After new install of XP Pro, is there anywhere to download security patches and SP2?

[jjones]

I'm having a very weird problem. I just installed XP Pro on an old computer. Works fine but when I connect to the internet, I'm getting this weird spam message pop up that says I have multiple security issues and should visit some web site to fix them. I just close that window but in a little while my computer freezes up.

Before connecting to the internet or even installing my ethernet drivers, I've installed a firewall, antivirus and antispyware. All to no avail. I've tried going to windows update but can't complete any update operations because by the time I get into it, this spam crap happens and in a short while my computer freezes up again.

I'm pretty sure that the windows security patches and SP2 take care of this problem because my main computer which had a new install about 2 weeks ago, doesn't have any problems at all when online. I don't know too much about these things but I think my ISP may have recently acquired a virus which is interfering when I connect and causing my unpatched computer to crash.

So, I'm trying to find out if it is possible to download the security patches and SP2 to my hard drive so I can put it on disc and install on the other computer. Any suggestions are very welcome.

Oh, and I plan to contact the ISP but this is Mexico and god only knows how long it will be before they do anything about it.

 

[corkyg]

You can download and install SP2, but probably the best way for you to go from your location is to contact Microsoft here and get it on a CD. After that, the recurring security patches are normally updated on line.

MS

 

[mechBgon]

Originally posted by: jjones
I'm having a very weird problem. I just installed XP Pro on an old computer. Works fine but when I connect to the internet, I'm getting this weird spam message pop up that says I have multiple security issues and should visit some web site to fix them. I just close that window but in a little while my computer freezes up.

1) what brand of firewall and antivirus did you install?

2) is your WindowsXP legitimate, a genuine Microsoft-made disc and everything?

3) how do you connect to the Internet, is it dial-up or broadband?

3) (if it's broadband) Can you get a cheap router such as a Netgear RP614 or Linksys BEFSR-series to provide a perimeter firewall? This is an excellent first line of defense against outside attack.

4) are any other computers networked with yours in your home?

5) did you install ANY other software that you forgot to mention, which could contain malware in it?

 

[jjones]

In answer to your questions:

1) Zone Alarm, latest release; Norman Anti-Virus Beta; MS Antispyware. All legit.

2) XP Pro legit

3) Broadband cable modem

4) Router on the way, should be here in a few days. My previous one was fried in an electrical storm that torched the cable company and killed the equipment of lots of connected customers.

5) No, I've only installed the previously mentioned firewall, antivirus and antispyware along with factory drivers out of the box.

The problem is really strange. And here's the long story:

About 3 weeks ago Tropical Storm Cindy came through here. Huge electrical storm and I happened to be out at the time it came through. My 2 computers were plugged in of course. Lightning struck by the house and also struck at the nearby cable company (a block away), I think about simultaneously. The double hit came through the electrical wires and through cable. Torched both of my surge protectors, my cable modem, my router, both LAN cards, sound card on one computer (through arcing) and the mobo on my main computer. Completely torched the cable company, they were down about a week.

Well, I got my old windows 98 computer back together and online by the time the cable company was back up. Short while later, my new mobo arrived and I got my main rig back up and installed a fresh copy of XP. Reformat and install, all new. Did all the things you're supposed to do and got all the patches and service packs through Windows Update, no problem. My main rig runs smooth, no problems or this spamming crap at all.

So, now a couple of weeks later, I decide to install XP on my old rig. Again, reformat and install, all new, fresh XP; not an upgrade install for 98. Suddenly I have this weird problem as explained earlier. Pulling my hair out because at first I can't figure out what was causing it to crash. I reinstall XP fresh a coule of times trying to figure this out. Finally I clue in that I can do anything I want to do on the computer until I try to go online; then it crashes.

After my latest install of XP, I installed minimal drivers (no sound drivers, ethernet drivers or video drivers) and play a little bit testing it out. Everything's fine. Install video drivers, firewall and a/v. Install a game to test it out so the computer is pushing the use of resources. No problems, runs great. Install ethernet drivers but do not connect to the internet. Run game again for a while, no problems. Connect to the internet and in 5 minutes I'm getting pop ups and crashing again. Reboot and I'm crashing in a matter of a minute or three just like before.

So, mine line of logic is, since my main rig got set up without any problems, perhaps the installation of the security updates up through SP2 takes care of this problem. The only other thing I can think of is that there is some kind of resource conflict that is happening when I'm actually connected to the internet. I haven't tested to see if I still crash when not connected to the internet after the initial crashes occur. I'll have to test that, but even so, it still does not definitively identify the problem. It could still be this weird pop up thing that has now gotten into my computer.

In any case, I was hoping to find a place other than MS downloads where I could sort of download all of the security patches and such up through SP 2, without having to do it online through windows update. I've already gone to MS downloads and by looking through my previous Windows Update history, I've begun downloading some of the security patches. Unfortunately one of the installs is an XP 1 express package and I'm assuming I'll need to install that before the SP 2 update. I've downloaded the SP 2 for IT Pros and Devs off of windows download but I'm a little uncertain I want to use that. I'd like to find a web site that says, "Okay, after a fresh XP install you need to install these security patches followed by this that and the other, all the way through SP 2."

I'd hate to mess up this latest XP install by installing the SP 2 I downloaded before I was supposed to. I'm getting tired of re-installing XP.

 

[mechBgon]

Ooops, I put in two #3's You didn't say whether you have several computers networked?

