SP3 corrupted computer?

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Rick S. - 23 May 2008 15:55 GMT

The title says it all, with all the things gone wrong with my system and
exhausting any avenues I can think of for a cause I believe SP3 has literally
corrupted my computer to the point that it is unstable and unusable.

Here is a partial list of weird problems:
1. MS Paint no longer will open any files other than BMP files
2. I can not install most software with out a fatal install crash or after
the install the software will not function without a crash.
3. IE7 crashes at will, note: 90% of the time its a Microsoft website. Go
figure. eh!
4. I cannot un-install or re-install windows components, it goes thru the
steps but changes nothing.

My latest attempt to resolve at least one issue was met with a brick wall,
although many honestly tried to help
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone/newsgroups/reader.mspx?dg=microsof
t.public.windowsxp.help_and_support&mid=53a90454-93de-4c68-89e3-7b1296f68f81&slo
c=en-us

My queries to find answers have not turned up anything useful in the last 6
days!.

Now I am thinking of un-installing SP3 (puts on special computer wave
generating brain deflector), who has had experience completing this? Success
and or failure stories gladly accepted.

I would like to determine a path of recovery now rather than a fix.

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Regards

XP Pro
Office 2007

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Twayne - 23 May 2008 16:36 GMT

> The title says it all, with all the things gone wrong with my system
> and exhausting any avenues I can think of for a cause I believe SP3
[quoted text clipped - 22 lines]
>
> I would like to determine a path of recovery now rather than a fix.

In reality SP3 is only SP2 with all its hotfixes so technically you
could do fine with SP2 and the updates as long as you have SP2 on a disk
handy.

If you haven't checked the details on installing SP3 on the MS site you
really should because they have some important information in them.

Also, in some cases, e.g. AMD cpu's, there does seem to be problems for
sure and there are a couple other issues many people are finding but
which are manageable for some, n ot so for others.
Personally I downloaded SP3 but I'm waiting for its first hot fix
before I bother to use it. Like any other prog, I wait to see if there
will be any 'fixes' before I bother looking too closely at them.

HTH

Twayne

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Kenny - 23 May 2008 16:52 GMT

I installed SP3 on a laptop and desktop PC's.
No problem on the desktop but the wireless LAN on laptop wouldn't work after
SP3. No amount of re-installing drivers etc. would rectify it.
Luckily I had made an image using True Image and was able to restore it to
before SP3.

Signature

Kenny Cargill

>> The title says it all, with all the things gone wrong with my system
>> and exhausting any avenues I can think of for a cause I believe SP3
[quoted text clipped - 39 lines]
>
> Twayne

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Lem - 23 May 2008 17:19 GMT

> The title says it all, with all the things gone wrong with my system and
> exhausting any avenues I can think of for a cause I believe SP3 has literally
[quoted text clipped - 21 lines]
>
> I would like to determine a path of recovery now rather than a fix.

"Free unlimited installation and compatibility support is available for
Windows XP, but only for Service Pack 3 (SP3)."

Go to
http://support.microsoft.com/oas/default.aspx?ln=en-us&prid=11273&gprid=522131

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Lem -- MS-MVP

To the moon and back with 2K words of RAM and 36K words of ROM.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apollo_Guidance_Computer
http://history.nasa.gov/afj/compessay.htm

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Rick S. - 23 May 2008 20:13 GMT

Twayne
This was a company wide install; simply was not in my hands to make a
decision. As it is, we have a couple of stubborn systems that just did not
like SP3. Like mine for instance. At home, I have avoided SP3 due to
information I have read prior to this problem.

Kenny
I envy you! LOL
I wish they would have done that as well. :shrug:

Lem
This is the first new information I have received, Thanks!

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Regards

XP Pro
Office 2007

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MowGreen [MVP] - 23 May 2008 23:57 GMT

Rick,

It 'sounds' like the antivirus software was actively monitoring the
system and caused registry corruption when SP3 was applied.
Norton Internet Security and other Symantec 'products' have been
identified as doing just that.
Here's Symantec's spin on the issue:
http://www.computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&articleI
d=9088598&source=NLT_AM&nlid=1

I don't buy Symantec's spin as most AVs do not have the issue. The
registry becomes corrupted due to it being guarded by Symantec products
that edit Permissions. Installation issues with Security updates have
also arisen from this 'guarding' of the registry.
Reliable and trustworthy security software needs to be able to know how
Windows functions. Apparently, Symantec feels that learning how Windows
works is less important than imposing their vision of how they want
their software to work.
No one buys a computer to run security software, they buy it to use the
computer.

Microsoft already has a KB article that recommends AV software be
disabled when SP3 is applied. It should be the first window a User sees
when applying SP3, not stuck away in a KB:

Steps to take before you install Windows XP Service Pack 3
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/950717

As Lem has already pointed out, contact MS.

MowGreen [MVP 2003-2008]
===============
*-343-* FDNY
Never Forgotten
===============

> Twayne
> This was a company wide install; simply was not in my hands to make a
[quoted text clipped - 8 lines]
> Lem
> This is the first new information I have received, Thanks!

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Rick S. - 29 May 2008 16:38 GMT

Thanks to all that replied!
Unfortunately the problems are to complex to fix (including costs) and we
are scrapping this system (reformat HD) and re-installing XP Pro.

Control-ALT-Sledgehammer
Re-format complete!
LOL

Signature

Regards

XP Pro
Office 2007

> Rick,
>
[quoted text clipped - 43 lines]
> > Lem
> > This is the first new information I have received, Thanks!

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