Updates released on Tuesday 3/9/10 slowed 10 pcs down to a crawl

[Wattsfan]

Hi All,

Ok. Something is up. Before the Tuesday Updates, my pcs were fine. After the
3/9/10 updates, many of my client’s pcs are barefly functioning. One of the
pcs is my own. I had to restart and shutdown each pc several times before
they were running fine again. First time I’ve had to do this.

I checked each pc and there are no viruses, spyware, no malware. Checked for
viruses with Symantec Endpoint Protection 11.0.5, Norton Internet Security
2010, MalwareBytes. And I booted off a Norton Internet Security Boot Disk
with the latest virus definitions. Checked Autoruns and Hijackthis. TCPView
is connecting to the correct servers.

On one of the pcs, the Nvidia built-in network card stopped working. I had
to reinstall the entire Nvidia chipset to get it to function.

I know updates sometimes cause problems and I test the updates before
installing them.

Updates installed on my and my client's pcs on Tuesday were:

1. Update for the 2007 Microsoft Office System KB9777724
2. Security Update for the 2007 Microsoft Office System KB978380
3. Update for Microsoft Office Outlook 2003 Junk Mail Filter KB979771
4. Security Update for Windows XP KB975561
5. Update for Windows XP (KB976662)
6. Update for Windows XP (KB979306)
7. Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool - March 2010 (KB890830)

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Thanks,

Wattsfan

[MowGreen]

The only way you could tell which update is causing this issue is by
installing them one at a time or, install them all at once and remove
one at a time. If you find that one of the *Security* updates has caused
an issue, Microsoft will provide * no-charge support *.

From (and *ALL* Security KB articles include this info ): MS10-016:
Vulnerability in Windows Movie Maker could allow remote code execution
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/975561

" How to obtain help and support for this security update

For home users, no-charge support is available by calling 1-866-PCSAFETY
in the United States and Canada or by contacting your local Microsoft
subsidiary. For more information about how to contact your local
Microsoft subsidiary for support issues with security updates, visit the
Microsoft International Support Web site:
http://support.microsoft.com/common/international.aspx?rdpath=4

North American customers can also obtain instant access to unlimited
no-charge e-mail support or to unlimited individual chat support by
visiting the following Microsoft Web site:
http://support.microsoft.com/oas/default.aspx?&prid=7552

For enterprise customers, support for security updates is available
through your usual support contacts. "
Are there any errors showing in the System or Application event viewer
when they are all installed ?

My XP SP3 systems have had absolutely no issues with the recent updates
but then again, there's no Norton "anything" installed that could
possibly be causing an issue.

MowGreen
================
*-343-* FDNY
Never Forgotten
================

banthecheck.com
"Security updates should *never* have *non-security content* prechecked

[PA Bear [MS MVP]]

Symantec Endpoint Protection *and* NIS 2010 are both installed on the
computers?

For home users (only), no-charge support is available by calling
1-866-PCSAFETY (and/or 1-866-234-6020 and/or 1-800-936-5700) in the United
States and in Canada or by contacting your local Microsoft subsidiary.
There is no-charge for support calls that are associated with security
updates. When you call, clearly state that your problem is related to a
Security Update and cite the update's KB number (e.g., KB999999).

Or you can...

Start a free Windows Update support incident request:
https://support.microsoft.com/oas/default.aspx?gprid=6527

Consumer Security Support home page & Microsoft Update Solution Center also
offer support options
https://consumersecuritysupport.microsoft.com/
http://support.microsoft.com/ph/6527#tab3

For more information about how to contact your local Microsoft subsidiary

for security update support issues, visit the International Support Web
site: http://support.microsoft.com/common/international.aspx

For enterprise customers, support for security updates is available through
your usual support contacts.

[Wattsfan]

Hello,
Symantec Endpoint is installed on C. Norton Internet Security 2010 on D. Two
XP Pro Partitions, dual boot system.
Wattsfan

> .
>

[Wattsfan]

Hello,

That is what I did, installed each one one by one. I still cannot determine
which update was the one that slowed 11 out of 35 computers down to a crawl.
Frustrating. Thought it Symantec Endpoint but the other 24 pcs were fine. All
XP Pro SP3 full patched systems.

Wattsfan

"MowGreen" wrote:

> .
>

[PCsavy]

I have been following this thread with great interest. I have had the
same/similar issues in the past two weeks with two different PCs and Windows
OS.

I have some theories and resolutions I am pursuing at this time. I will post
the results, in the next two days. As I am careful not to put out non factual
and complete results. Again, if this works in the short run, it is probably
indicative of recurring problems with the Automatic Updates.

Will post again soon. Feel free to respond at any time.

[Shenan Stanley]

<snipped, unsure if this part is even related to the conversation>

<original conversation, archived indefinitely>
http://groups.google.com/group/microsoft.public.windowsupdate/browse_frm/thread/3e597609a19ee967/
</original conversation, archived indefinitely>

PCsavy wrote:
> I have been following this thread with great interest. I have had
> the same/similar issues in the past two weeks with two different
> PCs and Windows OS.
>
> I have some theories and resolutions I am pursuing at this time. I
> will post the results, in the next two days. As I am careful not to
> put out non factual and complete results. Again, if this works in
> the short run, it is probably indicative of recurring problems with
> the Automatic Updates.
>
> Will post again soon. Feel free to respond at any time.

Okay.

So you are "... careful not to put out non factual and complete results
..." - so you will be offering up "... factual and incomplete results ..."?
Not sure how that is better. ;-)

If it is, as you say, "... indicative of recurring problems with the
Automatic Updates ..."; how come it does not affect 100% of the Windows
users that utilize automatic updates?

Are you using the same OS even as the original poster (Windows XP, 32-bit it
seems)?

