Latest Windows XP patch can slow down PCs

Computerworld ^ | April 23, 2003 | Joris Evers

[Timesink]

Latest Windows XP patch can slow down PCs

By Joris Evers, IDG News Service
APRIL 23, 2003

Microsoft Corp.'s latest security patch can cause computers running Windows XP to slow down to a crawl, affected users say.

Windows XP can take up to 10 seconds to start an application after installation of the patch released April 16 with Security Bulletin MS03-013, users wrote in dozens of postings on several online discussion boards. Removing the patch brings system speed back to normal, according to those users.

Microsoft is aware of the issue and is investigating, said Stephen Toulouse, a security program manager at Microsoft's security response center.

"We have been made aware of some isolated cases of customers experiencing performance issues after applying the patch," he said, referring to the online reports. No customers have called Microsoft's help desk with the problem, according to Toulouse.

The patch, which Microsoft calls Hotfix Q811493, was distributed via Microsoft's security Web site and the automatic Windows Update service. It fixes a security flaw in the Windows kernel, the core of the Windows operating system. The vulnerability is rated "important" by Microsoft, one notch below the highest level in the vendor's severity rating scheme.

The flaw could allow an attacker to raise his privilege level on a vulnerable system. However, to exploit the flaw, an attacker must be able to log onto a system, either at the computer or via a terminal connection, mitigating the risk.

Users offering online advice suggested that home users experiencing system slowdowns remove the patch because corporate environments with terminal servers and client systems accessed by multiple users are most at risk. Microsoft, however, urged all customers to apply the patch and to call the Microsoft help desk if there are any performance problems afterwards, Toulouse said.

[Jhoffa_]

My wife recently impressed her Office Teenage Computer Geek with "diskcopy a: a:"...

LOL!

I love it when the bar goes down.. Instant computer geniuses, one and all.

[snooker]

" ... Windows XP can slow down PCs."

You got that right. I tried switching some 3 year old 500mhz PIIIs to winXP. Sheesh.

So I dumped the whole lot and installed RH9. Now the PCs run fine, and the clients don't have to upgrade to the newest models. Saves about $1000 a seat if you are a business.

Most people use their PCs for brwosing and writing. These recovered machines do this just fine.

[Consort]

No w _{a y}

[Jhoffa_]

LOL!

hey!

I'll take what I can get and be thankful!

[backhoe]

Instant computer geniuses, one and all.

If I recall aright, Josh's comment was an awe-struck "You know DOS?"

[Bush2000]

If I'm annoying you then I'm doing SOMETHING right!

I knew you were annoying. What I didn't know is that you take pride in being annoying. Add that to the long list of reasons of why Mac users are becoming even more irrelevant as time passes...

[mrb1960]

Ditto, I got Windows 2000 on all my systems. I got XP Pro, but I haven't tried it yet. Should I?

[Billy_bob_bob]

I don't take pride in being annoying. I take pride in annoying you. Your endless boosterism of all things Microsoft has been noticed by many people around here, and I'm not the only one who is tired of it.

[agincourt1415]

Hotfix Q811493, it does slow down your computer.

I just uninstalled it.

I'm running over 800 MHZ RAM, and my computer was very slow.

Start, settings, control panel, add Remove, Q811493 uninstall.

[OC_Steve]

I am about to uninstall the hotfix. I just got off a chat with Microsoft and they said they are working on a fix (no estimate of a release date). They further said to either uninstall it or disable my virus software (Mcafee).

I am running XP Pro and am the only one who uses this computer so I think I am safe (but are we ever really safe with Microsoft).

[Bush2000]

Your endless boosterism of all things Microsoft has been noticed by many people around here, and I'm not the only one who is tired of it.

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!! Said the endless booster of all things Apple... Dude, you're so full of crap that you can't tell the difference between crap and non-crap anymore...

[Justa]

"My version of XP Pro takes between five & ten MINUTES to boot."

Well, I'd say either you're running a lot of TSR applications (down by the clock), have a slow machine/memory/hard drive, etc. or the software and hardware are misconfigured -or just crappy. A good hard drive definitely helps. XPpro allows for cluster sizes >4Kb, I use a 32Kb cluster size for my 60Gb XP OS drive. My XPpro boots in less than 20 sec.s on a XP2100@1806Mhz/266FSB VIA333/512MB 2700RAM.

5-10 min.s to desktop is ridiculous. Have you defragged lately? Also, do a Start, Run, "chkdsk /f /v /r" and type Y. That'll do a check disk on the next reboot. Takes a while but it's worth it to resolve file errors. If your system is 'good' then try a Google search under "tweak XP pro".

[skeeter]

Interesting. One of the few nods I'd give XP over Win2K is the time it takes to boot. From POST to logon, I've always found XP to be faster. Having said that, are you talking about actual boot time, or the item(s) in your "Startup" folder loading? There is a difference.

Windows comes up pretty fast, so I assume I don't have a hardware problem.I'm talking about the time it takes to load the items on the task bar.

I've tried several of the suggestions I've been given here, but nothing seems to work. I've been putting off reformatting entirely, but I'm afraid thats next.

[CyberCowboy777]

Pardon my ignorance - "RH9"? Terminal?

I am always looking for ways to decrease cost and increase reliability for my clients and am not head over heels in love with Macrosoft.

[snooker]

RH9 => Red Hat 9.0, latest release of their consumer product.

[rdb3]

Windows comes up pretty fast, so I assume I don't have a hardware problem.I'm talking about the time it takes to load the items on the task bar.

Okay, so those are the things in your Startup folder.

And today was a good day...

[dennisw]

(clean out)prefetch folder .......

many thanks for that suggestion. Seems to help. Could you tell me which XP newsletter you get?

[tuna_battle_slight_return]

Sounds like a hoax from Computerwerld. Scaremongering, in other words.