Incomplete install of SP2 in Windows XP

[bevills1]

When attempting to install SP2 in Windows XP, a message is given that "Updates were unable to be successfully installed. The SP2 updates were not completely installed, and Windows may not function normally." Are there any known issues for this problem, and does someone know a fix for it?

[ROF]

This is typically caused by an invalid key being used to update windows. Another thing to look for is to make sure you have all security updates for either WinXP or WinXP SP1 depending on your system. There are certain software package (TV Media) that causes Win XP SP2 to not install completely. It's rare that this happens because most people have their OS set to autoupdate(recommended). I'd first check to make sure you don't have the software listed on Microsofts Win XP SP2 support pages.

[ozymango]

Ummmm ... sometimes it's not big deal, and sometimes a failed update will kill your computer. How's that for helpful?

Did you download the full SP2 installer from the web or get it on CD, or did you use the "Windows Update" to automatically install? It may be worth downloading the full installer from Microsoft, but it's freakin' big (like 200+ megabytes); however it contains a whole bunch of additional files that may or may not be able to "fix" whatever weirdness caused it to choke the first time.

We've updated hundred of computers at work with SP2 and have only had a few problems, but in a couple of cases where SP2 failed to install "properly," that computer never did take the service pack and within a few days, gradually began to get sicker and sicker (e.g. took forever to boot, ran as fast a slug, would lock up on occasion). We can restore a computer from backup faster than troubleshoot these kinds of errors so we just re-imaged the machines and that was it, so I don't know how "fixable" they were or weren't.

It may be that you had some virus or trojan somewhere that choked part of the installer. Or a flaky hard drive -- disk errors can wreak all sorts of havoc when it comes to installers. Or some piece of hardware of software the MS doesn't fully support.

Anyway, if this were me, I'd be nervous about my computer's stability and would probably go ahead and rebuild it anyway, just to be safe. Is that an option? Do you have another hard drive you could boot from in a pinch? If not, we can try some other stuff, depending on whatever error messages you get!

[bevills1]

Are you using Ghost for re-imaging process when you say, "We can restore a computer from backup faster than troubleshoot these kinds of errors so we just re-imaged the machines and that was it, so I don't know how "fixable" they were or weren't," and wouldn't re-imaging just transfer the problems to target drive? The PC did have some virus/trojan that was removed via Symantec removal instructions, but it would be great if re-imaging might eliminate problems. I do have another dirve I could boot from if necessary.

[ozymango]

Sorry, I left out a very important step there -- we already had a known good, working backup image to start with, for the restore. That "backup" image was "clean" and known to be easily upgraded to SP2 (this assumes that there was something that got installed on that one particular computer that caused SP2 to hang, something that got installed after we had made our good image). If that made any sense.

Okay, upon slight further exploration, if you go to the "add/remove programs" section, does SP2 show up as something you can uninstall? By default, if you're lucky, the upgrade got far enough along that the uninstaller got installed , and is operational, and you can "roll back" the SP2 upgrade and then ... well, first I'd see if that's even an option. Then I'd try uninstalling, if it is an option. And then I'm guessing it won't uninstall properly, it'll still freak out on you. Sorry, that's just been my experience.

Anyway, you might wanna give that a shot. Then, when that doesn't work :P, I'm torn between recommending:

1) Copy all your important stuff over to your slave drive, format your primary, and reinstall everything.

2) Building a Windows XP install disc with SP2 "slipstreamed" into the install, and then "upgrading" your OS with this disc. This way you won't lose any settings from your old computer, and hopefully this'll clean up a lot of gunk that didn't work from last time. It's not difficult to build an install disc w/SP2 slipstreamed as long as you have your original XP OS install CD and can download the SP2 full installer. But it's a few step-by-step steps and I'll wait on that in the hopes that somebody else has a better and easier solution for you.

[Richard_G]

My experience has been that an XP SP1 install will be perfectly stable and an XP SP2 install will also be perfectly stable. What is about as reliable as a chocolate teapot is an SP1 install that has been upgraded to SP2. I have two machines, one running each version and both are 100% stable, both also have automatic updates turned off. On one machine running SP1 it wasn't and it was fine until it was 'updated', after which it did nothing but crash. Don't update, re-install.

Incidentally, it was just the same when Windows 98 became Windows 98SE, a clean re-install was fine, an update was a BSOD waiting to happen.

[GKar]

When attempting to install SP2 in Windows XP, a message is given that "Updates were unable to be successfully installed. The SP2 updates were not completely installed, and Windows may not function normally." Are there any known issues for this problem, and does someone know a fix for it?

Did this problem happen on the 2-14-06 "Black Tuesday" MS updates?

Read this:
http://www.betanews.com/article/Microsoft_Fixes_Patch_Installation_Snafu/1140024474

[smearbrick1]

This is typically caused by an invalid key being used to update windows. Another thing to look for is to make sure you have all security updates for either WinXP or WinXP SP1 depending on your system. There are certain software package (TV Media) that causes Win XP SP2 to not install completely. It's rare that this happens because most people have their OS set to autoupdate(recommended). I'd first check to make sure you don't have the software listed on Microsofts Win XP SP2 support pages.

If you have invalid key (corporate version that has been flagged), it simply will unpack the files and the install will fail instantly. It doesn't install half of SP2, it just gives you a nice error message concerning the validity of the product code.

I found this on a friend's computer who was in need of an upgrade to SP2. Much to my surprise, his XP Professional was the early corporate version that so many downloaders shared.

[bevills1]

Richard_G, are you suggesting uninstall SP1 and then run SP2 update, or exactly what is meant by "Don't update, reinstall?"

