What a nightmare! Windows Update KB979683 (I suspect) nuked my XP machine!

I made a snapshot before installation of the updates like I always do, however, when Windows would not boot and I had to revert to the CTM "Home Key" feature, the only snapshot was the Baseline which was about two months old. That was also the age of my last Paragon and Ghost images. A lot of things had changed since then, most notably, I'd installed a new graphics card. For whatever reason, I lost all XP permissions (and could not get them back) and I could not install the drivers (CD nor downloaded) for the new card. This resulted in the monitor resolution being almost un-usable and the mouse not functioning normally. I was about to try Safe Mode when I did a reboot with the CD in the tray and it did install the drivers.

 

Also with me after latest MS updates opera and outlook express would'nt start so reverted back to earlier snapshot i made with FDISR.
I'm on XP and decided to turn off updates forever with this old system.

 

If kernel updates are breaking your PC you either have malware or software installed doing things it should not...

 

I'm having the same problem with KB979683. When I reboot after installation I get a "Windows could not start because ....ntoskrnl.exe is missing or corrupt." I also assume something is preventing this installation, but I can't seem to identify it. I have scanned every nook and cranny of my machine with every conceivable malware tool, all to no avail. I don't know what else to do!!!

 

It looks like that update for XP became available on 4/12 and there are others reporting trouble with it.

I don't normally take updates until they are at least a week old in case there are problems with it. And I don't use automatic updates.

 

Hi

Not Sure

But reading some of the previous comments...
Could this have any relevance to the problem: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/8624560.stm

Zeena

 

I did my Updates last night, no problems afterwards (that I've discovered yet, anyway). Possibly by then, of course, the new version of the patch was what I got.

Typically I'll wait a few days after Patch Tuesday (or whenever, for off-cycle emergency releases). Not so much to wait for bug reports, but to avoid the rush. The servers at MS are outrageously slow even when things are slack, and quite often I'll lose my connection there if I try on Tuesday or even the next day.

 

I wait a couple of weeks before installing patches. Also, I image my system disk to an external drive before patching. In my experience, snapshots have not proven as reliable as externally stored images.

 

Well I just repaired same problem with KB979683, system would only boot to black screen, or option screen to do safe mode, normal ect. with the clock hung at 35 second before it proceeds, I was lucky enough to have done a soft ware review, that had a bootable rescue disk, it displayed my windows restore points and allowed me to go back before the update was installed, hope that may help.... I just signed up,, I'm new here, found you all while surfing for the windows update problem.... Later, John

Download the file KB979683 While in Safe Mode from Microsoft and install..