Critical Update for windows XP (KB8856216)

[dave holbon]

Critical Update for windows XP (KB8856216).

Anyone had any problems with this update which was automatically downloaded and keeps crashing my machine which was working perfectly before?

 

[apu95]

no problems here...downloaded it a couple of hours ago, system works fine.
use system restore, that download makes one b4 installing itself

 

[Mainframeguy]

Just curiosity, but what is that KB - any chance of a link? I tried checking for updates (none) and so then did a M$ KB search on that number (not found)... at which point I thought I might as well ask.

 

[American Zombie]

That is not a valid KB number as they are only 6 numbers long.
KB123456

 

[dave holbon]

Hmm….. Slight typo in the number I supplied, should have been (KB885626): -

This non-security critical update helps resolve an issue where a limited number of systems running a BIOS without production support for Intel Pentium 4 and Intel Celeron D processors based on Prescott C-0 Stepping can potentially hang on Windows XP Service Pack 2 installation. After you install this update, you may have to restart your computer. Details...

 

[Dublex]

dave holbon, if the update is causing the crashes then you can uninstall the hotfix which will revert your system back to its previous state. Just goto Add/Remove programs, look for the XP Hotfix number in the installed program list and remove it.

 

[damnyank]

Dave - I haven't had too much time to look into this - but I updated the wife's system to SP2 without any problem (about a month ago) and that same Windows update comes up as required on her already updated SP2 system - I am tempted to just blow it off - however I did find this: http://cquirke.mvps.org/sp2intel.htm#Prescott] which may provide some information for you!

 

[Terrahertz]

Dave - I haven't had too much time to look into this - but I updated the wife's system to SP2 without any problem (about a month ago) and that same Windows update comes up as required on her already updated SP2 system - I am tempted to just blow it off - however I did find this: http://cquirke.mvps.org/sp2intel.htm#Prescott] which may provide some information for you!

Thanks for that info.

 

[dave holbon]

I already have service pack 2 installed but to do this had to revert to service pack 1 (as service pack 2 resulted in chaos) so I removed all the intervening updates as Microsoft told me to. Service pack 2 installed with no errorrs. However this new update downloaded to my machine automatically and it does not appear in installed updates so it can’t be uninstalled, jut keeps trying to install every boot which hangs the machine.

Machine details are: - (This is not my normal computer which I have given to my son pending me getting this new one working)


Name : Version 1.00
Manufacturer : American Megatrends Inc.
Version : AMIINT - 10
SerialNumber : 00000000
ReleaseDate : 09 / 16 / 2004
Target Operating System : Unknown
Language : English
Status : OK

Name : Intel(R) Pentium(R) 4 CPU 3.00GHz
Description: x86 Family 15 Model 3 Stepping 3
Manufacturer : GenuineIntel
Version : Model 3, Stepping 3
DataWidth : 32 Bits
Socket Designation : FC-478
Type : Central Processor
CPU Id : BFEBFBFF08000F33
CPU Family : Unknown
CPU Stepping : 3
Load Percentage : 4 %
Max ClockSpeed : 3000 MHz
Current ClockSpeed : 3000 MHz
External Clock : 200 MHz
Upgrade Method : undefined
L2 Cache Size : 0 Kb
Display Availability : Running/Full Power
PowerManagement Supported : false
Status : OK

Name : Intel(R) Pentium(R) 4 CPU 3.00GHz
Description: x86 Family 15 Model 3 Stepping 3
Manufacturer : GenuineIntel
Version : Model 3, Stepping 3
DataWidth : 32 Bits
Socket Designation : FC-478
Type : Central Processor
CPU Id : BFEBFBFF08000F33
CPU Family : Unknown
CPU Stepping : 3
Load Percentage : 0 %

Max ClockSpeed : 3000 MHz
Current ClockSpeed : 3000 MHz
External Clock : 200 MHz
Upgrade Method : undefined
L2 Cache Size : 0 Kb
Display Availability : Running/Full Power
PowerManagement Supported : false
Status : OK

Name : Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition|C:\WINDOWS|\Device\Harddisk0\Partition1
Description: 244h0243Z8
Manufacturer : Microsoft Corporation
Version : 5.1.2600
CSD Version : Service Pack 2, v.2120
Windows Directory : C:\WINDOWS
System Directory : C:\WINDOWS\system32
System BootDevice : \Device\HarddiskVolume1
Total Virtual Memory : 2097024 KB
Total Visible Memory : 523756 KB
Free Physical Memory : 245056 KB
Free Virtual Memory : 2067664 KB
Build Type : Multiprocessor Free
LastBootUpTime : 10 / 07 / 2004
Current Time Zone : Paris , Belgrade , West Central Africa
Install Date : 09 / 27 / 2004
SerialNumber : 55285-011-6923276-21884
Status : OK

Any Ideas?

 

[dave holbon]

Dave - I haven't had too much time to look into this - but I updated the wife's system to SP2 without any problem (about a month ago) and that same Windows update comes up as required on her already updated SP2 system - I am tempted to just blow it off - however I did find this: http://cquirke.mvps.org/sp2intel.htm#Prescott] which may provide some information for you!

