Maximum PC Windows XP SP3 RSS Feed

Ready or Not, Windows XP SP3's Coming to Automatic Updates - New Tips Added

Mark Edward Soper — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 15:47:06 -0500

InfoWorld reports that Microsoft will release Windows XP SP3 to Windows Update starting Thursday, July 10. If you don't have SP3 installed and Windows is configured to use the default Automatic (recommended) settings, you'll be upgraded to SP3 on Thursday or shortly afterwards (as usual, Windows Update uses a staggered schedule).

What to Do if You Absolutely, Positively Don't Want SP3

If you absolutely, positively don't want SP3 right now, you can put off automatic delivery of SP3 by installing the Windows Service Pack Blocker Tool Kit. Using the blocker will delay the automatic download of SP3 until April 2009.

What to Do if You're Worried About Installing SP3

Worried about installing SP3? You're not alone. We've provided plenty of help for Windows XP SP3 upgrading, so if you're still running SP2, take time to read our suggestions before SP3 comes knocking on your door.

If you don't want it delivered automatically, but don't want to install the SP blocker, here's a simple alternative: change your Windows Update configuration away from Automatic to a setting that informs you of updates, but doesn't install them automatically, as we suggest here.

(Update: 10:40PM CDT, July 10, 2008)

Reader pcfxer recommends updating your Windows Installer to version 3.1 before installing SP3 (see comments below for details). If you're not offered Windows Installer 3.1 via Windows Update, get it here.

How About You and SP3?

If you're already running SP3, how do you like it? Did you have any problems? Any suggestions for latecomers to the SP3 party? Give us your thoughts.

Hotfix Here for Vanishing Device Manager and Network Connection After XP SP3 Upgrade

Mark Edward Soper — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 21:53:57 -0500

What happens if you blow off Microsoft's advice to disable antivirus applications before upgrading Windows XP to SP3? If you're lucky - nothing. If you're not lucky, you might not be able to finish the installation, or if it finished, you might have a system with an empty Device Manager listing and/or an empty Network Connections listing.

Hey, What Happened?

According to KB953979, this happens when the Fixccs.exe process, which creates and then cleans up temporary registry keys during the upgrade, can't remove some registry keys because an antivirus program says, "U can't touch this". The entries aren't actually missing from Device Manager and Network Connections - but if you can't see them, you can't touch them, either.

Many reports fingered Norton Antivirus as the cause, but it can happen with other antivirus programs if they're running during the upgrade process.

Hey, How Do I Fix This?

Microsoft provides a downloadable hotfix at KB953979, or you can click here and get it immediately. The hotfix is only for XP SP3.

If you still have XP SP2, follow the advice in KB949377 and in our comprehensive coverage of XP SP3 installation problems and solutions - and have a good upgrade!

Image courtesy Techmixer.com

Windows XP SP2 Users, Your New Remote Desktop Connection Has Arrived

Mark Edward Soper — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 15:15:58 -0500

Hate Driving Back to the Office? Remote Desktop Connection's Now Even Better

If you don't need to drive back to the office when you forget a file, you might have Remote Desktop Connection (RDC) to thank for the ability to log in remotely and not interrupt your music ripping, DVD watching, or friend-fragging session. If you use Windows XP SP2 at home, but the office machine's running Windows Vista or Windows Server 2008 and you connect using RDC, the new Remote Desktop Connection client, version 6.1, is for you (XP SP3 users already have it). Briefly, here's what you get:

Support for spanned monitors up to 4096x2048 pixels (so you can see what's running on your secondary display)
Support for 32-bit color and font smoothing (so your remote desktop looks good from a distance as well as close-up)
Support for new Windows Server features like Terminal Services web access (including RDP Signing) and Terminal Services Easy Print
Server authentication (yes, it's really your server)
Resource redirection for PnP devices
Support for Terminal Server Gateway servers and RemoteApp (so you can run apps on the remote computer)

Learn more about the update (including what to do if you're running the multilingual user interface) and get links to the update by surfing to KB952155.

Clipart courtesy of the Open Clip Art Library

June 2008 Patch Tuesday Preview

Mark Soper — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 13:52:49 -0500

A Trio of Critical Updates for Bluetooth, IE, and DirectX Users

Critical updates typically refer to the potential for remote code execution exploits (aka "bad guys take over your PC"), and June's trio of critical updates are no exception.

