Vista Service Pack update is junk

[scorpionleather]

I can see how there could be problems with OEM customizations to SP1, but
just want to note that in my case one of the failed computers had Vista
installed from the original Vista CD. In other words, not OEM. The other
two are Dell laptops that came with Vista.

So it affects both OEM customized Vista and off-the-shelf Vista.

 

[scorpionleather]

I talked to them for over an hour and in then end - they wanted me to
format and install from scratch.

That's why I'm not bothering to call Microsoft support. In my experience
they know how to come up with lots of busy-work steps to adjust the
computer's configuration (disable this and that, safe mode, etc) - which do
not fix a programming error in the service pack installer. I am sure that
psychologically it makes their users feel like they did something
productive, after tinkering with their machine for hours. It's like if my
car's engine is broken, and the repair shop on the phone telling me to
remove items from the trunk, wash and polish the car, etc. and maybe
magically it will start running again. Based on info available online, I
know that the end result will be to re-install Vista because SP2 doesn't
know how to cope with prior Vista updates.

I have not installed SP2 for Vista as extensively as I have SP3 for
Windows XP - but enough to make that statement and add that is less than
1% of machines so far.

I doubt it's that small percentage because 3 out of the 6 computers I tried
to update have problems and will not update to Vista SP2. That is a 50%
failure rate for the computers I tried, and each of these computers belong
to different people and were purchased at different times... a mix of
desktops and laptops, some old and some new, some OEM Vista and another one
is off-the-shelf Vista... still getting a 50% failure rate.

 

[PA Bear [MS MVP]]

Repost:

Free unlimited installation and compatibility support is available for
Windows Vista, but only for Service Pack 2 (SP2). This support for Windows
Vista Service Pack 2 (SP2) is valid until November 26, 2009. Availability of
chat or e-mail support differs depending on your geographic location. Go to
http://support.microsoft.com/oas/default.aspx?prid=13014&gprid=582034 &
select appropriate category (i.e., Download issue; Installation issue;
Issues after you install a service pack).

Yes it is possible the OEM installation is the problem, since I have the
files prepacked on my VAIO. Sony seems to have problems with their
hardware
similar to Microsofts problem with software.
But the issue is that MS soon only supports Vista SP2 installations. Since
I
cannot upgrade from SP1 soon this will not be a in issue for MS.
Magnificent
solution.

Your computer's OEM install of Vista SP1 may be junk, BW.

Attempting a manual install per my previous reply should be a last
resort.
Most users won't have to resort such a complex method to install it
manually or via Automatic/Windows Update.

In any event, free support's available so why not take advantage of it?

I agree Vista SP is junk. Have tried several times to install SP 2. It
always ends up with "Reverting changes" for approx 5 hours.
By the way just look at the advice given to install SP on Vista. The
complexity of fixing this issue speaks for itself, try this and try
that.
How Microsoft think people would dare to jump on a new OS. if they even
cannot make updates to a mature OS work is a mystery to me.

:
If you cannot install any updates, Windows Update is an appropriate
newsgroup. If you're having problems installing Vista SP2 only...

Free unlimited installation and compatibility support is available for
Windows Vista, but only for Service Pack 2 (SP2). This support for
Windows
Vista Service Pack 2 (SP2) is valid until November 26, 2009.
Availability
of chat or e-mail support differs depending on your geographic
location.
Go to
http://support.microsoft.com/oas/default.aspx?prid=13014&gprid=582034 &
select appropriate category (i.e., Download issue; Installation issue;
Issues after you install a service pack).

You'll find additional support for Vista SP2 issues in
microsoft.public.windows.vista.general newsgroup and in these forums:

. http://social.answers.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/vistawu/threads/

.
http://social.answers.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/vistainstall/threads

.
http://social.technet.microsoft.com/forums/en-US/itprovistasp/threads/

How to troubleshoot Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008 service pack
installation issues
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/947366

Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008 service pack installation fails
with
error 0x80004005:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/971204

Error message when you try to install Windows Vista Service Pack 2 or
Windows Server 2008 Service Pack 2: "An internal error occurred while
installing the service pack":
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/967818

I blame Microsoft for not issuing a patch... to deal with
this SP2 installer problem.

Description of the Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008 installation
software feature update released April 28, 2009:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/955430 [Has KB955430 been installed
yet?]

The update is not installed successfully, you receive a message, and
the
computer restarts when you try to install an update in Windows Vista (3
Resolution Methods)
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/949358

============

Vista SP2 Installation Tips:

.. Your computer will restart several times during the installation
process: Make certain you've saved your work and closed all open
applications before beginning the install.