Yes this does look promising. However as Iv'e never used an MSI board before with this type of processor i'm begining to wonder if the board and CPU are compatable?

 

[dave holbon]

Even stranger is that I thought that I would traverse the system logs to see what was going on so through control panel clicked on administrative tools and was asked for a password? This has never happened before and I had to assign myself and my already supplied password in order to access the files after a re-boot. I know it’s not a virus or other downloaded infestation as I use Kasperskey, Ad-Aware and SpyBot before I access the internet. XP also informed me that now no one else could access administrative tools.

Am I going mad?

 

[American Zombie]

This is why I have auto update on BUT set to Notify me but don't automatically download or install them.
This way I can check on what the update is before downloading/installing it.

 

[Mainframeguy]

was the extra user name/password prompt post-sp2? Have you rolled back before sp2? Have you taken latest BIOS (from Yanks link that MAY help, but no particular guarantees)? So far as being prompted for user/password for Admin this is not something I have experienced either before or post-SP2, so whilst I do not question your sanity I cannot help there (although it is conceivable with SP2 they wanted tighter security over admin and write functions required this since I have only used read ones).

It sounds to me the way forward for you is to go back then reapply sp2 and disable the automatic updates feature, as Zombie said - pending requisite micro-code for your processor.

Oh, and of course, raise it as an issue with M$

 

[dave holbon]

was the extra user name/password prompt post-sp2? Have you rolled back before sp2? Have you taken latest BIOS (from Yanks link that MAY help, but no particular guarantees)? So far as being prompted for user/password for Admin this is not something I have experienced either before or post-SP2, so whilst I do not question your sanity I cannot help there (although it is conceivable with SP2 they wanted tighter security over admin and write functions required this since I have only used read ones).

It sounds to me the way forward for you is to go back then reapply sp2 and disable the automatic updates feature, as Zombie said - pending requisite micro-code for your processor.

Oh, and of course, raise it as an issue with M$

All restore points before and after SP2 are missing. I have attempted to restore to two days ago which was the last restore point availably, restore failed (as did to any other restore points after). This is a brand new machine only had for a couple of weeks.

All audio and video codec’s have also gone (strange this). Micro code update has now appeared as installed even though when you try to uninstall it XP reports that is not installed. The system thinks that I now have two separate CPU’s, looks like a total disaster to me. However the machine is running very quickly possibly 20% quicker than before so I checked the BIOS settings and everything is standard (which it certainly was not two day ago) with no over-clocking.

Even stranger the login to administrator tools has vanished without trace. CPU temp is 49c or thereabouts (now normal). This must be a virus related problem even though I’ve scanned the machine using Kasperskey; no other explanation now fits the facts unless someone knows better possibly lurking in a hidden partition which Partition Magic 8 can’t detect. I have spent two weeks setting this machine up it was supplied by a major operator in the UK who for some reason know only to themselves installed a batch of spyware which I removed. This was supplied by the company I work for; do they really need key loggers and information about every site you visit to be directed to their servers? I suspect that this is the cause and tomorrow will use the hard drive manufactures utility to scrub the drive, re-partition it and re-install XP but not before I have found the culprit which I will report back here.

 

[Mainframeguy]

interesting - so Bios and microcode were not involved one surmises...

This is especially interesting to hear on someone elses rig - not an experience I would care for! Although in this particular instance it seems (strangely) that Intel processors are the ones caught out, not the AMD 64's!

 

[dave holbon]

My personal view is that the microcode update broke the camels back so to speak. By this I mean that some applications on my machine “fell over” during the install and these happen to have been hidden form view i.e. spyware or whatever and by the way a Trojan now found by Kasperskey which was not detected before was removed by Kasperskey but no trance in its logs can be detected of this event, XP at least now functions again. Re-installed the codec’s and all ok here. I have looked at the Kasperskey logs and it has reported only password protected directories (folders) most I knew about the rest I deleted in safe mode. Machine now running o.k. but slower.

The following was supplied by Intel: -

Intel(R) Processor Frequency ID Utility
Version: 7.1.20040716
Time Stamp: 2004/10/10 00:21:41
Number of processors in system: 1
Current processor: #1
Processor Name: Intel(R) Pentium(R) 4 CPU 3.00E GHz
Type: 0
Family: F
Model: 3
Stepping: 3
Revision: B
L1 Trace Cache: 12 Kµops
L1 Data Cache: 16 KB
L2 Cache: 1 MB
Packaging: FC-PGA2
Platform Compatibility Guide: 04A
MMX(TM): Yes
SIMD: Yes
SIMD2: Yes
SIMD3: Yes
NetBurst(TM) Microarchitecture: Yes
Expected Processor Frequency: 3.0 GHz
Reported Processor Frequency: 3.04 GHz
Expected System Bus Frequency: 800 MHz
Reported System Bus Frequency: 811 MHz
*************************************************************

Apparently now running 1Mgz over the top on the system bus. I should worry! Or should I?????

 

[damnyank]

I enjoy a challenge every once in awhile - so I downloaded and installed KB885626!


What a bummer - no problems!!!