sp3 will not re boot with a firewire external hard drive a..

"Just to add a data point: the PCs I have updated to SP3 have no difficulty
booting with Firewire disks attached, and allocating drive letters to them.
So this is not a consistent problem: there must be some other factor (apart
from the sbp2 driver) which triggers this issue."

I agree same with me. One computer no problem other identical computer
problem.

After SP3, not could I not boot up with an external drive plugged in, but Windows wouldn't even install them. Both firewire and USB, Windows gave errors installing the hardware and I could not access them.

A MB bios update cured both problems. I run a 1y old Intel board, apparently they have took the effort to work with SP3. I can now use my drives, and I can make it past Windows loading screen if I leave them plugged in. Do note, though, it takes about 2-3 times longer to start up if they are.

Although it's fixable and it's not Microsoft's responsibility, and even though firmware updates are becoming as easy as pushing next--most of Window's typical users aren't apt enough to even think about searching the web for their problems, much less knowing what firmware is and why they need it. They need it to work or not work. So, if Microsoft pushes a Service Pack and it makes things not work, which, although it's not their fault necessarily, *is* the black and white viewpoint that their users possess, then there is a problem. If MS would take the extra, yes extra, care and time (like their competitors) to address things like this that originally isn't their responsibility, they may actually impress some people. It's called being a good company.

And I'm anti-Mac.