Windows XP home and Pro Constant Lock-ups

Hello,

I have three computers running XP. My laptop has XP home and two other computers have XP Pro.

Just recently the laptop and one computer would lock-up constantly and have to be powered off to recover. I also noticed when it recovers it does NOT say windows just recovered "Send Report to Mic.. ".

I reformatted the laptop and put a fresh install of XP home and it still crashed. I found after doing this several time that it is after the Windows Critical Updates and Service packs are all added that it becomes unstable.

I reformatted the laptop once again and installed XP home with no updates and it works perfectly.
I then decided to run XP Pro on my wife's computer and told it to do an Global Update install. I did not do any updates. This seams also to be working.

Yet my main computer has never, ever had any problems with all the updates added. It still running smooth.

I have researched this problem as much as I could on the web, and found a lot of companies are having to reboot their servers frequently. I also read about beta HOTFIXes and tried them. They worked to speed up the computer, but not to fix the constant lock-ups. (The lock-ups are a completely frozen computer, Control-Alt-Delete does not do anything.) What is weird is Windows XP does not know it had a problem when it reboots.

As for right know I am running XP pro with full Windows updates no problems on my main computer
XP Pro on my wife's computer no updates.
XP home on my notebook with no updates.

I am not sure what is in the updates that causes this problem. I sure would like to know which update to stay clear of and get the rest, but am to scared to try any.

If you have any knowledge of this problem, please let me know.

Thanks,
Martin

 

Hello Martin,

"I am not sure what is in the updates that causes this problem. I sure would like to know which update to stay clear of and get the rest, but am to scared to try any. "


Why don't you do them a little at a time? either through the download/update site or the catalog site which is download only and updating manually at your conveniance? Here http://v4.windowsupdate.microsoft.com/en/default.asp?corporate=true

Also, be sure to create a System Restore point after each update in order to be able to backtrack.

Not clear on whether SP1 is installed. If not, install first, than the updates. When you search for updates in the "normal" site to get a list for your system, the MS will know whether SP1 is installed. In the catalog site, when you search for updates, the category is XP SP1 to do the search on.

Regards - Charles

 

fliersrr

I had the exact same problem.
I found that Q811493 to be the fault.
When I removed this update everything was fine. I waited about 2 weeks and tried it again, constant freeze ups once more.
I did this with my AV and FW running and with them turned off.
Q811493 is gone forever.
Also, when I removed Q811493 I was told that Q817606, Q815021 and KB823559 might not work properly, so I removed them as well.

My only problem now is, every time I check for updates these updates show up.

mopar

 

I do have to ask.

Do all of these problems with Windows updates apply to certain machines and/or setups of same ?

Or certain software/hardware on the machine ?

I have installed everyone in both 98SE and XP Pro as they came along and never a problem.

BillyBob

 

BillyBob,

"Do all of these problems with Windows updates apply to certain machines and/or setups of same ?

Or certain software/hardware on the machine ? "


It's something I've thought long and hard about and I haven't a clue. I wonder if MS keeps some sort of track of the combos you mentioned and if there is some clear pattern?

Regards - Charles

 

fliersrr - you don't mention if your install CDs have SP1 included or not. My guess is "not" and in that case and if you are up to reformatting and reinstalling again, you will be doing yourself a favor to slipstream SP1 with the basic OS and use that CD for the install. Seems to make everything go smoother.

And given the problems you've had, it might be well worth $20 to you to get a personal copy of Roxio GoBack. That way if you load an update and it causes problems, a reboot and press of the spacebar when told to do so will allow you to back up to an exact copy of the system when it was working. System restore is good but by design only copies certain files while GoBack does the whole thing.

Since you didn't mention checking your event logs for details of the lockups, I'd also suggest you look in there. Very possible there is some detail that will help you find and correct problems.

 

Hey Newt

Are you saying that my lack of problems may be due to the fact that my XP Pro CD includes SP1 ?

It did not say so on the box but it does on the CD itself.

According to MY Computer I have Version 2002


BillyBob

 

Hello all,

Thanks for all the replies. I actually have 3 CDs. My original Windows XP Professional, and Original XP Home. I also made a slipstreamed version with SPI and a lot of updates that were available at that time.

I do not believe the problem is in SP1 since the slipstreamed version contained this and worked for a long time.

I feel it is more in a recent update. All the lock-ups started on two computers about 4-6 weeks ago. Time flies by so fast so it may have been a little longer.

SP1 has been known to slow computers down drastically since they changed the memory management. The beta HOTFIXes work great to correct this.

My lock-ups started after this. I am fine now as long as I stay with either XP home or XP Pro with no updates added. My main computer still has never ever locked up and it has XP Pro with all the updates.

I found bits and pieces of information on this lock-up problem on the web. Some IT guys are rebooting their servers everyday. The one IT guy said he had never had to reboot the servers until after the last batch of updates he did.

I hope something is published on this soon.

Thanks for all the responses.

 

fliersrr - sounds like you have had some bad luck with hardware combinations XP doesn't do so well with. And I agree some tech notes would be nice to see.

But I'm confused by a couple places you spoke of server in an XP thread. No XP server version exists. Only the two workstation variations.

BB - I do think these things run better (usually) with the slipstream install which is what it sounds like you have.

 

Here is the one link I found some information about this problem.

Click here to view link information came from.

Hope this helps.