Windows Vista update 'kills' USB devices
Microsoft has admitted it is investigating reports that a recent Windows Vista security update causes havoc with some USB devices, but the software giant has yet to provide a fix for the cock-up. The Windows Vista SP1 pre-requisite KB938371 update was released last week, but some unfortunate Vista customers have claimed that …
.. was that service pack 1 did appear to have a beneficial effect. It stopped the PC crashing every 5 minutes, but many many many bugs still remain.
However, last night windows update informed me that there were updates for the X64 version. How foolish of me to install them!
Now "Windows Media Centre" refuses to play back it's own recordings smoothly, the computer will no longer go to sleep (so ofcourse, can no longer wake up to record TV), applications that worked flawlessly now bomb out with either a BSOD or the "Check for Solution" dialogue (which then crashes).
Even after SP1 Vista is still very much a beta, no one in their right minds could use it for anything that needs reliability.
A spokesman at the firm told El Reg: “Microsoft wants to ensure customers have the best possible experience with Windows Vista,"
So when will they start packaging free copies of XP Pro SP2/3 with all new Vista bundles ?
Best Vista experience = scouring it from the harddrive and replacing it with XP ...
"... Vista customers have claimed that their USB mice and keyboards ... refuse to work ..."
Well, looks like this is Microsoft's way of recalling Vista, sort of. Just patch the OS so nobody can actually use it. Or maybe this is supposed to enable the "mental telepathy" device on your computer. Or maybe just make all the users go mental.
Sky up, water wet, fire hot... Where's the news?
Just how does an update to a spyware removal tool affect USB devices? What exactly are Microsoft playing at?
It raises a lot of questions about just how well designed Windows really is, or, if you are paranoid just whether Defender does what it actually claims to do.
Next we'll be hearing about an Office update which breaks the network, or a IE update which interferes with the sound card.
The latest updates cause my PS2 mouse to fail as well. Only rolling back and refusing the updates solves this problem.
"Microsoft had released the update to plug a security hole ..."
At M$' we often noticed that the main security issue stands in between the chair and the keyboard. No functional keyboard or mouse should thwart many users to browse websites that Vista cannot defend itself against.
Signed B.G.
PS: Holes to be plugged at M$' come in a USB form factor.
PS2: SP2 will patch the BIOS so the ON/OFF switch will be rendered irresponsive to brick secure Vista.
There are a million symptoms, but the disease is Microsoft's underlying premise. If operating systems were tools that enabled people to control their machines, then software would be simple, intuitive, and efficient. When the software is designed to protect the machine from the user, we are bound for more problems.
"However, the automatic version of the download remains missing in action. Redmond had chalked mid-April as the date when SP1 would start downloading onto computers across the world."
... but Vista asked me if I wanted to install SP1 earlier this week? It was 69Mb if that sounds about right...
"A spokesman at the firm told El Reg: “Microsoft wants to ensure customers have the best possible experience ..."
Ya know, when an MS spokesperson's sentence contains "wants to ensure" and "best possible experience", you might as well not even print it. It sure doesn't communicate anything useful. About all it tells me is that another Vole's hole is spewing pre-fab words of no substance.
“Microsoft wants to ensure customers have the best possible experience with Windows Vista"
Oh good, so they're making the uninstallation process less painful then are they?
Who in the IT field after having the issues we have had with Vista would be willing to try Windows 7? Personally, if it turns out to be nothing more than Vista with a face lift, I'm not interested.
I am an XP user (preference is win2k) and I have used both Windows and Mac on a regular basis. I think both have there pluses and minuses. I only choose Windows because it has more third party apps. (IMO, Linux still hasn't gotten easy enough for mainstream users yet. The app installers can be a killer.)
When MS goes back to giving people what they ask for and not what they think we want, I'll consider upgrading from XP.
In my state we have a three strikes rule - we try to take trash off the streets permanently. What is it going to take for Washington to stop Vista and put it away permanently?
Disabling keyboards solves the potential problem of keyloggers at a stroke... pure genius!
Windows defender is living up to it's name.
A version of Linux that just works. Install of OS and apps is painless. If Ubuntu and Apple can split the market between them and gub Microsoft I for one would be much happier just leaving my XP box as my games platform:-)
Quote “Micro$haft wants to ensure customers have the best possible experience with Windows Vista,"
Yeah....
