Installing SP4 on W2K seems to create harddrive errors and problems

[lelton 0]

I seem to consistantly run into this similar problem. I have done a number of W2K Pro installs, each time I run SP4 I get strange drive errors. Each time its a fresh download in install, what gives. I like SP4 due to it running faster but I seems everytime the machine dies at some level later with drive errors and eventual failure.

 

Any ideas ?

 

Currently I have all my "running" W2K boxes using SP3 and holding, they are stable right now. All the hardware is differnet.

 

Les

[overworked 0]

Are you seeing any messages about "harddrive 1 has drive cache enabled which may lead to data corruption...or something to that effect" in the eventlogs?

 

Also, what vendor and BIOS revision are you using?

 

No answers yet....a few huntches I'd like to explore further....

 

-overworked-

 

[packman 0]

These days, with either or both of SP3/SP4 applied, you needn't worry about the hard drive caching problem. SP3 and SP4 each contain an automatic patch to fix that bug.

 

It remains the case, though, that SP4 is far from perfect and a good many bugs still remain. Indeed, some would argue that Microsoft's created more bugs than it's solved, by bringing out SP4.

 

One of my very knowledgeable technical contacts says that you have to be very careful about how you install SP3 and SP4. First of all, ideally, either the one or the other should be installed after a new formatting of the hard drive and the installation of Win2K (then the chipset drivers after that).An integrated installation of Win2K/SP3 or Win2K/SP4 is even better.

 

If you're already using SP3, it's fine to download Windows updates from Microsoft but if you then install SP4 over the top of SP3, you'll create problems. Apparently, Microsoft has admitted to this. In other words, you mustn't mix SP4 with updates that were downloaded and installed under SP3, as it will cause all manner of errors. If you want to use SP4, then you should either uninstall all the updates used under SP3 or, better, reformat and install SP4 on its own.

[Christianb 8]

Hi Lelton,

 

Originally posted by lelton:

Quote:

each time I run SP4 I get strange drive errors. I like SP4 due to it running faster but I seems everytime the machine dies at some level later with drive errors and eventual failure.

 

Are you sure this at all related to the service pack? How many of these HDs are IBM Deathstars? Since you are having data troubles did you check to see if there were updates for your Bios, and motherboard chipset drivers?

 

Win2K SP4 isn't perfect, but I've never seen any data errors. I think you have a more serious problem.

 

Quote:

All the hardware is differnet.

I'm sorry how many systems are there? Have you verified that you don't have electrical problems that would cause all your drives to behave poorly. Are you trying to run multiple systems all at once, that could be blowing your electrical outlet.

 

Then again it could be SP4, but honestly I doubt it.

 

Good Luck,

Christian Blackburn