Installing Windows XP Service Pack 3 sends some PCs into an endless series of reboots, according to posts to a Microsoft support forum.
Jesper Johansson, a former program manager for security policy at Microsoft and a prominent Windows blogger, has worked with users to tentatively identify the problem as involving only machines using processors from Advanced Micro Devices.
Messages from frustrated users began accumulating on the XP SP3 support newsgroup Wednesday, just a day after Microsoft released the update to the general public.
"I just installed Windows XP SP3 and after completing the processes and when the system reboots, the system cannot proceed to load the Windows," said a user labeled as "Olin" in a message that kicked off a long thread. "It just displays the flash screen of Windows then after it reboots again.
Most users who left messages on the forum said that they were unable to boot into Windows Safe mode.
View: ComputerWorld
Jesper Johansson, a former program manager for security policy at Microsoft and a prominent Windows blogger, has worked with users to tentatively identify the problem as involving only machines using processors from Advanced Micro Devices.
Messages from frustrated users began accumulating on the XP SP3 support newsgroup Wednesday, just a day after Microsoft released the update to the general public.
"I just installed Windows XP SP3 and after completing the processes and when the system reboots, the system cannot proceed to load the Windows," said a user labeled as "Olin" in a message that kicked off a long thread. "It just displays the flash screen of Windows then after it reboots again.
Most users who left messages on the forum said that they were unable to boot into Windows Safe mode.
View: ComputerWorld
I'd always backup and do a clean install with a slipstreamed copy of XP.
Where I work im not pushing SP3 out via WSUS. Im slowelly deploying it as I load/reload computers.
I have a AMD 5600+ and this happened to me, it turned out I didn't download the final build. Don't know how I got the previous build but it even said that it wasn't a final build in the My Computer. I found and installed the Final Build of SP3 and even thoe I had fixed the previous error. It never appeared again.
This isn't all all around AMD issue people.
My suggestion just check your My Computer, make sure it just says Service Pack 3 and no build numbers.
I have a AMD 5600+ and this happened to me, it turned out I didn't download the final build. Don't know how I got the previous build but it even said that it wasn't a final build in the My Computer. I found and installed the Final Build of SP3 and even thoe I had fixed the previous error. It never appeared again.
This isn't all all around AMD issue people.
My suggestion just check your My Computer, make sure it just says Service Pack 3 and no build numbers.
build 5503 and 5508 both did not show a build number in the my computer properties looked the same as a RTM SP3 at first glance.
Maybe some of the AMD users are effected, I've updated three AMD systems in my home. A socket 754 , Two socket 939 systems, none had the infinite reboot issue after installing RTM build of SP3. (systems running for two years or more no re-installs in between!
Maybe it socket AM2 and or AM2+ related? (no experience with socket AM2 can't confirm it.)
Or maybe it's related to some software application each of the AMD users had/ have in common...
Last edited by andy2004 on 09 May 2008 - 11:04
If you did your research you would see thats the mouse and keyboard ps/2 port driver. Have you tried using a new mouse or keyboard. Maybe one of those went bad? IF you use usb keyboards and mice have you tried turning of the ps/2 ports in your bios?
Ever heard of google.com?
http://thehotfixshare.net/board/index.php?showtopic=3325
If you did your research you would see thats the mouse and keyboard ps/2 port driver. Have you tried using a new mouse or keyboard. Maybe one of those went bad? IF you use usb keyboards and mice have you tried turning of the ps/2 ports in your bios?
yup i know that, just keeping my post short. Yeah ive put a new mouse and keyboard on the system so will see if it happens again. But still its poor and sloppy programming. It was a microsoft mouse and keyboard i had on there but usb. Ive got another microsoft mouse and keyboard ps/2 which ive just put on. As for researching google, even if i got the hotfix sp1 has later files than the hotfix. Point is the hotfix and sp1 dont fix it. Funny enough researching google shows this error has been around since windows 2000. Again poor sloppy programming from Microsoft.
So for you, either hang tight for a few months until the patch is fully tested and made public and try that, or open a support case and hope you are right about what is causing the problem. (I say hope, because if it turns out the problem is a 3rd party driver then don’t expect a refund).
On the 2-year old HP Athon 3500+ slimline PC the Windows Update installer downloaded and installed a 66MB SP3 file. That sent the PC into reboot hell but I was able to get to safe mode to do a system restore back to the SP2 working configuration.
Microsoft is doing a LOUSY job lately programming and testing properly service packs. If people continue to trash their machines just applying packs and security updates direct from microsoft, I can understand why people get fed-up with windows and start migrating to Apple (which have their own issues too admittedly).
