DON'T UPGRADE to SP3 YET! They probably burned an image onto the hard drive and that image included drivers for BOTH AMD and Intel CPUs. It is the presence of the Intel driver that triggers to reboot hell, on AMD computers, when they are upgraded to SP3.

Here is the relevant Knowledge Base article: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/888372

Here is a Google search results URL for issues installing XP SP3: http://tinyurl.com/4cjqzp

[Leroy Riggs]

Wiz, here is some info on the problems that XP SP3 as well as Vista SP1 is having. Jack Stoner also put some info on the forum also on May 10th.

I never loaded Vista SP1 for fear of it and suddenly my Vista is no longer notifying me that SP1 is available. The update has apparently been 'paused' (their language). This link sorta explains that, I think.

This could also explain some of the complaints from other Vista users on the Forum.

http://www.techtree.com/India/News/Wind ... 5-580.html

No response necessary-just background.

[Wiz Feinberg]

I have successfully upgraded two computers to XP <strike>SP2</strike> SP3 tonight. One is a home built MSI motherboard with an AMD Athlon XP 3200 CPU and the other is a Dell Latitude C610 laptop with a 1 Ghz mobile Intel processor.

I used two different methods to update these computers. For the tower I downloaded a 534 Mb ISO image and burned it to a CD, using Nero. I inserted the CD into the CD tray again and the SP3 installation splash screen appeared. I allowed the upgrade to proceed, successfully. It only took about 15 minutes from start to finish!

The Latitude was offered the upgrade on Windows Updates and I accepted the 67 Mb download. It took about an hour to complete on the poor little laptop, which now runs at a higher clock speed (996 mhz, instead of 750 Mhz).

After updating the laptop I saw the Automatic Windows Updates shield in the Systray. There were today's updates waiting to be installed. This means that the May 13 updates are NOT included in SP3.

[Jim Eller]

I encountered the AMD problem.

I downloaded the update last night and after 14 hours of frustration I called Microsoft.

After 30 minutes of frustration trying to understand phone options and people who don't speak English I reach a guy who I could understand and talked me through the problem. After another 45 minutes on the phone the problem was corrected by changing one number deep in the registry from a "1" to a "4".

He stayed with me on the phone while I re-boot twice to make sure everything was OK. He also checked to see the machine had update to SP3.

....and........he was in India.

[Bruce Atkinson]

I always thought that the service pack was always 'safe' to apply across the board. I guess not.

I've been keeping my homebuilt XP3200+ up to date with XP fixes from MS, and am considering SP3. While I feel fairly confident this one should work OK, I don't feel terribly comfortable. However, blasting the registry is nothing new to me.

Shouldn't SP3 essentially be all the patches that have already been applied? Or did MS add some extra fun and games, too?

Should I "go for it"?

[Wiz Feinberg]

Bruce;
As you appear to have built your own 'puter you should be good to go with SP3. We have the same processor and I had no problems whatsoever.

SP3 is a security roll-up containing approximately 1000 patches, hotfixes and upgrades, plus several behind the scenes improvements. While you can definitely live without it, unless your computer was built by an OEM manufacturer, like HP, who used the same image file for both AMD and Intel equipped PCs, your experience should be positive.

Attention Hewlett Packard computer owners, with AMD equipped XP computers:

You may be at risk of the endless reboot syndrome, due to cost cutting tactics used by HP. The first thing you should do, before upgrading to SP3, if your computer has an AMD CPU, is to go to Start > Run and type in: SERVICES.MSC and press Enter. Search the Services alphabetically for the IntelPPM or Intel Power Management Module service and change its startup type to DISABLED. Then click on STOP to halt the service. Click Apply and OK, to close out the MMC. With the Intel Power management module disabled and halted, your AMD equipped computer will not run into the conflict that caused the reboot cycle.

If you are able to reboot into Safe Mode you can run "sc config intelppm start= disabled" from the RUN command, or a CMD window.

WARNING! If your computer contains an Intel CPU (processor) DO NOT DISABLE THE INTEL_PPM Service, or your computer will become a toaster!

Stopping and disabling the Service is a lot safer than hacking your Registry.

Another thing you can do is stop the rebooting cycle by F8-ing during a reboot. When you get the boot options use the up/down arrow keys to highlight "Disable automatic restart on system failure" and hit Enter. This will cause the computer to halt at a BSOD, instead of just restarting over and over.

From there you can plop in your good old XP CD and boot from it, then follow the option to perform a system repair using the Recovery Console. Log onto your boot drive and type this command, hitting enter afterwards: disable intelppm. Type exit and reboot. You should now be at SP3 level and the offending service will be stopped and disabled.

[Earnest Bovine]

I have successfully upgraded two computers to XP SP2 tonight.

Is that a typo, and did you mean SP3?

[Wiz Feinberg]

It was a typo and I just fixed it. Thanks for pointing it out Earnest.

[Bruce Atkinson]

Hey Wiz -

I just wanted to say thanks for your good advice regarding XP SP3. I 'played in the fast lane' and applied it to my home-built AMD box an hour ago without any backups, etc. I figure I can always wipe out the HD and start fresh again if I had to. I've done it a number of times with XP forerunners.

Now to go after 'junior'... another AMD home-built box with an Athlon 2600+...

Thanks again!

Bruce