If you ever needed a reason to go Linux, here you go. The noise surrounding this patently obscure Windows XP bug / patch fiasco has just reached a fever pitch, and now we've got engineers within Redmond scratching their heads, too. As the story goes, Microsoft recently patched a security hole that took care of an
antediluvian DOS vulnerability, and in doing so, some users
began to see BSODs and endless reboots. Today, we've learned that the patch has been yanked, and Microsoft is suggesting that malware is to blame. But here's the skinny -- the patch simply disturbed the malware, which called a specific kernel code that directs your PC to keel over; in other words,
any application that calls that same code could theoretically leave your machine in dire straits. And that, friends, probably explains the software giant's following quote:
"In our continuing investigation in to the restart issues related to MS10-015 that a limited number of customers are experiencing, we have determined that malware on the system can cause the behavior. We are not yet ruling out other potential causes at this time and are still investigating."
Rock, meet hard place.
posted February 13th 2010 12:33AM
@loismustdie:
Reading this from Lynx in AmigaOS, Lol
@loismustdie
Reading this on Opera masked as IE running on Windows Virtual Machine on Windows 7 Professional running in parallels in OSX on a hackintosh.
@loismustdie
Dammit! I forgot the maniacal laughter.
@loismustdie
Why'd he get ranked down?
P.S. Reading from a Windows XP SP3 machine in Chrome, which sits in the same room as a Ubuntu 9.10 machine with a plethora of usable browsers.
Sorry, Mac, you were unrepresented because of the luxury tax...
Of course, these machines are malware, virus, trojan, spyware, (etc.) free, making such problems nonexistent. Not trusting Microsoft with security has its benefits, such as REAL security...
@loismustdie Reading this from Mosaic on Mac OS 7.5.3 lol
Finallyfast! haha
I wouldn't worry about the xp patch, most people have updated that are serious about security.
@Hydra
This is why I'm always scratching my head when people say that Windows XP is better than Vista or Windows 7. Half the reason Vista was built was to close up all the security holes of XP.
1 year after release Vista was more stable than XP and 7 has it beat hands down. Sure they're a bit more resource intensive but it's only a problem if your computer is more than half a decade old. It's like people who are still suffering using IE6, you have nobody to blame but yourselves for staying with old software.
@Kerensky97 "Half the reason Vista was built was to close up all the security holes of XP."
I was hoping for that. That's why I was checking periodically when stream of security fixes for Vista/Win7 would slow up compared to WinXP. I thought I would upgrade as soon as that happens. But that hasn't yet happened.
The point in making: WinXP is just as secure as Win7. Because - this might be my wrong impression but - Vista/Win7 now are getting more security fixes now than WinXP.
So much for "rewritten for security" PR...
Whatever...
Before the Apple Fanatic beats me to it:
one word: guest
@Ignotus That bug has been fixed try again you fail.
@Yankfan81
Yeah, but at least with a BSOD files are recoverable by partitioning a small space and installing an OS there.
With the Guest bug, whats gone is gone.
Yeah, fail.
@p0p0 um, doesn't partitioning your hd erase all your data?
@Liquidmark Not if you use a non-destructive partitioned like GParted.
I'll bet installing Windows 7 solves this issue. Microsoft, you sneaky devils.
Yes Microsoft, clearly EVERYONE who downloaded the patch had the SAME malware.
@Ignotus
don't be a dumb ass, "limited customers", read the thing again. not everyone who installed got the problem. from what Microsoft said it's clear that they have reproduced the error in their investigation, and it seems to be when [certain] malware is on the system. they're still searching to make sure that they covered all bases they can release a proper patch that would removed the malware and patch the system.
@Ignotus
My second hand XP machine is not effected as of yet. It's been reformatted and the OS freshly reinstalled. though. That indicates that alll you have to do is restore the effected machine with a restore disk.
@Ignotus
Microsoft probably just wiped out an entire botnet.
And still no thanks... :)
XP is garbage now, move on to 7, xp users get lol at, I laugh at you.
@dreamer3kx
This could have happened with Windows 7 also. If it had that type of exploit and malware present, it could BSOD.
@daytripper No, because kernel protection in vista/7 is leagues and bounds beyond the farce that XP is.
My computers fast.. FINALLY!
FINALLY FAST DAHT CAHM
Thank goodness I didn't update...endless reboots are frustrating as hell.
@Plazmic Flame
what man? you're still using xp? seriously?
@lennie22 thank goodness I have a mac :P
@lennie22
Him and the majority of the world using MS Operating systems
so let me get the right: Darren, you're basically saying linux can only fight with Microsoft's 10 year old OS that's 2 generations behind? those xp users should of upgraded to Windows 7 a long time ago. at it's current state Linux is like dead weight in deep water.
@lennie22 Seriously took the words out of my mouth. This is like being upset that the engine on your 2000 Ford Focus is going out.
You got 10 years out of it, it's bound to break eventually.
Linux (ubuntu), as far as it has come, is still not nearly as simple nor does it have the application development Windows has. It's still far too command line focused and simply isn't ready for the average joe.
