SP2 Four Days of Work, and Still Won't Install!

[John Alway]

I have been trying to upgrade my WinXP Home Edition with SP2. This
has been a long and arduous process!

Initially I let Windows Update install SP2. It installed, but on
reboot I got the error "STOP: C0000221 Unknown Hard Error
\SystemRoot\System32\ntdll.dll"

So, I did a system restore in safe mode.

I did some research, and found out from Dell that I should remove
adware and do a complete virus scan. So, I downloaded Ad-aware and
Spy bot and ran them, and eliminated all kinds of adware.

I then did a complete virus scan.

Finally, I once again tried upgrading to SP2. The same "STOP ..."
error occurred. So that didn't work.

I did some more research, and discovered that Windows repair install
might work. So, I did a repair install, which wasn't so easy, because
I had to hunt down components I didn't have. With no web connection,
that's difficult. I finally got it up and working, and had to get my
wireless working again, to get back on line.

I then upgraded to SP1, then tried SP2 again.

Once again, I'm getting an error. This time not the same error. It
no longer pops up with the "STOP: C0000221 Unknown Hard Error
\SystemRoot\System32\ntdll.dll"... instead, it just tells me that it
can't run Windows normally.

So, I ran it in safe mode, and did a system restore, and I'm once
again back to where I began. Windows XP with SP1.

This has been four days of work!

My computer is a Dell Dimension 4500.


I'm hoping that direct feedback will get me an answer to this
problem.


Thanks for any help!
...John

 

[Guest]

http://www3.telus.net/dandemar/spackins.htm
Read this. Then give it a try.

 

[Rick]

Here is the information:
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=101096

 

[John Alway]

Here is the information:
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=101096

Thanks, Rick.

I did a repail install of WinXP, is that as good as a reinstall?

If I do a reinstall, what would I lose?

Also, I'm not longer getting the same STOP error. Windows just says
it can't start "normally".

...John

 

[John Alway]

Thanks, Rick.

I did a repail install of WinXP, is that as good as a reinstall?

That should be "repair install"! Remember, I'd come across the stop
error earlier and that's what I did the repair install.

If I do a reinstall, what would I lose?

 

[John Alway]

Thanks, Rick.

I did a repail install of WinXP, is that as good as a reinstall?

That should be "repair install".

If I do a reinstall, what would I lose?

Also, I'm not longer getting the same STOP error. Windows just says
it can't start "normally".

Which makes me wonder if the reinstall is a fix.