Solved SP 1 Update

[seekermeister]

Despite my previous negative opinion of this update, my curiousity has gotten the better of me, and I thought I might let Windows Update install it, yet despite the fact that it does list 90 updates available (new install), none of them are for SP1.

I figured that if I were to install it, it should be done first, to shorten the list of other updates necessary, but now I'm wondering if SP1 will show up, even after installing those 90?

 

[Maguscreed]

Yeah you can just download the whole sp1 pack, it's supposed to be all inclusive.
Download Details - Microsoft Download Center - Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 Service Pack 1 (KB976932)

 

[smsff7]

Strange, but I think I remember there was an update that was needed for future updates. So maybe one of them is needed before it will give you the option?

 

[seekermeister]

Maguscreed,

There are two other updates on that SP1 download page...AMD64FRE.Symbols.msi and AMD64CHK.Symbols.msi. What are these for...to update SFC and crash diagnostics?

 

[seekermeister]

Strange, but I think I remember there was an update that was needed for future updates. So maybe one of them is needed before it will give you the option?

I do remember something about that update, but it seems to me that it was released after SP1, therefore it shouldn't be involved...don't know.

 

[seekermeister]

What does Wave 1 mean in "7601.17514.101119-1850_Update_Sp_Wave1-GRMSP1.1_DVD.iso".

 

[smsff7]

Strange, but I think I remember there was an update that was needed for future updates. So maybe one of them is needed before it will give you the option?

I do remember something about that update, but it seems to me that it was released after SP1, therefore it shouldn't be involved...don't know.

I thought one was released before SP1 was released.

 

[Maguscreed]

Maguscreed,

There are two other updates on that SP1 download page...AMD64FRE.Symbols.msi and AMD64CHK.Symbols.msi. What are these for...to update SFC and crash diagnostics?

you click the continue button.
you have to pass a verification step before it'll give it to you.

 

[seekermeister]

I had already passed verification. However, there are 10 download options available, 4 of them for AMD x64. I think the last one is unnecessary, but I'm still unsure about the two that I asked about.

EDIT: One other thing that bother me, is that the download page says that the primary download is 1GB, yet the file that is downloaded is 2GB, and there is no MD5 checksum number to check it with.

 

[seekermeister]

I thought that I would go ahead an install 3 optional updates, prior to installing SP1, but unfortunately, that didn't go well. On restart it was very slow throughout the boot, even during the BIOS pages, and I finally got tired of waiting for a black screen. Therefore, I used Safe Mode to run a System Restore to the point created by these particular updates. While in Safe Mode, it popped an alert that some USB device had malfunctioned, so I'm guessing that might be the printer, since it connects via USB, and one of the optional updates was for it.

The first try to use the System Restore was not successful, because a myriad of error warnings popped on boot, regarding numerous apps. So I tried running exactly the same restore point again, and noted that when SR scanned for effected programs, unlike the first time, it showed none, but I decided to try it again. On the second SR, everything went normal during boot, and no errors popped. Yet, when I go to the Update History, it shows that all of those optional updates are installed successfully, yet the number of updates, including the optional ones is the same as before I started this.

I had the idea that SR would cause those updates to not even appear in the update history. Is this normal or something that is still going astray?

 

[seekermeister]

Then again, maybe I won't install SP1. I created a DVD with the ISO using ImgBurn, which said that it had completed successfully, after verifying the burn, but for some reason, it won't boot to the disk, with the right DVD drive set as the first boot device. I can hear it start to read the drive, but then it continues on to a regular boot, so obviously it can't read the disk.

I checked the disk in a file manager, and it appears that the necessary files exist on the disk, but something is awry. Since there is a setup.exe on the disk, is there a reason that I can't use it from desktop, rather than on boot?

 

[Maguscreed]

You shouldn't have to boot from it it's an update not a operating system.
Just run it off the disc.

 

[seekermeister]

Since I just had my first BSOD, I need to analyze the dump file. I installed the Windows_Win7SP1.7601.17514.101119-1850.AMD64CHK.Symbols.msi, which seemed to go properly, but when I started to install the Windows_Win7SP1.7601.17514.101119-1850.AMD64FRE.Symbols.msi, the initial setup screen appeared identical to the first. Obviously, the two files are different, but I do not understand whether one or both should be installed, and if only one, how does one know which it should be?

 

[Maguscreed]

don't install symbol packs that way just get windbg and follow the msn instructions for symbols.
Use the Microsoft Symbol Server to obtain debug symbol files

 

[Anak]

Strange, but I think I remember there was an update that was needed for future updates. So maybe one of them is needed before it will give you the option?

