Microsoft is letting users fend for themselves when Windows Vista Service Pack 2 fails to install on computers running multiple 64-bit Intel processors or a 64-bit Intel multi-core processor, at least for the time being. The Redmond company informed that attempting to deploy the second service pack for Vista or for Windows Server 2008 on top of computers featuring Intel x64 multiple CPUs or multi-Core CPUs results in the following stop error: Stop 0x0000003E. An update was available, designed to resolve the problem, but it was pulled down, because it too caused Vista SP2 to crash with a stop error. Microsoft failed to offer any details on the Intel processors affected.
“You are running an x64-based version of Windows Vista or of Windows Server 2008 on a computer that has multiple Intel x64 processors or has an Intel x64 multi-core processor. When you try to install Windows Vista Service Pack 2 or Windows Server 2008 Service Pack 2 on the computer, you receive the following Stop error message: Stop 0x0000003E (parameter1, parameter2, parameter3, parameter4) MultiProcessor_Configuration_Not_Supported,” Microsoft
noted.
For the time being there isn’t a solution designed to allow end users to install Vista SP2 or Windows Server 2008 SP2 without running into Stop 0x0000003E from Microsoft. The company is however working to resolve the problem.
Stop 0x0000003E “occurs because some processors on the computer report support for some unsupported feature sets. Therefore, when the system uses these feature sets, a Stop error occurs. This situation can occur if incorrect processor packages are used or if the BIOS incorrectly enables a processor erratum,” the company explained.
The Redmond company said that it had identified an issue with the update delivered to resolve the initial problem (KB973879), and that subsequently it considered necessary to remove the fix. This is a temporary situation, the software giant noted, indicating that it was still investigating the problem with KB973879. Users who did get to update only found themselves in new trouble. Microsoft explained that the fix generated "Stop 0x0000007e" or "Stop 0x00000050" error messages usually within 10 minutes after system startup.
