MS's latest updates from windows update causing system instability?

[Alceryes]

This is a little too much of a coincidence...





About a week and a half ago I reloaded a Dell system (I don't remember the
model) that was taking several minutes to boot up. I couldn't find any
offensive programs from spyware scans and no viruses were found from a
'clean room' scan (pulled the HD and ran the virus scan from a test bed
system). I did notice that under device manager Windows XP had installed **5
different hardware/software network adapters** including - Direct parallel,
and 4 different WAN Miniports (IP, L2TP, PPPOE, and PPTP). Trying to
uninstall these adapters would give me the message, "Failed to uninstall the
device. The device may be required to boot up the computer". Of course I
chalked it up to some Windows XP weirdness and reloaded the system, updating
it as I normally do, (SP2, Windows Updates, hardware drivers, AV,
anti-spyware) with no problems.



* * *

Yesterday, I reloaded an older Toshiba laptop (Satellite A45 series). After
the reload, I installed the redist. ver. of SP2 (the Toshiba reload was only
SP1). I then went to windows update and downloaded the 29 critical updates.
After the updates were installed I was prompted to restart but after the
system cycled I was greeted with nothing but a blank screen. I hard powered
the computer off and back on and it restarted with no problems. I then
proceeded to install other softwares (hardware drivers, AV, anti-spyware)
and again on reboot I was greeted with another blank screen. This happened a
few more times on reboot but seemed to finally correct itself. I tested it
again while typing this, and everything's OK (no extra network adapters).



* * *

Today I installed a new HD in a Dell Dimension 8200 and reloaded it. Again I
updated as usual with SP2 and went to Windows Update to download the 29
critical updates. When the system rebooted, and after the BIOS screen, I got
nothing but a blank screen with no HD access. After Hard powering off and
back on I got the, 'sorry for the inconvenience' message but if I pick 'boot
OS normally' it just gives me the same blank screen with no HD access.
Here's where things get interesting, if I tap F8 I can go into safe mode and
when I view device manager I see THE SAME 5 DIFFERENT HARDWARE/SOFTWARE
NETWORK ADAPTERS and I get the same message, "Failed to uninstall the
device. The device may be required to boot up the computer", if I try to
uninstall them. After rebooting again the system has now been sitting with
the blank screen and no HD activity for over 5 minutes (I don't think it's
going anywhere).







NOTES - I have reloaded tens (probably over 50) systems using the same copy
of SP2 redist. The Dell I reloaded a week and a half ago was the first time
I've experienced these problems (I think these problems are related). I have
reloaded at least 2 or 3 other system using my SOP, within the past week,
with no problems. All of these reloads were done using the original mfg.
CD's/DVD. In all instances I did not load any 3rd party software before
these problems arose (although the Toshiba DVD does load a few 3rd party
proggies). All of these problems occurred after the 29 critical updates from
Windows update.





Please post any questions/comments...
--




"I don't cheat to survive. I cheat to LIVE!!"
- Alceryes

 

[Steve N.]

This is a little too much of a coincidence...





About a week and a half ago I reloaded a Dell system (I don't remember the
model) that was taking several minutes to boot up. I couldn't find any
offensive programs from spyware scans and no viruses were found from a
'clean room' scan (pulled the HD and ran the virus scan from a test bed
system). I did notice that under device manager Windows XP had installed **5
different hardware/software network adapters** including - Direct parallel,
and 4 different WAN Miniports (IP, L2TP, PPPOE, and PPTP). Trying to
uninstall these adapters would give me the message, "Failed to uninstall the
device. The device may be required to boot up the computer". Of course I
chalked it up to some Windows XP weirdness and reloaded the system, updating
it as I normally do, (SP2, Windows Updates, hardware drivers, AV,
anti-spyware) with no problems.



* * *

Yesterday, I reloaded an older Toshiba laptop (Satellite A45 series). After
the reload, I installed the redist. ver. of SP2 (the Toshiba reload was only
SP1). I then went to windows update and downloaded the 29 critical updates.
After the updates were installed I was prompted to restart but after the
system cycled I was greeted with nothing but a blank screen. I hard powered
the computer off and back on and it restarted with no problems. I then
proceeded to install other softwares (hardware drivers, AV, anti-spyware)
and again on reboot I was greeted with another blank screen. This happened a
few more times on reboot but seemed to finally correct itself. I tested it
again while typing this, and everything's OK (no extra network adapters).



