Installing WinXP SP2 is a risk

[Mark]

I just want to warn everyone that you should not turn on your computer. No
matter what, under no circumstances should you turn it on. If you do turn it
on, there is a risk that you may do something that messes it up. However if
you do decide to ignore this warning, at the very least do not go online
with it, ever. There are tons of viruses and spyware programs out there;
going online puts you at risk of getting one of these. I work at both NASA
and CompUSA so I know what I'm talking about. Just play it safe, unplug your
computer.

 

[Guest]

crap going to turn mine off now.. btw i suggest everyone having problems
with SP2
read the following from Microsoft
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/sp2/sp2_whattoknow.mspx

 

[Star Fleet Admiral Q]

Wrong Ron, making any changes to a working PC is a risk, and every user
is well aware - installing a toolbar, virus program, activeX control or even
a service pack is a risk - always has been, always will be, as most of the
issues causing unstable systems is the "user's fault" - not keeping drivers
up to date, having malware, spyware or Trojans lurking in the background, a
virus or two sprinkled in, or trying to install software that is not
certified for their hardware and vice/versa. Microsoft is not responsible
for the drivers of your hardware, the hardware vendors are, again not
responsible for incompatibilities with 3rd party software, gain the software
vendors are, see where we're going here. MS creates the OS, and supplies
patches and service packs to the OS and its Office Suite - these same
patches and service packs are supplied months in advance to the
hardware/software vendors for them to test and if need, supply fixes/patches
to make their hardware/software work with the OS - most don't - they're too
busy creating the next generation (version) of the fancy do-dah software to
waste money on fixing the old version - they just want you to go buy the
upgrade, they don't want to fix the old - so you need to blame the
hardware/software vendors (note MS is guilty of this too, with its Office
suite of products) no MS on the OS level.

 

[Star Fleet Admiral Q]

So - you do this for a living - you're doing a clean install - the why in
the !#$# did you not create a slipstreamed version of the XP SP2 install CD
first - why clean install then immediately apply the SP, just another
shortcut you hardware vendors take that makes your systems so !@#$ unstable.
Any you are blaming MS for your shortcut - let's get real here.

 

[Star Fleet Admiral Q]

So explain to me how installing SP2 caused your hard drive to fail? Bad
clusters? No that's mechanical, then head crash, no again that's mechanical,
unusual noise, no again mechanical, then what? Lost formatting or partition
table information, oh either user error or again mechanical due to just
plain wore out - how many hours on your hard drive? What's the MTBF of your
hard drive? Once you reach MTFB, all bets are off.
So again, how did installing SP2 cause your hard drive to fail?

 

[Star Fleet Admiral Q]

Hey dude, you forgot, even turning it on the damage done to the components,
wear and tear on the movable parts, and heat/cool stressing on the chips and
so forth, after a while causing cracking. And don't forget about the
pollutants in the air pulled through the PC by the fans, especially dust.
(ROFL)

 

[Trent©]

I'm happy that your 30 computers have all been updated successfully and happy
for everyone who has had success in installing the SP2, but I think both
Jason and I would appreciate more helpful replies.

I was unsuccessful in my attempt to install the SP2, in fact it seems to
have caused my hard drive to fail. I have kept up to date with all the XP
updates, have updated virus software, don't have any strange or illegal
programs on the machine and the machine was supplied by Dell.

I've had a problem also. Of course, I can't PROVE that sp2 was the
culprit. But I did all the usual maintenance and checks before I
started the install.

Problem...kinda like yours...

I had a second drive as the master on the secondary controller.
Primary, install master is NTFS...secondary master is FAT32.

MANY corrupted files on the secondary drive...mainly in the WUTEMP
directory. Plus many crosslinked files...many Office stuff.

And, yes...the only thing added was sp2.

No other changes were made before the install.

And, yeah...I've built a couple of machines in my life! lol


Have a nice one...

Trent

Budweiser: Helping ugly people have sex since 1876!

 

[David]

I am currently working on a friends system that
encountered problems with Messenger, Outlook Express, and
severe performance degradation after installing SP2. We
attempted to remove SP2 using the add/remove programs and
now the PC will boot partway and then go into and endless
cycle of startup and shutdown on its own. Any suggestions
to help correct this would be appreciated.
tks...

