Vista x64 SP2 problems

Question：I just finished the SP2 Windows update for Vista x64 last night and now I have a couple of interesting problems:

1) Windows Security Alerts pops up saying that I do not have an Anti-Virus program installed. However I do and it is running in the systray right next to the WSA icon. I updated my virus software and ran a system scan. Virus software is working correctly.

2) Internet Explorer will not open. This applies to both the x64 and the x32 browsers. By some odd fluke I went to the program folder, right clicked on the .exe and choose to Run As Administrator. Behold it worked! (I am now using the browser in Admin mode to ask this question).

That is all I have found so far, but since I work from home in a cloud environment, not having IE is like locking up the office building and telling me the key is lost and that I have to take time off without pay until the key is found. So PLEASE help me resolve this quickly.

My next step is to System Restore to the point right before SP2 was installed. Is this a reasonable solution or can someone from Microsoft suggest something better?

My system:
HP TouchSmart tx2
AMD Turion X2 Ultra Dual-Core Mobile ZM-86
8 GB RAM
220 GB HDD
Windows Vista Ultimate x64 SP2
Sophos Anti-Virus x86 7.6.8
Internet Explorer 64-bit 8.0.6001.18762

Thank you in advance for your assistance,
-Christopher DeMars

Answer 1：

Hello ChristopherDeMars,

Thank you for using the Microsoft Vista Answers Forum!

 

Your concerns are valid and you have taken the right remedy. What you are experiencing is a known issue and there is a fix for it. There are some Programs that are known to experience a loss of functionality after you install Service Pack 2 for Windows Vista. For more information, visit this link.  http://support.microsoft.com/kb/969707/

 

I would recommend you also use the steps in this KB article to resolve the issue with IE8.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/318378

 

Please reply and let us know if your issue is resolved or if you will need further assistance

---

David O



Answer 2：I have the same problem with Vista x64 SP2 and Sophos 7.6.8. Neither of the KB articles quoted above helps since the first doesn't tell you much about IE8 on Vista SP2 and the second doesn't mention Sophos.

What I can say is that I have been running SP2 since it was released on Technet and MSDN weeks ago and Sophos had no problem until it updated itself to 7.6.8 this week, and the problem appeared immediately after that update. So I would say that there is a problem with the latest version of Sophos and not SP2. What you should do is tell Sophos.

In the meantime, rather than run as administrator, you can get IE back by disabling the Sophos browser help object in Internet Options, Manage Add-ins.

Neil Flanagan

Answer 3：Since I posted the above I have received a reply from Sophos. They know there is a problem between SP2 and Sophos Antivirus 7.6.8. They are working on it. In the meantime disabling the browser helper object is the workaround.

Neil Flanagan