Security → Windows 7 hit by service pack 1 install 'fatal error' flaws

Windows 7 customers hit by service pack 1 install 'fatal error' flaws

QUOTE
Microsoft remains clueless about cause

By Kelly Fiveash •

Posted in Operating Systems, 14th March 2011 13:26 GMT

A brace of "fatal errors" is hampering Windows 7-based computers that have been updated with Microsoft's first service pack for its current operating system.

In fact, since Windows 7 SP1 was released late last month, many users have been grumbling on forums about problems with the install of the update package.

Similarly, The Register has heard from lots of disgruntled readers who are wasting precious time having to rebuild their machines after the service pack had led to fatal flaws in the OS.

"Basically, if you have an OEM machine connected to a server running WSUS [Windows Server Update Services] with the default settings it offers and installs SP1 automatically. This is killing machines and stopping them booting with a C00000034 fatal error," said Reg reader Simon, who has seen 15 machines downed by the flaw.

"Best thing is, SP1 deletes restore points prior to installing!!!!"

Separately, Windows 7 punters applying the SP1 update package have stumbled into a reboot looping glitch after encountering: "Error C000009A applying update operation 120782 of 367890".

More about that particular bug can be found here and here.

Despite all that, Microsoft hasn't been forthcoming with us about what has gone wrong. And it looks like we've just found out why El Reg has been given the stone-cold silent treatment...

In the vendor's TechNet forums, one MS employee confessed today that the firm had yet to nail the cause of the errors.

"We're hard at work here trying to see what's happening on these particular failures," wrote a Redmond wonk with the handle Joscon.

"I don't have an answer yet, but as soon as I know something, you'll know it. Please keep me informed on any failures and symptoms you have on these machines."

The company is also pointing its customers at this knowledge base, which offers a work around to fix the "C00000034" cockup.

"And if you have logs/VHDs or an image of a machine with this problem, let me know through the blog. I'd like to get in-state failures so we can work on them but so far they have been few and far between," said Joscon.

But with Microsoft unable to pinpoint the exact cause, users are suggesting the only way to avoid the problem is to switch off WSUS. ®

»www.theregister.co.uk/20 ··· l_error/

That's why the 1st thing I do on a fresh OS install is turn off System restore because it sucks. I use a disk imaging program and make a complete image before any major changes are made to my system. In the event of any problems, I can be back to where I was in less than 30 minutes.

I've run into the problem, wasn't able to craft a solution for it.

I was able to restore from a restore point. There weren't any RPs previous to the one created by SP1, however.

NV

I posted two possible methods of fixing the problem in this thread..thiswoot's method seems to work for everyone so far...PA Bear is also posting the other links that seem to be the Microsoft suggestions to date..but not all seem to help everyone so far. Real bummer..warned all the Win7 users I knew personally to forget about this SP until they have sorted it out.

»gladiator-antivirus.com/ ··· 6251&hl=

Its the same issues were happening when SP2 came out for XP systems. People were having BSODs and stuff. The main issue was, that some were suggesting that if users of XP that had malware in their systems caused the issues with SP2 for XP. And the fix, was that they had to clean their infected XP machines and the issue went away....

Thats why I always wait and wait after a Service pack comes out because you never know.

For testing purposes, I have Win7 installed with SP1 under VMWare, with no issues so far.

For the record, I scanned my last problem child w/ GMER, RKUnhooker, OTL(Oldtimer), TDSS Killer and can't-remember-what-else. A certain rootkit-revealing XP hotfix was likely at the back of my mind during this.

It was clean, BTW.I've installed a ½doz SP1's - most recently yesterday. All others have gone smoothly.

I did have data loss after the SP1 install I did yesterday. It's why I'm up at 4am today, doing recovery. I'm ~98% certain that SP1 held no part in it.

NV

This is why I don't rush and wait when it is time (no more updates and support like MS did to older Windows versions). I just wait. Original W7 is still supported. When I do upgrade, I make an image backup of C: drive

New information on error code 0xc0000034

joscon 16 Mar 2011 2:10 PM 1
We have updated the KB that deals with this error to include a new script to get users out of the 0xc0000034 condition and allows SP1 to install properly. This fix will only work for users who are currently in a 0xc0000034 state after applying Service Pack 1 for Windows 7 and Windows 2008 R2.

»blogs.technet.com/b/josc ··· b/975484

Your computer may freeze or restart to a black screen that has a "0xc0000034" error message after you install Windows 7 Service Pack 1 or a Windows Vista service pack

»support.microsoft.com/kb/975484