 

[Trent©]

Are you kidding? If there is a risk of this happening to
others, then I think I should let people know in the
hopes that they won't go through what I went through. I'm
glad to hear there are so many success stories, and I'm
sure the success stories out-weigh the disasters by 100-
1, but the fact of the matter is there is still a chance
that your PC will not function after this update. For the
average home user, this is a risk they should be aware
of. As an IT professional I believe I am doing my due
dilegence.
All this being said, based on an earlier post, maybe the
bios update is the answer, but again I refer back to the
avergae home user. If Microsoft is going to put out a
service pack, then everyone should be able to install it
problem-free, otherwise they should advise the general
public.

Jason

Exactly. Well put.

There's gonna be a lot of screwed up machines...simply because these
folks were previously convinced that they should keep Auto Update
turned on.


Have a nice one...

Trent

Budweiser: Helping ugly people have sex since 1876!

 

[Trent©]

There's a risk in driving your car, like dying. Do you tell everyone to not
drive cars? Of course not. Spreading foolishness is not what a good IT
professional does.

There have been instances where auto manufacturers failed to inform
the general public of safety issues...because it would be cheaper to
pay out claims for wrongful deaths than it would to do a recall.

I think we have that kind of hidden issue here.

I wonder if anybody might start a class-action suit...in behalf of all
the neophyte computer owners who have no idea what a BIOS even
is....and do the automatic update and ultimately have boot problems.

And I certainly don't think he was spreading foolishness. If you do,
you need to grow up.


Have a nice one...

Trent

Budweiser: Helping ugly people have sex since 1876!

 

[\old\ devildog]

Spyware! got proof .... Hell the CIA and FBI have been snooping for years
.... they don't need Billy's help ... I can promise you they couldn't find
their head if it wasn't attached to their butts ...

Prove what you are saying ... show me the spyware that is sending to the
feds .... prove it to me ... because if it is happening then there are ways
of shutting it down ...... but using my "third party firewall" I bet
protects me very well ... even lets me know if I have only had a simple ping
..... all out going has to be approved by me and SP2 doesn't even recognize
my firewall or anti-virus .... until you can back up what you say keep a lid
on it
--
****************
"old" devildog
Semper Fi
****************
****************

 

[Greg R]

For Carey
see inline

Jason,

Consider yourself fortunate that your PC never started at all. For some
of us it started alright but it also started sending private matters to
Microsoft HQ so that the FBI and CIA can scrutinise whether I am into
some form of terrorism!! The new SP2 contains a spyware to send info to
Microsoft about your habits, likes and dislikes includig what sites you
visit etc etc

I would sure like to know where you get that info. That sp2 is
spyware. If so, spybot would detect it. My firewall would also
report outgoing connection. It actual the email they look at. That
your isp not Microsoft anyhow. Also, aren't you the one telling
eveyone to install xpsp2.

Why do you think M$ wants everybody on this planet to have SP2 installed
whether or not they want it or not. Even if you are using your PC for
mundane tasks such as word processing or spreadshheet, you are required
to have SP2 or you will not be entitled to get further updates to your
windows system to rectify crashes.

Actual the do that with all oses.

Greg R
http://www.angelfire.com/in4/computertips/

 

[Don Burnette]

Hi,
I want to put out a general warning to users to not
install SP2. Yes, I realize that there are many security
advancements and all that, but the risk is not worth it.
I have just installed SP2 on a clean install and my PC no
longer boots up. Not in Safe-mode, not "last known good
configuration". I am now restarting the installation
again.
I do not know why it doesn't work, and I'm sure for
many users it did work, but I know it is not 100% solid.
The fact that there is a risk should be enough for you
not to do it. I should add that I do this for a living so
it's not like this is the first time I work with Windows.
It is the first time I have installed SP2, and it will be
the last until Microsoft can get it right.
For all users out there who are debating, do not
install it. Keep the regular updates going, but do not
install this as a complete update or you may be stuck
with 4 hours of work and lost data.

If only Microsoft could do things right the first time.

Best of luck to those who attempt it, you'll need it.

Sincerely,
Jason

And my " general" recommendation..

1: Made sure I had all the latest drivers for my peripherals
2: Made sure I had all available updates for my software
3: Did a thorough disk cleanup
4: Did a thorough virus scan
5: Imaged my hard drive using Powerquest Drive Image
6: Installed SP2 - stand alone network install.
7: Did a complete defrag of my system partition

System is running great, in fact somewhat more robust than before.
I have had 1 issue to date, my flight sim IL2 Forgotten Battles w/ Ace
Expansion Pack - cannot get it to run. I'll keep trying things and reading
forums and hopefully eventually find a fix or workaround, in fact, I find it
somewhat of a challenge.

