Update to unstability

Hi there,

I've been a win2k and XP user for years but it's only been since I purchased
a pre-assembled machine from Dell that I started to use windows update
(previously always deactivated from installation).

This machine is now approx 7 months old and in that time it has had over 6
hardware services performed on it to fix a freezing issue. Now that the
entire machine has been replaced (lock, stock and barrell) it's quite
obvious that the issue is with XP.

The Dell provided installation is rock solid and so are all the third party
drivers provided, however once the machine is online and the OS is brought up
to speed with the current patches the same random freezing issue returns.

Current updates installed:
(KB900485)
(KB896423)
(KB911562)
(KB911280)
(KB923980)
(KB920685)
(KB899591)
(KB901017)
(KB911927)
(KB929969)
(KB928255)
(KB923414)
(KB885836)
(KB885835)
(KB922819)
(KB927802)
(KB927779)
(KB899587)
(KB890859)
(KB910437)
(KB887472)
(KB927891)
(KB890859)
(KB887472)
(KB910437)
(KB927891)
(KB924667)
(KB917283)
(KB893756)
(KB925398)
(KB931784)
(KB924191)
(KB922770)
(KB931784)
(KB927978)

on...

XP Home Ed. SP2, .net 2.0
Dell Dem e520, Intel d820, ATI gfx.

Freezing is causes more often while using IE. IE7 was even more unstable and
had to be removed.

Any suggests or feedback would be greatly appreciated.

Leon | dkre.design <> wrote:

> I've been a win2k and XP user for years but it's only been since I
> purchased a pre-assembled machine from Dell that I started to use
> windows update (previously always deactivated from installation).
>
> This machine is now approx 7 months old and in that time it has had
> over 6 hardware services performed on it to fix a freezing issue. Now
> that the entire machine has been replaced (lock, stock and barrell)
> it's quite obvious that the issue is with XP.
>
> The Dell provided installation is rock solid and so are all the third
> party drivers provided, however once the machine is online and the OS
> is brought up to speed with the current patches the same random
> freezing issue returns.
>
> XP Home Ed. SP2, .net 2.0
> Dell Dem e520, Intel d820, ATI gfx.
>
> Freezing is causes more often while using IE. IE7 was even more
> unstable and had to be removed.

It's unclear what you mean by "freezing". For instance, do you mean:
(a) the processor is 100% occupied in some system process; or
(b) the machine stops dead, pointer not movable by mouse?

In any case, try the following fixes for (a):

Before doing the items below, ensure that you have disabled all 3rd-party
anti-virus, anti-spyware, popup-blocker, download accelerator, or firewall.
If you disabled a 3rd-party firewall, then re-enable Windows Firewall for
the duration.

You might need to stop Automatic Updates while you apply these two fixes:
open a command prompt window and type the command:

net stop wuauserv

For a possible fix to the above problem, please do BOTH of the following:

1. (not for Vista) If your update history shows that you do not yet have
update KB927891 installed, then download and install update KB927891 ver3
(there are different versions for XP and 2000):
<http://support.microsoft.com/kb/927891>
and then restart Windows.

2. For 32-bit systems, download and save to hard disk, and then install:
<http://download.windowsupdate.com/v7/windowsupdate/redist/standalone/WindowsUpdateAgent30-x86.exe>

If this produces an error message about "Update agent already
installed", then execute the installer again manually, with parameter
/wuforce as in (at a comand prompt window):

WindowsUpdateAgent30-x86.exe /wuforce

Then visit Microsoft Update again, and report back whether your problem is
fixed.

--
Robin Walker [MVP Networking]

Thanks Robin,

Applied the update and followed your instructions with the only out come
being that the freezing occurs less frequently. The freezes are complete
lock-ups, frozen screen etc (b).

Any further assistance would be helpful.

"Robin Walker [MVP]" wrote:

> Leon | dkre.design <> wrote:
>
> > I've been a win2k and XP user for years but it's only been since I
> > purchased a pre-assembled machine from Dell that I started to use
> > windows update (previously always deactivated from installation).
> >
> > This machine is now approx 7 months old and in that time it has had
> > over 6 hardware services performed on it to fix a freezing issue. Now
> > that the entire machine has been replaced (lock, stock and barrell)
> > it's quite obvious that the issue is with XP.
> >
> > The Dell provided installation is rock solid and so are all the third
> > party drivers provided, however once the machine is online and the OS
> > is brought up to speed with the current patches the same random
> > freezing issue returns.
> >
> > XP Home Ed. SP2, .net 2.0
> > Dell Dem e520, Intel d820, ATI gfx.
> >
> > Freezing is causes more often while using IE. IE7 was even more
> > unstable and had to be removed.
>
> It's unclear what you mean by "freezing". For instance, do you mean:
> (a) the processor is 100% occupied in some system process; or
> (b) the machine stops dead, pointer not movable by mouse?
>
> In any case, try the following fixes for (a):
>
> Before doing the items below, ensure that you have disabled all 3rd-party
> anti-virus, anti-spyware, popup-blocker, download accelerator, or firewall.
> If you disabled a 3rd-party firewall, then re-enable Windows Firewall for
> the duration.
>
> You might need to stop Automatic Updates while you apply these two fixes:
> open a command prompt window and type the command:
>
> net stop wuauserv
>
> For a possible fix to the above problem, please do BOTH of the following:
>
> 1. (not for Vista) If your update history shows that you do not yet have
> update KB927891 installed, then download and install update KB927891 ver3
> (there are different versions for XP and 2000):
> <http://support.microsoft.com/kb/927891>
> and then restart Windows.
>
> 2. For 32-bit systems, download and save to hard disk, and then install:
> <http://download.windowsupdate.com/v7/windowsupdate/redist/standalone/WindowsUpdateAgent30-x86.exe>
>
> If this produces an error message about "Update agent already
> installed", then execute the installer again manually, with parameter
> /wuforce as in (at a comand prompt window):
>
> WindowsUpdateAgent30-x86.exe /wuforce
>
> Then visit Microsoft Update again, and report back whether your problem is
> fixed.
>
> --
> Robin Walker [MVP Networking]
>
>
>
>