Then run wipedisk on thier PC and install a real working operating system called LINUX
they did much the same with the current manual XP SP3 update bricking lots of PC's in the last few weeks.
mines the crinkly foil lined kevlar hoody......[with 'Bring back DOS' on the back ]
illuminatus;p
Just keyboards and mice - nothing too crucial, then...
I hate M$ as much as the rest of us - but my USB devices are still working just fine.
I've about had it with all the fuss is about Vista crashing (or generally sucking) - I've yet to have it crash, and found it super fast. Plus the need to reboot when installing drivers and programs seems to be mostly gone, PLUS it's nice and fast (even with Aero)....I'm coming from W2K, and so far Vista's way better (speed, stabilty, looks).
I did have to remove SP1 though, in order to keep using Google Earth (thanks google, for not making a 64bit version)....But in all honesty, I saw no difference in SP1.
My guess is that people just don't have the hardware to run Vista properly. Get the hardware, and it really is a nice OS.
I remember back in the old win 98 days that for a while microsoft were issuing drivers via windows update. One of which was an intel mainboard driver which always bricked any machine that you tried to install on - resulting in having to manually hack back the drivers. I remember getting lots of machines from friends and colleagues who had that exact problem...
"Microsoft wants to ensure customers have the best possible experience with Windows Vista"
WTF?
Oh yeah, another lie from Microsoft; the above should read: "Microsoft wants to ensure customers are screwed with Windows Vista, whilst giving us loads more money"
Whats this I hear about the SP3 **RC2** package for XP bricking computers? Gee I guess I didnt know what the term BETA meant. There is always a risk of something bad happening. I am currently running the RC2 build on a work machine and have had absolutely ZERO problems with it. I also run it at home on my gaming machine. A machine, mind you, which had a TON of stability problems on XP SP2. It would crash out about once every 2-2.5 days on average if not faster. SP3 has, oddly enough, fixed this issue. So far said machine has been running without a hitch for the last month (short of the occasional reboot for patches or new video drivers). Other then making the system more usable I havent noticed anything else with SP3. I will say this, I hate M$ most of the time but this time around thank you for actually making my computer more stable M$.
*why do I feel like washing with sandpaper now?*
WIndows Update installled 938371 onto my Vista box, taking out my Logitech USB mouse. After much torment and fermentation, the following work around brought my mouse back to life.
* Go to device manager -> HID-devices -> Unknown Device and search for drivers.
* When prompted for how to search for driver software, select "Browse my computer for driver software"
* Enter "C:\windows\winsxs" for the driver location and press the "Next" button.
* If you get a popup saying "this is an unsigned driver...", just allow Windows to install the driver.
At this point, Windows should select the appropriate driver and your mouse will start working again.
We had an IDE driver update that stuffed a load of beige PIII Optiplexes that were running 2K as well.
@Eh? It's worth noting that these are the same 'tards that decided to handle comms over USB with their own Mobile OS by (and I still have to suppress a nervous tick and a slightly insane giggle when I think about this) treating it as a virtual network connection and communicating using TCP/IP... Of course, anyone using sensible firewall rules was instantly STUFFED, but someone obviously thought it was a good idea...
Joke alert, because I assumed they were at first...
Hasta la Vista, USB?
*is already wayyyyyyyy heading out the door at a rate of knots*
Matrox Imaging still hasn't delivered Vista drivers for their camera grab boards. They are scheduled for 2008 Q3. And now we will have Windows 7 coming out a year after that! The sound drivers for Creative boards are in a similar state as noted here too. Sounds like M$ is starting to learn some lessons from Linux's driver model. M$ said they were going to be more like open source and I guess that is true now...
How can you say it runs faster than win2k when you have bought a high spec machine to run it? Run win2k on your new all singing dancing machine, then run vista, then tell me that vista is quicker. Or run vista on your old win2k machine. I want an OS to interact between the hardware and my applications, I don't want an OS that uses up all my hardware to run itself.
I dual boot gentoo and XP, given the current outlook XP will be my last M$ OS. After X years XP is now a great OS. Still hate all the silly reboots after installs/removals of software, but as a stable platform its now pretty good. I only boot to it on occasions for gaming now though. Vista will never see my desktop, windows 7, hmm.
