CCP's new EVE Online: Trinity update has been trashing Windows XP installations by overwriting an important Windows system file during installation.

Slashdot is reporting that the Premium Update to the EVE Online MMOG from CCP is affecting installations by way of a poorly-named file and an improperly placed backslash in the installer configuration file. As a result, the update overwrites the Windows BOOT.INI file with its own, which does not result in immediate ill effect but renders the computer unable to boot the next time it's restarted.

Discussion in the EVE Online forums is running hot, although numerous fixes and workarounds have been posted by both players and CCP development staff. The company has since pulled the update and is currently working on repairing the problem. Users of Windows Vista, Linux or OS X, as well as anyone who is still using the Classic client or used the Premium Full Installation rather than the Premium Update, will not be affected. More information about fixes to the problem are available in this forum thread.

Update: CCP has issued a statement indicating they became aware of the problem soon after the update was deployed, and have now released a new build of EVE Online: Trinity which is safe for all users to download and install. Anyone running non-Vista versions of Windows, with multiple hard drives (or multiple partitions on a single drive) who began downloading the Premium graphics content prior to 04:00 GMT on Wednesday, December 6, should follow the instructions available here to correct any potential system issues.