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Hi again. Yesterday I dropped a question here regarding system lock-ups possibly caused by updating my OS (Win XP Pro).
I got so sick of the problems so I did a clean install. After the format and OS-install, I installed SP 1. Only third party program I installed was the Firefox browser. Everything was fine for a couple of hours, that is until I decided to download and install the other vital updates for XP.
Guess what? Just a couple of minutes after I had installed all the necesarry updates for XP, I had my first system lock-ups. I had a few more during the next hours, until I decided to do a system roolback to a point before these last updates.
Now everthing works fine, but having a non-update OS is making my system wide open for anyone is a tradeoff I could do without.
It is obvious that one or more of the OS-updates is causing my system to freeze up. How do I solve this problem?
Please help.
Thanks.
First, reverse the order; install the critical updates first, then install SP1.Second, you might try installing the updates incrementally, rather than several at once. (Some MS updates are designed to be installed alone, specified as such at the site, and can only be downloaded that way.)
Again, try an incremental approach; one update at a time. After each installation, reboot your PC--even if it's not required/suggested at the MS site. You'll eventually find the culprit. Yes, it will take some time, especially if you're on dial-up, but it will work.
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JP,
I didn't see you mentioning anything about using Internet Explorer to access WU. Try it with this URL
http://v5.windowsupdate.microsoft.com/v5consumer/default.aspx?ln=en-us
i_XpUser
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Thanks for replying Anvil. Just a few things regarding reversing the order:
My reasoning for installing SP1 first is that
1)SP1 has never caused any problems
2)I have SP1 on CD so I don't have to download it
3)I suppose the content of SP1 is older than the updates I get from using Windows Update after installing SP1Sorry if I am a bit slow, but could you expand a bit on the reason for reversing the install order?
Thanks.
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I had the same problem with a client's PC months ago (although he was running Home, not Pro). I reversed the order and everything's been fine since. As for the reason why, I'm not sure. Perhaps, since SP1 already has a number of updates rolled up into it, it's better to install it over some critical updates, rather than trying to install a handful of separate updates over a large roll up.Just a guess on my part, but look at it this way. Since the release of XP, many separate updates came before SP1. For most users, that was the order of installation--individual updates, then SP1. Those who had fully updated PCs, didn't need everything which was rolled up into SP1.
That said, my instinct also says that the order of installation shouldn't matter if everything is coded properly. Of course, therein lies the rub.
Incidentally, another route you might consider is installing SP2, since SP1 is already rolled up into it, plus other updates. Get the CD free from Microsoft. I've installed SP2 on a half dozen boxes with nary a problem.
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Hi JP,
I was kinda bored this morning and decided to recreate your situation. First of all, Firefox is my other browser.
I used firefox to access http://v5.windowsupdate.microsoft.com/v5consumer/default.aspx?ln=en-us.
The Windows Update site immediately changed the URL to http://v4.windowsupdate.microsoft.com/en/thanks.asp(/i>, with the following message:
Thank you for your interest in Windows Update
Windows Update is the online extension of Windows that helps you get the most out of your computer.
You need to be running a version of Internet Explorer 5 or higher in order to use Windows Update.
Download the latest version of Internet Explorer
Once Internet Explorer is installed, you can go to the Windows Update site by typing http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com into the address bar of Internet Explorer.
If you prefer to use a different Web browser, updates to Windows may be downloaded from the Microsoft Download Center.
Hence, to avoid problems with WU, always use IE!
i_XpUser
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Correction - My Lousy HTML above :-( (time for my coffee!)
Hi JP,
I was kinda bored this morning and decided to recreate your situation. First of all, Firefox is my other browser.
I used firefox to access http://v5.windowsupdate.microsoft.com/v5consumer/default.aspx?ln=en-us.
The Windows Update site immediately changed the URL to http://v4.windowsupdate.microsoft.com/en/thanks.asp, with the following message:
Thank you for your interest in Windows Update
Windows Update is the online extension of Windows that helps you get the most out of your computer.
You need to be running a version of Internet Explorer 5 or higher in order to use Windows Update.
Download the latest version of Internet Explorer
Once Internet Explorer is installed, you can go to the Windows Update site by typing http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com into the address bar of Internet Explorer.
If you prefer to use a different Web browser, updates to Windows may be downloaded from the Microsoft Download Center.
Hence, to avoid problems with WU, always use IE!
i_XpUser
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XpUser, unless I mis-read JP's original post, downloading updates is not his problem. It's getting them to run properly--not lock up his PC--after they're installed.
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SmilinJack,
You may be right but JP mentioned in his first post Only third party program I installed was the Firefox browser. This allured me to presuppose that the problem was using firefox at WU. Or maybe I'm mistaken :-(
i_XpUser
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XpUser, I see your point; corrupted downloads come to mind.
But I've never been able to download anything from WU using Firefox. Only IE and IE-based browsers (Avant, etc.). I'm not sure the mere presence of Firefox on his HDD would have any effect.
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Hi SmilinJack,
Thanks. The other thing that came to my mind: pirated XP. I hope this is not the case with JP.
i_XpUser
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But I've never been able to download anything from WU using Firefox. Only IE and IE-based browsers (Avant, etc.).
SmilinJack,
The analogy of this is...
IE is the only shuttle space ship authorized by the Mother Ship XP to access Windows Updater site for automatic updates.
i_XpUser
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Windows Update was done with IE, not Firefox. The only reason I mentioned third party program was to make clear that there couldn't possibly be any application causing the lock-ups.
Trying to download the updates with any other browser than IE is obviously not possible. I downloaded with IE and installation was smooth. The lock-ups started after installing the updates. Sorry if I my first post was a bit unclear.
Btw, why would pirated XP come to mind..?
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My reckoning wasn't aimed at you or anyone else for that matter. One thing I know is that one of the biggesty cause of users having problem with US is due to pirated XP. As I said earlier, I didn't think you were one of them ... based on your past participation in this forum. Let's put this aside and just concentrate on what could be causing the lockup...
i_XpUser
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JP,
I think this may help. Turn on the Event viewer. It will start recording all activities leading up to the time the PC freeze - something that you can analyze for troubleshooting.
i_XpUser
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Rather than go piecemeal with the updates, I'd go with DataAnvil's suggestion and install SP2. Then, after it's been running smoothly for a week or so, blow out SP2's backup files and reclaim the HDD space it used during installation.
My primary drive is a 40 gig Maxtor, which had 89% free space before SP2. After I installed SP2 and did the clean up, I still had 89%. :)
Transmitter 99X
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SP2 only takes up 1.2 gigs of space in its intirety.
The biggest problem with SP2 is the driver issues. SP2 was SPECIFICLY designed to look at all driver files and REMOVE the noted troublesome drivers. They are not replaced and in itself causes major lock ups and conflicts. Thus everyone should be updating all driver files BEFORE updating to SP2.IN THE MATTERS OF STYLE,
swim with the current;
in matters of principle,
STAND LIKE A ROCK
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I've had nothing but problems after SP2. My machine locks up during Windows Explorer usage and IE browsing. It freezes usually about 3-5 min at a time. Ctr-alt-del does nothing. May be time for a rollback.
On the other hand, my FreeBSD box is running without a glitch. If only Mickeysoft was so clean.
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