Looks like Patch Tuesday turned into BSOD Tuesday for some Windows XP users -- Microsoft's latest security updates for the venerable OS are causing blue screens and endless reboots for people. That's the word according to a growing support thread on Microsoft's site -- and making matters just slightly worse / funnier, it's apparently the patch for that
17-year-old DOS vulnerability that's causing all the trouble. You win some, you lose some, right? Microsoft's identified a fix for those with access to an XP install disc and an optical drive, but that leaves most netbook users out in the cold -- and considering netbooks are where most of the recent XP action's been going down lately, we're hoping a better solution comes down the pike soon.
P.S.- That's the
BSOD tattoo guy in the photo -- remember him?
[Thanks, HyperSl4ck3r]
posted February 11th 2010 7:58PM
is that Josh?
Whats Windows XP?
@One Love
Thank you Alex Trebek.
@TonyMontana2367
Is this the brother of that fat guy with the tattoo?
Actually, turns out it's a rootkit (malware) on people's machines causing all the trouble. If your machine is already pwned and you update, you'll be in hell. But then again, you were already part of a botnet anyway, so it's karma I suppose.
@spin cycle
One would think Engadget would include that in their post. I think however fanning the flames gets them more $$$.
@daytripper
Yep, surprised they didn't actually delete the dudes comment that tells the REAL story rofl. Once again, it's been pretty much confirmed that the BSODs are *NOT* caused by MS's patch!
------------- Thinker had the same problem! -------------
@spin cycle,
I don't know about that! One of my computers, the one running Windows XP started installing the latest Windows updates...
...after 8 of 10 updates, my computer would not continue the update. The updates started at 11 PM on Wednesday (February 11, 2010), and by 11 AM (which was 12 hours later) the next day, it was still at "8 of 10 updates".
I called Microsoft and their attendant told me that there were 65 people in queue. I waited for 1 hour, and the call was dropped. I called again, and after 1 hour wait the call was dropped again. I decided that I was not going to turn off my computer because the update installation process had reached a critical stage. By about 3:00 PM (14 hours after my ordeal started), my computer finally shut down by itself. And everything worked out perfectly. This is the first time in my experience that a regular Windows update nearly bricked my computer. This is frightening!
@spin cycle I don't see this on Microsoft's site, where the solution is posted by an MS moderator, or in the Computerworld piece we originally sourced. Hit me up with a verifiable source on this and I'm glad to update.
@Nilay Patel
very nice answer Nilay. It seems that after the comment closing period it was the editors that have changed, not the commenters.
@Nilay Patel
You may want to investigate and publish another article on the problems caused by the latest Windows XP Update; and also get an official statement from Microsoft. We just received a call from a customer who experienced the same problem with Windows XP. And you may want to delete comments that are providing misinformation at Engadget on this issue. Here is an acknowledgement from a Microsoft Moderator on this problem:
http://social.answers.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/vistawu/thread/73cea559-ebbd-4274-96bc-e292b69f2fd1
I foresee a Darwin award in that mans future.
@admlshake
More like an awesome award.
@admlshake
He doesn't look dead to me.
(Darwin Awards are only for people who DIED as a result of their stupidity)
@paul34
Yes I know that, thank you. That's why I said "in his future" as in, he will be getting one someday. Not that he was a receiver or nominee.
@admlshake
Actually you dont have to die you just have to make it so you cannot reproduce anymore...
@Special Agent Steve Awesomely Stupid award.
I bet Ballmer was pissed that it was found by one of our engineers of all people.
Thats what you get for using a pirated copy of windows in the 25th century when we all are cyborgs...Arm crash!
Whats else is new . . . B/c a Microsoft fix that creates more problems is not news . . .
No problem with 64bit Win 7 :)
@ipodman715
Just XP, but that is a reason to make the move to 7
@ipodman715 I had 4 "Security Update[s] for Windows 7" yesterday, but I'm not sure if it was for that or not.
KB977165
KB971468
KB975560
KB978251
Not sure why they didn't just put them all in one, because they all say that they did the same thing. Anyways, it's running fine for me.
