IMPORTANT - if your Windows XP updates automatically...

[Nick29]

If you have Windows XP, and your PC is set to download and install updates automatically, you will very soon be downloading Service Pack 3, which has caused major problems on many computers, including mine, where it caused the monitor to go into power-down mode when Windows was starting, and never came back on again.  I've been working with PC's since the early 1980's, and it took me 6 hours to resolve it !

Please note that if you don't want Service Pack 3 to install automatically, and your PC is set to receive Windows updates automatically, it is up to you to stop it.  There are some notes on this site which tell you how to do this.  Please note that this is not my site (it's a different "Nick"), so I can't answer any queries raised about this site.

If you don't want Service Pack 3, at the very least you need to change your settings, so that you can review updates before installing them.

[pjbuk007]

My SP3 was downloaded at the beginning of May.  Some people have had problems, but I and many others have not.  I suspect most people who have automatic updates already have SP3 by now.

It caused problems with some processors (AMD athlone, I think).

[Rena]

My SP3 was downloaded at the beginning of May.  Some people have had problems, but I and many others have not.  I suspect most people who have automatic updates already have SP3 by now.

It caused problems with some processors (AMD athlone, I think).

This is coincidentally the time when my son and his pal tried to "rescusitate" my XP which was a black screen when I turned the machine on.  Unbeknown to me the 2 macho twentysomethings tried to "Restore to Former Date" but then they lost control.     By the time the professional technician examined my machine there was nothing he could save.    One day I might mourn the loss of years of research but for now I'm living each day safely cacooned in "automatic" mode.

Rena

[downside]

Normally I have automatic updates turned off since resources are constantly being wasted looking for updates which do not exist.  I did download and install SP3 successfully some time ago.

Today though I read about a major concern that was spotted about 6 months ago concerning DNS and that there was a security update released by Microsoft to fix the problem.  I switched Automatic Updates on and shortly after 1/8 updates started downloading.  Once they had all been installed and the PC rebooted I was no longer able to access webpages using IE7.  It said I was connected to the Internet but I could not display any webpages or download mail using Outlook.  I tried Firefox with the same result.

Fortunately I have a Linux partition so I booted to that and managed to connect to the Internet as normal.

I then rebooted to my Windows partition and did a System Restore and everything is back to normal.  I've no idea what is wrong with these latest updates but they have obviously screwed my system up. 

Password authentication seems OK as it says that I'm connected - except I can't access my mail.

I now have Automatic Updates switched off until I can find out more about this recent batch of updates.

[silvery]

I have got a yellow shield shape with a ! in it sitting in my task bar.  What do I do?

mouse over it, tells me 'update are ready, click here to install'   

[JenB]

I have got a yellow shield shape with a ! in it sitting in my task bar. What do I do?

mouse over it, tells me 'update are ready, click here to install'

Well.....I clicked on it this morning and loaded the (unspecified) update.
I immediately lost all connection to the internet, although I had a 'connected' signal from the wireless router. Despite many re-bootings of the computer and the router, and checking all my settings were correct I was unable to regain a connection.
I also started to have problems with Microsoft Word.
I decided to do a 'system restore', backdating to yesterday, when everything was fine.
Bingo! Connection restored, Word working fine.

I have temporarily switched off automatic updates 

Jennifer

[Cas (stallc)]

I had one today, and updated as normal, before reading this thread.

All seems to be ok, no change in the comp at all....although don't know if it had to do with SP3

Cas

[silvery]

I have looked at my settings (and I have sp2) with automatic updates set to be installed every day at 1900 hrs.  I have just changed that to 'notify me but let me install updates' so I hope this will do the trick, for now, until someone can tell me what else I should do.......here's hoping

Will I be able to switch off or go into hibernate without them installing?

[Koromo]

Downside, do you use the Zone Alarm firewall?

According to some comments at the end of The Register's article about the DNS Security update, "the MS update (KB951748) for this problem brought its own issues to users who employ the popular Zone Alarm Firewall. A conflict between the two stops all internet access unless ZA is reset or a further update comes along."

K.