Leon | dkre.design <> wrote:

> Applied the update and followed your instructions with the only out
> come being that the freezing occurs less frequently. The freezes are
> complete lock-ups, frozen screen etc (b).

This isn't a symptom we see much of in relation to Windows Update services.
It is more reminiscent of a hardware problem (e.g. faulty RAM), or a
low-level driver problem. You say you already have had the entire machine
replaced, and you are seeing the same symptoms, which is strange. Do you
see these freezes on a virgin installation of XP, or do they become apparent
only after installing some other software? If the latter, what software has
been installed?

In the meantime, slightly clutching at straws, I recommend installing update
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/936357 which is a microcode update for
certain Intel processors: there must be a reason that this update has just
been posted.

Also, check that you have the latest motherboard chipset drivers.

Check the Dell site for BIOS updates.

--
Robin Walker [MVP Networking]

This machine has never shown any fault at all until it's allowed to update
xp. Hence my first port of call after the hardware has been ruled out (cpu,
mb, hdd, ram all replaced (more than once) and then the entire machine for
any silly crazy unlikelies like power supply issues).

The system has remained stable running adobe apps, video renders, games and
all those lovely wee beta apps like frostwire for upto a month without
failure. Within a day of update being allowed to do it's thing the machine is
back to it's current state: freezing randomly at least once every 6-8 hours.
This is true from a fresh/bare xp install without any application installed
(aside from a small log-in app for my wireless isp) and update having
completed all it's updates.

Current plan of attack is to update anything that can be - the bios has
always been the lastest (at the time of reinstallation of xp),
chipset/controller stuff basically and the update you suggested.

I'll let you know the outcome.

"Robin Walker [MVP]" wrote:

> Leon | dkre.design <> wrote:
>
> > Applied the update and followed your instructions with the only out
> > come being that the freezing occurs less frequently. The freezes are
> > complete lock-ups, frozen screen etc (b).
>
> This isn't a symptom we see much of in relation to Windows Update services.
> It is more reminiscent of a hardware problem (e.g. faulty RAM), or a
> low-level driver problem. You say you already have had the entire machine
> replaced, and you are seeing the same symptoms, which is strange. Do you
> see these freezes on a virgin installation of XP, or do they become apparent
> only after installing some other software? If the latter, what software has
> been installed?
>
> In the meantime, slightly clutching at straws, I recommend installing update
> http://support.microsoft.com/kb/936357 which is a microcode update for
> certain Intel processors: there must be a reason that this update has just
> been posted.
>
> Also, check that you have the latest motherboard chipset drivers.
>
> Check the Dell site for BIOS updates.
>
> --
> Robin Walker [MVP Networking]
>
>
>
>

Leon | dkre.design <> wrote:

> This machine has never shown any fault at all until it's allowed to
> update xp. Hence my first port of call after the hardware has been
> ruled out (cpu, mb, hdd, ram all replaced (more than once) and then
> the entire machine for any silly crazy unlikelies like power supply
> issues).
>
> The system has remained stable running adobe apps, video renders,
> games and all those lovely wee beta apps like frostwire for upto a
> month without failure. Within a day of update being allowed to do
> it's thing the machine is back to it's current state: freezing
> randomly at least once every 6-8 hours.

Right - do you have any record of exactly which updates were installed at
that time? In particular, I would be suspicious of any updates for device
drivers which might have slipped through in that batch.

In general, I recommend setting the control panel "Automatic Updates" to
"Download updates for me, but let me choose when to install them". Then,
when notified that updates are downloaded and ready to instal, I choose the
route "Custom", so that I have the opportunity to select which updates to
defer. I also get the opportunity to quit applications and disable
anti-virus and anti-spyware applications before allowing the updates to
instal.

If notified of device driver updates, it is usually better to skip the one
on offer from the Windows Update system, and check with the manufacturer's
own site for the best driver.

--
Robin Walker [MVP Networking]