Recovery Console (Home/SP3)

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I’ve been following the latest AVG debacle, and congratulating myself for moving the Avira several months ago.

I note the following in the instructions:

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WARNING! There is a high probability of incompatibility with other system files (for example with winsrv.dll) if the latest installation CD is not used. This can also cause inabitity (sic) to start operating system.

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Does this warning apply to SP level? Like most (I guess) I only have the SP2 installation CD. If I use the Recovery Console from this CD, will it work? Or will it give a problem?

Chris

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That seems a very stupid warning. It is up to any antivirus software manufacturer to take account of the changes to any operating system file, whether as the result of a service pack or a ‘monthly’ fix update.

I would immediately change to Avast, A-Squared or Clamwin…!

BATcher

Plethora means a lot to me.

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Perhaps you are thinking about this: many have probably seen some error when trying to install the Recovery Console (RC) using an original installation CD, say “Gold” or SP1, on a PC later updated to SP2. This was mentioned a lot around the time after SP2 four years ago. You receive an error message if you try to install the Recovery Console on a Microsoft Windows XP Service Pack 2-based computer

The RC is installed by using the install program Winnt32.exe with a switch. It is at this step it could halt, a newer version of the OS is found installed. With the SP2 slipstreamed to a CD with the original files there were no problems installing the RC at the time, obviously, as you know. Some people first installed the RC, then updated to SP2. I never tried that version.

I have not heard of any problems using a SP2 installation CD and working with the RC on a PC updated to SP3 (i.e. booting on the install media etc.). But that should be easy to check for anyone with that setup, I have not SP3 on this PC at the moment so I cannot check. Of course it is always nice to have the latest SP on the install media, for cases such as installing the RC, expanding files etc. But then we have the other issue, expanding files that has been replaced:

It is a completely different matter that in this example, AVG and the user32.dll, in their FAQ they show how to expand a copy of user32.dll from the CD (to replace the one AVG zapped). This copy of user32.dll is in most cases older than the one that got zapped by AVG. (The only case in which it would not be older is if SP3 has been slipstreamed to the install media; until the next time it is included in a patch.)

User32.dll has been updated some times after SP2, latest I think was in the 925902 (MS07-017), the April bulletin 2007. This file is obviously included in the SP3, and it could be that it is even slightly newer in SP3, the version number is bumped (5.1.2600.3099 > 5.1.2600.5512), size change etc.

So, when replaced with a copy from the CD, the file versions will not match. It is perhaps possible one could use the RC to drill down to the backup copy on the HDD from the latest update, such as the one mentioned above, and use that one instead of the CD copy.

This “problem” is obviously not only related to the “AVG solution”; expanding files from the install media is mentioned all over the net as a solution to many types of problems.

However, I think it is a little demanding from AVG to expect people to slipstream every update back to the install media.

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