Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Failed Win XP Upgrade Wipes Out UK Government Agency

Posted by michael on from the automatic-upgrades-deemed-harmful dept.

Lurker McLurker writes "The BBC and the Register report that the UK Government's Department for Work and Pensions attempted to upgrade seven PCs from Windows 2000 to Windows XP, and ended up with BSODs on over 60,000 machines. I wonder if the National Health Service is regretting awarding Microsoft a £500 million contract now." The Guardian also has a good story.

8 of 731 comments (clear)

  1. The reason for the upgrade by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    They wanted that new version of Internet Explorer with the fancy built-in pop-up blocker.

    1. Re:The reason for the upgrade by phaln · · Score: 5, Funny

      In other news, productivity is UP 64% since the day before the crash!

      --
      SNACKS ARE AWESOME
  2. EDS now stands for... by BlackHawk-666 · · Score: 5, Funny

    Every Desktop Shutdown.

    --
    All those moments will be lost in time, like tears in rain.
  3. Nooo! by Turn-X+Alphonse · · Score: 5, Funny

    It's like a thousand solitaire players suddenly cried out in frustration and then silence...

    --
    I like muppets.
  4. Avoidable blunder by Waffle+Iron · · Score: 5, Funny

    Obviously these sysadmins were incompetent. Everybody knows that a BSOD is impossible under Windows XP. If they had simply upgraded the other 60,000 machines to XP first, and then updated these 7 problem systems, this whole problem would easily have been avoided.

  5. The funniest thing.. by WindSword · · Score: 5, Funny

    was the government spokesperson. After the intro to this piece on Radio 4 this morning, her opening sentence was "Let me correct you, 20% of our workstations are functioning". Talk about a positive spin.

  6. Re:We need to educate the decision makers by mikerich · · Score: 5, Funny
    There is a huge contract that'll be up for grabbs soon - EDS are preparing themselves to manage the UK national identity database and identity card scheme. This is one we could lobby our representatives on to ensure they do it right..

    No, no, no, this is the one we lobby them to employ EDS and Microsoft on!

    If MPs are stupid enough to implement Blunkettcards we should at least get some entertainment out of it.

    Best wishes,
    Mike.

  7. Member of Parliament by dominux · · Score: 5, Funny

    you can call them senators if it makes you feel better.