It's VERY frustrating for the average owner AND the IT guys like me.
Last edited by Bearzilla on 09 May 2008 - 11:46
How about you tell me 1 major update for any OS that DID NOT worked 90% of the time.
Dear god.
There used to be a handful of compatability problems with badly coded applications way way back in the K6 era.. those days are long gone, and whilst AMD have lost out to Intel on the performance stakes, the Athlon processors are still excellent chips.
Try taking the fanboy hat off once in a while and trying other technologies - you limit yourself by only restricting yourself to specific technologies by specific vendors.
XPSP3 so far is great. Its really quick, smooth, and no weird glitches or hiccups yet at all. And I just can't believe how much faster XP is on the same hardware compared to Vista.
but seriously this should've been picked up in the testing phase
ok.. unsure how i managed to post as a guest...
but seriously this should've been picked up in the testing phase
ok.. unsure how i managed to post as a guest...
lol guest post... to the coderatormobile!
Whatever it is, I feel sorry for those guys. Hope MS gets it sorted soon.
The actual download and install was a long enough pain in the rear though!! Did it manually through the Windows update site.
Just did main machine a little bit ago.
Don't notice ANY performance gain or anything different really, other than it re-started a few services I had disabled.
Should add that ALL machines are dual booting Windows and Linux.
Last edited by cork1958 on 09 May 2008 - 13:13
It seems to be getting worse in both Hardware and Software
OMG THE WORLD IS ENDING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
THE APOCALYPSE IS NEAR, ALL WE CAN DO IS TRY TO ENJOY OUR LAST MOMENTS ON EARTH!!!!!!!
No it means that some people have found issues with XP's SP3.
"OMG THE WORLD IS ENDING..."
Not to worry! I have a solution for you. Try this:
1. Look up from the screen.
2. Turn your head from side to side as much as possible.
3. If you cannot see a door, stand up and repeat #2 until you find a door.
4. Put your hand on the doorknob and turn it.
5. Follow steps 2-4 until you open a door that leads to the outside world.
6. Verify that the world is still out there.
7. Return to your screen if you wish. Do not hesitate to follow the steps above again if you feel the world is ending because of a news post on Neowin.
No it means that some people have found issues with XP's SP3.
"OMG THE WORLD IS ENDING..."
Not to worry! I have a solution for you. Try this:
1. Look up from the screen.
2. Turn your head from side to side as much as possible.
3. If you cannot see a door, stand up and repeat #2 until you find a door.
4. Put your hand on the doorknob and turn it.
5. Follow steps 2-4 until you open a door that leads to the outside world.
6. Verify that the world is still out there.
7. Return to your screen if you wish. Do not hesitate to follow the steps above again if you feel the world is ending because of a news post on Neowin.
Simpsons bully voice: "HA HA!"
Tip: Remember, do not press "Submit My Comment", until you are fully convinced the world is ending.
Test first, deploy second.
And for the home users:
Backup first, then deploy.
Running the intelppm.sys driver on an AMD-powered PC isn't normally an issue, but on the first reboot after a service pack installation, it causes "a big problem," Johansson said. The machine either fails to boot or crashes and immediately reboots.
Source
So far, WinXP SP3 final build 5512 has not wrecked any of my Pentium 3 computers. no endless reboot problems either. I did encounter one blue screen error with the ks.sys file while surfing the internet when using XP SP3 but that error never came back as I replaced the faulty ks.sys file with a clean copy from the full XP SP3 standalone package. phew!
AMD-powered PCs should be using the amdk6.sys or akdk7.sys driver, NOT the intelppm.sys driver. And the intelppm.sys driver is for mobile computers (aka. laptops). Using the wrong processor driver on an AMD-based computer can make it unstable and in some cases, cause it to crash.
Since the amdk8.sys driver is not included in XP SP3, you need to obtain updated AMD processor drivers here:
http://www.amd.com/us-en/Processors/Techni...182_871,00.html
and possibly AMD motherboard updates
That error is easy to fix, since you can still boot into safe mode with this error. From there, you start regedit, and go to the following key :-
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Intelppm
then change the Start value on the right to 4, and reboot. That's it !
But apparently there are other errors too, and if the pc can't get to safe mode I'd say you're affected by a different one from this.
I've got mine on about the hundredth restart, so it should last me about a month or so. Just hold down the shift key and hit Control+End to stop the cycle.
Yeah, I'm kidding - put that torch down.
