XP SP3 Bug Makes Some AMD PCs Crash: Is Your PC at Risk?
Owners of AMD PCs that have updated their systems to XP Service Pack 3 are reporting a glitch that is making systems reboot repeatedly and sometimes crash.
Hewlett-Packard PCs with AMD chips in them have borne the brunt of these failures, according to numerous complaints posted to the Web and ex-Microsoft staffer Jesper Johansson on his blog. Among the reported problems are spontaneous reboots, un-install difficulties associated with IE7, and an inability to start up a PC.
Microsoft has done little to provide guidance on the topic other than put out this official statement:
"Microsoft is aware of these issues and we are investigating them further. We will keep customers informed with our progress. Any customer who experiences a problem with Windows XP SP3 installation should contact Microsoft Customer Support Services."
In his blog Johansson believes he knows the problem behind the bug:
"The problem is that HP, and possibly other OEMs, deploy the same image to Intel-based desktops that they do to AMD-based desktops. It also appears that this is unique to their desktop image, and any HP AMD-based laptops are unaffected by the problem. Because the image for both Intel and AMD is the same all have the intelppm.sys driver installed and running. That driver provides power management on Intel-based computers. On an AMD-based computer, amdk8.sys provides the same functionality."
Protect Yourself
While it's not uncommon for patch downloads to be patchy themselves, this might be more than the average owner of a HP system powered by an AMD chip wants to handle. Currently XP SP3 is being pushed out to users via automatic update. If your PC is set to automatically update with no prompts and you are worried about getting bit by XP SP3 bug you might want to modify your Windows settings.
To do so go to Start, Control Panel, and select Automatic Updates. Until Microsoft shares more guidance with what?s going on you may want to have configure Automatic Updates to "download updates for me, but let me choose when to install them." Generally speaking it is best to leave this utility set to "Automatically download recommended updates for my computer and install them."
PC World will report on any new developments on this topic. Johansson offers some possible fixes for the problem at his blog for those comfortable tinkering with a PC's advanced settings.
CREDIT: PC World contributor Brennon Slattery filed this blog.
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After I installed SP3 Device Manager would not open and funny things started happening. Did a uninstall and all seems normal
yes l downloaded this shit twice and it crashed both times lm getting an apple next time
HP seem to be saying they don't support WinXP SP3 on AMD systems. Tech support feedback here:
https://forums12.itrc.hp.com/service/forums/questionanswer.do?threadId=1231212
-A
I have always admired MS and their products but words cannot express my fury at MS?s irresponsible release of SP3 in the knowledge that it could adversely affect anyone operating some computers with certain types of processor. This puts them in the same category as the idiots who create viruses in my opinion.
Claims that it is the hardware manufacturers fault are a little hollow given that this apparently happened after the release of sp2 as well.
This looks to me like a not very subtle, indeed brutal, attempt to force the public to use MS?s choice of hardware. I hope AMD and HP take legal action as a result of this. They will have plenty of support.
After this I will never trust MS or their downloads again, will never buy another of their products if there is an alternative and will actively support any challenge to ms?s domination of the marketplace both in spirit and where I can, actively.
This is irresponsible reporting by PCWorld and the IT media and just another example of their shameful, all too frequent UNWARRANTED thrashing of MS.
The headline states: "SP3 Bug" yet just a couple paragraphs down it states, "The problem is that HP, and possibly other OEMs, deploy the same image to Intel-based desktops that they do to AMD-based desktops."
How is that an SP3 Bug, Tom and PCWorld?
So the problem is HP has buggy image files but PCWorld blames Microsoft! Come on PCWorld! How about some responsible reporting instead of some shameless gimmick designed get readers and MS bashers riled up? :(
I'm all for bashing MS when due, and certainly, that is way too often, but don't blame MS in the title to attract readers then bury in the text somewhere that HP is really to blame.
You are doing Bob Reeve (previous commenter) and all your readers a disservice - it's a disgrace!
Providing biased misinformation is simply irresponsible journalism.
Get it right!
Sorry- my HP Laptop has CRASHED repeatedly since the day SP3 updated automatically. It's an (AMD) ZV5000 and HP denies any "problems". Anyone else? It's not just Desktops!
Not all AMD PC's have problems with XP's SP3. I have both a desktop and a notebook computer with AMD processors. Each comes from a different company. The desktop -4 years old- was recently formatted. The notebook -3years old- is factory original, other then added software. In both cases SP3 installed without a glitch and both have been problem free ever since.
Installed on both my computer which now only repeatedly reboots after start up and on my brothers computer. My brother computer got the blue screen of death on booting. It said a gdi file was missing.
I repaired XP on my brothers computer on mine I can not I dual boot and it will not let me. I'll have to reinstall XP.
The heck with SP3.
Installed on both my computer which now only repeatedly reboots after start up and on my brothers computer. My brother computer got the blue screen of death on booting. It said a gdi file was missing.
I repaired XP on my brothers computer on mine I can not I dual boot and it will not let me. I'll have to reinstall XP.
The heck with SP3.
Installed on both my computer which now only repeatedly reboots after start up and on my brothers computer. My brother computer got the blue screen of death on booting. It said a gdi file was missing.
I repaired XP on my brothers computer on mine I can not I dual boot and it will not let me. I'll have to reinstall XP.
The heck with SP3.
Installed on both my computer which now only repeatedly reboots after start up and on my brothers computer. My brother computer got the blue screen of death on booting. It said a gdi file was missing.
I repaired XP on my brothers computer on mine I can not I dual boot and it will not let me. I'll have to reinstall XP.
The heck with SP3.
I have a AMD processor in my home built system. I am a tech support person whom builds and supports computers for a living. Since SP3 has been installed on my computer, it boots, apps die and other things seem to happen. I have a 64 bit AMD processor, 3000, 2gig of RAM, several hard discs, etc. It is not only HP computers that are having problems. I am just hoping this app doesn't crash before I get through posting this.