* * *

Today I installed a new HD in a Dell Dimension 8200 and reloaded it. Again I
updated as usual with SP2 and went to Windows Update to download the 29
critical updates. When the system rebooted, and after the BIOS screen, I got
nothing but a blank screen with no HD access. After Hard powering off and
back on I got the, 'sorry for the inconvenience' message but if I pick 'boot
OS normally' it just gives me the same blank screen with no HD access.
Here's where things get interesting, if I tap F8 I can go into safe mode and
when I view device manager I see THE SAME 5 DIFFERENT HARDWARE/SOFTWARE
NETWORK ADAPTERS and I get the same message, "Failed to uninstall the
device. The device may be required to boot up the computer", if I try to
uninstall them. After rebooting again the system has now been sitting with
the blank screen and no HD activity for over 5 minutes (I don't think it's
going anywhere).







NOTES - I have reloaded tens (probably over 50) systems using the same copy
of SP2 redist. The Dell I reloaded a week and a half ago was the first time
I've experienced these problems (I think these problems are related). I have
reloaded at least 2 or 3 other system using my SOP, within the past week,
with no problems. All of these reloads were done using the original mfg.
CD's/DVD. In all instances I did not load any 3rd party software before
these problems arose (although the Toshiba DVD does load a few 3rd party
proggies). All of these problems occurred after the 29 critical updates from
Windows update.





Please post any questions/comments...

Install hardware drivers first.

Steve

 

[Alceryes]

Install hardware drivers first.


Actually the Toshiba and Dimension 8200 had full native hardware support
from first boot. The first Dell, I had to install drivers for, but I didn't
have any problems during the reload on that one.
--


"I don't cheat to survive. I cheat to LIVE!!"
- Alceryes

 

[Steve N.]

Actually the Toshiba and Dimension 8200 had full native hardware support
from first boot. The first Dell, I had to install drivers for, but I didn't
have any problems during the reload on that one.

Well, now I'm confused. I thought you said you installed the critical
windows updates and then installed hardware drivers, which is why I
suggested installing the hw drivers first, implying before the critical
updates, in case one or more of the updates conflicts with the
installation of the hw drivers after the updates are in place.

Steve

 

[Alceryes]

Well, now I'm confused. I thought you said you installed the critical

windows updates and then installed hardware drivers, which is why I
suggested installing the hw drivers first, implying before the critical
updates, in case one or more of the updates conflicts with the
installation of the hw drivers after the updates are in place.

Steve

Sorry, I was listing them in parentheses as my normal SOP, not meaning that
I actually did all of these things. Again, the only one I had to install
separate drivers on was the 1st Dell which I didn't have any problems
reloading. I was merely listing it because of the strange Network Adapters
list, which is now duplicated on the unbootable Dimension 8200 that I am
currently working on.



On a side note, why install the hardware drivers first? I understand the
need to install a modem or NIC for internet access, but some drivers also
include a host of other softwares that get installed with them. I usually
try to avoid the installation of extra 3rd party software until I get the
system fully up-to-date.
--



"I don't cheat to survive. I cheat to LIVE!!"
- Alceryes

 

[Steve N.]

Sorry, I was listing them in parentheses as my normal SOP, not meaning that
I actually did all of these things. Again, the only one I had to install
separate drivers on was the 1st Dell which I didn't have any problems
reloading. I was merely listing it because of the strange Network Adapters
list, which is now duplicated on the unbootable Dimension 8200 that I am
currently working on.

"Sorry" not needed. Thanks for clarifying.

On a side note, why install the hardware drivers first?

Maybe habit. See below.

I understand the
need to install a modem or NIC for internet access, but some drivers also
include a host of other softwares that get installed with them. I usually
try to avoid the installation of extra 3rd party software until I get the
system fully up-to-date.

At least install chipset, video and NIC drivers first. Don't trust
"Natively supported" blindly. Even if it works initially after updates
it may not. And you usually don't need to install all the extra
horsesh!t, install JUST the hardware drivers if you can. Sometimes you
gotta dig around a bit with Add New Hardware "Wizard" or Update Driver
under Device Mangler, but there's usually a way to get some core
component drivers installed before trusting a load of M$ updates -
sometimes you get more than you asked for from them, even those marked
"Critical". Review updates before installing.

Steve