pcrcs scribbled:
Yes, Max, the computer in question is a Dell Dimension
8200 running Windows XP Home (TMX23 8H2H3 27W9H GX6FT
BJ98W).
Ummm it is NOT a good idea to be posting XP activation keys in public forums
like this. (It's like giving someone your passwords, PIN number for your
credit card, etc....)
Has it ever had Windows 2000 installed on it? (and been upgraded/downgraded
to XP HE)
The customer was on the internet when the Windows
Update balloon popped up saying there were critical
updates to download. She checked the first one in the
first list, critical update list, and downloaded it.
She
said it only took about 8 minutes, the computer had to be
robooted, then Outlook Express was no longer available,
and Norton Antivirus was gone, and then I found other
errors as well. When I checked the update list in the
Add/Remove list, the only update showing the date of the
problem was the Q323172 hotfix.
Did you log on to the update website and check to see what updates had been
downloaded and *successfully* installed?
MS released a later version of q323172 that does refer to XP (along with
W2000, and NT)
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?kbid=323172
As to OE and Norton no longer being available that is most likely a symptom
of the incorrect update being installed, or this possibility:
<quote>
MS02-048: Flaw in Certificate Enrollment Control May Cause Digital
Certificates to Be Deleted
Applies To
This article was previously published under Q323172
SYMPTOMS
The versions of Microsoft Windows that are listed in the "Applies to"
section of this article include an ActiveX control that is known as the
Certificate Enrollment control. This control is located in the Xenroll.dll
binary. Windows uses this control to allow Web-based certificate enrollments
and to submit PKCS #10-compliant certificate requests. When this control
receives the requested certificate, it stores the certificate in the user's
local certificate store, which is part of the user profile.
The Certificate Enrollment control contains a flaw that may allow a Web
page, by using an extremely complex process, to run the control in a way
that deletes the certificates on a user's system. An attacker who
successfully exploits this vulnerability may be able to delete trusted root
certificates, EFS encryption certificates, e-mail signing certificates, and
any other certificates on the computer, thereby preventing the user from
using these features.
An attack may be carried out in either of the following scenarios:
a.. The attacker may create a Web page that exploits the vulnerability,
and then host this page on a Web site to attack users who visit this site.
b.. The attacker may send the page as an HTML e-mail message as a way to
attack the recipient.
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?kbid=323172
<end quote>
There is a slight possibility that her computer was 'attacked' and the
certificates (refered to above) where deleted thereby removing access to OE.
Norton, etc.
