Virtual PC 2005/WinXP Pro SP2 session crashes when user installs Adobe Flash....

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Peter Barclay - 24 Jun 2008 22:52 GMT

I've been grasping for a fix for this - I have a user whose VirtualPC 2005
session (WinXP Pro SP2) crashes (won't restart) each time they install (what
they tell me) the Adobe Flash player.

Have cleanly reformatted Virtual PC session, turned on undo disks (temporary
solution). Anyone heard of this? I think from what I can piece together
the user goes to install the flash player, the system appears to lock up,
the user restarts the Virtual PC session, and Windows (virtual) fails to
start, something about trashing system files. I don't have more specifics
on the crash other than Adobe Flash Player does not install correctly.
Using BitDefender phree version on the system as well. Virtual PC
extensions installed.

Have you any insights??!?!?

Thanks,

pb

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Colin Barnhorst - 24 Jun 2008 23:15 GMT

With undo disks enabled the user can close the session by right clicking on
the red X in the upper right and recover from the failed installation. He
is presented with a drop down menu on how to close. He can select "Turn off
and delete changes." Then none of the changes in the current session are
written the the virtual hard drive. The vm is returned to the state from
which he started the session. That is how to use undo disks to recover from
a hosed system without having to start all over from scratch.

> I've been grasping for a fix for this - I have a user whose VirtualPC 2005
> session (WinXP Pro SP2) crashes (won't restart) each time they install
[quoted text clipped - 14 lines]
>
> pb

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Peter Barclay - 25 Jun 2008 00:55 GMT

Colin,

Thanks. I know how that works, it's not how to use the undo discs that I
have a problem with.

pb

> With undo disks enabled the user can close the session by right clicking
> on the red X in the upper right and recover from the failed installation.
[quoted text clipped - 22 lines]
>>
>> pb

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Steve Jain - 25 Jun 2008 00:16 GMT

>I've been grasping for a fix for this - I have a user whose VirtualPC 2005
>session (WinXP Pro SP2) crashes (won't restart) each time they install (what
[quoted text clipped - 14 lines]
>
>pb

Is it Virtual PC 2004 or 200? There is no 2005.
What you need to do is complete the OS installation before you turn on
the Undo Drives. After you've completed the OS install, then turn on
the Undo Drive and only then try the adobe flash player install.

Have you tried redownloading the Flash Player?

It sounds like there is a problem with the Flash install or there's a
virus that's trying to infect the system.

Signature

Cheers,
Steve Jain, Virtual Machine MVP
http://vpc.essjae.com/
I do not work for Microsoft.

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Peter Barclay - 25 Jun 2008 01:01 GMT

Steve,

You're probably right. Virtual PC 2004 is what they're using.

I am going to try this myself - I've never used flash player in a virtual
PC/XPPro session. Everything else I saw on it was pristine.

I did format the system, turned on undo discs (and have restored from undo
discs as well).

The situation is difficult to ascertain as I've never seen it done but the
users are quite capable of crashing it. And noone wants to own up to it.

I think it's probably correct to assume that there is a hang on the
installation of Flash Player, the user restarts, and it's pooch foruncation
time afterwards.

I'm going to recreate the vhd today and try installing flash player from
scratch on an unprotected xp pro session.

pb

>>I've been grasping for a fix for this - I have a user whose VirtualPC 2005
>>session (WinXP Pro SP2) crashes (won't restart) each time they install
[quoted text clipped - 26 lines]
> It sounds like there is a problem with the Flash install or there's a
> virus that's trying to infect the system.

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