I provide technical support for several hundred users both locally and remotely. In an ideal world they would have all their software repositories nice and organised.

Example: Envelopes with usernames containing all the CD’s, Licenses and Product keys that belong to that particular PC.

Sadly life isn’t like that and I am usually under pressure to quickly rebuild and redeploy on the same hardware say after a Hard Disk problem or Virus/Malware attack.

So today’s tech tip is for a download that exposes the current machines product keys.

On my USB key I keep install repositories for common software installations, I then grab the product keys from current machine using keyfinder (link below) and save time by not having to root about the customers cupboards.

Link: http://magicaljellybean.com/keyfinder/

The default behaviour after you install Internet Explorer 7 (IE7) is to visit the link show in the above image. http://runonce.msn.com/runonce2.aspx

But what if as in this case the site is down or experiencing problems?

Every time I open IE7 on a machine I have just reinstalled Windows XP on it keeps trying to get to the same page and it cant.

At first I got Server is too busy.

Then just the error page as shown below.

But what can you do if you are stuck in the IE7 first run loop.

Well on the Microsoft support link below they tell you to copy and paste a registry command into notepad and save the document with a .reg extension, then you run the reg file to import it directly into the Windows Registry.

That seems to work however I suppose the real question is why on earth do we have to visit the runonce link in the first place.

Link: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/945385

One of the December 2007 security updates from Microsoft can cause IE6 to crash if you are running on Windows XP SP2.

**Update 21/12/2007: A Fix has been issued (<<Click)

From the source:-

After downloading the Internet Explorer Cumulative Security Update for December 2007, some customers using IE6 on Windows XP Service Pack 2 have experienced an unexpected crash or hang upon launching Internet Explorer.

This might occur while navigating to a website hosting considerable media content (for example: http://msn.com) resulting in Internet Explorer displaying a dialogue that states “Internet Explorer has experienced a problem and needs to close”. If you experience this issue, implement the applicable workaround provided in the following knowledge base article:

• Microsoft Knowledge Base article 946627

For your security, we strongly recommend that you deploy the Internet Explorer Cumulative Security Update for December 2007.

Terry McCoy
Program Manager
Internet Explorer Security

Link: post-install-issues-with-ms07-069-ie6-on-xpsp2.aspx

Registry Fix: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/946627

____________________

Dear Microsoft

A few things

1) If one of your updates causes problems, would it not be prudent to remove it, fix it and replace it.

2) Expecting end users to carry out a complex registry modification to fix a problem you created is beyond a joke.

3) I am confused about Terry’s Post. He says “We have known problems with MS07-069, but we recommend you install it”.

Social Comment: The blogs are wild today with how IE8 has passed the acid test

Link: Internet Explorer 8 and Acid2- A Milestone

IE8 has an installed base of zero, IE6 is still used by tens of millions. Go back to the well and fix the plumbing.

Your friend in Tech

Colin

As of June 2007 If I get a new Dell PC pre-installed with Windows XP Pro Service Pack 2 I have to install 43 Updates and IE7 via Windows Update.

If I am rebuilding a Dell using the Windows XP Pro Service Pack 2 OEM Media (a CD) I have a whopping 80 updates from Windows update (see pic above).

The person I feel sorry for is one trying to update the original Windows XP Pro to Windows XP Pro SP2 fully updated.

Its about time for Windows XP Pro Service Pack 3 and the Media to install it from.

The issue of creating Slip Streamed Windows XP SP2 install media is slightly more complicated when using Dell’s OEM media as the source, The windows is pre-activated  (I assume its also tied to the oem bios) and the media is already slip streamed to SP2, minus the latest updates.

This problem is only going to get worse as I know I will still be rebuilding Windows XP Pro machines well into the 2008 to 2010 time frame.

If anyone knows of a legal and legitimate way to create Windows XP Pro SP2 Fully Patched from Dell OEM Media let me know.

**Updated April 9th: This link has some details about what you need to do http://bink.nu/Article10039.bink

I was shocked to review the key phrase* logs for this site and to see so many people with 100% CPU Issues.

*A Key Phrase is what you type in google to find stuff.

Clearly something is really broken in Windows XP Land.

I blogged about this recently.

http://www.colindiponio.com/2007/04/19/scvhostexe-100-cpu-usuage-while-running-wuaucltexe/

Its Patch Tuesday tomorrow. I hope it gets fixed. If you have any information that will help others please leave a comment.

From the logs of Doom:-

wuauclt.exe
100% cpu usage
100% wuauclt
cpu running 100%
cpu usage 100% when running video
scvhost %100
scvhost problems 100
scvhost.exe
scvhost.exe – 100% cpu usage
scvhost.exe 100 cpu windows xp
scvhost.exe 100 cpu xp
scvhost.exe 100 cpu xp
scvhost.exe 100% cpu usage
scvhost.exe 100% windows update
scvhost.exe cpu
scvhost.exe cpu time
scvhost.exe running at 100%
scvhost.exe taking cpu windows update
wuauclt
wuauclt 100
wuauclt 100 cpu
wuauclt cpu
wuauclt problem cpu usage
wuauclt runs scvhost at 100%
wuauclt.exe % cpu
wuauclt.exe 100
wuauclt.exe 100 cpu usage
wuauclt.exe 100%
wuauclt.exe cpu
wuauclt.exe cpu usage
wuauclt.exe cpu usage 100%
wuauclt.exe process at 100% cpu
wuauclt.exe taking 100% cpu
wuauclt.exe usage
wuauclt.exe using all processor

If you’re a North West based business looking help and advice with new technology then get in touch I can help you. Tel: 01606-841587.

***Updated 25/04/2007 See the comments for the latest on this issue (scroll down)*****

Apologies for the post title but it best describes the problem.

Back in Windows XP Tech Support World (or the Real World as you know it).

I spend some time today looking at the problem in Windows XP Pro. I had a laptop that when logged on scvhost.exe was taking 100% of the CPU for about 70 seconds.

Looking into what scvhost.exe was doing, in this case wuauclt.exe (basically windows update).

Turning off Automatic Updates made it go away but that’s not really a solution.

The link below was the most helpful in fixing this issue for those in the same boat.

THIS LINK NOW BROKEN
Link: http://forums.microsoft.com/WindowsOneCare/ShowPost.aspx?PostID=906329&SiteID=2

Also helpful in dealing with rogue Windows processess is the Process Explorer from sysinternals > now Microsoft (Thanks to Mark Russinovich for a such great tool)

Link: http://www.microsoft.com/technet/sysinternals/utilities/ProcessExplorer.mspx