XP SP3 crashes AMD machines

THE LONG-AWAITED and much-delayed update to Windows XP, Service Pack 3, is giving owners of machines with AMD hardware headaches aplenty it seems.

The problems, which first arose just one day after the push, have been causing lots of noise on Microsoft support sites and angry user bogs.

One user reported, "I just installed Windows XP SP3 and after completing the processes and when the system reboots, the system cannot proceed to load the Windows. It just displays the flash screen of Windows then after it reboots again."

Angry users have also reported that, after the installation, it is not even possible to boot in safe mode, usually the last resort before setting up a repeated forehead/screen interface.

Jesper Johansson, a former program manager for security policy at Microsoft and a well respected bogger on such things has provided some pointers as to where the problem might lie.

According to Johansson, there appears to be two separate problems. One affects only AMD-equipped PCs sold by Hewlett-Packard. "The problem is that HP, apparently along with other OEMs, deploys the same image to Intel-based computers that they do to AMD-based computers," said Johansson.

"Because the image for both Intel and AMD is the same all have the intelppm.sys driver installed and running. That driver provides power management on Intel-based computers. On an AMD-based computer, amdk8.sys provides the same functionality. "

There's a whole bunch of other info and some useful fixes for those of you stuck in the dreaded loop of death over on Jesper's Bog. µ

Form : http://www.theinquirer.net/

Windows XP SP3 users can’t uninstall Internet Explorer 7

Windows XP SP3 users can’t uninstall Internet Explorer 7

Jane Maliouta of Microsoft has stated in a blog post that Internet Explorer 7 users on Windows XP Service Pack 3 would not get the option to uninstall the browser and move back to Internet Explorer 6.

Users can however install XP Service Pack 3 with Internet Explorer 6 installed to keep that as their browser on the operating system.

Maliouta wrote in the post:

This behavior is by design and here is why. When we install IE7 on Windows XP SP2, we backup the existing IE6 files in an uninstall directory. Those IE6 files are the ones that shipped on XPSP2 plus all the security updates you’ve installed while using IE6. Windows XP SP3 contains a newer version of the Internet Explorer 6 files. If you have XPSP3 on your system and uninstall IE7, your system would revert to the backed up (older) version of the IE6 files rather than the newer XPSP3 version. You would end up in a mixed file state in Windows where most files would be the upgraded XPSP3, except for the IE6 files restored when uninstalling IE7. This state is not supported and is very bug prone. To ensure a reliable user experience, we prevent this broken state by disabling the ability to uninstall Internet Explorer 7.

Another important advice is that if the user has installed Internet Explorer 8 beta 1 on the machine, same thing would happen after installing the XP SP3. The user would not be able to uninstall the beta.

Form : http://stuff.techwhack.com/

Checkout: IE and Windows XP Service Pack 3

Nokia N82 best mobile imaging device

N okia announced that the Nokia N82
multimedia computer has been awarded the 'Best Mobile Imaging Device in
Europe 2008' by TIPA (Technical Image Press Association) - Europe's
largest photo and imaging press association. "The Nokia N82 is a
compact multimedia computer that integrates GPS, web, video and music
functions around a 5 Megapixel camera with a high-speed, f/2.8
autofocus lens," the TIPA jurors said. " This Carl Zeiss Tessar focuses
from 10cm to infinity and produces sharp prints up to and beyond A4
size. Several scene modes are also available to optimize the Nokia N82
for great images, whether shooting portraits or night shots," TIPA
continued.

Form : http://www.letsgomobile.org/