- If you use Bluetooth devices on Windows XP SP2 or SP3, Vista and Vista SP1, or 64-bit versions of Windows XP or Vista, you're number one on the critical update list.
- What's at Number Two2? Anyone running Internet Explorer 5.01 SP4, IE6, or IE7 on Windows 2000 SP4 up through Windows Vista and Windows Server 2003 and 2008.
- Number Three affects DirectX 7.0, 8.1, 9.0 and above, so Windows 2000 SP4, XP, and Vista are affected, as well as Windows Server 2003 and some Windows Server 2008 installations.

Important Updates

Of the three updates listed as "Important" for June, the first one affects servers running the Windows Internet Naming Service (WINS), not desktops. However, the other updates (for Active Directory services and for the Pragmatic General Multicast [PGM] protocol for network multicasting), do affect Windows XP SP2/SP3 and Vista/SP1 systems as well as Windows 2000 Server, Windows Server 2003 and 2008-based systems. All three target elevation of privilege vulnerabilities.

Kill Bit (not Bill)

The final security update for June fixes a remote code execution vulnerability in Kill Bit for all desktop versions of Windows from 2000 SP4 through Vista SP1 as well as for Windows Server 2003 and 2008.

These updates will be available starting June 10th via Windows Update or manually: the June 2008 Security Bulletin page will have the links you need.

...And the Rest

June 2008's Patch Tuesday will also include the following updates, including:

- The monthly update for the Malicious Software Removal Tool (KB890830)
- An update for Vista that updates the Windows Customer Experience Improvement Program (KB939165 and KB931174)
- The monthly update for the Windows Mail Junk email filter for Vista (KB905866)
- Cumulative update for Windows Vista Media Center (KB950126)
- Update to fix restart loop on Windows XP SP3 systems running AMD or other non-Intel processors (KB953356)*

*AMD laptop users with Windows XP, this is the fix you've been waiting for.

Note that the KB articles referenced above will not be available until the updates are available via Windows Update or manually at the Microsoft Download Center. To search for these or other KB articles, visit the Microsoft Help and Support Center.

Celebrate (?!) Vacation Season with Microsoft Updates

Mark 'Marcus_Soperus' Soper — Wed, 28 May 2008 08:00:01 -0500

Although the calendar says that summer doesn't start until June 21st, everyone else knows that once Memorial Day passes, it's time for fun! However, if you want your Windows XP or Windows Vista PC to keep up with summertime hobbies (and help you get your work done after you get back from vacation), take a few minutes to make sure you get the latest patches.

Windows XP SP3's First Update

Windows XP SP3 has already caused its share of grief for installers, and now there's a brand-new problem:

- Your system might not be able to resolve DNS after you connect/disconnect or disable/enable a network adapter used for Internet Connection Sharing on a system running XP SP3.

To learn more about the problem and to download the fix, check out KB951830.

A Platoon of Patches for Windows Vista

Windows Vista users have plenty of patches to consider before running off on vacation. They include:

- A fix for SATA hard disks running in PATA mode if the system stops responding (KB943170)
- A fix for applications using Microsoft Jet 4.0 Database Engine after the system is updated to Vista SP1 (KB943509)
- A fix for Vista SP1's inability to write to a Blu-Ray Disc Rewritable or write-protected DVD-RAM disc after disabling the disc's write-protection (KB950194)
- Also, the May 2008 Application Compatibility Update for Windows Vista (originally announced in early April) is finally showing up in Windows Update (KB947652). It can also be downloaded manually.

Have fun this summer!

What We Need to Learn from the XP SP3 Upgrade Fiasco

Mark Soper — Wed, 21 May 2008 11:02:23 -0500

Good (and Not-so-Good) Solutions to the HP Laptop Upgrade Mess

If you've been a victim of the AMD-based HP and Compaq BSOD-reboot loop after installing Windows XP SP3 or you've been waiting for a solution, take your choice. Real solutions include:

- Download and run HP's Microsoft Windows XP SP3 Upgrade Utility, also known as SP37394
- Download and run Jasper Johansson's VB script tool (featured in our last posting)

Microsoft's current "answer" falls into the Not-so-Good category:

- According to InfoWorld, Microsoft has temporarily halted automatic distribution via Windows Update of Windows XP SP3 to HP laptops running AMD processors. Update 5-28-08: WU will offer SP3 to HP/Compaq laptops with AMD processors after the erroneous Intel power-management reference in the Registry is removed (a hat tip to reader Cassandra).