Any operating system upgrade, always take care to prepare - be as well
prepared as possible, and definitely image or back up hard drive. I image
my drive on a weekly basis anyway just in case something does happen - it
usually is not if, but when. Hard drives do fail, bad clusters develop, but
certainly not because of an OS upgrade. I value my data, so I make sure i
keep an image of everything available.

There's a risk in everything. I have had hard drives fail for no apparent
reason at all. I have had expansion cards blow because of a lightning strike
creating a power surge nearby. I had a motheboard go bad once, I had taken
it out to put in a new processor, and somehow I must have fried it - I think
I bent one of the capacitors enough to screw it up.

But, I am not going to put my head in the sand and never upgrade my
software, install new software, never upgrade my computer, because of a
slight risk. In particular, if something does go wrong, I am bound and
determined to find out why, one way or the other, rather than giving up and
not doing it.

I hate your install did not go cleanly Jason, however I suspect after a
little time your either going to figure out why and learn from it, or find
out why from someone else that has experienced the same thing.

Who knows, it could simply be a bug that gets triggered by a system having a
particular kind of chip on the motherboard, that combined with a specific
driver for a specific sound card, and a specific version of bios for the
videocard, causes a conflict that gets magnified when SP2 installs certain
..dll files. Obviously, I am grasping here, but you get the drift - and if
others with the same combo report the same thing, eventually the bug will be
identified and fixed.





Regards,


Don Burnette





--

 

[Thane of Lochaber]

Ummm, I thought it was pretty obvious that Carey was joking.

 

[Greg R]

Sorry then. Didn't relize she was joking,


Greg R


http://www.angelfire.com/in4/computertips/

 

[Carey Frisch [MVP]]

Jason,

Consider yourself fortunate that your PC never started at all. For some
of us it started alright but it also started sending private matters to
Microsoft HQ so that the FBI and CIA can scrutinise whether I am into
some form of terrorism!! The new SP2 contains a spyware to send info to
Microsoft about your habits, likes and dislikes includig what sites you
visit etc etc.

Why do you think M$ wants everybody on this planet to have SP2 installed
whether or not they want it or not. Even if you are using your PC for
mundane tasks such as word processing or spreadshheet, you are required
to have SP2 or you will not be entitled to get further updates to your
windows system to rectify crashes.

--
Carey Frisch
Microsoft MVP
Windows XP - Shell/User

Be Smart! Protect Your PC!
http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/protect/default.aspx

 

[Nehmo Sergheyev]

- Jason -

I was only making others aware so they can make a better
decision when choosing whether or not to install SP2 by
letting them know of the problems I have had. These
forums are great places to exchange knowledge,
experiences, and get some help from your peers. There was
no help for my problem besides reinstallation. Hopefully
not too many others will have to do the same.

- Nehmo -
I don't know if I have the *same* problem as you, but I can't boot-up
either. An XP repair-install stops with error code
0x0000007B
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;324103

You think it's a BIOS problem? I have

Shuttle AN35(N) Ultra m-board

Award BIOS Type Phoenix - AwardBIOS v6.00PG
Award BIOS Message (AN35S00L) NVIDIA nForce2 Ultra 400 + MCP
System BIOS Date 12/05/03
Video BIOS Date 05/06/03
Company: Phoenix Technologies Ltd.
Product Information http://www.phoenix.com/en/products/default.htm

Regarding the message of your opening post, I agree. The system I had
that died form SP2 was, I'm sure, more up-to-date than 99 out of a 100
machines out there. I've been trying to slove the problem for almost two
days. I'm getting ready to fresh-install XP, but I won't install SP2
after that - not until I understand what it is that I have that's
incompatable with it.

 

[Nehmo Sergheyev]

- Phil -

Just because your
computer has an issue doesn't mean other will.

- Nehmo -
If the other computer has the same incompatibly, yes. And it's unlikely
his arrangement is unique.

 

[Nehmo Sergheyev]

- Huskers -

read the following from Microsoft
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/sp2/sp2_whattoknow.mspx

- Nehmo -
Unfortunately, that, along with a lot of other MS stuff on this subject,
was written with marketing and corporate-image taking precedence over
technical content. For example, what if restore doesn't work after SP2?

I'm a fan of MS, but it's beginning to get irritating that it is
pretending everything is fine. 888 SP2 HELP must be overwhelmed with
calls.
SP2 support:
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=fh;en-us;windowsxpsp2

 

[Carey Frisch [MVP]]

Please be informed that the authentic Carey Frisch did not
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imposter! Proof:

Imposter's Posting Host:

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