Windows Update SD2.0 has created numerous problems

Hi -
I'm having terrible problems that I feel sure are caused by the Windows Automatic Update and the Software Distribution 2.0 program that appears on System Restore. I first noticed that my desktop computer lost its system sounds. I checked the "sounds and audio devices" properties, and it said that there was no device installed. Everything is grayed out, and even the sound icon has been removed from the task bar. Simultaneously, my DVD and CD drives suddenly quit recognizing CDs and DVDs in the two drives. Likewise, the auto run feature in Windows XP quit working, and, for some unknown reason, the task bar changes color and reverts from the XP style to the old Windows Classic style every time I restart the computer. I had a friend come over and work on my computer. He updated the drivers , downloaded some updates from MSI for the motherboard, and installed some additional RAM. Nothing has solved the problem.

I suspected the updates when suddenly my laptop computer lost its sound, too, just a few days after the desktop lost its - and it happened right after a Windows Update. I checked and found that same problem: it says no device installed. I used System Restore to correct the problem on the laptop, but I had to go back to a restore point before Windows started putting Software distribution 2.0 on the laptop. System Restore would not work for any recent restore points. I also disabled Automatic Updates on both of my computers. Now the problem with the laptop is that it won't let me manually download any updates.

I've have not attempted using System Restore on the desktop computer, because I fear that it will lose all the updated drivers, etc., that my friend installed on it. Also, I'm so computer illiterate that I don't have a clue as to whether System Restore might "uninstall" the additional RAM that he put in. I'm scared to do anything at this point. I've searched every forum I can find for solutions, but I've found none. A lot of people have had similar problems, but it seems that no one has a fix. Can someone please help me? I'm lost, and I don't know a thing about the inner workings of a computer.
All I have done with the desktop computer is to run autorunenable.reg and also autofix.exe that someone suggested in a forum. Those two things did absolutely nothing. Thanks in advance for your much-needed help. Dillon B

 

Hello Dillon and welcome,

System Restore will not "uninstall" physical additions made to your system such as RAM. It will roll back drivers. But they may or may not be needed since you write that they were installed as a response to your problem. Your friend should have saved them in a folder labeled as such on your hard drive.

In order for you to download MS updates, the AutoUpdate has to be running. So turn on AU's "Notify me but don't download/install" option. That way you can pick and choose which to download/install and most important, make sure you have a system restore point prior to the install. As a general rule, only "critical" MS updates create SR points automatically. If the update is not labeled critical, bring up SR > create a restore point and fill in an appropriate description.

Regards - Charles

 

Hi Charles,
Thanks so very much for the valuable information as well as your prompt reply to my dilemma. I'm going to try the system restore for my desktop computer. I'll post back with the results later. Just out of curosity, though, have you ever heard of anyone else with this same situation? I've had this computer for a long time, and this is the first time anything crazy like this has ever happened.

 

Hi Dillon,

Sure, I've seen this on many occasions where an MS update just doesn't "agree" with a system. It happened to me a few times prior to Service Pack 2. When I installed SP2 on my system incorporating the updates that previously gave me trouble, it was fine.

One more addition to my advice on installing MS updates: if presented with multiple updates - and they usually come in bunches - install one at a time (starting with the "criticals "), run for a period time - then the next. That way you have a chance to pinpoint one that might prove to be a problem.

Regards - Charles

 

Thanks again. I'll do the system restore tomorrow morning when hopefully I'm not so tired and frustrated. I've already reset the automatic updates as you suggested, and I'll be sure to check each one in the future before installing. DB

 

Hi -
I've now spent about 8 hours playing around with System Restore to try to find a point at which my computer will behave normally. I went back about two months and found a point where the auto run/auto play now works, but I have absolutely no sound. Can you tell me how to get the computer to recognize that I really do have a sound device? It keeps saying that there isn't one. It's Realtek AC'97 for Audio VIA (R) Audio Controller. Please help!!!!

 

Hi Dillon,

Right click My Computer > Hardware tab > Device Manager > expand Sound, Game, and Video Contollers.

You should have a line for Realtek AC'97

Is there a yellow exclamation symbol next to it?

Right click on the line > Properties > General tab - does it say whether the device is working properly or not?

There is a trouble shooting sequence you can go thru.

You can also uninstall the device > re boot, XP will re install the device.

Regards - Charles

 

Well, I'm about ready to take a baseball bat to this thing. I've done all the troubleshooting, uninstalled and reinstalled, and then it still shows that there is no sound device. Also, I decided to undo the system restore, because too many of my programs were not working properly with my restoring all the way back to January. I went back to the original restore point, and I can't get the DVD or CD drive to recognize that there is anything in them. There is no auto play, no sound, and now my home networking, file sharing won't work either. There's got to be an answer to this somewhere!

