Installing WinXP SP2 is a risk

[Phil]

Yes, if he gave a warning, but he didn't. He was telling people not to
install it. That's not a warning, that's trying to convince people not to
install it. If he wanted to post a warning, he whould have posted his
experience with the install and that's it. So the info on his experience
could be read by others, so they can decide for themselves whether to
install sp2 or not.

 

[Phil]

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.

When his info is based solely on one experience, then it's bad advice to
tell people not to install sp2.
If he gave a warning, that would have been fine, but he didn't. He was
telling people not to
install it. That's not a warning, that's trying to convince people not to
install it. If he wanted to post a warning, he whould have posted his
experience with the install, and that's it. So the info on his experience
could be read by others, so they can decide for themselves whether to
install sp2 or not.

 

[Phil]

ROFLMAO

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.

 

[Carey Frisch [MVP]]

Please post your hardware configuration. If you happen
to have a Prescott CPU installed, please read the following:

Microsoft and Intel have been made aware that some systems appear to have an invalid configuration.
This configuration may result in issues after Windows XP SP2 is installed.


If your machine is using Intel Prescott processors, the BIOS on the machine may have not supplied an appropriate (production - level) microcode update for your processor(s). You will need to get an updated BIOS for your machine that supplies at least the minimum production level microcode update as shown in the table below (contact your machine vendor if necessary). The machine should not have been shipped with less that these minimum (production level) microcode updates provided in the machine's BIOS.



Family 15 (0xF), model 3, stepping 4: Must have a microcode update signature of at least 8. Latest microcode update signature is E.



Family 15 (0xF), model 3, stepping 3: Must have a microcode update signature of at least 7. Latest microcode update signature is B.



Family 15 (0xF), model 3, stepping 2: Must have a microcode update signature of at least 7. Latest microcode update signature is A.



Check your processor details using the utility from Intel:



http://support.intel.com/support/processors/tools/frequencyid/



The field reported as "Revision" is the microcode update signature.



After you install correct BIOS on your machine, the machine will then boot up and your install should proceed.



The best advice is to run the frequencyid utility from Intel before installing XP SP2. If your processor does not have a revision of at least the minimum shown in the table above, get a new BIOS for your machine and then run the frequency utility again.



An installation of Windows XP SP2 should not be attempted if you are affected by this and do not have the correct BIOS installed.


For additional information, visit: http://forum.aumha.org/viewtopic.php?t=7447

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

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

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------


:


| 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

 

[Alex Nichol]

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

He ought not to say such things - even in jest, and even if he omits the
[MVP] in his handle. People are only too likely to take it at face
value

 

[cquirke (MVP Win9x)]

Agreed - especially now that Windows Update is pushing it (and yes, I
re-tested it that way; it still kills at-risk Prescott systems).

See http//cquirke.mvps.org/sp2intel.htm for a definitive (?) coverage
on this topic - what happens, why, how to tell if your PC will fail
this way before it does, what to do to get out alive.

-------------- ---- --- -- - - - -

"I think it's time we took our
friendship to the next level"
'What, gender roles and abuse?'

 

[cquirke (MVP Win9x)]

On Thu, 26 Aug 2004 09:25:04 -0700, "Tonyo UK"

This a bit of a late reply, but can you possibly use System Restore to go
back to a date prior to the installation of SP2? I set a Restore Point on
both of my laptops before installation as an insurance policy.

You have to be able to boot to use SR, unless you can boot off XP CD
and access it from Recovery Console (does RC do that?)

Else you have to follow one of the two approaches in
http//cquirke.mvps.org/sp2intel.htm to get into XP SP2. Once there,
you can either uninstall it or keep using it or SR your way back.

I've done method 1 to uninstall it (was fine) and now I've used method
2 to live with SP2 in place, while I wait for my mobo ventor to
provide a suitable BIOS update. It's all in the URL (so I type less)

-------------------- ----- ---- --- -- - - - -

Reality is that which, when you stop believing
in it, does not go away (PKD)

 

[cquirke (MVP Win9x)]

On Thu, 26 Aug 2004 08:58:12 -0500, "Carey Frisch [MVP]"

Please post your hardware configuration. If you happen
to have a Prescott CPU installed,...

....you can also read about it here:

http//cquirke.mvps.org/sp2intel.htm

This covers what happens, why, how to tell if your PC will fail this
way before it does, and what to do to get out alive.

--------------- ----- ---- --- -- - - -

Never turn your back on an installer program

 

[Greg R]

Why didn't this happen in beta testing? No one used xp sp2 rc2 on a
prescott cpu?

On Thu, 26 Aug 2004 08:58:12 -0500, "Carey Frisch [MVP]"


...you can also read about it here:

http//cquirke.mvps.org/sp2intel.htm

This covers what happens, why, how to tell if your PC will fail this
way before it does, and what to do to get out alive.


Never turn your back on an installer program

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

 

[RonK]

Hey Cquirke - Your link won't go anywhere.

Agreed - especially now that Windows Update is pushing it (and yes, I
re-tested it that way; it still kills at-risk Prescott systems).

