Unable to Install SP2

[Steve]

When trying to install SP2, I get "Setup Error:
Application Patch\drvmain.sdb in use by another
application. Close all other applications and retry."

This has happened both when I tried to install from the
Automatic Update notice, and after downloading SP2 for IT
Developers at the suggestion of a microsoft chat tech.

The microsoft tech also suggested I do the install from
the safe mode. When I tried that, I got a "Windows system
error, Unknown Hard Error" message and had to do a power
off reboot.

When I search for the file drvmain.sdb, I find it in use
in "C:\WINDOWS" by three microsoft "Application Fix" type
files

 

[Will Denny]

Hi

Please see if the following link helps:

http://groups.google.com/groups?hl=en&lr=&c2coff=1&q=drvmain.sdb&btnG=Search

 

[Torgeir Bakken \(MVP\)]

When trying to install SP2, I get "Setup Error:
Application Patch\drvmain.sdb in use by another
application. Close all other applications and retry."

This has happened both when I tried to install from the
Automatic Update notice, and after downloading SP2 for IT
Developers at the suggestion of a microsoft chat tech.

Hi

From: Jon Erlandson (jerlands@no_spam_sbcglobal.net)
Subject: Re: SP2 - Error drvmain.sdb is open - Success
Newsgroups: microsoft.public.windowsupdate
Date: 2004-09-27 22:45:56 PST

http://groups.google.com/[email protected]

 

[Steve]

Will Denny's Link to Jon Erlandson's comments from 2004-09-
27 worked fine.
However, I would add the following tips for users who are
less experienced than Jon:
1) He is referring to a "Diagnostic Boot" that is reached
through msconfig. To get there, go to Start, Run, type
msconfig, on the General Tab, put a check in the
option "Diagnostic Startup". Then go to the "Services"
Tab and put checks in the boxes "Automatic Updates"
and "Cryptographic Services". If you fail to do this, you
can't use the SP2 download to validate the installation.
2) When Jon says to delete the "drvmain.sdb" files, he
should have said in BOTH places: C:\%windows directory%
\AppPatch AND in C:\%windows directory%\system32\dllcache
where %windows directory% will vary according to which
version of XP you have. It may be WINDOWS or WINNT or
other, depending on your XP version.
3) Once you have copied the two drvmain.sdb files and put
them somewhere handy other than the directories where they
are installed (best with a new name), then delete BOTH
copies of the originals.
4) When you do that you will get a scary message saying
that you need to put your Windows XP Service Pack 1 CD now
to restore the files and system integrity. You need to
press Cancel once and maybe twice, depending on how many
copies of drvmain you have deleted. I deleted the copy in
dllcache first, then the copy in AppPatch.
5) I downloaded the "full" version of the SP2 update file
from the update site: "

 

[Steve]

I inadvertently cut myself off before finishing.

5) I downloaded the "full" version of SP2 "for IT
Professionals" from the Windows Update site: WINDOWS-
KB835935-SP2-ENU.exe and used it to do the successful
install of SP2. Since you do not have access to the
Windows Update icon when in a "diagnostic Boot", that is
the only option. DOWNLOAD the "IT Professionals" version
BEFORE doing any of the above.
6) I did not use Jon's suggestion of performing an "end
task" on svchost.exe using Task Manager before deleting
the two copies of drvmain.sdb, since I only had one copy
of svchost.exe running when I was in the "Diagnostic Boot"
mode. It still worked fine.

I hope this helps the rest of you with this problem.
I can't imagine why Microsoft tech support did not
recommend this approach!! Nor why it is necessary at
all?? From the discussion I saw at Will Denny's link, it
looks like there are a lot of problems due to drvmain.sdb
that need to be corrected!!

 

[Steve]

I should have given credit to Torgeir Bakkon for referring
me to Jon Erlandson!!
Will Denny led me to the very good chat site at Google on
the problems with drvmain.sdb. None of those solutions
helped though! They did lead me to beleive that the
fundamental problem is that drvmain.sdb tennds to get
corrupted, then is hard to replace with a good version,
since Windows just restores the old, corrupt version if
you delete it.

 

[Steve]

Here is the whole message, in one place with proper
attribution to Torgeir Bakkon:

Torgeir Bakkon's Link to Jon Erlandson's comments from
2004-09-27 worked fine.
However, I would add the following tips for users who are
less experienced than Jon:
1) He is referring to a "Diagnostic Boot" that is reached
through msconfig. To get there, go to Start, Run, type
msconfig, on the General Tab, put a check in the
option "Diagnostic Startup". Then go to the "Services"
Tab and put checks in the boxes "Automatic Updates"
and "Cryptographic Services". If you fail to do this, you
can't use the SP2 download to validate the installation.
2) When Jon says to delete the "drvmain.sdb" files, he
should have said in BOTH places: C:\%windows directory%
\AppPatch AND in C:\%windows directory%\system32\dllcache
where %windows directory% will vary according to which
version of XP you have. It may be WINDOWS or WINNT or
other, depending on your XP version.
3) Once you have copied the two drvmain.sdb files and put
them somewhere handy other than the directories where they
are installed (best with a new name), then delete BOTH
copies of the originals.
4) When you do that you will get a scary message saying
that you need to put your Windows XP Service Pack 1 CD now
to restore the files and system integrity. You need to
press Cancel once and maybe twice, depending on how many
copies of drvmain you have deleted. I deleted the copy in
dllcache first, then the copy in AppPatch.
5) I downloaded the "full" version of SP2 "for IT
Professionals" from the Windows Update site: WINDOWS-
KB835935-SP2-ENU.exe and used it to do the successful
install of SP2. Since you do not have access to the
Windows Update icon when in a "diagnostic Boot", that is
the only option. DOWNLOAD the "IT Professionals" version
BEFORE doing any of the above.
6) I did not use Jon's suggestion of performing an "end
task" on svchost.exe using Task Manager before deleting
the two copies of drvmain.sdb, since I only had one copy
of svchost.exe running when I was in the "Diagnostic Boot"
mode. It still worked fine.

I hope this helps the rest of you with this problem.
I can't imagine why Microsoft tech support did not
recommend this approach!! Nor why it is necessary at
all?? From the discussion I saw at Will Denny's link, it
looks like there are a lot of problems due to drvmain.sdb
that need to be corrected!!