How would you describe your problem if you had not seen this posting and
found a path to pursue?

--
Shenan Stanley
MS-MVP
--
How To Ask Questions The Smart Way
http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html

[MrsFrog]

I have had the same problem when updates KB975561, 973917, 979895,
905866, 978382, 890830 and 978380 were automatically installed. I use
Vista home Premium edition and had to reboot about 15 times before it
all went relatively normal. Rebooting in safe mode, non safe mode,
with disc scan or not just resulted in the same effect every time,
slow slow and dead slow. :( Seems to be ok at the moment, except that
I cannot open too many windows at once or it's the same problem all
over again.

[MowGreen]

The initial post by Wattsfan stated that all affected systems were
running XP SP3 w/Symantec Endpoint as the AV/Sec suite.
Which AV/Sec suite is installed on your Vista SP__ (please fill in the
SP level) ?
There might be a possible conflict occurring between the security
software and the MRT (KB890830). The only way to rule it out would be to
download and run a copy of KB890830 or use an image or System Restore to
roll the system back in time as the MRT supposedly deletes itself after
it runs:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/890830

" The Malicious Software Removal Tool does not use an installer.
Typically, when you run the Malicious Software Removal Tool, it creates
a randomly named temporary directory on the root drive of the computer.
This directory contains several files, and it includes the Mrtstub.exe
file. Most of the time, this folder is automatically deleted after the
tool finishes running or after the next time that you start the
computer. However, this folder may not always be automatically deleted.
In these cases, you can manually delete this folder, and this has no
adverse effect on the computer. "

Despite what the above states, there's a copy of MRT.exe in my Windows 7
system located at %windir%\system32 and I suspect it's in the same
location for previous editions of Windows, too, possibly because it may
have been downloaded and run manually by the User. I don't recall ever
doing that in Win 7.

If that's correct then one should be able to run it in XP/WS2K3
from Start > Run > type in
mrt
Click OK or press Enter .
In Vista/Win7/WS2K8 one needs to click the Start orb and enter mrt in
the Search field, then *right* click mrt and run it Elevated. It should
load and the menu bar at the top should show it's the March release.
Then do a Quick scan to see if that was the cause of the sluggish
systems as that is it's Default scan option when run via automatic updates.

MowGreen
================
*-343-* FDNY
Never Forgotten
================

banthecheck.com
"Security updates should *never* have *non-security content* prechecked

[PCsavy]

Wow, I had a time getting back here!

Anyways, I wanted to respond to your post only after conducting a
step-by-step review of the evidence. In this case IT evidence related to my
computer usage.
I have found the following:

My business PC did have a rather "incidental" "reboot crash" after an
apparent update. This as evidenced by the update screen still appearing over
and over during a power up attempt. The screen read: Configuring Updates,
Stage 3 of 3-0% Completed, with the typical ...... repeating continuously
across the bottom.

As of this time, the remedy is consequential. There is no way to eliminate
the update without freezing the startup, meaning entering a SAFE MODE or
other option, and starting Windows. However eventually you will come to
realize, its a temporary fix. So only other option left, Partial or Full
Restoration.

Of course this means your files and folders will be purged or at risk. Good
time to have invested in backups.

I chose the full restoration, the Windows Program was restored to
"operational", but...... there is another issue. The VISTA startup will not
resume full operations without interruption. It seems to have been corrupted.
I am NOT the happy camper!

I believe the harddrive to be unusable and unrecoverable. But miracles do
happen.. it will take one to get this PC back to standard.

If this were an isolated incident, I would not agree there is an issue with
updates. However it just so happens I ran into another issue with recent
updates on my home PC. Which I take extensive pride in maintaining..... but

Two weeks ago, my PC would not terminate a "Virus Protection" update. It had
a legitimate logo and I actually traced it back to a February
download/update. However it was persistent and intrusive, leading me to
believe it was actually a virus. MaCaffe, Windows Firewall, and several other
methods had not detected it.
The mistake I in fact made. Changing my updates to "automatic". I never
liked this setting, though advised, and now I am sorry I have not stayed with
my "gut feeling".

I did purge the "virused update", recovered my OS to normal, and now have
reset updated to "manual and review". Recently I spent a couple of hours
reviewing the MS Update site, and found it quite interesting and helpful. I
now have decided to never update without what I call "review and flag". All
of my updates, both home and office will be done manually.

As MicroSoft advises, the updates are critical, but if used in a "passive
manner" it can cost you big time. I would never say, don't update. Just do it
with review and cautions.

I have been lengthy but I hope my recent experience helps someone else.

PCsavy

[PA Bear [MS MVP]]

For home users, no-charge support is available by calling 1-866-PCSAFETY

(and/or 1-866-234-6020 and/or 1-800-936-5700) in the United States and in
Canada or by contacting your local Microsoft subsidiary. There is no-charge
for support calls that are associated with security updates. When you call,
clearly state that your problem is related to a Security Update and cite the
update's KB number (e.g., KB999999).

Or you can...

Start a free Windows Update support incident request:
https://support.microsoft.com/oas/default.aspx?gprid=6527

Consumer Security Support home page & Microsoft Update Solution Center also
offer support options
https://consumersecuritysupport.microsoft.com/
http://support.microsoft.com/ph/6527#tab3

For more information about how to contact your local Microsoft subsidiary
for security update support issues, visit the International Support Web
site: http://support.microsoft.com/common/international.aspx

For enterprise customers, support for security updates is available through
your usual support contacts.

PCsavy wrote:
> Wow, I had a time getting back here!
>
> Anyways, I wanted to respond to your post only after conducting a
> step-by-step review of the evidence. In this case IT evidence related to
> my
> computer usage.

<blithersnippage>