Author Topic: Windows Patch can cause Win2k & XP to hang at bootup  (Read 436 times)

Offline bloom25

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Windows Patch can cause Win2k & XP to hang at bootup
« on: May 13, 2004, 09:27:10 PM »
Just a heads up, but I've seen 14 computers now that the Microsoft critical update for the Sasser worm (835732) http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/bulletin/ms04-011.mspx has broken.  Two of them had to be reloaded from scratch.  Windows 2000 and XP both seem to have problems with this patch.  (Note that not every computer has a problem, it depends on what other programs/drivers are installed on the PCs.)

Generally what I've been seeing is that the system will hang at bootup.  Windows 2000 systems with a VPN connection setup almost all seem to be affected.  Microsoft has a patch available for Windows 2000 that you can apply before the hotfix to keep this from happening, but you have to call them to be allowed to receive it.  I've now seen the exact same thing happen to an XP Pro machine, even though Microsoft has not admitted XP is affected.

Basically if the patch does not keep your system from booting (even in safe mode), you can uninstall the 835732 hotfix from the control panel and then in some cases get the hotfix for the hotfix (by calling Microsoft and waiting on the phone for an hour), install it first, then reinstall the 835732 hotfix again and pray that everything still works.  

(I really wish Microsoft would test their patches before releasing them to the world and causing people like me hours of endless entertainment for the past couple weeks trying to track down which one (or more) of the 10 billion security patches for Windows is breaking my systems...  It's even better when the automatic updates utility automatically allows the users to break their systems and not know what happened.  I think Microsoft should have to pay my $185/hour consulting fee for the 20+ hours I've spent recently dealing with this horrible patch.)
« Last Edit: May 13, 2004, 09:35:38 PM by bloom25 »

Offline bloom25

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Windows Patch can cause Win2k & XP to hang at bootup
« Reply #1 on: May 13, 2004, 09:28:59 PM »
Here's Microsoft's own list of known issues with this patch: http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;835732

Trust me, there are more than that...

Offline acetnt367th

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Windows Patch can cause Win2k & XP to hang at bootup
« Reply #2 on: May 16, 2004, 10:49:48 AM »
Hey Bloom,

A quick question. Is the sasser worm update automatically done in windows update or do you have to install the patch separately. I had to completely reinstall all my software recently and I am not sure why. A windows process Svchost consumed 99% of my cpu resources on every boot (except safe mode). I know this is a normal windows process but am not sure which of its subprocess cause this problem. System restore etc did not work - had to reinstall all software on my machine. (XP home)

Regards

Acetnt

Offline bloom25

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Windows Patch can cause Win2k & XP to hang at bootup
« Reply #3 on: May 16, 2004, 02:47:55 PM »
Automatic Updates is set by default to download critical updates and prompt you when they are ready to install.  It does have the option of automatically installing updates once they are downloaded.

If you went to Windows Update, yes, this patch is considered a critical update and would be installed.  Unfortunately, it really is important that a machine that will not be behind a firewall have this patch installed, as otherwise it will get infected with the Sasser worm eventually.

I've seen this patch cause Win2k and 1 XP Pro machine to do exactly what you are describing.

Offline Blixen

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Windows Patch can cause Win2k & XP to hang at bootup
« Reply #4 on: May 16, 2004, 03:48:31 PM »
i have xp pro but i dont notice anything should i still delete it?

Offline FOGOLD

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Windows Patch can cause Win2k & XP to hang at bootup
« Reply #5 on: May 16, 2004, 05:08:04 PM »
This patch came out months and months ago. I never thought there was a problem with it.

Offline bloom25

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Windows Patch can cause Win2k & XP to hang at bootup
« Reply #6 on: May 16, 2004, 09:30:09 PM »
If your computer works fine after applying the patch, by all means DO NOT remove it.  It patches a flaw in windows that is used to spread the Sasser worm.  If you do not have this patch applied and your computer is not behind a firewall, it will get infected by the Sasser worm eventually.

I posted this so people are aware that this patch has conflicts with certain other software drivers that causes the symptoms I described.  Most home users will not have a problem with this patch, as most home users are not going to have a VPN connection setup back to their office.