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'Blue Screen' Fix Pushed to Windows XP SP2 Users

Microsoft pushed a rare non-security fix to Windows XP users through Automatic Update this week for a problem that can cause the infamous "Blue Screen of Death" in Windows XP with Service Pack 2 and Windows Server 2003.

The issue, addressed in a Knowledge Base article available since December, causes a blue screen to appear and displays the message, "Stop 0x05 (INVALID_PROCESS_ATTACH_ATTEMPT)." Pre-SP2 versions of Windows XP aren't affected.

Microsoft chose not to include the fix with the regular bundle of security fixes the company releases on the second Tuesday of every month. The "Patch Tuesday" bundle this month was unusually large -- with 12 security bulletins covering 17 vulnerabilities, eight of them critical.

According to Microsoft, the blue screen problem does not appear to be a security issue. The problem occurs because a coding error in the Http.sys file can cause stack corruption in certain situations involving third-party anti-virus or firewall programs.

There is currently no fix for the problem in Windows Server 2003.

More information about the issue is available in Microsoft's Knowledge Base article, KB887742.

About the Author

Scott Bekker is editor in chief of Redmond Channel Partner magazine.

Reader Comments:

Sun, Jul 23, 2006 SA Huynh

Blue Screen' Fix Pushed to Windows XP SP2

Fri, Mar 17, 2006 themicrobe CNA

Http.sys its a real joke, the redirect you to the site to download the patch, the patch was a program called GenuinID checker, they play traitor with us , we are use microsoft cause crash to our system it is not normal, we killed everything we exploded all the files and we renew some of the coding for 1 years and half everything was ok until then we been checked and put a dam file from ms since it crache the software... the dam file is http.sys

Mon, Mar 7, 2005 Anonymous Anonymous

www.OpenBSD.org

Only one remote hole in the default install, in more than 8 years!

How's that for a bug ridden piece of opensource software that is Internet facing. Now if only Microsoft could say the same :P

Fri, Mar 4, 2005 Chris California

The simple fact is that OSS software is just as buggy as anything MS has ever put out. It's really sad to see people act like just because it's open source it doesn't have bugs and doesn't get patched. The truth of the matter is that linux software is patched almost daily in one form or another, and time and time again the reason is "security issue". I work with linux and windows servers extensively, and can tell you guys two things. They both have their uniquenesses and purposes, and most definitly both need to be patched constantly. If you claim you're secure and don't patch, why don't you post your IP addresses? Now there's a little bit of hesitation isn't there...

Tue, Mar 1, 2005 Pete Preston, UK

OSS zealots will take any opportunity to MS bash it appears. MS fixing a rare bug with a patch should be welcomed rather than used as an opportunity to try to 'spread the OSS gospel'. IF OSS ever gets largescale implementation in the real world I will expect constant and numerous patches for it. MS bashing is old and tired and such a cliche.

Mon, Feb 28, 2005 Scott California

Be realistic - has any of you seen this problem? I have not, and I support a great many PCs. Therefore, it is reasonable to assume that it is relatively uncommon, and such problems often don't appear during initial or Beta testing.

Mon, Feb 28, 2005 EGJ NY

Hatred is very good at blinding people. I agree, OSS nuts are extremely blinded. OSS packages have had similar failures scatttered in its ranks. The simple fact is that all programmers are human. Including the OSS ones. They are no more immune to bad judgement or bad code then anyone working at MS. MS should have regression tested SP2 a little more and people deploying it should have tested things on their end more too. When my place of business applies patches, Windows or Linux alike, we always test under static conditions and then deploy patches on a schedule with basic testing scattered throughout the deployment phase. In 8 years of doing this, only one patch ever screwed up one server. This is common sense, something OSS zealots seem to lack, or simply wish to obfusticate for their own purposes to make everything but their worshipped gods look good. Fools....

Mon, Feb 28, 2005 Anonymous Anonymous

You open source idiots! Go use it and delete the damn XP from your system! Think about yourself for a minute...oh, you can't...you are too jealous of MS to worry about anything else. If open source were ever to get as popular as MS it would have the same (er, more) problems than MS. This just goes to show how little you actually know about software. Get a life.

Mon, Feb 28, 2005 Anonymous Anonymous

Next version should be called Windows Muleware XP

Sun, Feb 27, 2005 Anonymous Anonymous

You would think that a kernel mode program like "http.sys" would receive extensive attention by programmers and QA folks at Microsoft. Given this article, it looks like Microsoft hasn't strayed from their "If it compiles, then ship it." model. And some folks wonder why "Open Source" software is slowing gaining solid footholds in the business world.

Fri, Feb 25, 2005 Smoke Eddington Witt,IL

Klem Kadiddlehopper has less patches on his clothes than Windows XP SP2 ! Will it pass Moses ? (B.Gates) Will it pass ? How much is that 'MAC' ee in the window ?







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