I have had a number of people send messages to NTBugtraq asking if anyone has experienced problems with the new W2K SP3. Let me give you a bit of background as to how that stuff is being handled here at NTBugtraq (applies to Service Packs, Hotfixes, Cumulative Updates, Rollups, etc...)

1. Anyone who has experienced problems with such a package is welcome to submit a message to the list (or me if confidentiality is desired) detailing their experience. It should, however, provide as much detail as possible. e.g.;

- Whether a reboot was done prior to installing the package (I always recommend a reboot before an SP install)
- What SP the machine was at before
- What applications/services are installed on it
- What 3rd party drivers might be slightly out of the norm (non-default video, scsi, audit drivers)
- Where the package was installed from (WU, CD, download from whoknowswhere.com)
- A description of the problem, including error messages if any
- Whether a call has been opened with Microsoft Product Support, an SRX number if one has been assigned

(those are ideals, give what you can)

2. Depending on the description of the problem, I will likely contact the Microsoft Security Response Center and give them a heads up that a potential issue is being tracked. I usually ask them if they've received similar reports, and let the know how many I've received.

3. I keep track of how many similar reports I get. When/if I get 3 or more similar reports, I publish something to the list about the issue. It may be one of the reports I received, or a summary of my own. Basically, unless I get 3 or more reports I wait until someone has taken the issue through PSS (Product Support Services) to conclusion. Often its a configuration issue, or an issue with one particular driver, and not something the masses of NTBugtraq necessarily need to be informed of.

4. If the MSRC confirm there's a problem with something, then I'll give a heads up to the list also.

IOWs, unless the problem is reproducible or occurring at several sites, one-off problems are better dealt with through PSS and other sites/lists.

So, if you're wondering whether people are having problems, you may decide to take the lack of messages to NTBugtraq as an indication its not creating problems. Of course, don't forget that NTBugtraq isn't the only source of information or that we often don't get told the same things as other sites/lists. I like to think that should a package cause problems in general (rather than to a very limited specific subset), enough subscribers would report it to me/the list for you to hear it here.

Also worth noting that my systems here are usually running the latest SP and hotfixes going.

Cheers,
Russ - NTBugtraq Editor

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