HP and Microsoft's approaches bring us to the following questions: Does HP talk to Microsoft? Does Microsoft talk to HP?

Why It Happened

Microsoft frequently is slammed by computer users for a multitude of sins, but this time, it's clearly not Microsoft's fault.

Way back when Windows XP SP2 was being rolled out, OEM vendors had used the same corner-cutting method of using a common image for earlier generations of AMD and Intel-based systems, and the same BSOD-reboot loop happened. Microsoft's KB888372 discussed why this happened with SP2, and unfortunately required only minor editing to bring it up to date for the SP3 problem.

Preventing "The Fire Next Time"

So, history repeated itself with the rollout of Windows XP SP3. How can we keep this problem from happening again?

Part of the solution already exists: Windows Vista, unlike Windows XP, handles differences in hardware better, so you can prepare a common image that can be deployed to different systems. However, Windows XP still has a long way to go before it joins Windows 98 in the grooveyard of forgotten operating system favorites. What should vendors - and users - do now?

How to Prevent Future Upgrade Fiascos

1. Microsoft should stop assuming that vendors listen to its advice. The advice given by KB888372 - that vendors should not create XP images on Intel hardware and expect them to work on AMD hardware - was ignored by HP - and possibly by other vendors. When Microsoft re-releases Windows XP SP3 to Windows Update, it should improve its hardware-detection features and override the 'time bomb' lurking in some OEM images.

2. Vendors should start paying attention to Microsoft. KB888372 is now in version 4.1, so it's obvious that Microsoft's been telling vendors for quite a while to be more careful about how they create Windows XP images. So, if you're a hardware vendor that builds Windows XP images on both AMD and Intel-based platforms, get your imaging act together if you've been cutting corners. And, to those of you who are already building different images for Intel and AMD platforms - thank you, thank you very much.

3. Users should build their own images instead of relying on a possibly-fouled up OEM image. If you don't want to (or can't) install a fresh Windows XP installation on your AMD-based laptop of any brand, follow the advice in KB888372 to remove the Intelppm registry key if it exists on your system - then use a program like Ghost or Acronis True Image to create an image of your OS and installed applications before installing an upgrade.

So let it be written - so let it be done.

(article updated 5-28-2008)

New Solutions for Windows XP SP3 Upgrade Woes

Mark Soper — Mon, 19 May 2008 20:21:47 -0500

Windows Home Server + Windows XP SP3 = No More Remote Access?

The UK-based We Got Served Windows Home Server website is reporting that some users cannot use WHS's remote access feature after they have updated the Windows XP computers on their home network to Service Pack 3. WHS's Remote Access feature enables remote users to connect to their home computers.

According to We Got Served, the culprit in SP3 is its disabling of the Terminal Services ActiveX control that enables WHS to provide connections to the XP-based machines on the network, and, to make matters worse, the web browser's suggestion to add the WHS computer's web site address to the "Trusted Sites" security setting on each Windows XP system on the network doesn't work either. To reset XP SP3 to the less secure settings used by SP2 so you can connect remotely to your systems again, see this Microsoft Windows Home Server thread.

HP Laptops + AMD CPUs + Windows XP SP3 = Oops!

According to reports posted at The Register and Tom's Hardware, users of AMD-based HP Pavilion and Compaq Presario laptops with preinstalled Windows XP should run, not walk, away from installing SP3 for now. There are numerous reports of blue screens and continuous reboot loops on these systems after installing SP3.

The Wrong OEM Image Can Haunt You

According to the Microsoft TechNet forum thread on this problem, it's a problem caused by incorrect customization of the original OEM Windows XP image:

This is not a problem with AMD-based systems or AMD CPUs. The issue is caused by the method in which the original, pre-installed version of Windows XP was customized during manufacturing by some PC Manufacturers (OEMs). These OEMs loaded a Windows XP image originally created on an Intel-based machine onto computers with AMD processors, and then modified the image incorrectly for AMD CPUs.

