Windows XP SP3 Sows Havoc, Users Complain

Within hours of its release, Microsoft s Service Pack 3 for Windows XP began drawing hundreds of complaints from users who claim the update is wreaking havoc on their PCs.

The problems with XP SP3, according to posters on Microsoft s Windows XP message board, range from spontaneous reboots to outright system crashes.

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My external disks are having trouble starting up, which results in Windows not starting up, complained user Michael Faklis, in a post Wednesday. After three attempts to install XP SP3 with different configurations each time, System Restore was the only way to get me out of deep s**t, said Doug W .

Another user said the service pack prevented him from starting his computer. I downloaded and installed Windows XP Service Pack 3 Network Installation Package for IT Professionals, wrote Paul . Now I can t get the computer to boot.

Dozens of other posters reported similar problems.