I haven't had any issues with the SP3 install yet - it was a nice easy upgrade on my laptop and I run plenty of software on it. No breaking of VMware bridges or anything either. Good stuff so far
This e-mail is not to insult anyone but I'm tired of people posting bad info. Worse yet, I'm tired of people thrash talking. Be nice, polite and ask questions. Also to the ones that are having issues, Don't get insulted when someone ask you a question. SP3 forever!!!
http://msinfluentials.com/blogs/jesper/arc...ing-xp-sp3.aspx
Please be more specific,this confuses people and makes them think XP is screwed up with Service pack wich is NOT!
I wonder now many of these issues would be fixed if SP3 were installed via the RunOnce method, rather from a running OS?
For those who do not know the RunOnce method is a two step update process,
1. Run the following command to unpack the full offline SP3 installer into a temporary folder:
"WindowsXP-KB936929-SP3-x86-ENU.exe" /passive /X:c:\sp3temp
2. Merge the following .REG file into the running XP OS;
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnce]
"sp3"="C:\\sp3temp\\i386\\update\\update.exe /passive /forcerestart /o /f"
Then reboot the PC and before XP loads the SP3 installer will run and update the OS.
This means that none of the programs which could interfere with the SP3 install will be running, such as AV software or similar.
Once SP3 is installed and you confirm you have a have a working SP3 system you can then delete the C:\SP3TEMP folder.
Kind Regards
Simon
but for most of us, is better to deploy it as a clean install instead of upgrading. this always work, unless there is something really bad with a service pack.
Not saying this bug doesn't exists, in fact Bink reported that MS was aware of the "key no longer works" in some cases if XP SP3 was integrated on Vista (at least 2-3 builds before the final).
I always make a habit of doing SP's on a clean install and then a clean (dos) ghost backup.
Edit: I forgot to mention he had an Asus A8N32-SLI motherboard.
unless i format i wont put SP3, in my laptop case i guess i have to stay with vista sp1 =/
Just to say that I now have XP Prof SP3 running on my AMD64 3000+ Asus AN8E desktop.
The installation of this did not go all that smoothly. After a few attempts (including slipstreaming XP disk twice) I eventually managed it after slipstreaming a 3rd time (this time using only the command line in Windows XP computer).
Problems that have surfaced at the moment is that the DVD drives (1x DVD Rom & 1x DVDRam-RW) will not retain the changed drive letters (I always set these to V & W to keep them out of the way but have tried a wide variety of drive letters to no avail)) after a reboot (either warm or cold) As this is always one of the first task I carry out when installing an OS it was instantly noticed. All HDD partition DO retain changed drive letters so on it is only DVD drives with this problem. Tried every trick I can think of but nothing works for this.
Another issue (niggle for me but possible serious for some folks) was that I was not given the choice of setting up a user account at installation and windows booted directly into the Administrators account. I just added second account so this was overcome. As a test to see if I had made a mistake at installation I re-installed again with the same result.
All in all not to much bother as I use Acronis for image backups so was secure in knowledge that I could be up and running in next to no time with existing OS
I will be attempting with my Asus F3Sr laptop (they do not support XP on this model but it can be done) this coming week which I am NOT looking forward to (At present it has that obnoxious thing called vista on it) But as Asus provide both recovery partition and CD's I have this fall back as well as images.
May 10
Easy fix for SP3 reboot loop
after It happened to me, it was painfully obvious what has happened.
SP3 installs it updates GDI32.dll to version 5.1.2600.3300 (xpsp.080125-202
To make sure this doesn't happen, just after you install SP3 DO NOT REBOOT. LOL, ok not really, just don't reboot yet. Open my computer. go to C:\Windows\System32 it will normally say that these files are hidden, just close the big link in the center to show all. Then click search and when it finds C:\Windows\System32\gdi32.dll rename it to old.gdi32.dll and then go to C:\Windows and search for gd32.dll and there will be one called C:\WINDOWS\ServicePackFiles\i386\gdi32.dll right click on this file and copy it. go back to C:\Windows\System32\ and right click and paste.
NOW you can reboot and it will not go into a reboot loop.
Your welcome.
Below is what you will see
I have a totally up to date version of XP without SP3 and I have version 5.1.2600.3316 of that file
I've now installed SP3 without problems and that file is at version 5.1.2600.5512.
Last edited by lardboy on 11 May 2008 - 08:48
SP3 is RTM, there will be "no more builds"
SP3 is RTM, there will be "no more builds"
There may or may not be a version bump, but there will be another version out soon which will fix the compatibility issue with Dynamics.
Well, atleast that's what MS's stand is on the matter so far.
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