I do remember something about that update, but it seems to me that it was released after SP1, therefore it shouldn't be involved...don't know.

I thought one was released before SP1 was released.

This may be the update you are referring to:



Source: Windows 7 (KB976902) to enable future updates. - Microsoft Answers


First it was on.
Then it was off.
Then it was back on.
Pa Bear's last edit was on 1-12-11

The links he provides in order:
Demystifying KB976902, a.k.a. Microsoft’s “Blackhole” Update — Krebs on Security

An update that prevents a "0xC0000034" error message when you try to install Windows 7 SP1 or Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1 is available

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/24376-windows-update-hide-restore-hidden-updates.html

I willingly installed it, surprisingly on 1-12-11 with no ill effects.


SP1 was installed on 2-22-11 first attempt.

 

[seekermeister]

I do remember something about that update, but it seems to me that it was released after SP1, therefore it shouldn't be involved...don't know.

I thought one was released before SP1 was released.

This may be the update you are referring to:

View attachment 163362

Source: Windows 7 (KB976902) to enable future updates. - Microsoft Answers


First it was on.
Then it was off.
Then it was back on.
Pa Bear's last edit was on 1-12-11

The links he provides in order:
Demystifying KB976902, a.k.a. Microsoft’s “Blackhole” Update — Krebs on Security

An update that prevents a "0xC0000034" error message when you try to install Windows 7 SP1 or Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1 is available

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/24376-windows-update-hide-restore-hidden-updates.html

I willingly installed it, surprisingly on 1-12-11 with no ill effects.
View attachment 163363

SP1 was installed on 2-22-11 first attempt.

Thanks, but I have already gotten past that part of my questions. Now I have do decide what to do about the symbols. Maybe Windbg is the way to go, as Magnuscreed suggests, but I would still like to understand what the difference is between the two symbol update files that I mentioned?

 

[Anak]

Have you seen this thread? http://www.sevenforums.com/windows-...tandalone-debugging-symbols-free-checked.html

Then:

The symbol download packages are listed by processor type (x86, Itanium, and x64) and build type (retail and checked). Almost all customers require the symbols for the retail version. If you are debugging a special version of Windows with extra debugging information, then you should download the symbols for the checked version.

Source: Download Windows Symbol Packages

So far this is the best description I have found for retail (free) and checked. From my Windbg program help files ver :

Windows Symbols
Microsoft Windows 2000 keeps its symbols in files with the extensions .pdb and .dbg. Windows XP and later versions of Windows use .pdb files exclusively. Windows drivers can follow either model.
The compiler and the linker control the symbol format. The Visual C++ 5.0 Linker creates both .pdb and .dbg symbol files — the .dbg files it creates are essentially pointers to the .pdb files. The Visual C++ 6.0 Linker, as well as the linkers of later versions of Visual Studio, places all symbols into .pdb files.
The Windows operating system is built in two versions. The free build (or retail build) has relatively small binaries, and the checked build (or debug build) has larger binaries, with more debugging symbols in the code itself. Each of these builds has its own symbol files. When debugging a target on Windows, you must use the symbol files that match the build of Windows on the target.
The following table lists several of the directories which exist in a standard Windows symbol tree:
Directory Contains Symbol Files for ACM Microsoft Audio Compression Manager files COM Executable files (.com) CPL Control Panel programs DLL Dynamic-link library files (.dll) DRV Driver files (.drv) EXE Executable files (.exe) SCR Screen-saver files SYS Driver files (.sys)

More:

Select the Debugging Tools option under the Common Utilities if you want the x64 version of the Debugging Tools and you are installing on an x64 computer. This option automatically detects the CPU architecture of the computer on which you are installing the tools and it is the fastest method of installing the tools.

Source: Debugging Tools for Windows 64-bit Version

Allowing the download center to determine your CPU architecture would seem to me the best option, then if you need the others you could download them later i.e. (x86, and Itanium).

Maybe Windbg is the way to go, as Magnuscreed suggests,

I have found when I use Windbg if it needs a certain set of files it will go and get them

 

[seekermeister]

Hmm, I guess that since I installed the checked symbols, I need to now uninstall them, and revert to Windbg as suggested. The only thing that I found confusing, was the suggestion in the first link that checked for needed for dealing with BSODs, which as far as I can see, is the primary need for the symbols in the first place. However, it is not too uncommon for me to get confused in such matters.

 

[Maguscreed]

small note when you install windbg after you run the symbol command I linked, be sure to save your workspace and then close right away before doing anything else
from then on you start with it automatically loaded.