Anyone had an XP SP3 upgrade fail?

[Rik]

I decided it was time I got around to updating the notebook today, but it failed midway with an 'Access denied' error, then reversed the changes.

Ideas anyone?

[Inactive]

Can't help Rik, but mine went as smooth as silk, not much help to you...sorry.

[kinmel]

Are you downloading from the Microsoft Update site or running the executable locally ?

[Rik]

Downloading, Alan.

[kinmel]

Knowledge Base Answer

Otherwise download the executable update from HERE

[Rik]

Thanks, Alan. I'm downloading the pack this time and I'll see what happens. It wasn't the AV, that was disabled, so running from a local copy should give me a better chance of seeing what went wrong (it just went into undo mode and re-booted today, so I couldn't check anything. )

[Steve]

Could I ask which make and processor as I am thinking along the lines of the original oem install of xp being from a universal image

[Glenn]

Thanks, Alan. I'm downloading the pack this time and I'll see what happens. It wasn't the AV, that was disabled, so running from a local copy should give me a better chance of seeing what went wrong (it just went into undo mode and re-booted today, so I couldn't check anything. )

Was there anything in the event log?

[kinmel]

Check the update log to see what failed

How to determine whether the registry update has failed

  1. Click Start, click Run, type %windir%\svcpack.log, and then click OK. The Svcpack.log file opens.
  2. On the Edit menu, click Find.
  3. In the Find what box, type DoRegistryUpdates failed, and then click Find Next.

[Rik]

Could I ask which make and processor as I am thinking along the lines of the original oem install of xp being from a universal image

Acer laptop, Core2Duo processor, can't remember the number but it's 1.6GHz.

[Rik]

Check the update log to see what failed

How to determine whether the registry update has failed

  1. Click Start, click Run, type %windir%\svcpack.log, and then click OK. The Svcpack.log file opens.
  2. On the Edit menu, click Find.
  3. In the Find what box, type DoRegistryUpdates failed, and then click Find Next.

Produces:

1165.422: DoRegistryUpdates:UpdSpInstallFromInfSection Failed for ProductInstall.GlobalRegistryChanges.Install error: 0x5
1165.422: INF_REGISTRY Failed
1165.422: DoInstallation:DoRegistryUpdates failed
1170.469: Unregistration of sprecovr successful
1171.015: Access is denied.
1175.781: Message displayed to the user: Access is denied.
1175.781: User Input: OK
1175.797: Service Pack 3 installation did not complete.

Select 'OK' to undo the changes that have been made.
1178.640: Message displayed to the user: Service Pack 3 installation did not complete.

Select 'OK' to undo the changes that have been made.
1178.640: User Input: OK
1178.656: Starting process:  C:\WINDOWS\$NtServicePackUninstall$\spuninst\spuninst.exe /~ -u -z
1878.484: Software Update Rollback has completed with return code 0xbc2.  This rollback requires a reboot.
1878.500: Service Pack 3 installation did not complete.

Windows XP has been partially updated and may not work properly.
1884.797: Message displayed to the user: Service Pack 3 installation did not complete.

Windows XP has been partially updated and may not work properly.
1884.797: User Input: OK
1884.797: Update.exe extended error code = 0x5

[kinmel]

So it is registry permissions problem, using the executable version won't be any better.

Cut to the chase and follow the instructions for advanced user and download SubinACL.msi and use the script on my earlier link to reset the registry permissions.

[Rik]

Already pasted and ready to go, Alan. Thanks. 

[Steve]

Quick google shows many similar problems, looks like Alan's got you on the right track though

[Rik]

So far, it's found two keys it can't unlock under LOCAL-MACHINE\SECURITY...

[vitriol]

mine was fine, went through no problems, hope you get it sorted soon Rik.

[Rik]

Thanks, Vit. The keys don't exist on my other machines and I can't open them (or delete them) in regedit, so I'm not sure whether the second attempt will work...

[Steve]

This worked for someone, started xp in clean boot state (link below) and the followed the method Alan suggested


http://support.microsoft.com/kb/310353

[Rik]

Thanks, Steve. Why do I get the feeling this is going to be more trouble than it's worth.

[kinmel]

Check that you are running as the expected User and that User has Administrator rights, find out in Control Panel > User Accounts

If I am teaching Granny to suck eggs - Sorry

[Rik]

It's always easy to miss the obvious, Alan, so no apologies needed. Yes, I have admin rights.

[Rik]

Same error at second attempt, so it's those two locked keys, which I can't access through regedit.exe. I think more digging, but tomorrow... 

[Ray]

Same error at second attempt, so it's those two locked keys, which I can't access through regedit.exe. I think more digging, but tomorrow... 

Have you tried right clicking on the 2 keys and selecting permissions and them granting your admin user name full permission to them, Rik, you should be able to edit/delete them then. I had to do this to get rid of the remnants of an AV system once in my case "system" was the only user granted permission for the keys.

[Rik]

I haven't, Ray, as the second attempt left me with a very screwy machine (nothing in Device Manager, for example). Having restored from that successfully, the two keys have gone. I'm very, very, confused now. I think I'll continue in the morning when my brain is functioning.

[Ray]

I haven't, Ray, as the second attempt left me with a very screwy machine (nothing in Device Manager, for example). Having restored from that successfully, the two keys have gone. I'm very, very, confused now. I think I'll continue in the morning when my brain is functioning.

Computers can be very perverse and frustrating at times can't they? Rik. I hope it all falls into place in the morning.