No ZoneAlarm problems SP3, KB951748, KB952287, KB946648 Security U

[Dave S]

No ZoneAlarm installed, still problems SP3, KB951748, KB952287, KB946648
Security Updates

Four windows Security Updates for Windows XP are causing problems on a
Windows XP media edition ACER T180.

1) SP3 - stops Internet connection. Uninstall to get it back. (I don't
have ZoneAlarm installed so it's not that)
Without SP3 installed.
2) KB951748 - stops Internet connection. Uninstall to get it back. (I don't
have ZoneAlarm installed so it's not that)
3) KB952287 - fails to install error 0x8007f0ed:
4) KB946648 - fails to install error 0x8007f0ed:

I use FireFox 3 as my main browser, Bullguard as the firewall and virus, I
uninstalled Bullguard to try and get KB951748 working, that didn't help.
Access through a router Netgear DG834 (wired) that allocates a specific
internal IP address to the PC based on the MAC address.
I can access the router admin page when KB951748 is installed but not the
Internet.

I have other PCs (non-media XP edition) fully up-to-date with no problems
same router. I suspect something to do with the Media edition XP.

Anyone have any clues?

[PA Bear [MS MVP]]

A1. Device Manager and Network Connections may be blank after you install
Windows XP Service Pack 3
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/953791

Device Manager may not show any devices and Network Connections may not show
any network connections after you install Windows XP Service Pack 3
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/953979

A2. See above (if SP3 was installed when you installed KB951478) and/or open
a free support incident.

A3. Open a free support incident:

0x8007f0ed STATUS_NO_BRANCH_AVAILABLE Required installation branch was
not found in INF file

Free unlimited installation and compatibility support is available for
Windows XP, but only for Service Pack 3 (SP3), until 14 Apr-09. Chat and
e-mail support is available only in the United States and Canada.

• US:
http://support.microsoft.com/oas/default.aspx?ln=en-us&prid=11273&gprid=522131

• CA:
http://support.microsoft.com/oas/default.aspx?ln=en-ca&prid=11273&gprid=522131

• UK:
http://support.microsoft.com/oas/default.aspx?ln=en-gb&prid=11273&gprid=522131

• AU:
http://support.microsoft.com/oas/default.aspx?ln=en-au&prid=11273&gprid=522131

• Other: http://support.microsoft.com/oas/default.aspx?gprid=1173 | select
Windows XP | select Windows XP Service Pack 3

For updates other than WinXP SP3...

Start a free Windows Update support incident request:
https://support.microsoft.com/oas/default.aspx?gprid=6527
--
~Robear Dyer (PA Bear)
MS MVP-IE, Mail, Security, Windows Desktop Experience - since 2002
AumHa VSOP & Admin http://aumha.net
DTS-L http://dts-l.net/

[Dave S]

Thanks for getting back

It may take some time for me to get back to installing SP3, and as the whole
process takes ages to happen. The smaller KB installs are quicker to see if
they work or NOT as is the case. As it is I have wasted much time (>7 hours)
trying to fix these problems.

As for "free support incident" I tried that, the response last time I used
it was very disappointing, they mainly responded with comments about
ZoneAlarm and sent lots of non relevant web links and then closed the call
without asking me if it worked. This happen twice and I gave up thinking
there was no one who really knew anything on the other side of the E mail.

I guess that is how they get paid (closing calls). I felt like, it was, a
waste of time……

Does the “0x8007f0ed STATUS_NO_BRANCH_AVAILABLE Required installation
branch was not found in INF file” give any more clues?

What does NO_BRANCH_AVAILABLE mean?

[MowGreen [MVP]]

> Does the “0x8007f0ed STATUS_NO_BRANCH_AVAILABLE Required installation
> branch was not found in INF file” give any more clues?

Either the .inf file is missing from the update package or the
WINDOWS\$hf_mig$ subfolder had some contents deleted and can not
determine the proper update branch.
The branch is referring to GDR or QFE.
This KB discusses those branches:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/824994

The issue appears to be related to 3rd party firewalls and/or security
software. It 'sounds' as if BullGuard was actively monitoring the system
during the application of SP3.

If SP3 was installed with BullGuard actively monitoring the system or
if the update installation failures or the lack of internet access
issues arose when BullGuard was actively monitoring the system during
said update installations, then you will have to either completely and
totally disable it prior to installing SP3 and/or any subsequent
security updates or uninstall it, uninstall SP3, and then apply the
standalone SP3 package and subsequent updates -

Windows XP Service Pack 3 Network Installation Package for IT
Professionals and Developers
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/info.aspx?na=22&p=1&SrcDisplayLang=en&SrcCategoryId=&SrcFamilyId=&u=%2fdownloads%2fdetails.aspx%3fFamilyID%3d5b33b5a8-5e76-401f-be08-1e1555d4f3d4%26DisplayLang%3den

Sorry, but that's the bottom line here, Dave.

MowGreen [MVP 2003-2008]
===============
*-343-* FDNY
Never Forgotten
===============

[PA Bear [MS MVP]]

What Mow said.

