Vista users : Stay away from the MSXML4SP2 update!

Twice now it has absolutely shafted my system. After installing the MSXML 4.0 SP2 update, my computer freezes during shutdown/reboot (on a black screen) and my optical IDE drives no longer work (and drivers can no longer be detected for them).

The first time I got around this problem, was by reinstalling Vista. I had no idea what to blame it on, but this time I know what's the culprit.

A Google search reveals many problems with these updates, however none have symptoms like mine. Seems to be a safe update for XP (although it never actually gets installed properly, unless you do it manually).

Hopefully I find some sort of fix, cuz reinstalling again is a pain in the arse.

EDIT : System Restore is a no go. If Microsoft Support don't come up with some magical solution I'll have to reinstall again. Interestingly, trying to reinstall the CD drives' drivers, Windows knows full well that those are the drivers for it - and forcing a reinstall of those drivers brings up a 'failed to install for no reason at all go away you prat' message.

What do you even need version 4 for anymore? Aren't they up to version 6 or 7 by now?

Pity you need it for OneCare to work properly.

If it was anything like vista betas, aero has to be disabled b4 attempting upgrades to the xml engine.

Why? OneCare is useless anyway.

I can vouch for that. I tested it back in its beta days - the firewall worked less than Windows Firewall. Go figure. It was blocking stuff regardless of me telling it to let stuff through. Turning its firewall off worked, but then I had no firewall ;] 'Twas shocking.


That was my thoughts the first time it happenned to me, which is why I suspected it as being the problem. I was correct about it being the problem, but for a completely different reason ;]

Turns out though, that MS do their XML system updates the same way as everything else : programs rely on a certain version and newer versions install completely different files (for example, xml4.dll and xml6.dll). So, install an old program (for example Office 2003) and XML 4.0 comes along with it.

> Vista users : Stay away from the MSXML4SP2 update!

You put a few too many words into that sentence:-

"Vista users : Stay away from"

Which leaves 'The MS XML 4.0 SP2 update!'

But I think this problem is pretty much just mine. Not many Vista users come across it though and reports of it on XP are all pretty safe looking.

LOL not to mention in the wrong order, should have been: "USERS: Stay away from vista"