Windows XP SP3 has problems with AMD processors

After Microsoft has postponed Service Pack 3 for Windows XP already several times, also due to compatibilityproblems, AMD users are now reporting problems with SP3. In some cases the computer will not start anymore, in others the computer crashes during installation.

Dr. Jesper M. Johansson, Microsoft expert, gives solutions for these problems in his blog.

In most cases computers with AMD processor made by HP will not start anymore after installing SP3. This is because HP installs a driver for intel aswell as AMD processors, which gives problems with SP3.

To start the computer again, it has to be started in safe mode first to deactivate the intel driver. This can be done by going to start -> Run and giving in the command ’sc config intelppm start= disabled’. WARNING: do NOT deactive this driver if you have an intel processor.

A second possible problem shows at startup the following message: ‘the bios in this system is not fully acpi compliant’, and cancels the startup with an errorcode. Windows can be started again when first taking off all usb sticks and usb harddisks.

If you encounter an error message regarding “GDI.dll” or the STOP-code “C0000139″, you can try to start the pc in safe mode or with a Knoppix live-cd and try to copy the file “gdsi32.dll” from “c:\windows\servicepack\i386″ to “c:\windows\system32″.