KB921503 causes system to crash

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.

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.

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.
>

"Edward Ripley-Duggan" <> schrieb im Newsbeitrag
news:CA631474-4666-4D19-B7E3-...
>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.
>>

"Edward Ripley-Duggan" <> schrieb:

> I use ZoneAlarm for my firewall;

Would you mind uninstalling that one at least for testing and
enable Windows Firewall instead?

> also Regrun

The whole suite? <showder>
Anyhow, it seems like the one from http://www.greatis.com/ may be
build with VisualBasic 6. Now have a look into the MSKB article
for KB921503: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/921503 an the Known
Issues section which also links to http://support.microsoft.com/kb/924053

> 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,

The/a problem with KB921503 which affects changes the OLE Automation
is effecting relative only a few systems whith individual configurations/
applications running to be precise.

Bye,
Freudi

I'm running XP Pro SP2 Media Center Edition.
Forewarned by you, I installed all the other recent critical updates before this one, with several system restore points. All seem OK except KB921503. After rebooting with this change, my system tray which normally has ten icons was EMPTY except for a rudimentary McAfee VirusScan (which comes on before Startup pgms): NO McAfee Security Center, ZA firewall, MS volume control or anything else. My Start menu could not be accessed nor any desktop programs opened. This is a serious problem, for certain. Like you, I had to boot in Safe Mode and restore to just before the KB921503 installation.

I'm not going to waste one of my two free support calls to MS on this. Their sites seem blissfully unaware of the issue so far, let alone any solution, so I will wait until some awareness has been raised. We cannot be alone in experiencing this, I feel certain.

Please, any XP gurus out there, raise an alarm on our behalf!

Vince

EggHeadCafe - .NET Developer Portal of Choice
http://www.eggheadcafe.com

Thanks, Vince. I'm glad that my "heads-up" was a help to you. I'm sure that
it's just a subset of us who are experiencing this problem, but with such a
vast installation base as XP this may easily be thousands (or tens of
thousands) of people who are tearing their hair.

Best,

Ted.

"Vince Edgar" wrote:

> I'm running XP Pro SP2 Media Center Edition.
> Forewarned by you, I installed all the other recent critical updates before this one, with several system restore points. All seem OK except KB921503. After rebooting with this change, my system tray which normally has ten icons was EMPTY except for a rudimentary McAfee VirusScan (which comes on before Startup pgms): NO McAfee Security Center, ZA firewall, MS volume control or anything else. My Start menu could not be accessed nor any desktop programs opened. This is a serious problem, for certain. Like you, I had to boot in Safe Mode and restore to just before the KB921503 installation.
>
> I'm not going to waste one of my two free support calls to MS on this. Their sites seem blissfully unaware of the issue so far, let alone any solution, so I will wait until some awareness has been raised. We cannot be alone in experiencing this, I feel certain.
>
> Please, any XP gurus out there, raise an alarm on our behalf!
>
> Vince
>
> EggHeadCafe - .NET Developer Portal of Choice
> http://www.eggheadcafe.com
>

Hi Freudi,

I'm clearly not alone in experiencing this problem, see Vince Edgar's post
in this thread. Not to be argumentative, but I do feel that any MS patch
needs to play nice with ZoneAlarm and any of the other major firewalls. In
any case, based on my experience and testing to date, ZA Pro does not seem to
be the issue.

As to Regrun, they offer a VB tool as part of their range of software, but I
have no reason to believe Regrun is written in VB. Maybe I'm wrong, but...
FWIW, the Wilders forum, one of the leading security forms on the 'net,
endorses them. So do I, as I have used the product through many different
versions, under at least four Windows OS. I consider it a valuable security
tool, though there are parts of it I'm less than pleased with (it suffers
from feature bloat, these days, IMHO). I deactivated it and it is not the
cause of the issue with this patch.

Thanks anyhow!

Best,

Ted.




"Ottmar Freudenberger" wrote:

> "Edward Ripley-Duggan" <> schrieb:
>
> > I use ZoneAlarm for my firewall;
>
> Would you mind uninstalling that one at least for testing and
> enable Windows Firewall instead?
>
> > also Regrun
>
> The whole suite? <showder>
> Anyhow, it seems like the one from http://www.greatis.com/ may be
> build with VisualBasic 6. Now have a look into the MSKB article
> for KB921503: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/921503 an the Known
> Issues section which also links to http://support.microsoft.com/kb/924053
>
> > 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,
>
> The/a problem with KB921503 which affects changes the OLE Automation
> is effecting relative only a few systems whith individual configurations/
> applications running to be precise.
>
> Bye,
> Freudi
>

"Edward Ripley-Duggan" <> schrieb:

> I'm clearly not alone in experiencing this problem, see Vince Edgar's post
> in this thread.

| effecting relative only a few systems

The vast, and it's really the vast majority of systems do not have
any serious problems with KB921503 at all.

> Not to be argumentative, but I do feel that any MS patch
> needs to play nice with ZoneAlarm and any of the other major firewalls.

Nope, IMNSHO it's the other way around.

> In any case, based on my experience and testing to date, ZA Pro does not seem to
> be the issue.

You've uninstalled ZA completly?

> As to Regrun, they offer a VB tool as part of their range of software, but I
> have no reason to believe Regrun is written in VB.

Ask the vendor, then you'll know for sure.

> I deactivated it and it is not the cause of the issue with this patch.

Uninstalled too? KB921503 still causes your system to -ehm- crash?
What's the exact error messages you're seeing with KB921503 installed
and are they the same if you install KB921503 in Safe Mode and disable
*all* applications listet in msconfig under "System Start"?

Bye,
Freudi

<Vince Edgar> schrieb:
> After rebooting with this change, my system tray which normally
> has ten icons was EMPTY except for a rudimentary McAfee VirusScan
> (which comes on before Startup pgms): NO McAfee Security Center,
> ZA firewall, MS volume control or anything else.

In an ideal world, *no* application of the ones mentioned above
should be running while an update for Windows is installing.

> I'm not going to waste one of my two free support calls to MS on this.
[...]
> Please, any XP gurus out there, raise an alarm on our behalf!

Why should they? Cause *you* don't want to? That's reasonable.

Bye,
Freudi