I can't run my new hardware on Win2k - It's not a 64bit OS (i've got 4gb of ram, win2k would only see 2 of that - plus a 64bit cpu, which w2k wouldn't make full use of either). My reasons for switching to Vista were that simple. I wanted an OS that would let me use my hardware to the fullest. It does that. I use XP at home, but I have to say that I think I prefer Vista. As for being a resource hog, maybe (about 50% of my ram's tied up just with the OS), but I don't notice it....and I've tried disabling Aero, and it doesn't lower the resource usage any (to speak of).
Compared to XP, Vista seems to be just as stable, if not more so (even without SP1)....only it's got lots of little things in it that make day to day usage just a little easier.
OK I don't know why people are having issues with there computers and Vista. I have being running vista since release, the x64 version Ultimate. I haven't had any issues of the likes you guys are talking about. The only problems I have ever had with Vista are waiting for a manufacture to write a driver for something like my webcam. Other then that little things like my icons dissapearing from my systray. Overall though Vista is fine, I play all my games on it, I can do whatever I need to do on it. Overall I like Vista, however SP1 for Vista I haven't installed it, I just haven't had the time, but I do have all the updates installed and no problems with my keyboard's and mice. I will install SP1 and come back with any issues I may or maynot have. As for Windows 7, I have said this before, I believe Windows 7 will be the Windows ME of this generation of OS's, the next version of Windows will be the new XP. Vista I think is the new Windows 2000.
8 hours of torment on my new box (hey, thought i'd at least give it some sort of chance!) lol.
Wiped the bag of shite & put XP pro & Linux (XP pro 'cause it sort of works & I need it for a couple of college related apps).
Vista is the biggest bag of shite I have ever had the misfortune to attempt to run on a machine. M$ should be throughly ashamed.
"(IMO, Linux still hasn't gotten easy enough for mainstream users yet. The app installers can be a killer.)"
Ubuntu = open Add/remove programs
Choose program. Ask it to install it.
It checks dependencies, informs you of any extras that are required, *then* downloads and installs.
I have yet to have that fail on me, really like it.
With Windows, you want to install .Net 3 ?
Download .net installer. "You require Windows Installer 3.1"
Download Windows Installer 3.1 "You require .net 2.0"
Download .Net 2.0....repeat till fade.
OK, that's a slight exaggeration, but you get the idea - I know what system works better for me :-)
As an aside on the SP3-problems thingy: I have put it on about six machines now, and it's worked fine every time.
And as for Vista SP1 - well, I have 50 machines my users use for isolated testing [so no corporate guff required] and Vista is going nowhere near them, after seeing how those 'vista capable' machines run with it.
Sysprepped XP SP3 image distributed over WDS FTW ROFL MOFO!!11!!1!!eleventy
Steven R
... because they don't exist.
You're all just moaning pansies.
Come on, you lot who have "no problems", it doesn't mean its the same for everyone. You are just lucky, or slightly lying about your issues.
What are these people thinking!? Do they want bleeding edge stuff like USB peripherals to be supported just oh so quickly? Nutters! I bet it's the manufacturers' fault in coding crappy drivers, must be...
Nobody should have need for more than a serial port or maybe two anyway.
I can not understand why certain people always slag off Vista. Its a new operating system that requires the latest hardware to run it. If people would stop trying to install it on 2 or 3 year old computers and actually buy compatible hardware perhaps they would see how good it is. I have a quad core 4gb ram vista ultimate 64 bit and it is the fastest and most stable computer i have ever owned.
Perhaps XP users dont realize that XP can only utilize 2 or 3gb or ram so whenever software or games that come out that need 64 bit they will have no option but to upgrade or do without.
Vista is the most wonderful operating system in the world. Just installed it and put on SP1. Not a single problem with it. But then again, I've got a decent spec'd machine from a quality manufacturer and don't have a Linux/Mac (delete as appropriate) broom up my ass!
Try running legit software that you've paid for and maybe Vista will run a bit better. Stop applying cracks and hacks to get your games and apps running, ya cheapskates.
Also ensure you've got the update to date drivers and maybe your hardware won't crap out.
p.s. My keyboard and mouse is still working.
p.p.s. Many of the problems with Vista are down to hardware and software from 3rd class manufacturers who couldn't design their way out of a wet paper bag!