This is an imaging process that has never been supported by Microsoft because of the compatibility problems it can create.

The continual reboot issue was first discovered with the release of Windows XP SP2, and we determined the problem to be a modified registry entry incorrectly set as a result of the imaging process discussed above. During Windows XP SP3 beta testing (see KB888372), we inserted special code into the Windows XP SP3 installation software logic that preserved this registry setting so that customers would not experience this reboot problem again. However, after the release, we received reports of customers experiencing the same problem when upgrading to Windows XP SP3. After investigating those reports, we discovered additional OEM workarounds to the original issue (see KB888372) that are causing the same problem to occur.

In these additional cases, when Windows XP SP3 is installed, this particular registry value is set to load intelppm.sys automatically (i.e.: at boot time). When the driver loads on a system with an AMD processor, the system blue screens and instantaneously reboots.

Calling All Cars: Be on the Lookout for SP37394

If you have an affected HP or Compaq laptop, watch for a patch called SP37394 in the next week or so. This patch is designed to fix the problem, so you can upgrade safely to SP3. You should receive it through HP Update.

Hey, What About Us?

According to The Register, users of AMD-based Dell, Gateway, and Lenovo have reported similar problems. According to PC World, Microsoft is working on its own hotfix for the problem.

Traumatized by SP3 Woes? Dr. Jesper Will See You Now

Former Microsoftie and current MVP at Amazon.com, Jesper Johansson (a PhD in MIS, so he's a real doctor), has beaten both HP and Microsoft to the punch with a simple VB script tool that can remove the erroneous command that loads the Intel driver on an AMD-based machine. He's also pulled together a bunch of solutions to other Windows XP SP3 upgrade woes. See the whole collection of solutions here.

XP SP3 Installation Woes? More Light on Redmond's Top Reasons - And Solutions

Mark Soper — Mon, 12 May 2008 17:56:11 -0500

Most Windows XP users are sailing easily through SP3 updates, but there are always some exceptions. That shouldn't surprise anyone, since Windows XP can be run on an unfathomable number of hardware and software configurations. Fortunately, the XP team in Redmond's been keeping track of what's going wrong. Here's a roundup of what they found out.

Super Six Solutions to "STATUS_PREREQUISITE_FAILED" Error

If you can't install Windows XP SP3 and the service pack installation log (typical location: C:\Windows\svcpack.log) lists an 8007F0F4 - STATUS_PREREQUISITE_FAILED error along with additional information, there are six causes - and, thankfully, six solutions.

1. If your laptop is on battery power, plug it in. You cannot install XP SP3 on a system that is not running on AC power. If you see this message on a desktop system connected to a UPS, check to make sure the UPS is properly switching back to AC power after a power outage. You might also discover that the AC wall outlet the UPS is plugged into has failed or is unreliable.

2. If your computer has the Microsoft Shared Computer Toolkit for Windows XP installed, you must uninstall it before installing SP3. The Shared Computer Toolkit was designed to preserve the configuration of a shared computer in lab, school or cybercafe-type environments. Although it's no longer available, it's been replaced by Windows SteadyState.

3. If your computer's running the KB 925877 update (which includes the Multilingual User Interface Pack for Remote Desktop Connection 6.0 [Terminal Services 6.0], you must uninstall it before you can upgrade to SP3. If you can't uninstall it, see this newsgroup thread for help.

4. Windows XP SP3 will not install over the Windows Fundamentals for Legacy PCs (aka WinFLP) operating system, a stripped-down version of Windows XP SP2 made for older systems running Terminal Services or third-party clients. Never heard of it? Unless your company has Microsoft Software Assurance and uses various client apps on older PCs, you'll probably never see it.

5. Windows XP SP3 will not install over the Windows Embedded for Point of Service (aka WEPOS) operating system, another stripped-down version of Windows XP SP2, but optimized for retail POS systems. If you fall into categories 4 or 5, Microsoft promises that there will be a specific version of SP3 for these operating systems made available at a later date.

6. If you have Windows XP Media Center Edition (original version) or Windows XP Media Center Edition 2003, you need to install Windows XP SP2 first before you can install SP3. You can get SP2 via Windows Update, or here.

Get more information about these problems by reading KB 949388.