For anyone who has this problem and has a HP or Compaq AMD computer please have a read here.
The thread is 9 pages long but believe me you won't regret it. (please read all first)
There are some things listed to check on your computer for a certain registry value that will cause the safe mode boot loop problem if you have it.
I've got a Compaq Presario, and SP3 is something I would rather leave well alone.
My PC runs like a Rolls Royce, and I'd like to keep it that way. The little problem mentioned here is probably not the last one to raise it's ugly head.
Nice find Hazel. 9 pages!
I've got a Compaq Presario too! It's working really well right now, and I don't want to read 9 pages by installing SP3. I'm not going to install it until it gets all bugs fixed.
It's not a bug of Microsoft's making this time as a paragraph from one of the above linked pages shows. The registry change being refered to below is the simple change required to allow SP3 to install.
The need for the registry change was because some large OEM computer manufacturers for a period of time used the identical image on both Intel and non-Intel processor machines. This was a mistake on their part. The driver should never have been made an active service on an AMD Processor computer.
Microsoft has no responsibility here. It was not their mistake. If you run Setup from the XP installation CD and install XP, it would never make this same mistake.
Another paragraph says.....
The issue is not confined to HP and Compaq. Nor, all non-Intel implementations of XP on those machines either.
So, check:
Click Start, click Run, and enter: regedit
Navigate to the "Start" value of the registry key:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet
\Services
\Intelppm
In the right panel, examine the value "Start"
Change the 'Start' value to 4 instead of its setting of 1. To do this, right click on the value "Start" in the right panel and choose Modify.
If it does not read: 00000004 then edit it so that it does.
(A value of 00000004 Disables the Service from startup.)
If the service value does not exist at all, that is good too.
The service should either be non-existent or disabled for non-Intel processors.
--
But it is still good to read this thread, lots of info here for SP3 problems in general as well.
I know you have it installed Hazel, and running with no problems, otherwise you would have given us a heads up.
I haven't really got any rational reasons for not wanting this update, just a feeling of leave well alone.
It would be interesting to hear how many of the guys on here have actually installed SP3, and if all went smooth.
Yeah, if everyone here who installed SP3 had no problem, then I might download and install it. But I still have a Compaq Presario and I don't want it messed up. Also, Hazel, if I do decide to install SP3, then should I make that reg edit shown near the bottom of your post?
Oh and one more thing, my start value is 3, not 1?
As I said, read the thread, it makes more sense then.
I've been through the first few pages, and it's as Hazel says, definitely worth a read.
Forewarned is forearmed so they say, and there's some interesting stuff there.
It would be interesting to hear how many of the guys on here have actually installed SP3, and if all went smooth.
I have SP3 installed and have had no problems yet. I have not tried all my software yet, but the installation went smoothly. Took about an hour for the install but about 25 minutes of that was for the download and download verify of the update files.
After submitting this post, I realized it was on the wrong topic since I don't have a Compaq Presario.
It would be interesting to hear how many of the guys on here have actually installed SP3, and if all went smooth.
I feel asleep at the computer while it was installing, and I wanted to time it.
The only problem I had after installing it and doing the mandatory reboot was my hard drive "disengaged" (best way I can explain it) and Windows totally froze. I don't know if it was because of SP3, or if it was just a random power surge. I however highly doubt that it was SP3 because I've been up and running for many hours without a single problem.
The only think that bugged me was it installed Messenger which I quickly uninstalled. I'm surprised they didn't install Windows Media Player 11 with it, although I do have the WMP 11 runtime installed without the player.
The issue is not confined to HP and Compaq. Nor, all non-Intel implementations of XP on those machines either.
So, check:
Click Start, click Run, and enter: regedit
Navigate to the "Start" value of the registry key:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet
\Services
\Intelppm
In the right panel, examine the value "Start"
Change the 'Start' value to 4 instead of its setting of 1. To do this, right click on the value "Start" in the right panel and choose Modify.
If it does not read: 00000004 then edit it so that it does.
(A value of 00000004 Disables the Service from startup.)
If the service value does not exist at all, that is good too.
The service should either be non-existent or disabled for non-Intel processors.
--
If I have a Dell P4 that is at the 00000004 do I have to worry or not? I'm reading AMD processors with this need to change the value, but I want to be sure.
I'm gonna install SP3 tomorrow, after I create a system restore point to be sure, and when I have the time.
AJ
Holey moley, Hazelnut, what a nightmare posting in that thread must've been. I bookmarked it for further reading. I read the 1st 2 pages. I am definitely keeping auto updates disabled for the next month or so. I have an old HP, but it's a Pentium 4. And it seems that the other thread on this forum here suggesting the option to uninstall IE7, install SP3, & reinstall IE7 was not just a whim. They obviously are having some big problems with SP3 & IE7 regarding install order.
When I eventually do get SP3, I think I will uninstall & then later reinstall IE7. That's not my style, but yikes.
All in all I have SP3 installed on my XP Home P4 2.4GHZ and Pro P4 2.8GHZ systems and it does seem a bit faster than before installing it.
After submitting this post, I realized it was on the wrong topic since I don't have a Compaq Presario.
No matter larry, your input's appreciated. Ditto to the others in this thread.
I just installed SP3 on my Compaq Presario and no problems yet. No startup problems either.
But the Uninstall button for IE7 has disappeared in Add/Remove.
I just installed SP3 on my Compaq Presario and no problems yet. No startup problems either.
But the Uninstall button for IE7 has disappeared in Add/Remove.
You need to uninstall IE7 before SP3 upgrade and then reinstall IE7 after to prevent that. I uninstalled IE7 first then reinstalled after. It only added about 15 minutes to the update process. If you don't do this, you will have to uninstall SP3 first if you ever want to to uninstall IE7.
I don't know if installing SP3 over IE7 will have any effect on IE7 updates or IE8 upgrade or not.
I had SP3 installed for awhile a couple of months back and I had no problems installing or uninstalling.
I never even considered uninstalling IE7.I will just install over IE7 again.IE7 has been OK with me but I wonder now if there are any complications with IE7pro since I recently installed it.
davey
Still having no problems. I think you can uninstall IE7 from Revo Uninstaller if you want.
I haven't really got any rational reasons for not wanting this update, just a feeling of leave well alone.
It would be interesting to hear how many of the guys on here have actually installed SP3, and if all went smooth.
Not smooth. AMD processor, Compaq system. Installed sp3 from auto updates. Got no warnings, but then restarted into the Black screen reboot loop. 4 hours so far. Used system restore.
Edit: Thank you Hazelnut. Will try the fix.
Still having no problems. I think you can uninstall IE7 from Revo Uninstaller if you want.
How exactly will you do that? Have you ever tried removing a program with Revo that did not have an entry in Add/Remove Programs?
I have and it doesn't work. First of all if you open Revo if there is no entry for the program there is nothing to click on and start the uninstall process. If you start the program you want to uninstall than use Revo in "Hunter Mode" and drag the "Hunter Mode" Icon over the icon for the app you want to uninstall and than try to uninstall it Revo will tell you it can't.