Bet they wished they had just left it alone. 17 Years and no exploits and your fix is what crashes the system. Irony.
@PBB
It's a serious bug. They couldn't ignore it. The attack vector is DOS but the ramifications effect all of Windows.
Swing.....and a miss!
If it ain't broke, don't fix it. If it ain't broke, don't fix it. Say it with me, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it."
Are you F-ing kidding me? You'll screw up my system with automatic updates, and then you want me to dig up my install disc to fix it?!
And what's with the way these updates install? Last week, I was teaching a class, when update dialog boxes started popping up. I'm doing a presentation! F-ing wait! And then, yesterday, I'm ready to leave school. My ride is waiting for me. Shutdown. "Installing update 1 of 9. Please do not turn off or unplug your computer." I said shutdown! WHHHHYYYY~~~~~
@allenvanhellen Why? Because you chose "Install updates and shutdown", not "Shutdown". :)
@ATimson
After certain updates XP automatically turns on the "Automatically download and install updates" setting, and it has the tendency to download, install, and reboot in the middle of doing something important. Basically the only thing I really hate about XP, with the inability to perform "Sleep mode" properly on most computers a close second.
@allenvanhellen
Start Menu -> Control Panel -> System -> [Automatic Updates Tab] -> Pre SP1 users un-check the "Keep my computer up to date" box and hit 'Apply', SP1 and up users select the "Turn off Automatic Updates" radio button and hit apply.
It's that simple.
That's I NEVER update Windows XP. 6 years running, no reinstalls. If it aint broke, why fix it.
@WC066
Because it's nice to have a system that's up to date with new features and is less liable to crashing/instability due to bugs.
@WC066 After 6 years without a reinstall, I'm sure it's running like an old, neutered, flea ridden dog.
@WC066 I would call something that has more holes than swiss cheese broken.
@WC066
Please tell me this is a joke.
@WC066
Give me your IP address please, I'll show you how's it's "not broke"!
Hmmm, a bug, introduced by Microsoft, that will force users to buy/upgrade from M$... coincidence?!?!... where my tin hat!
It's Microsoft Break!
"You've seen the code for the patch?"
"Better than that. [shows his tattoos] I’ve got 'em on me."
For a moment there I was thinking of the other DOS when I read 'ancient DOS bug'.
Yeah, but what does a Windows error message have to do with a DOS bug?
This has been one of the long running problems with Windows. They fix a lot on the surface, but there are problems deep down that have never been addressed. Personally I wish MS would completely re-work Windows from the ground up like Apple did with OSX.
Geekiest tattoo ever! Next to html code.
Hence I changed to Linux about a year ago..... Xp crashed on me and when I wanted to re-install they told me I would have to buy a new license, wtf, xp came with the laptop, I wasn't going to pay, needless to say out of 6 pc's and lt's in our family only one dual boots into xp.
Haven't had any problems or long update stuff going on since then.
Flashback, the update stuff is starting to remind me of old AOL stuff, everytime you logged off from the web AOL wanted to update, upgrade or somehow just waste your time...
Ok, that is funny.
Apparently, the guilty is a trojan/virus/rootkit stored on atapi.sys
And just for fun, i checked my atapi.sys (windows 7) in Virustotal and i found that:
2 from 41 antivirus detected as a virus:
Win32.TrojanHorse
Heuristic.BehavesLike.Win32.Rootkit.H
:-?
As far as i known, Atapi.sys have a long story of false positives.
Holy crappola what a horrible tattoo. IT is like buttering failure on failure.
"hmmm that looks like a tasty bit of FAIL, let me butter some failure on top of that."
Now I know why my roomie got a BSOD with the dreaded 0x0007b error..he reinstalled the OS..bad for him..I'm on 7 though :)
He should take colloidal silver... turn his skin blue.
Classic Microsoft.
What is the exact name of the update in Windows Update so it can be disabled? We had a few brought in with what I think was this same error, after re-installing the OS and whatnot we ran Windows Update, which if that was the problem they're just going to get another crash.
*slow applause...
Ok, they broke Windows...
Bring on Mobile BSD, Monkeyboy!