Problem With Updating Windows XP

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Cerebrum D

New Member
I had Windows XP Service Pack 1. One day during the usual automatic updates thing, my computer downloaded and installed Windows XP Service Pack 2. After like 2 hours of installing, it told me to restart my computer, so I did. Now everytime my computer boots, it stops at the screen where it says Windows XP and there's a blue loading bar under it. I left it open for hours at a time, multiple times, but it never goes past that part. I have to eventually turn it off by holding the power button for 4 seconds. I tried to boot in safe mode, but the same thing happens. Can anyone please help me?:(
 
What are your computer's specs?

Your WINDOWS folder must be damaged.
Dell and HP computers have back up partitions, so you can copy over the needed files. A knoppix 5.0.1 disk should work fine.
 
Dell Dimension 4700

Intel Pentium 4 w/ HT 2.8GHz
512MB Dual Channel DDR2 RAM
80GB SATA Hard Drive
nVidia BFG GeForce 6600 GT OC
10/100 NIC Card
CD/DVD Burner
Floppy Drive
Fax Modem
Not sure about the other stuff

So where could I get a knoppix 5.0.1 disk?
 
A manual restart of the system restore process would backroll SP2 to SP1 by booting to the recovery console via recovery disk or at the safe mod command prompt only with adminstratve access. http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;304449

You can also type "C:\Windows\$NtServicePackUninstall$\spuninst\spun inst.exe" at the recovery console prompt and press the enter key. But this requires an XP installation disk.
 
PC eye said:
A manual restart of the system restore process would backroll SP2 to SP1 by booting to the recovery console via recovery disk or at the safe mod command prompt only with adminstratve access. http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;304449

You can also type "C:\Windows\$NtServicePackUninstall$\spuninst\spun inst.exe" at the recovery console prompt and press the enter key. But this requires an XP installation disk.
Click to expand...

I don't have an XP installation disk, but I might be able to borrow an XP SP2 Upgrade disk. Would that work? Would it erase my hard drive?

About the knoppix thing. First, It said it was for Linux, am I supposed to use that to restore Windows or what? Second, if yes, then will the download be available in English? Third, would this erase my hard drive?

I prefer the cheapest method, along with not having my hard drive wiped, if possible.
 
Cerebrum D said:
I don't have an XP installation disk, but I might be able to borrow an XP SP2 Upgrade disk. Would that work? Would it erase my hard drive?

About the knoppix thing. First, It said it was for Linux, am I supposed to use that to restore Windows or what? Second, if yes, then will the download be available in English? Third, would this erase my hard drive?

I prefer the cheapest method, along with not having my hard drive wiped, if possible.
Click to expand...

1) "About the knoppix thing. First, It said it was for Linux. am I supposed to use that to restore Windows or what?"

Knoppix Live for dvd/cd has often been recommended for retrieving files from a drive when it becomes inaccessible by other means. That includes Windows and Linux OSed drives alike. It is unable to restore any version of Windows.

2) "second, if yes, (answer is no) then will the download be available in English?

YES! and NO! It depends mainly on the server you download the iso disk image from there.

3) "Third, would this erase my hard drive?

Knoppix Live cannot erase your drive unless you decide to use the Linux drive partitioning tools included. Even then there are some that can only delete Linux not MS partitions. Cfdisk and fdisk are able to delete partitions on a drive. A more universal partition creator and remover for both Linux and Windows is known as the Gnome partition Editor.

To start the system restore process manually you simply need an XP disk that is bootable in order to get to the recovery console. Or you can use the F8 start menu and choose the safe mode command prompt only option. Booting from "any" bootable XP disk in order to get to the recovery console won't matter which disk is used since you are not reinstalling Windows.

What you would be doing there is starting the restore utility already installed on the drive itself to go back to a date before the problem was seen. XP backs up system files as well as drivers installed for hardwares and softwares. You simply take the system back in time in a sense where no one but you would know it even happened. Without an installation disk this would be the means to repair the installation there.
 
Many, many folks have had problems installing SP2. I had the same problem as you. What I did was slipstream the SP2 cd into XP. Do a goole on it. I used a slick little program called AutoStreamer. http://www.neowin.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=223562
Worked slick as heck and it will be much easier and faster to re-install in the future if needed. Havig SP2 merged into the XP disk makes it all much easier.
Bronson7
 
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