[bevills1]

The problem began a couple of weeks before this past Christmas. Can building a Windows XP install disc with SP2 "slipstreamed" into the install, and then "upgrading" OS with this disc be done without copying all important stuff over to slave drive, format primary, and reinstall everything? Can any of this be done without Windows XP setup disc because this is a Dell PC that unfortunately came with one of those restore discs which I hate.

[whitejremiah]

do what i do if a system comes with restore discs, restore it from those discs, then uninstall the excessive crap and ghost the drive....

[GKar]

Option 2: Buy Windows XP SP2 and avoid the uninstall of excessive crap. Ghost the clean install and archive it to DVD.

[Richard_G]

Richard_G, are you suggesting uninstall SP1 and then run SP2 update, or exactly what is meant by "Don't update, reinstall?"

No, I'm suggesting making a copy of anything that you want to keep on the drive, format it and install SP2 from an SP2 install disc. I notice you have a Dell machine with the 'recovery' disc (including all the crap they insist you need). My partner bought a Dell laptop and I found that if you shout at them long enough they'll give you a proper install disc. You paid for the OS when you bought the machine, why haven't they given you it.

[fritzi93]

Slipstreaming an install disc isn't difficult, and can even be done from a GUI:

http://www.win4lin.com/component/option,com_docman/task,doc_download/gid,15/Itemid,145/mode,view/

Done it that way, successfully, for XPPro SP2 and for 2000Pro SP4. Note that you need the network install version of the service pack, not the express.

[bevills1]

Slipstreaming an install disc apparently can't be done unless I get Windows XP install disc according to the link. I've never had to use Restore disc before, but doesn't that require all apps have to be reinstalled just like clean install with Windows install disc?

[bevills1]

Finally found possible solution that says it's for Windows XP SP1 and SP2 at http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/bulletin/MS06-007.mspx which appears should fix the problem. Should I try to uninstall incomplete SP2 first? I also found possible solution that says it's for SP2 at http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=7bb21d74-c37b-472b-bb10-71d46...DisplayLang=en
in case this may be helpful to others with similar problems.

[bevills1]

Neither link found fixed SP2 update problem. After running the updates from both links, it now stops SP2 update at some point and gives message, "Access denied" and then removes changes made to go back to previous configuration which I assume removes partial SP2 install which it didn't do before updates from the 2 links. Does anyone have any other ideas or suggestions how to fix the problem that's unables SP2 update to complete?

[ROF]

Contact Microsoft and Order a Service Pack 2 CD.

[bevills1]

I downloaded SP2 and then tried install after download which had same results, i.e. message "Access denied" and removed changes to restore previous configuration. Also Windows update will not download now; it gets to where it prompts to select auto or custom, and states install failed when either auto or custom is selected which indicates Windows update seems to be broken now. I fear this means a fresh Windows install to fix. Have any other ideas or suggestions.

[thevoelk]

If you're doing a fresh install, save yourself some time and slipstream SP2 into your install disc. Or, I have done this before with good results, slipstream SP2 into your XP disk and then repair your current XP install. I'd recommend the repair only if you have a very strong reason not to format your drive, such as a program you no longer have the install disk for, for whatever reason.

[bevills1]

Actually I just slipstreamed SP2 into install disc to create a Bart PE disc, and that would update to SP2? Would all applications be preserved if I attempted repair XP insatll with SP2 slipstreamed Win XP disc? I do have an important app installed by a vendor who wouldn't provide software and whom I'm now unable to contact. Do you think a repair install would fix the Windows update disfunction? Also it's a Dell PC which came with a Restore disc that has the problems, and would a slipstreamed SP2 Win XP disc work on such a system?

[Nelson37]

Most Dell Pc's have a seperate XP disk, just with the Dell logo.

Any vendor who tried to install necessary software on one of my units without leaving a disk would get a very fast "No Sale, bye-bye". Allowing such an action would be IMO criminally negligent. You are now becoming aware just why this is.

Re-install or repair of same windows partition should save all apps. Boot to the disk, not from within windows.

Are you SURE the virus has been removed? Double, triple, quadruple check this before going any farther.

Have you tried System Restore? Also, as mentioned, call Dell and raise hell about the disk which you have paid for and not received. Be patient, and persistent, and refuse to get off the phone until you are satisfied.

[bevills1]

That's a good point to recheck whether virus is gone else all effort to recover normalcy could be in vain. The software for which no discs were provided is at spouse's business, and I tried to talk her into no sale with that company which is what I'd have done, i.e. it'd be a no sale to me either. I have no experience with System Restore as I've always built my own systems with full Windows versions and have never needed to use System Restore. Can System Restore go back to a selected date and restore a PC the way it was at that point in time? Perhaps I could go back to early December since mid December is when the problem arose if System Restore can do that.

[smearbrick1]

System Restore can do that. It is a component built into Windows XP.

[TBoneit]

Based on what I have seen here at work I'd bet that the Virus/trojan changed some things to disable updating your XP install. Why? I'm speculating hereof course, So that if you do clean it you can not close the security hole it uses to get into your machine.

I've seen this happen once in a while when Spyware / Trojans are removed. Doing a slipstreamed SP2 repair process will get SP2 onto the machine, but generally the changed settings and whatever else still keep the XP from updating properly.
Myself, I'd bite the bullet and backup data and format the drive and re-install or expect future trouble.

Good Luck

[TBoneit]

Also I've seen System restore disabled by the same cause, once again (Speculating) to keep you from undoing/removing it.