It's getting there!! Just isn't going to be a serious contender in my book anytime soon.
This is just MS's way of telling people to move onto 7.
@Jerry
you're quite the cynical one, huh?
@Jerry
Great point!
I love the phrase "...that a limited number of customers are experiencing". Limited, at least in this context, could be 'All of them'. All is still a limit. Perhaps they should have used "a small number" instead.
@Leo il Leone I patched several XP machines with this patch, not a single issue. However, I would not be surprised if there are a lot of malware infected XP machines out there. I hear about these botnets with millions of PCs, and I am guessing a lot of them run XP.
Hey, I don't know if I'm here late but, was there a glitch about two weeks ago on all the Windows computer?, I'm using Windows 7 and suddenly the computer resetted itself, and like 10 minutes later the BSOD appeared. Curiously when I was complaining about this at my job my coworkers said they had exactly the same problem, one with Windows 7 and the other one with Vista...was there a patche already released for Windows 7 or it was only an amazing coincidence?..
@crobertob
I think you should check with your coworkers and see what common programs you guys have running on your systems because something messed you guys up. I've never had a blsod on my windows 7 boxes,(well, I had a couple when I was overclocking my desktop pc....memory timing was off, and not enough cpu cooling)
It's not any code that calls the changed code incorrectly can crash.
'However, any driver that references the updated kernel bits incorrectly can also cause this blue screen.'
Basically, this malware is bypassing the safe ways to call the kernel because it is trying to hide itself, which is what a rootkit does. Code that isn't written maliciously would be exceedingly unlikely to call the kernel in this fashion, since it's prone to causing crashes.
Here's the short version:
A driver that is loaded into the kernel space that is written wrong can cause a kernel crash, which is what a BSOD usually indicates. This rootkit is written wrong on purpose.
It's already been shown by many people on the net, if you get rid of the rootkit, you won't have the crash.
Actually, that's only half the story. Brian Krebs posts about the rootkit problem and the solution proposed by Patrick Barnes of Cat-man-du (replacing the atapi.sys).
http://www.krebsonsecurity.com/2010/02/rootkit-may-be-culprit-in-recent-windows-crashes/
I find it funny how people always give Microsoft shit for keeping crazy backwards compatibility at the expense of resource usage and new shiny features (by comparing to OS X).
But then Microsoft fix a bug, and it causes MALWARE to crash, then suddenly Microsoft haven't tested their fixes enough!! Microsoft need to test their fixes with every virus and piece of adware out there before releasing anything or they SUCK M$$$!!!
@kalleboo I'm assuming Sarcasm.
@kalleboo
If you had every piece of malware and virus on a single PC, you would be stuck on the startup screen for the next century.
All I can hope for is that XP will finally go away and take the non-upgrading IE6 users with it. Every web designer/developer will thank you for leaving.
Finally fast don't get rid of malware :( waa waa WAAAAAAAAA!
I repair computers for a living, so i even see this happen with some customers that i sell anti-viruses too. I also warn them if there computer is heavily infected and they had no type of anti-virus on the system this could happen.
Oh how the mighty have Crumbled......
I update that, my pc crashed right after the install and after each reboot (at least 20) I had a blue screen with an error code witch i didn't write down !!! I simply decided it was time for a fresh install :-)
@Twinkle Tits
yeah because your computer had a rootkit up it's ass taking all your banking information with it. that's why you should upgrade to newer software and leave the oldage alone.
It's 2010. A new Decade, people shouldn't put up with this shit.
If you are a gamer get a PS3 or Xbox 360.
If you aren't a gamer or don't demand 100fps Crysis do as I do:
Dual-boot Linux and OSX on a Mac + Little Snitch + Vmware Unity with Windows 7+ Deep Freeze = WIN
@Eternity
WFT?
@lennie22 It means get rid of your windows box because the days of relying on just Windows dominance are over. There are plenty of alternatives to windows software. Get a more stable, secure and faster OS as your backbone and if you absolutely need windows just get Vmware with Unity. The new iMacs can run windows and OSX at the same time with little or no hiccups.
This is how my set up works:
Most of the time I need raw speed, stability, customization and flexibility so I use Linux as my primary, Mac for when I need mainstream software for certain tasks, and windows for certain tasks that only windows software can do best. But using Vmware Unity I run OSX and Windows at the same time and it is all seamless but has little effect on performance because today's cpu's are so fast plus the massive amounts of ram available. Windows has Deep Freeze so any Virus is removed at reboot but since it is Vmware I can simply "pause" it when I am done using it then resume when I go back or if anything goes wrong I just reboot it back to the original state. All my files from windows are saved to the Host OSX via a shared folder so those are retained. I am telling you it is the best of all 3 worlds. I don't have to worry about crashes, viruses, malware, rootkits, etc... (many undetectable by antivirus) in windows. Oh and to game I just fire up the PS3 on the big ass T.V.
Little snitch is just there to keep windows from going online in case I get a Trojan or worm. A simple reboot will get rid of it though with Deep Freeze.
Stop acting like buying a Mac is the solution to suffering bugs.