XP Home Freezes After Update

Every time I install the recommended updates for my system, my cursor and keyboard will frequently and randomly freeze up and I have to do a hard reboot to get back to normal operations. After I uninstall the update or restore to a date before the update, I have no problems. When it does lock up, I don't know where to look to find out why it is locking up, so I just uninstall or restore. I have seen the notices on Window-help.net when MS reports a bug in the update, but later on I presume that they have fixed the bugs. Then I stop ignoring the recommendations to install updates, I install them, and it's back to the same problem. I have to believe it is something in my Windows XP, Internet Explorer, or Zone Alarm settings that is causing the conflicts. Not all the updates can be bad...can they? Appreciate any suggestions for figuring out what's wrong. Thanks.

 

Windows Update

wmergen
My windows XP PRO (most) updates make my XP do strange things & I have to run system restore to recuiperate



Numbers 6:24-26
24 The LORD bless you, and keep you;
25 The LORD make His face shine on you,
And be gracious to you;
26 The LORD lift up His countenance on you,
And give you peace.'

 

Thanks for the reply, Nick. I'm trying to find out Why I have to restore the system. It shouldn't be getting affected by every XP Home update I download. I think I may have a fundamental setting problem.

 

wmergen -

Was this a clean install of XP-home or an upgrade over an existing OS? If upgrade, from what?

Are you running SP1? If so, was it part of the original install (on the CD) or a download? If download, did you install from the internet or pull a copy down to your PC and install from the local drive?

Do you have a regular XP-home CD or is it a "recovery" disk from the PC maker?

What anti-virus program are you running and do you disable it before installing an update?

 

Thanks, Newt.
My XP Home was installed as an upgrade over Windows 98 Second Edition.
I am running SP1 which I downloaded. I normally save to the hard drive and load from there, but I don't find it in my "Downloads" folder; so I may have installed from the site. My "About Windows under the Help menu, says I'm using Service Pack 1; but when I look under the "Add/Remove Software ", there is a long list of entries for Windows XP Hotfix (SP2). I think they came in with the last upgrades I allowed to install.
I have the regular XP Home CD.
I am running Norton Antivirus and I have not disabled it when allowing the upgrades to install. Usually, I get the alert telling me there are upgrades ready to install and I click the "install" button to allow it to run. Frankly, I never thought about the AV running.
Appreciate your taking the interest in helping me.
Regards,
Bill

 

I but XP Pro over top of SE and NO problems at all.

My question here would be;

Was Norton Anti-Virus being used in SE and was it un-installed before the upgrade was done.

I did uninstall NAV and Norton Internet Security ( Firewall ) which I am no longer using either but was at the time.

Anyhow a suggestion.

Dump NAV altogether and get something like AVG anti-Virus.

Less system load. Less system interference. With just as good protection. And updated frequently.

BillyBob

 

What version of NAV are you running?

If I remember correctly, NAV2001 would not run on XP well. Have to upgrade to NAV2002 or now NAV2003.

Regards - Charles

 

charlesvar

You are correct about versions. But that is another reason I changed AV software.

AVG does not care about Windows versions. A HUGH amount LESS diskspace used. And works just as well. And for the price difference works VERY well. And it DOES NOT load the system down anywhere near as much as NAV. I gained 3 or 4 resources back when I dumped Norton in 98SE.

I myself was using Norton System Works 2003.

Now back to the case at hand.

The version would have no bearing in the case of putting one OS over the other.

Any Anti-Virus ( regardless of Brand ) should at least be shut down and completely disabled so that is does not restart when Windows does.

Also when changing OS or Anti-Virus or Firewall and if you are on cable or DSL it should be disconnected BEFORE doing so.

And with NAV it is best to unistall it because it needs to be re-installed in the new OS to work properly anyway.

BillyBob

 

Hey BB,

You're right about NAV being a resource hog, certainly on a 9X system. Not easy to get rid of though!

You went to AVG, I went to NOD32, basically for the same reasons, much smaller footprint.

Regards - Charles

 

Thanks BillyBob and charlesvar. You've certainly given me something to look at. I don't remember disabling the AV when I loaded ZoneAlarm and I know I didn't disable it when I downloaded the updates for Window XP. I do use the high speed modem, also.
What are the steps I need to go through now? From what I've read in your replies, it seems that I need to uninstall Norton, for certain. But I'm not sure of the approach to getting the XP updates. I presume that the updates I already have were possibly corrupted when they were installed and the other two programs were running; so I suppose that I need to download the updates again. Do I need to uninstall the all the Windows XP updates in my Add/Remove Software listing and then go back to get them? Is it sufficient to just restore my XP to the point before the last updates? The system seemed to running with no problems up to that point.
In the future, when my Windows program downloads the updates automatically, should I disable Zone Alarm while the updates are being installed and then enable Zone Alarm when Windows restarts?

 

As a general rule only install the Windows Updates you feel are needed which is usually the security stuff indicated by the globe/flag by the clock; time & time again those updates are not very well tested, we are the Testers/Guinea pigs. The less unknown software added to the system the better; most home computer systems get trashed very quickly compared to a server which only has a thing or two extra on it & of course run much longer (as in years instead of months) before repairs or reinstalls are needed. Less is more.

 

Hello wmergen,

"Do I need to uninstall the all the Windows XP updates in my Add/Remove Software listing "

No.

" Is it sufficient to just restore my XP to the point before the last updates? The system seemed to running with no problems up to that point. "

Yes, I think so.

"In the future, when my Windows program downloads the updates automatically, should I disable Zone Alarm while the updates are being installed and then enable Zone Alarm when Windows restarts? "

I never had to do this, up to you.

Auto updates, I think is a bad idea; it takes control out of your hands. There is an alternative way: get a list of the updates that MS says you need by going into the update site. Then go here: http://v4.windowsupdate.microsoft.com/en/default.asp?corporate=true

This site allows you to download the updates to a folder on your HD for install by you at your convenience and perferably one at a time so that you can backtrack if it proves to be a problem.

Regards - Charles

 

Thanks, everyone. Your suggestions make sense. I'm turning off auto updates, going to restore to point before last updates, and will selectively install after downloading to the hard drive. I guess I thought that MS knew what was best for me! You've made me just a little bit smarter about that! Glad you experts hang around to help out people like me.
Regards,
Bill