New M$ Annoyance

[jimras]

Got the message the other day that there was a M$ update waiting for me do download and install.

Checked it out and it was their "validation program".....I figured, what the heck, my software is

bought and paid for. I installed it.

Now, I have this little star shaped thingie in the task bar by the clock and if you hover the cursor over

it, it says that support for SP1 will run out in October. Well, I know that and I CAN'T get my computer

to run right with SP2 installed, so I don't have SP2 installed. (Really long and complicated story)

Is there a way to get rid of this star shaped thingie??

[Dragon]

to my knowledge the only way to defeat that star is to upgrade to SP2. You say it doesn't work correctly with SP2 installed, what happens???

[Sir_Siddy]

mabey we can help you get Sp2

[shanenin]

to my knowledge the only way to defeat that star is to upgrade to SP2. You say it doesn't work correctly with SP2 installed, what happens???

I remember that

http://www.besttechie.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=7940

[qwertyuiop]

I have a legit copy of XP Home upgrade and was kind of annoyed that MS put something else unnecessary on my system that can't be uninstalled (that'll teach me to blindly install critical updates!) so I just went into the system32 folder and replaced Wgalogon.dll with another MS dll that doesn't do anything in particular, set it to read only, and rebooted. No more wgacheck.exe (or w/e it's called) in the task manager! The update will still show up as critical in Window Update, so you can just check the do not show box or leave it sitting there until October (just remember to uncheck it every time you go to Windows Update until they update it).

For something like this, I'm just going to say YMMV...

[blim]

I've also been reading a lot of users with legit copies of Windows getting the "your copy isn't legal" notices--I'm assuming if you don't have SP2, the same update nags you for that??

Anyways, the solution that made the most sense was to call MS, explain the situation, be polite and "supposably" they'll give you codes to get the "nagulator" off the machine.

Liz

[jimras]

I am NOT getting a notice that says my copy is not legal. It just says that I am supposed to upgrade to SP2.

Essentially, once SP2 is installed, I have trouble with Direct X -- specifically, Direct Draw and Direct 3D problems. This means I can't play any games.

I DO have the most recent NVidea drivers installed and I have also upgraded/flashed my BIOS and I still have trouble.

I know I am in trouble after the install when the computer has to restart and then it tries to open the Security Center. That program won't open--it starts to open a window and then all you see of the window is the colored title bar and then the computer completely locks up.

I finally just said screw it and went back to SP1 and figured that I would never get SP2 on the box. I don't use IE and I don't use Outlook or Outlook Express. I have a good hardward firewall in my router and I am very regular running Avast, AdAware, SpyBod S&D, Spyware Blaster, and update the hosts file, too.

I have tried starting with a clean formatted HD and used a slipstreamed CD, too, and that was the last time I tried it.

I am always open to suggestions........anybody got any?

[bearskin]

I am NOT getting a notice that says my copy is not legal. It just says that I am supposed to upgrade to SP2.

Essentially, once SP2 is installed, I have trouble with Direct X -- specifically, Direct Draw and Direct 3D problems. This means I can't play any games.

I DO have the most recent NVidea drivers installed and I have also upgraded/flashed my BIOS and I still have trouble.

I know I am in trouble after the install when the computer has to restart and then it tries to open the Security Center. That program won't open--it starts to open a window and then all you see of the window is the colored title bar and then the computer completely locks up.

I finally just said screw it and went back to SP1 and figured that I would never get SP2 on the box. I don't use IE and I don't use Outlook or Outlook Express. I have a good hardward firewall in my router and I am very regular running Avast, AdAware, SpyBod S&D, Spyware Blaster, and update the hosts file, too.

I have tried starting with a clean formatted HD and used a slipstreamed CD, too, and that was the last time I tried it.

I am always open to suggestions........anybody got any?

suggestions? yes..let me put my armor on. " oof...ugh...ugh..grunt". ok, got my armor on. suggestion: wipe that sucker clean and put a copy of winme on that thing.

[jimras]

Ha, well, thanks, but I don't own a copy of that. I do own an upgraded

Win 2K pro. That's what I had on the box when I bought it. (custom made) and I was having troubles with Direct X at that time and I went and bought \

an XP Pro Upgrade which had SP1 already in it.

So, my choices would be go back to 2K Pro, or if I really wanted to get retro, I could go back to DOS 6.21 (Ohh ain't that scary?)

I really don't want to go back to 2K. I like my XP just the way it is but I don't like the darn "nag" about SP2 and I really don't give a rip about

them discontinuing support after October.

If somebody could say with authority "just do this and then do that" and SP2 will work, I'd do it in a heartbeat but I'm out of ideas.

[blim]

I know you have a legit copy of windows, Jim. What I meant was that perhaps that update "catches" non SP2 machines, as well.

And if folks have had success with MS clearing up false readings of their legit Windows by calling MS, maybe you could explain to MS that SP2 is impossible for you and they might be able to give you a code to erase that star?

And I'm with you, as long as SP1 is acting fine for you, why hassle with SP2--I know you've had a nightmare installing that critter!

Liz

[Dragon]

I am NOT getting a notice that says my copy is not legal. It just says that I am supposed to upgrade to SP2.

Essentially, once SP2 is installed, I have trouble with Direct X -- specifically, Direct Draw and Direct 3D problems. This means I can't play any games.

After installing SP2 did you try to re-install DirectX 9.0c? I had a similar issue when I originally put on SP2, re-installing DirectX took care of that for me.

What has a tendancy to happen is the SP2 update corrupts the DirectX driver. If you have tried that, then i would recommend uninstalling DirectX, and your Nvidia drivers. install SP2, then reinstall both DirectX and nvidia. to see if that helps take care of it. i would also recommend installing the Nvidia driver before the DirectX , that way you don't have to worry about the new Nvidia driver corrupting the DirectX install. that software is easy to screw up, just installing pacific fighters on my machine forced me to reinstall DirectX.

[jimras]

that sounds like good advice. The FIRST problem that crops up is during the SP2 update process, you need to let the computer reboot.

USUALLY this causes a lock-up on my computer.

Upon restart, after getting to the desktop, the security center will try to automatically open, The program starts to open a window and you see ONLY the title bar on the monitor screen and then EVERYTHING locks up at that point. After a couple of restarts, the security center doesn't try to open and then I can get the computer running,

It is at THIS point that I find that the games won't work and then running "DXDIAG" gets me to the point where I know I have problems with Direct Draw and Direct 3D.

[jimras]

Well, I figured out how to get rid of that darn star..........I went and did a restore point from the day before the update loaded and then I went and turned OFF the automatic updates.

Viola........no more star........

[ahulett]

If you're experiencing problems related to installing this service pack, you can call in for no-charge support on that. 866-PC-SAFETY (866-727-2338) is the number for the US and Canada.

Thanks,

Aaron