My line of thought is these possibilities:

1. maybe your firewall is not working right, and is allowing your system to be hit with Messenger Service spam from the Internet. Fact-finding steps:
   • do some port scans against your system (some linked here)
   • See if the Messenger service is running (right-click My Computer > Manage > Services & Applications > Services). Turning it off is only hiding a symptom instead of curing the disease, of course.
   • Check your ZoneAlarm settings to ensure the Internet Zone is set to HIGH and that your ISP's network is, in fact, identified as the Internet Zone and not the Trusted Zone
   • Make sure you aren't running both ZoneAlarm and the Windows Firewall at the same time.
   
   
2. maybe your firewall is protecting you from the Internet, but not from a "Trusted Zone" computer that's infected and is sending the messages, such as your Win98 box. Fact-finding steps:
   • scan the other system for malware
   • set ZoneAlarm's Trusted-Zone security to High, like in this pic.
   
   
3. maybe your system has malware of its own and is doing its own popup messages and stuff. I haven't heard of Norman antivirus software, or was that supposed to be "Norton?" If in doubt, try some online antivirus scans (there are some listed on that page I linked to above) on both systems. Also, could you post the precise wording of some of the messages?

You don't need to install anything prior to Service Pack 2. Get the full-file SP2 installer and you can install that directly onto your WinXP Pro regardless of its baseline SP level. Do that before installing your antivirus or firewall software and obviously before going online. After Service Pack 2 is installed, there are 20-odd more patches you can get from Windows Update or via Automagic Updates. Hope that helps


edit: oops, my nested-bulleting powers have weakened Also, sorry to hear about the damage to your system!

 

[jjones]

mechBgon - Thanks for the advice. I believe that Messenger Service spam is exactly what it is. I turned off Messenger but forgot to disable the service. That will take care of that. The firewall is configued correctly, Internet zone and all that, set to high, etc. I've been using ZA for ages and am familiar with all the settings.

Due to the torching of my router, the box is stand alone, not networked at all at the moment. I've done complete scans and nothing comes up with a/v or antispyware. Norman is the name of the a/v; they've been around for a while, just not well known like Norton and others. I researched them when I was looking to update my a/v solution and was sufficiently impressed with what I found out. They have a beta program where you get to use their latest software for free. It's pretty awesome and I even wrote a thread in ATOT about it informing people.

I'm pretty sure the Messenger service is the problem and I'll disable that. I hadn't gotten as far as disabling services yet because I like to do all the windows updating first and then get into the tweaks.

That SP2 Installer is exactly what I downloaded already but I wasn't sure if I could just install that over a fresh XP install without having to worry about previous patches and SP1. That's great news and just the info I was looking for. I've also downloaded most of the pre-XP service pack patches (security patches for plain XP install, no service packs) so I'll install those first and then install the SP2 Installer.

Thanks again. I'm hoping the update to SP 2 will take care of this. With Messenger service disabled and SP 2 installed, if I'm still having problems then I'll know for sure that it is my ethernet drivers causing the conflict and making the computer crash.

 

[mechBgon]

FYI, the Messenger service is entirely different from Windows Messenger or MSN Messenger. The fact that computers on the Internet can touch your Windows system and use its Messenger service to send you these messages, means that your firewall is not working right. They should not be able to touch your services at all, whether they're running or not. So in a way, it's good that the Messenger service was running, because the messages tipped you off that your system's exposed. Run those port scans at GRC.com, BroadbandReports.com and Symantec.com and see if the condition is verified.

edit: also check your ZoneAlarm settings to confirm that the ISP's network is in the Internet Zone, not the Trusted Zone, and that your Internet Zone security is set to High.

edit 2: look in your list of stuff to see if you told ZoneAlarm to let Messenger traffic through, too. If in doubt, delete all permitted programs from the list so ZoneAlarm starts from scratch and asks you what to permit/deny.

 

[mechBgon]

've also downloaded most of the pre-XP service pack patches (security patches for plain XP install, no service packs) so I'll install those first and then install the SP2 Installer.

That is not necessary. Install WinXP, then directly install SP2. Forget the pre-SP2 stuff.

 

[jjones]

Okay, I hadn't known that about the Messenger service. I'll double check the ZA settings (they should be set to high and only a few things like IE enabled) and run the port scans to see what they say. I'm done for today and I'll get back at it tomorrow. Again, thanks for the advice; it's very much appreciated.

And I'll just go straight to the SP 2 install. If it turns out to be the ethernet card, I'll check the resources and see if there's any conflicts (there shouldn't be). If it's the drivers, there's not much I can do about that. It's an old card and I already checked for driver updates but none are available. I'll just have to replace it.

 

[John]

Originally posted by: jjones
So, I'm trying to find out if it is possible to download the security patches and SP2 to my hard drive so I can put it on disc and install on the other computer. Any suggestions are very welcome.

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/deta...-4f30-8245-9e368d3cdb5a&DisplayLang=en

 

[Jolt2]

Updates for XP without using Windows upate.

http://www.autopatcher.com/

This program should have most of the updates for you and you should still do the Windows update to get the latest few updates that you would need. Read about it and check there forum board if you have more questions about it.

I have used this in the past when I only had dailup at home. Download this program at friends house on DSL, burn to disk, take home and install most of the updates. Instead of taking hours and hours, or even days to get the updates over dailup just run this program. If you go to help a friend out with their computer and have to reload the operating system, this is a good disk to have along so that you can get them updated before letting them go on line.

The other thing you may want to get is the SP2 disk form Microsoft. It is free and handly to have. http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/down...updates/sp2/cdorder/en_us/default.mspx

 

[Schadenfroh]

check this out
http://www.windowsnetworking.com/articles_tutorials/Windows-Update-Catalog.html

 

[MegaVovaN]

Give a try to Unattended Windows XP CD.
http://unattended.msfn.org/

Make the CD and integrate updates yourself. Then just resinstall.

EDIT: Do not install SP1, just install SP2.