SP2 installation failure

[Victek]

I attempted to install SP2 after it became available on Windows Update, but
unfortunately without success. Stage 1 installed fine, but Stage 2 and
Stage 3 kept repeating with every reboot. Fortunately I was able to log
into the desktop, run System Restore and recover. My system is clean and
well maintained. I unloaded all third party apps and disabled AV before
installing SP2 - no idea what the problem is, but fortunately there's
nothing in SP2 that I need for the moment.

 

[SC Tom]

I attempted to install SP2 after it became available on Windows Update, but
unfortunately without success. Stage 1 installed fine, but Stage 2 and
Stage 3 kept repeating with every reboot. Fortunately I was able to log
into the desktop, run System Restore and recover. My system is clean and
well maintained. I unloaded all third party apps and disabled AV before
installing SP2 - no idea what the problem is, but fortunately there's
nothing in SP2 that I need for the moment.

I was a bit luckier- after about 2 hours of installing SP2 and getting 2
BSOD's, forcing me to reboot into safe mode, I got the message that the
install failed and the system was reverting to SP1. When it finally rebooted
to my old desktop with no problems (thank goodness), an error box came up
saying Update failed: unspecified error. At the bottom of the box was Error
code: E_FAIL(0x80004005). I too had my AV and 3rd-party firewall disabled,
and I can't think of anything pressing in SP2 that I need, either.

No question here; just an empathetic post.

SC Tom

 

[Ǝиçεl]

Just a shot in the dark - but Error message 0x80004005 when you try to
install Microsoft Update on a Windows Vista-based computer: "Could not
install Microsoft Update on the computer"

CAUSE
This problem may occur if one of the following conditions is true:

• The user account that is used to install Microsoft Update does not have
administrative credentials.

• The account name that is used to install Microsoft Update contains
double-byte characters. For example, this problem occurs if the account name
contains kanji characters, hiragana characters, or katakana characters.
Source:
<http://support.microsoft.com/kb/933528>

Good luck


Ǝиçεl
-=-

 

[SC Tom]

Well, I lied about no problems. Windows just came up and said I have to
reinstall Vista in order to activate it. Any way around this? I really don't
feel like going through that crap again.

Thanks,
SC Tom

 

[SC Tom]

I put my OEM Vista disc in, restarted, and did a system restore from it to
the time right before I attempted to install SP2. That said it was
unsuccessful, also. So I tried a startup repair, restarted into normal mode,
and the message came up that SE had successfully restored my system. I
immediately went on line and validated Vista. Works OK so far (knock on
wood).

I'm glad that worked, but at least I have a disk image from 2 weeks ago if
it hadn't. I wouldn't have lost too much.

SC Tom

 

[SC Tom]

Could that be because I have a space in my user name? Has never been a
problem before, even with Microsoft Updates. I've installed numerous updates
since owning this notebook, but it came with SP1 installed, so I haven't had
to do a service pack before. I guess I could change my user name and try
again when I have lots of time to waste.

SC Tom

 

[vanilla]

Wow ... I am glad you were able to get back to a usable system ... I cringe
when I see these accounts of major OS trouble. I have been known to shut my
desktop down for months in disgust when I can't figure out how to fix
something. (My laptop keeps me somewhat happy in the mean time.) Then, I
take off a week from work when I am ready to tackle it (g).

I am sorry to report that SP2 installed flawlessly from start to finish ...
no problems whatsoever. Now that I have said that, something will go
horribly wrong ... (g) ... where is some wood ... vanilla

 

[SC Tom]

I just tried again to install SP2, and it went flawlessly. The only thing I
did different was to copy the files from the SP2 DVD I had created to my HDD
and run it from there. Maybe during the previous installation it lost
connection to the DVD drive at some point and the installation was
corrupted. Who knows what evil lurks in the mysterious workings of a blown
update? I doubt if even the Shadow does!

SC Tom

 

[propman]

I just tried again to install SP2, and it went flawlessly. The only thing I
did different was to copy the files from the SP2 DVD I had created to my HDD
and run it from there. Maybe during the previous installation it lost
connection to the DVD drive at some point and the installation was
corrupted. Who knows what evil lurks in the mysterious workings of a blown
update? I doubt if even the Shadow does!

.......it's that "ole black magic" at work, yes indeedie! ;-)