 

Hi Dillon,

Go thru and do the following:

Uninstall any burning software.
Uninstall any media software with the exception of WMP, such as Real Player, or whatever else you may have on the system.

After that, uninstall the sound and ROM devices - reboot.

If none of the above works, the next step would be repairing the OS. Do you have an XP cd?

http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/XPrepairinstall.htm

Regards - Charles

 

Please send instructions

Hi Charles,
Thanks a million for sending the additional suggestions. I've got a problem with one of my CD burning programs, though. I have Roxio Easy CD Creator 5, among others, but this is the one I like to use the most. I don't have the CD that it was installed from, though, because it got broken several years ago. Could I leave that program alone and uninstalled all others? Otherwise, I might not ever recover it. Also - could you please send instructions as to how to uninstall the ROM and sound devices? I'm not even sure that I know what the sound devices are except for Realtek AC'97 for Audio VIA (R) Audio Controller. That's the device name that has been replaced by the words, "No Audio Device ". I do know how to uninstall that, because I've done it about three times already. Oh - I also thought about using the Windows XP CD, but when I put it in the CD drive, it would not come up on auto play. I could click on the CD drive icon and it would show the files on the CD, but I didn't know how to make it run.
You're such a sweetie! BTW - I'm a girl! (Pam) Dillon is my Border Collie.

 

Hi Pam,

To uninstall the ROM's: go to the Device Manager, same place you were when you uninstalled the sound device.

Expand CD/DVD Rom Drives > right click the device(s) > uninstall.

I don't have the CD that it was installed from, though, because it got broken several years ago. Could I leave that program alone and uninstalled all others?
Ok, try leaving Roxio there then if you don't have the souce.

All the others - how many burning programs do you have and what are they?

Regards - Charles

 

OK, before I start uninstalling - here is the list of things shown in the device manager under "sound, video, and game controllers ":
Audio Codecs
Legacy audio drivers
Legacy Video capture devices
media control devices
Realtek AC'97 for Audio VIA (R) Audio Controller
Uni-modem half duplex audio device
Video Codecs
Which ones can I uninstall?

Other programs that have to do with CD or DVD burning are:
Roxio 7 (which I don't like very much compared to the earlier version)
Nero Burning Rom
Any DVD
Clone DVD
Real Player

I appreciate it all. ....Pam

 

Hi Pam,

Realtek AC'97 for Audio VIA (R) Audio Controller


Roxio 7 (which I don't like very much compared to the earlier version)
Nero Burning Rom
Any DVD
Clone DVD
Real Player especially this one, and don't re install it.

Try uninstalling the programs first - see what happens. Might not have to uninstall the audio controller or the ROM's.

Also make sure none of the programs are runnning. I know that Real Player inserts itself into the startups at boot.

Start > run > type msconfig > ok > Startup tab and uncheck any of the programs listed if there > re boot.

Regards - Charles

EDIT: Forgot - re boot after each uninstall.

 

Hi Charles,
I uninstalled every program that had anything to do with CD/DVD. I also did the msconfig thing. Now when I reboot, it's putting up the system configuration utility asking me how I want to start - normal, diagnostic, or selective. I chose normal and rebooted, but the utility is back up on the screen again. Nothing has changed as far as sound or auto play, and the drives still don't recognize the contents. Should I now go ahead and install the audio controller and the 2 ROMs?

 

Hi Pam,

I think you mean uninstall. Yes - hope this works

Regards - Charles

 

Right! I meant uninstall. After I clicked "normal" on the system config. utility, and rebooted. Apparently I needed to click "selective ", because it came back up with everything checked again. It even put a Santa Claus screensaver button on the taskbar!!!! I've gotten rid of that now, and I've gone back and unchecked all those programs again. Now I suppose I'll do the uninstall for the ROMs and Realtek '97, but please tell me what to do once I reboot. Do I try to reinstall the drives? How do I go about doing that? Sorry I'm such a pain. ....Pam

 

Hi Pam,

XP will detect them and re install them when it boots up.

Regards - Charles

 

I'll give that a try, but I keep getting a message telling me that I must restart the computer for the configuration changes to take place. I've restarted several times, and it keeps reappearing. I'll uninstall the drives and Realtek now.

 

Hi Pam,

but I keep getting a message telling me that I must restart the computer for the configuration changes to take place.
There should be a check box in the upper left corner - just check it.

This is one of XP's annoyances

Regards - Charles

 

I think we might be getting somewhere. The Realtek sound reinstall didn't work. It still shows no device, but the CD and DVD drives are recognizing the discs. I see the little CD that appears next to the mouse pointer, and the name of the drive changes to the name of the CD now. It's still not putting up the box, though, that asks me what I want it do. Instead it's automatically opening the folder to view the contents. How can I fix this?