[Dave S]

Thanks Mow I'll give it a go, with SP3 and a total uninstall of Bullguard
first. (May be some time on this one, sound like a few hours at the weekend)

The KB951748 patch (with no SP3) was tried without any virus / firewall
(other than windows firewall) installed and it still stopped internet
connection.

An interesting point although I do not have ZoneAlarm installed, at one
point it was, it was uninstalled over a year ago. Is it possible for there to
be any "left over" files from the ZoneAlarm days which may have an effect?

No processes relating to ZA are seen in the Process Explorer (from
Sysinteral).

Also does the install of SP3 override any / all of files which are used for
internet connections?

Dave

[PA Bear [MS MVP]]

To keep track of things, it helps immensely if you include all of previous
message(s) in your replies to the newsgroup. Thank you.

> The KB951748 patch (with no SP3) was tried without any virus / firewall
> (other than windows firewall) installed and it still stopped internet
> connection.

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

For home users, no-charge support is available by calling 1-866-PCSAFETY 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., KB123456).

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.

--
~Robear Dyer (PA Bear)

MS MVP-Windows (IE, OE, Security, Shell/User)
AumHa VSOP & Admin; DTS-L.net

[Dave S]

Thanks Mow I'll give it a go, with SP3 and a total uninstall of Bullguard
first. (May be some time on this one, sound like a few hours at the weekend)

The KB951748 patch (with no SP3) was tried without any virus / firewall
(other than windows firewall) installed and it still stopped internet
connection.

An interesting point although I do not have ZoneAlarm installed, at one
point it was, it was uninstalled over a year ago. Is it possible for there to
be any "left over" files from the ZoneAlarm days which may have an effect?

No processes relating to ZA are seen in the Process Explorer (from
Sysinteral).

Also does the install of SP3 override any / all of files which are used for
internet connections?

Dave

[MowGreen [MVP]]

http://zonealarm.donhoover.net/uninstall.html

Unless you already did the steps listed in the Uninstalling ZA tutorial,
then there is still the possibility that registry entries or a hidden
driver were left over from uninstalling ZA.

>> The KB951748 patch (with no SP3) was tried without any virus / firewall
>> (other than windows firewall) installed and it still stopped internet
>> connection.

Doesn't matter, Dave. Unless you are totally sure that *all* of the
Processes and Services of BullGuard were disabled and not running,
there's always 'something' that can put a fly in the ointment, so to speak.

>> Also does the install of SP3 override any / all of files which are used for
>> internet connections?

Good question. It does not override previous settings rather, it will
install the security-related network updates that came out after SP2 but
not ones that have been superceded by a later update.
In plain English, the most recent network updates are installed, not all
of them.
Being that I'm too lazy/busy to go over all such updates ... I can't say
which networking files are updated/replaced. <w>

Did the other systems that do not have this issue ever have BullGuard or
ZA installed ?

[Dave S]

Mow

I am now fully up-to-date with SP3, KB951748, KB952287, KB946648 and more
installed.

What I did.....

Went to zoneAlarm web site and looked for methods of totally uninstalling
product.

Apart from a few registery Keys and directories with nothing in them, it was
already totally uninstalled. Keys and directories remaining I deleted.
Importantly the list of 15 files which reside in "C:\WINDOWS\system32\" were
NOT present. I don't believe the zonealarm items above were the cause.

The other thing I did was deleted all files in "C:\WINDOWS\Prefetch", I did
notice there were Mcafee references in there a program I also no longer have
installed.

Deleted all files in the temp directory. it was fairly clean anyway.

Run a registry clean using "Registry Mechanic" not much picked up in that.

Disabled (i did not uninstall) Bullguard Virus checker, firewall spam filter.

Installed SP3 (checked connection, OK)
Installed KB951748 (checked connection, OK)
Installed KB952287, KB946648 (installed OK)
Installed remaining updates just a couple....checked connection, OK.
Enabled Bullguard checked connection, OK.

My guess is deleted all files in "C:\WINDOWS\Prefetch", made the difference.
As I had already taken Bullguard out of the game before.

I believe KB952287, KB946648 needed SP3 files, before they would work.

Anyway it is all fixed till next time.

Dave

[MowGreen [MVP]]

Nice work, Dave. That's the first time I've heard that one had to clean
Prefetch in order to restore connectivity that was lost due to
installing a Service Pack or updates.
Not sure how that relates to the issue. Perhaps it was the editing of
the registry that did the trick ?
BTW, neither KB952287 nor KB946648 requires any SP3 files as they are
intended for *both* SP2 and SP3, despite the confusing information on
the download page for KB952287:
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyId=C8EFA6E3-D1A5-4222-865B-421A0DF2BE26&displaylang=en

> Install this update to resolve an issue in which a malfunction or data loss occurs when using
> Microsoft Data Access Components (MDAC) components on computers that are running Windows XP SP2 or XP
> SP3.
> <snip>
> System Requirements
>
> * Supported Operating Systems: Windows XP Service Pack 3

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/952287 shows that there are 2 versions of
the file that is replaced, one for SP2 and one for SP3.

Anyway, glad to hear that all is copacetic now.