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from the not-supported-probably-means-not-tested dept.
Apparently a bug in a Microsoft Security Essentials update caused XP computers to bluescreen. After rebooting once updates were installed the XP machines would bluescreen with "MsMpEng.exe application error".
Microsoft has fixed the error by releasing a definitions update for Security Essentials. From the article:
Many point-of-sale systems, which some businesses are protecting using Microsoft Security Essentials (MSE) as a way to meet the antivirus requirement of the Payment Card Industry PCI), still use Windows XP or related operating systems, including Windows XP Professional for Embedded Systems and Windows Embedded POSReady 2009. Those systems were affected by the update as well, according to one New England value-added reseller with more than 500 clients in the hospitality industry.
While Microsoft corrected the issue within days, the bug crashed at least hundreds of machines. For the New England firm, the issue affected more than 250 machines at 50 customers who relied on the systems, a consultant at the company said on condition of anonymity. "This affected about one half of our customers running Windows XP," he told eWEEK. "This brought their business to a 100 percent standstill until we could resolve the situation. In a pinch, the only solution we could determine was to uninstall MS Essentials to get them running their business again."
While uninstalling Microsoft Security Essentials worked around the issue, it also caused an additional problem: Even though Microsoft later fixed the update, MSE could not be reinstalled on Windows XP computers because the systems are no longer supported by Microsoft, the source said.
(Score: 5, Interesting) by Hairyfeet on Wednesday April 30 2014, @12:44AM
What I can't believe is they were using MSE on something mission critical. As someone who works out in the trenches? MSE is...well its not for anybody who might actually get exposed to anything honestly. For those that do not know MSE was Giant AntiSpy and its obvious that is really ALL that it is. In fact it kinda reminds me of ClamAV in that its really only good for scanning downloaded files....that's it, that is really all it does. I have yet to see a single page be blocked by MSE because it has malware, I haven't seen it actually stop a single drive by, it just don't do much really and it certainly isn't gonna stop shit on "hey lets run everything as admin!" XP.
For anybody that is still running XP? If your system is 8 years old or less you should be able to run Win 7 no problem, I have run Win 7 on a socket 754 Sempron with 1.2GB of RAM and it ran fine and an 8 year old system will have a first gen Athlon X2 or Pentium D and those have no trouble running win 7. The most I've had to do when upgrading an old system to Win 7 is a first gen C2D that had a funky old ATI IGP that was kinda flaky, an $8 HD2400 fixed it no prob, its now my landlord's PC and he is using it daily with his stock trading and it just purrs.
But if for some reason you HAVE to stay on XP? be it a piece of hardware or software you have to have that just will not run in a VM (please don't say cost because as a member of the Internet frankly I'd rather have you pirate Win 7 than stay with XP, zombie XP boxes slow down the net and make it worse for all of us) or some flaky piece of hardware in your box you just can't replace? then for the love of all that is good DO NOT USE MSE TO PROTECT YOUR SYSTEM as it isn't for systems where there would be any real threats. And this is coming from someone who uses MSE on his gaming PC but since it is only for transcoding and gaming its not at risk, MSE is really only good at scanning downloaded files. If you are gonna stay on XP Please use Comodo internet Security or Avast Free as both of these are VERY VERY GOOD at stopping malware and are 100% FREE.
Comodo IS is more friendly to tweaking, although its defaults are good, and its got excellent sandboxing by default and even a pretty good HIPS but as with most HIPS you'll have to train it for a week or so. as a KILLER bonus it has a Silverlight based "virtual desktop" that lets you surf, watch videos, it even comes with eBook Reader and Angry Birds but everything in the VD is in a locked down sandbox so if you want to not have to worry about some iffy site, or have relatives that comes over and fuck up your spare PC? this solves that problem. Avast is just as good when it comes to stopping bugs but its much simpler as far as layout, its the kind of AV you can give your mom and not get bothered by her calling 50 times a day to say "what does this mean?". Its very much a "slap on and never care" kind of AV and while not as deep as something like Comodo sometimes you realy don't need deep or feature rich, you need simple and easy and Avast Free fits.
So please, pretty please from the guy that has to clean the damned things every day DO NOT USE MSE ON AT RISK PCs!! Its just not good for stopping the kinds of zero days and drive bys the PCs of today face. get Avast, get Comodo, won't cost you a cent and if you are gonna stay on XP the least you can do is minimize the risk, mmkay? And if you are having trouble moving an XP PC to 7 feel free to ask and I'l try to find you a driver or like that $8 HD2400 find a really cheap replacement part that will be better than what you had. Oh and since graphics drivers are the most likely stickler here ya go, an HD5450 for $13 after MIR [newegg.com] and it works great on Win 7.
ACs are never seen so don't bother. Always ready to show SJWs for the racists they are.
(Score: -1, Troll) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday April 30 2014, @03:24PM
But Windows 7 sucks. It removed a ton of features from Windows XP (for example, the ability to change file extensions and file types, previously under "Folder Options").
If you want to upgrade your Windows XP operating system, and you want an actual UPgrade, try Debian.