"Access Denied" Error When Updating to SP2

[maximus01can]

Howdy All,

I've been running into grief trying to update to SP2 now that SP1 is no loger supported. Half way through the installation I get an "Access Denied" error and have tracked it down to this link on the Microsoft knowledgebase article

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/873148/en-us

but.....The problem I have now is that when I try to run %windir%\svcpack.log file windows says it can't find the file. So I jumped to step 2, edited the registry and tried installation again, but to no avail. Still the "Access Denied" error. My question now is, can I run a repair on my XP home using my daughter's dell reinstallation disc on my dell since I've misplaced my reinstallation disc somewhere along the line. We both have dell dimension systems although her's is a couple years newer. I don't want to nuke everything, just run a repair on the OS and hopefully then I'll be able to update to SP2......Am I going in the right direction here? Any ideas would be appreciated.

Thanks in Advance,

Cheers,
Max

 

[PC eye]

No good! Once you start the installation process with another disk plan on deleting the current installation. You are still required to provide the original product number from your disk the one that was used to install Windows with. Another one disk won't work there.

You will have to try and remove the SP1 by using the add/remove programs in the control panel. Once you are in there click on the show updates at the top of that screen and scroll to the bottom.Look for the ServicePack.exe and click on the remove button there.

 

[maximus01can]

But I don't want to install the whole OS, just run a repair...is that still a no go? Another question is why would I uninstall SP1? Do you feel that is the problem with SP2 not being able to be installed? I never seen any reference to that in the knowledge base article regarding the "Access Denied" error.

Cheers,
Max

 

[PC eye]

Right now you would perform the repair install to see Windows running with SP1. If you feel that a new attempt to upgrade to SP2 will be blocked by SP1 and see the same problem again you can avoid that by first uninstalling SP1. That will leave Windows ready for the update there.

Most of the time removing SP1 isn't needed when Windows is running normally. SP2 will go on like any other update except for it's size of some 266mb. It can take a minute or two more there.

Review the article at the link here for performing the repair install. This has more usable information then the MS page for the same thing. http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/XPrepairinstall.htm