SP2 Installation Hangs Up

[Guest]

Hello, I've been trying to recover from a problem my computer had before. I
recently had a corrupt or missing NTFS.sys file and couldn't boot, but after
doing a repair installation, I was successfully able to boot up Windows
again. However, my registry was still intact it seems, as my programs work
for the most part (Not sure if that's needed, but it could be helpful). Yet I
tried to install XP Service Pack 2. I have it on a CD, and it would freeze up
at "Running Processes Before Install". I downloaded it from Windows Update
and tried that, but it would stop at "Creating Cabinets". I copied the file
off the CD and tried to let that install overnight, but once again, it got to
"Running Processes Before Install" and wouldn't go any further in the ten
hours I left it alone. I'm just really at a loss for ideas right now, and any
help would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

 

[Maurice N ~ MVP]

Need some clarifications. You had tried a repair install (before the SP2 install attempt).
What service pack-level was XP at before any of this? Your XP CD used for repair-install, what sp level is it at?

When you run a WINVER, what does your Windows Version & build show as ? (that l-o-n-g string Version 5.1 (Build 2600.xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx)
Does the build string show service pack 1 or service pack 2?
I'd like for you to determine the current sp-level of your system, as it is now.

If another repair is called for in the future, do you have a slipstreamed XP CD of SP2? or at what level is your XP CD?

Review the contents of the service pack log. C:\Windows\Svcpack.log or C:\WINNT\Svcpack.log
That should give a clue as to what happened during the run to install the service pack.

Post back with issues / questions.


Following is for later (if you have to re-apply the service pack):
keep this page handy
http://aumha.org/win5/a/sp2faq.htm

The pre-install recommendations link is a good start. make sure you don't have malware or other gotchas.

The "Doing the Installation" section is the meat & potatoes "how to".

The "Tidying up after Installing SP2" will save you HD space.