See http//cquirke.mvps.org/sp2intel.htm for a definitive (?) coverage
on this topic - what happens, why, how to tell if your PC will fail
this way before it does, what to do to get out alive.



"I think it's time we took our
friendship to the next level"
'What, gender roles and abuse?'

 

[Howard Harris]

Hey Cquirke - Your link won't go anywhere.

Try this: http://cquirke.mvps.org/sp2intel.htm

 

[Torgeir Bakken \(MVP\)]

On Thu, 26 Aug 2004 08:58:12 -0500, "Carey Frisch [MVP]"




...you can also read about it here:

http//cquirke.mvps.org/sp2intel.htm

Hi

You might want to add a colon in that URL:

http://cquirke.mvps.org/sp2intel.htm

 

[cquirke (MVP Win9x)]

Hey Cquirke - Your link won't go anywhere.

Did I typo it? Let me cut-and-paste test it... ah, OK

http://cquirke.mvps.org/sp2intel.htm

Thanks! Sorry about the colectomy

-------------------- ----- ---- --- -- - - - -

"If I'd known it was harmless, I'd have
killed it myself" (PKD)

 

[cquirke (MVP Win9x)]

Why didn't this happen in beta testing? No one used xp sp2 rc2 on a
prescott cpu?

I missed the beta, so dunno first-hand. Maybe the Prescott they
tested on had an OK BIOS (most likely if it was an Intel-submitted
Intel motherboard system, that's one BIOS that should be OK).

Or maybe by the time Prescott came out, they'd done the "does it
work?" phase and were chasing other details, and didn't pull new PCs.

Or it could be the nature of big-brand-dominated UP PC market (Dell
this, HP that etc.) such that the channel is (and will be) saturated
with existing pre-Prescott stock.

If so, they may see their first Prescotts in bulk later than us here,
who have been building with them from June 2004.


The question that interests me more is; why is SP2 playing so deep
that a processor microcode variance makes a difference?

One possible reason might be the DirectX 9c that ships with SP2, along
with the new code (e.g. new FPU-based pixel shaders) in that.

Prescott has a handful of new opcodes, and it could be that DirectX 9c
makes use of these (if they are present) to get the most oomph in
games. If so, then chances are it will have to query the processor
for these on startup; maybe that's what Update.sys does.

Now; postulate an erratum that causes these opcodes to hang, and/or
the test for these opcodes to hang. These opcodes are never used in
pre-SP2, so no problem if BIOS doesn't "fix" the errata by pushing the
required level of microcode revision. But if, etc.

------------ ----- ---- --- -- - - - -

The most accurate diagnostic instrument
in medicine is the Retrospectoscope

 

[Johnny Lingo]

I was thinking the exact same thing...LOL

If you believe that software can make a piece of hardware mechanically
fail you must also believe in the tooth fairy!

--
Regards:

Richard Urban

aka Crusty (-: Old B@stard

 

[Sam]

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

Life is a risk. Should we not try it?

It would be impossible for Microsoft to create any software that would
be guaranteed to work on the thousands of combinations of hardware,
bios's, drivers and software installations. The prudent thing is to do
a full backup first, clean your system of any viruses/spyware, and
then stop all unnecessary processes before installing SP2...
especially your anti-virus software.

Anyone who doesn't do this shouldn't have been issued their computer
driving license.

Sam

 

[Alias]

Life is a risk. Should we not try it?

Just because life's a risk doesn't mean we should walk out in front of a
truck.

It would be impossible for Microsoft to create any software that would
be guaranteed to work on the thousands of combinations of hardware,
bios's, drivers and software installations. The prudent thing is to do
a full backup first, clean your system of any viruses/spyware, and
then stop all unnecessary processes before installing SP2...
especially your anti-virus software.

The prudent thing for MS to do would be having a link on their WU site that
would lead to INSTRUCTIONS, not post 100s of different obscure kb pages. It
could start something like:

BEFORE YOU DOWNLOAD AND INSTALL THIS SERVICE PACK, PRINT AND READ THE
FOLLOWING INSTRUCTIONS!!!!!

Instead, what does MS do? They recommend Automatic Update with no
instructions whatsoever and normal people click on "install" and their
computer's ****ed up. Nah, it couldn't be MS' fault; it has to be the
"stupid user".

Anyone who doesn't do this shouldn't have been issued their computer
driving license.

Sam

Um, most computer users are just that, users, not techs. Most people want to
use their computer, not configure it. Your arrogance and belittlement of
normal users was uncalled for and not very clever or helpful.

Alias

 

[Barry Watzman]

Keep in mind that when you go into a hospital, you will encounter sick
people. If it's a big hospital, you are going to encounter a LOT of
sick people. That has no bearing on the percentage of the general
population that is sick.

 

[Testy]

And that is of no comfort to the sick!

Testy

Keep in mind that when you go into a hospital, you will encounter sick
people. If it's a big hospital, you are going to encounter a LOT of sick
people. That has no bearing on the percentage of the general population
that is sick.

 

[Johnny Lingo]

DAMN...my TV broke. That damn Bill Gates is such an ass! I connected my
laptop to my TV and it stopped working. It must be Bills fault because my
TV worked just fine before my XP laptop with SP2 touched it!!!!