Alright, so i've been updating some friends computers and some school computers recently.  When going to Microsoft Windows Update, I am now prompted at the beginning to install "Windows XP Service Pack 2 Release Candidiate 2" (SP2) on these machines.  I've done yes, and it's proven to be a NIGHTMARE on Hewlitt-Packard (HP) Machines.

Below I list 2 Tests I ran after realizing the problem with HP and SP2.  It seems something in Service Pack 2 does NOT like the HP Computers.

[ Computer 1: HP Media Center Edition 2004 ]
Before Install: Running Service Pack 1 of XP.
After Install: Running NO Service Packs, Just Windows XP.

Description: Well, I went to Windows Update, Installed Service Pack 2, Restarted the machine as prompted and am presented with CONSTANT REBOOTS. (Cannot even get into Windows, after it has the loading screen it starts to reboot.)  After a LOT of work, I finally get it to stop rebooting and it presents me with a STOP Error.

Stop Error Given: STOP 0x00000079 OR MISMATCHED HAL = Basically, Windows did something that made the hardware compatability unstable.  [Source: Windows XP Inside Out: First Edition: MSPress]

After trying to get into Safe Mode (all of the options for safe mode), Debugging, VGA, etc., All the modes on the F8 Menu, nothing works.

Result: Had to Recover from the HP Recovery Program, Losing every application installed.  No XP Service Packs are on the system any longer and a successfully reset machine, basically.


[ Computer 2: Regular Desktop PC ]
See Results from Computer 1, only difference is that Computer 2 doesnt have Media Center Edition

OVERALL ANALYSIS:  I've come to the conclusion that Windows XP Service Pack 2 Release Candidiate 2, although it says supports Windows Media Center Edition, it does not.  It installed Updates to XPHome or Pro I believe (due to the new bootscreen I was presented with).

Also, I believe that since Computer 2 produced the same results, it is some sort of error between HPs hardware and Microsofts SP2 Software.  I CERTAINLY hope they fix this before they release SP2 to the general public.

[ People who SHOULD NOT Install Windows XPService Pack 2 Release Candidate 2 ]

-People on HP Media Center Machines (Although id say HP Overall!)
-Anyone running programs such as Style XP that change your log on and start up, will not be able to install SP2 while these programs are installed. (Contributed by: toddy)

Why do all your posts have this report format?

Since when do unfinished updates appear in the regular Windows Update on fresh installs?

So because one HP and media center computer crashed and one non HP and non media center computer didn't crash, you therefore conclude that...

OMFG! Service Pack 2 does NOT like the HP Computers!!!

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Originally posted by Guido
Why do all your posts have this report format?

Since when do unfinished updates appear in the regular Windows Update on fresh installs?

So because one HP and media center computer crashed and one non HP and non media center computer didn't crash, you therefore conclude that...

OMFG! Service Pack 2 does NOT like the HP Computers!!!

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Service pack 2 doesn't show up in Windows Update for me

Hmm...And your running SP1.  Thats very odd.

Well, when I took the Media Center PC into Windows Update, it showed Version 4 for like, 12 seconds and then went to V5.  Although thats not the point of this thread, the point is WinXPSP2 + HP = Nightmare/Restarts!

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Originally posted by jren207
Service pack doesn't show up in Windows Update for me

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Originally posted by Dane
Hmm...And your running SP1.  Thats very odd

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Ah right, I don't feel left out then.

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Originally posted by jren207
Ah right, I don't feel left out then.

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well on betanews they had a report saying that they thought that another version was coming out. so i would wait a while before you update. because you can't just install over SP2, you have to unistall earlier versions of SP2 to update to the latest version

The Answer: Don't let a n00b update your operating system with beta and release candidate software.

It is recommended by Microsoft that you do NOT run SP2 on any production machines until it reaches RTM and Final.

quote:

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Originally posted by Dane
Also, I believe that since Computer 2 produced the same results, it is some sort of error between HPs hardware and Microsofts SP2 Software.  I CERTAINLY hope they fix this before they release SP2 to the general public.

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quote:

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Originally posted by Dane
-Anyone running programs such as Style XP that change your log on and start up, will not be able to install SP2 while these programs are installed. (Contributed by: toddy)

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True...digging a bit deeper on the Windows Technology Preview site for SP2...I found a line basically saying dont install on Media Center Edition.  Yet in the install notes, it has Media Center Edition listed as a "Supported System".

Microsoft

That means that i should not install SP2 on my HP laptop?

That menas: do not install anything before v1.0 or you can get it on local stores unless you know what you're doing

urm, With my exp. with SP2 and HP Products, definatly dont install Service Pack 2 Release Candidate 2 on your HP Laptop.  Only install the final, and make a CD Backup, dont let the SP2 setup do it for you and think your safe, because the SP2 Backup is unaccessible if you get the results I got.

By the looks of the comments in this thread, i'm waiting for the final version of WinXP SP2

quote:

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Originally posted by Dane
Anyone running programs such as Style XP that change your log on and start up, will not be able to install SP2 while these programs are installed. (Contributed by: toddy)

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blah, yes it does.  Its an In-Memory Theme Patcher....Changing them in memory.

so far, i only noticed that the SP2 RC2 update only appears on comps who installed the previous SP2 Beta. And as the patch works just fine for me, cept a few minor bugs with networking although that is expected as it is still "beta" more or less. but dun install SP2 if ur afraid ur comp will crash cuz SP2 will mostly likely do that at some point

, it does do that.  And the first computer never even touched an SP2 website until Windows Update.

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Originally posted by Dane
blah, yes it does.  Its an In-Memory Theme Patcher....Changing them in memory.

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it isn't GUARENTEED to do that, but there's a fairly good chance it will although mine one suffered one minor crash after, but u neva noe, thatz y they call it "beta", and i still dunno bout the windows update thing, cuz i go over to my friends house and chek for it and it is neva there maybe itz sum random microsoft thing... i dunno

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Originally posted by Guido
    quoteriginally posted by Dane
    blah, yes it does.  Its an In-Memory Theme Patcher....Changing them in memory.

Err... it doesn't patch uxtheme.dll, which is what SP2 patches, and it does its work in memory as you say it, so SP2 shouldn't fail to install due to StyleXP.

Anyway, there are already updated uxtheme patchers out.

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