Re: Latest security updates from WindowsUpdate ruined my computer

Ramesh, thanks for the quick reply. Yup, that was me over in the other group,
and I've left tracks all over the groups at Broadband Reports and CNet Help
too if you want to visit with us over there...

A new wrinkle late last night - For S&G, I thought I would try your recovery
console method. I had stumbled around in the recovery console during some of
my earlier journeys down this path thinking it might be some sort of
DOS-screen type driver-roll back, inasmuch as I couldn't get even to Safe
Mode in the GUI to do a standard rollback to the day before accepting
Tuesday's patches from automatic update... but I couldn't figure out quite
what to do in the recovery console so I just went back to the full reinstall
process which though it would take an hour of babysitting, at least I knew I
could bring the system back to life. So I was pleased to see your description
of how the recovery console could be used to uninstall a hotfix.

Anyway, I tried your method in a controlled test. I started from a clean
reinstall (of which I now have much practice) and after it booted the first
time I went to Update and UNchecked all 16 listed critical updates except
890859. Thus I would install ONLY 890859, knowing full well that it, by
itself, was going to cause the meltdown (again). Then I followed your
recovery console instructions to uninstall the only hotfix in the $...$ list.
The uninstall process seemed to operate as advertised (a bunch of "1 file
copied" lines went by on the screen) and the batch terminated. However, when
I rebooted the system it was still stuck back in the endless initialization
failure loop. Soooo.... for my system anyway, the only way out is a complete
reinstall; the recovery console is not a solution. Sorry to take the wind out
of your sail on that one...

As for new developments and current status, I have stabilized the machine so
that at least my wife will speak to me again (her email is important to
her...) by taking it through one last full reinstall and then allowing all
patches EXCEPT 890859. I then went to Update and checked the box to hide that
remaining uninstalled item and also check the box in the Security Center
balloon tip to "don't bother me anymore" so that the system would not try to
do its own thing and blow itself away again the next time she checks her
email. I also submitted an official support request via email. It has been
assigned to Jerry Fang (perhaps you know him?). He reports in his
introductory email response that he has submitted it to the Product Group.

As I noted in my reply to Jerry, the good news is that system is currently
stable and protected from inflicting any further damage to itself by turning
off Automatic Update and hiding the patch. The bad news, however, it is still
exposed to whatever vulnerability that patch was intended to resolve and will
remain so until we can figure out what is wrong with the patch.

Thanks again.
*** White

"Ramesh, MS-MVP" wrote:

> *** White,
>
> I've installed all the recent updates and both of my systems, but could not
> reproduce the problem here. Not sure what's causing this. But in one case,
> one of my fellow MVPs said that it has to do with a language pack (or sort
> of package) he installed. I'd be interested to hear the feedback from others
> affected. BTW, I saw your post in the WindowsUpdate group. Should someone
> needs to uninstall this fix (and if Windows does not load), Recovery Console
> is the way to go:
>
> http://windowsxp.mvps.org/spuninst.htm
>
> --
> Ramesh, Microsoft MVP
> Windows XP Shell/User
> http://windowsxp.mvps.org
>
>
> "Dick White" <DickWhite@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
> news:66738F6B-A5E9-4146-BFAD-1DE9C78B1BC9@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> > Ramesh, thanks for the insight. You say you know of 2 other instances
> > where
> > 890859 causes this. Make that three - mine. And I know of about a half
> > dozen
> > or more sprouting on other technical boards I participate in. What can you
> > tell us that Microsoft is doing about this?
> >
> > *** White
> >
> > "Ramesh, MS-MVP" wrote:
> >
> >> Hi Aaron,
> >>
> >> See if uninstalling the hotfixes (via Recovery Console) helps.
> >>
> >> How to uninstall a hotfix or Service Pack via the Recovery Console?:
> >> http://windowsxp.mvps.org/spuninst.htm
> >>
> >> I've seen two instances where KB890859 (folder name
> >> $NtUninstallKB890859$ )
> >> causes this problem.
> >>
> >> --
> >> Ramesh, Microsoft MVP
> >> Windows XP Shell/User
> >> http://windowsxp.mvps.org
> >>
> >>
> >> "Aaron" <Aaron@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
> >> news:F3DB9A62-37B2-46C6-9A4A-B5801D038881@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> >> >I am a strict adherent to updating regularly through WindowsUpdate. I
> >> >logged
> >> > on this morning to find a little icon in my tray saying several updates
> >> > had
> >> > been downloaded and were ready to install. I looked at the list, saw 4
> >> > security updates, and an update for the Microsoft Malicious Software
> >> > Remove
> >> > Tool (or whatever it's called), and I clicked install.
> >> >
> >> > I installed all the updates and asked me to reboot, as usual. But now
> >> > the
> >> > computer won't go past the main Windows logo and the horizontal moving
> >> > bar
> >> > thing. So I left it on that screen and went to work, came home 8 hours
> >> > later
> >> > and it was still on the Windows loading screen.
> >> >
> >> > So I reset the comptuer and went into safe mode, and rolled back to
> >> > yesterday. No go.
> >> >
> >> > I then went into safe mode to uninstall thse updates from Add/Remove
> >> > software, but when I click "Show Updates," only updates that I
> >> > installed
> >> > up
> >> > to March 14 are showing up, none beyond that.
> >> >
> >> > This is the kind of thing that really upsets me. I do EVERYTHING
> >> > Microsoft
> >> > tells me to do to keep my computer "safe" and now I can't even USE my
> >> > computer outside of safe mode.
> >> >
> >> > Short of reinstalling (AGAIN), how can I fix what these recent updates
> >> > have
> >> > done?
> >>
> >>
>
>
.