[Osiris]

Users with AMD processors that have been trying to install Windows XP Service Pack 3 might be greeted with a bluescreen error message after rebooting their computer that begins with STOP: 0×0000007E (0xC0000005 and contains the error text SYSTEM_THREAD_EXCEPTION_NOT_HANDLED. The computer restarts and the bluescreen error is displayed again. This is an endless cycle but thankfully though HP has found out about the cause for this problem and is presenting a solution on their website.
Service Pack 3 for Windows XP apparently copies an Intel power management driver to the computer that was not there before which is the cause for the restart bug. Things like these can happen but I’m wondering why non of the public beta testers have encountered this error before.
You can only use the following information if you use a non-Intel processor and encounter the previously mentioned restart bug after installing Windows XP Service Pack 3. I’m going to list two possible solutions, one from Microsoft and the other from HP.
HP solution for XP SP3 Restart Bug:

• Boot Computer in Safe Mode
• Use Windows Explorer to browse to C:\Windows\System32\Drivers
• Right-click intelppm.sys and rename it to XXXintelppm.syx
• Restart Windows

If the computer is unable to boot into safe mode do the following:

• Press F8 during startup and load the Microsoft Windows Recovery Console
• Type the number that corresponds to your Windows installation
• Log in as an administrator
• Type cd c:\windows\system32\drivers at the command prompt
• Type rename intelppm.sys XXXintelppm.syx
• Restart Windows

The Microsoft fix for the Windows XP Service Pack 3 Restart Bug:

• Boot the Computer into Safe Mode
• Press Windows R, type regedit, hit enter
• Go to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Services\I ntelppm
• right-click the Start entry in the right pane and select modify
• Enter 4 in the Value Data box
• Close regedit, restart the computer

Fix for Restart Bug after installing Windows XP SP3

[Mak213]

Stickied for a while since this is a common issue right now.

[TRDCorolla1]

Here's more info on the SP3 bug and Microsoft has confirmed that they are working on a "Hotfix".

"HP is working diligently with Microsoft on a software update and will be proactively distributing a patch this week through HP Update that will prevent this error from occurring," the company continued. "HP recommends consumers with AMD-based desktops wait until after HP's or Microsoft's updates have been deployed on their systems to install Service Pack 3." The patch will be posted to this page of HP's support site when it's available.

"Microsoft is also developing a prerequisite fix that must be downloaded before SP3 will automatically install prior to its proactive distribution of SP3," HP statement added.

The Microsoft update that HP referenced is in the works, a Microsoft spokeswoman confirmed Thursday. "Microsoft is developing a hotfix for this issue, and will be available after it has been rigorously tested and meets our quality bar for release," she said in an e-mail Thursday afternoon.

Neither HP or Microsoft provided any details on what the Microsoft hotfix would do, but the "prerequisite fix" phrasing likely indicates the patch would be applied to either selective PCs or all XP machines before they are allowed to receive SP3 in the coming weeks when Microsoft flips the switch for automatic downloading and installing via Windows Update.

Microsoft has had to release several similar prerequisite updates or filters this year to prevent some users from obtaining service packs through Windows Update (WU). Last month, for instance, it delayed XP SP3 from reaching WU until it could craft a filter to exclude machines running its retail point-of-sale software. Microsoft also blocked significant numbers of users from receiving Windows Vista SP1 from WU beginning in late March.



PC World - Business Center: HP Confirms XP SP3 Endless Reboot Snafu, Promises Patch

[Mak213]

Yes. This is know. This was pointed out in several threads now. This is a fix for it. So that is why it is stickied.