Re: KB921503 causes system to crash

I rolled the system back to a previous state with system restore--precisely.
Sorry, I thought my meaning was fairly obvious. MS itself uses the term "roll
back."

I use ZoneAlarm for my firewall; also Regrun (which I've had on all my
systems for the past ten years) and ProcessGuard. However, the problem
appears with these programs off (although, with ZoneAlarm at least, I'm not
sure it is ever totally off once installed).

At least one other user on this list over the past 24 hours has described
what sounds like identical (mis)behavior, with a transient (and unfortunately
unreadable) error message. This is clearly not a problem that effects all
machines, but for those that experience it, the results are initially
catastrophic and disconcerting. So far as I can tell, only if system restore
is used in safe mode by rolling back to a pre-update state is the system
readily fixable, though selective deinstallation of the updates might also do
the job (may also need safe mode).

If you were unaffected, consider yourself fortunate. Software and hardware
configurations differ hugely, and the fact that you did not have problems
does not mean that some significant subset of users did not. Unfortunately,
the nature of patching with updates more or less guarantees this will be the
case. Not a criticism of MS, just an observation.

"MowGreen [MVP]" wrote:

Sorry, Ted, XP Pro SP2 w/NOD32 is installed here and there wasn't any of
the behavior that you describe.
Please tell us what " rollback from Safe Mode " is ... System Restore ?
And, what other 'security software' is installed ?

MowGreen [MVP 2003-2007]
===============
*-343-* FDNY
Never Forgotten
===============


Edward Ripley-Duggan wrote:

I had posted yesterday about some major issues with the current batch of
updates. I have identified the update that is crashing my machine, running XP
Pro. It is update KB921503. When run, it prevents processes from opening,
including my security (NOD32), the Genuine Windows Advantage" module (for
which it creates an error message for Microsoft), as well as routine e-mail
and browser access. I have been able to repair the system using rollback from
Safe Mode.

I'm sure that this doesn't afflict all machines (it didn't, I think, cause
any issues on a notebook of one family member), but it gave me a rather bad
time initially, since it prevents rollback (and, indeed, any other operation)
from within XP proper. The fact that rollback works in Safe Mode may
indicate that the issue is a conflict with, for example, my security
software. However, it shouldn't happen, IMO.

I post this to alert other users who may be impacted (and to give them an
idea how to fix the system), and to give MS a "heads-up."

Ted.

Ted.

.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: KB921503 causes system to crash
    ... I use ZoneAlarm for my firewall; also Regrun (which I've had on all my ... is used in safe mode by rolling back to a pre-update state is the system ... though selective deinstallation of the updates might also do ... I have been able to repair the system using rollback from ...
    (microsoft.public.windowsupdate)
  • Re: continuous rebooting
    ... After reloading xp I down loaded all the security ... The system keeps re-booting into safe mode. ...
    (microsoft.public.windowsxp.general)
  • Re: Fred W - re NOD32 and Online Armor
    ... Comodo has it in their older v2.4 but dropped it in their new v3 firewall that now include HIPS. ... The firewall just got added in version 2 of Online Armor so it will need some fixing or features to get up to speed with other firewalls. ... But they have lots of fixes to make and other more security-related updates to make to their product so they aren't promising when to deliver on parent-child control. ... Online Armor does not load under Safe Mode so even if they protect those registry key then they won't be protected if you reboot into Safe Mode. ...
    (alt.comp.anti-virus)
  • <>
    ... > Microsoft Security Bulletin Advance Notification issued: ... > Microsoft also provides information to help customers prioritize monthly security updates with any non-security, high-priority updates that are being released on the same day as the monthly security updates. ...
    (microsoft.public.windows.server.sbs)
  • Re: Oh Dear, Where to start?!
    ... >experience in the field of network security and policy ... >computer security and policy development. ... >updates, driver updates, and recommended updates. ... >use, passwords, physical security, backup/disaster ...
    (Security-Basics)