>>I can't run my new hardware on Win2k - It's not a 64bit OS (i've got 4gb of ram, win2k would only see 2 of that - plus a 64bit cpu, which w2k wouldn't make full use of either).
But.... I bet with only 2G RAM and 1 core it will still smoke Vista at practically any task. The point is, that second core is 100% supporting the OS spying on what you are *attempting* to do and probably half the first core as well. And Win2K doesn't *need* 4G to run decently.
Circular logic indeed.
mouse works in one usb port, but won't work in any of the 4!
The more I use this god'awful pile of junk the more determined I am to make this my last windows machine.. I'd love to go to linux, but that is just a dogs dinner or a system. Vista is just absolute toss.
Next machine will be OSX compatabile, and if I can afford it, might even be an Apple Mac.
The perfect alternative to productivity, stability, compatibility, sanity and now protecting the user from themselves!
But seriously is anybody besides me slightly curious who the bastard was who shouted "That's a brilliant idea!!!" when the nameless/faceless retarded drone got done pitching the idea of Vista to Bill & Steve?
He, she or they need to be hunted down and at the very least, chemically sterilized, if not summarily executed!
Mine's the straight jacket with Vista logo on the back of it...
"...Vista I think is the new Windows 2000..."
Only usable after service pack 4?
Jay
Come on guys, we've been doing this since 9/11, aren't you used to it yet? It's called bad security trade-off and it works like this.
If X poses a security threat, disable the use of X.
Substitute X with: airports, right to protest, presumption of innocence, privacy, etc, etc. How are keyboards and mice such a big deal?
Buddypepper says
[...i've got 4gb of ram, win2k would only see 2 of that...]
then goes on to say
[...about 50% of my ram's tied up just with the OS...]
So the difference between running Win2k and Vista is?... Either way you've only got 2GB to play with.
Saying that, depending on your flavour of Win2k you can access up to 32GB of physical memory. Win2kPro can actually access 4GB of RAM, but the applications only get to play in 2GB of it. I can run with 8GB on this box thanks to Physical Addressing Extensions. Yes, it's a Win2k box. No, I don't have 8GB of RAM installed :o)
I agree that if you have 64bit hardware and 64bit apps then it makes sense to stick a 64bit OS between them.
Funny how you replied to your own post with the title. Send me a postcard in a couple of months.
So you upgrade from a typical Win2k computer to a quad core 64 bit, 4 GB of fast ram, much faster hard drive... and even after installing Vista it's still faster? Amazing! That vista sure is great.
You didn't get the memo, didn't you?
Creative wants you to shove the X-Fi and get their brand new X-Fi 2 which is launching soon (now with a crappier chip than the X-Fi 1 and is fully DRM enabled!).
"... I believe Windows 7 will be the Windows ME of this generation of OS's.."
No, me thinks Vista has that title.
Take XP from me? Hello Linux!
will it have the same effect on drivers in question after install ? ( building a image as i type)..
Geeze, its like saying your old Model T with 2 people weighing 50 kilos just doesn't run as fast as your spanking-new Ferrari with 2 people weighing 200 kilos each ... even if the Ferrari's running heavier, the engine more than compensates for the overload!
Ok, bad analogy, I wouldn't tag *any* Intel x86 box as a Ferrari. Maybe more like a Ford Pinto: big, heavy, low fuel efficiency and it might randomly explode ;)
No one does Ferraris now that Cray's dead. :(
<coat>Mine's the one with the supercooled XMP processor.
"My guess is that people just don't have the hardware to run Vista properly. Get the hardware, and it really is a nice OS."
So the cost of Vista is software+permission from Microsoft to run it + NEW HARDWARE?
Paris 'cause she's smarter than that.
Get a grip. Get Linux.
winxp x64 gets past the 4gb limit. It's also pretty kickass. I've heard of a lot of people whinging and moaning about lack of driver support etc. but I've never run into a device I can't find a driver for.
It's also pretty stable. Not as stable as the slackware boxes i have running fileshares through samba and (for when i'm out and about) webservers, though, but stable enough for a desktop environment.
Of course, this is because I don't use "bloody stupid" practices such as running .exe email attachments, allowing activeX all over the shop, etc. which is half the problem really.
Paris because she's already been "all over the shop"
