[Razor VinT]

Installing Windows XP Service Pack 3 sends some PCs into an endless series of reboots, according to posts to a Microsoft support forum.

Jesper Johansson, a former program manager for security policy at Microsoft Corp. and a prominent Windows blogger, has worked with users to tentatively identify the problem as involving only machines using processors from Advanced Micro Devices Inc.

According to Johansson, there appears to be two separate issues. One affects only AMD-equipped PCs sold by Hewlett-Packard Co. "The problem is that HP, apparently along with other OEMs, deploys the same image to Intel-based computers that they do to AMD-based computers," said Johansson. "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."

Running the intelppm.sys driver on an AMD-powered PC isn't normally an issue, but on the first reboot after a service pack installation, it causes "a big problem," Johansson said. The machine either fails to boot or crashes and immediately reboots.

The other problem, according to Johansson, also seems to affect only AMD machines, and involves an error message indicating trouble with the PC's BIOS. Johansson said that the ensuing recommendation to update the BIOS is "most likely not your problem," but said that the problem may be isolated to a specific motherboard. "Possibly, it is related to computers with the Asus A8N32-SLI Deluxe motherboard in them," he said.

Johansson also spelled out workarounds for both problems on his blog. The HP issue can be solved by disabling the intelppm.sys driver, while the second fix requires the user to plug in a USB flash drive before booting.

News source: Computerworld

[M.Sudoku]

I'm glad that I had switched to Intel a long time back.

[bhast2]

glad i am running leopard

[electricshock81]

agreed with M.Sudoku

[Josh007CL]

hmm, no problems with my comp yet, running amd

[Witt3439]

I just reloaded XP onto my wife's laptop last week, and included SP3.

Her laptop has an AMD Turion processor, and it hasn't experienced any problems yet.

[PRATOSH]

i am glad i am using intel.

[vD3stroyiR(666)]

I've never had AMD... I'm just being stupid posting here!

This post has been edited by vD3stroyiR(666): 10 May 2008 - 02:41 PM

[SharmanNet]

All AMD PCs are not affected!
In the fist case some of the HP AMD PCs are affected because of intelppm.sys driver and in another case there is a BIOS problem in AMD PCs with Asus A8N32-SLI Deluxe motherboard.

[uch_haiden]

To the other posters above, isn't it better to say

I'm glad I don't have HP. It seems its not actually AMD's fault.

[SharmanNet]

Microsoft is now blocking 'endless reboot' AMD desktops from Windows Update!
Source

[teentitan2k2]

SharmanNet, on May 20 2008, 10:04 AM, said:

Microsoft is now blocking 'endless reboot' AMD desktops from Windows Update!
Source

Ouch dont you think thats a bit harsh? Im sure they could offer a patch that renames that dll to something else or some kind of fix. I dont see why they have to blacklist a whole series of PCs

Oh and I also wanted to jump on the Thank Goodness band wagon:

Thank goodness I use Ubuntu 90% of the time (Other 10 percent is for Adobe CS3 Suite, I cant live without my Photoshop and Dreamweaver and no matter how hard I try Gimp will never replace Photoshop and Illustrator when it comes to Vector and the Pen tool)