.. Disable (1) your anti-virus application, (2) any real-time system
protections afforded by any anti-spyware applications (except
Defender),
&
(3) your third-party firewall (if any) and then (4) enable the Windows
Firewall _before installing or uninstalling_ Vista SP2.

.. The installation process can take an hour or more: If you're
installing
SP2 on a portable computer, make sure that you plug-in the power cord
and
have the battery inserted into its bay.

.. Vista SP1 is a prerequisite for installing SP2. If you use Windows
Update or the Automatic Update feature in Windows Vista, you will not
be
offered the option to install SP2 until you first install SP1.

=============================

HOW TO install Vista SP2 manually

<QP>
Generally, these errors can occur if the system files are corrupted.

To make clear the current situation, I recommend downloading Windows
Vista
Service Pack 2] in Normal Mode and installing it in Clean Boot Mode.
Please
follow the steps below.

Note: This SP2 installation can be affected by certain third party
programs
running in the background. If you are running any third party
applications
such as Spyblocker, Internet or web accelerators (programs designed to
boost the speed of the Internet connection), security or anti-virus
programs (McAfee, Norton, etc.), I recommend we temporarily disable or
shut them down during our troubleshooting process. Please be sure to
enable them again when the update process has been completed.

Step 1: Download Windows Vista Service Pack 2 Standalone Installer
===================================================
1. Download Windows Vista SP2 from the link below according to your
System
Type:

....Windows Vista Service Pack 2 - Five Language Standalone for
x32-based
systems (Size: 348.3 MB)
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/...FamilyID=a4dd31d5-f907-4406-9012-a5c3199ea2b3

....Windows Vista Service Pack 2 - Five Language Standalone for
x64-based
systems (Size: 577.4MB)
http://download.microsoft.com/downl...c1f58727b8b/Windows6.0-KB936330-X64-wave0.exe

2. Save the download to your desktop, do not Run it!

Step 2: Install Windows Vista SP2 in Clean Boot mode
========================================
Please disable all startup items and third party services when booting
to
avoid conflict when installing Vista SP1:

1. Click "Start", type: MSCONFIG in the search box and press Enter.

Note: Please click "Continue" if the "User Account Control" window pops
up.

2. Click "Services", check the "Hide All Microsoft Services" box and
click
"Disable All" (if it is not gray).
3. Click "Startup", click "Disable All" and click "OK".

Note: Temporarily disabling the Startup Group only prevents the startup
programs from loading at startup. This shouldn't affect the system or
other
programs. We can manually run these programs later. Go ahead and reboot
your system when prompted as you are exiting MsConfig.

4. After rebooting, right-click on the downloaded Windows Vista Service
Pack 2 Standalone Installer, select "Run as Administrator" (if
necessary)
and follow the instructions to install Windows Vista SP2.

To restore the computer to use a Normal Startup, repeat step 1 above.
Then
click "Normal Startup" on the General tab, click "OK", and then restart
the
computer.
</QP>
Modified from original MS Support source as quoted in
http://social.technet.microsoft.com.../thread/4491fe25-be44-430e-a384-fb58c5da5ad0/
--
~Robear Dyer (PA Bear)
MS MVP-IE, Mail, Security, Windows Client - since 2002
www.banthecheck.com



Bill Daggett wrote:
This discussion belongs in microsoft.public.windowsupdate.

I'm sending it there via crosspost.

Brit, did you read my message? I said that there are -three-
different
computers that belong to different people in my family, that all have
problems with Vista SP2. I have applied SP2 to a total of around 5-6
computers so almost 50% of the computers I updated have problems
installing
the service pack. Therefore, it is not because of anything unusual.
In
fact all three of these computers have very standard, out-of-the-box
setups.

One is my brother's new Dell laptop in the US. The other is my
mother's
desktop computer also in the US. And the third computer is my
father's
Dell laptop in Europe (I connected remotely to his machine).

You cannot possibly claim that 50% of the computers I updated have
problems
because of unusual configuration. I don't touch these computers
other
than
making sure that my brother and parents do their regular Microsoft
security
updates. They tend to keep their desktops very simple, with very
little
3rd party software installed.

I blame Microsoft for not issuing a patch or a product alert to deal
with
this SP2 installer problem. They realled messed up on the Vista SP2
installer.

 

[PA Bear [MS MVP]]

Why have you hijacked Bitewolf's thread?

 

[Shenan Stanley]

Brit, did you read my message? I said that there are -three-
different computers that belong to different people in my family,
that all have problems with Vista SP2. I have applied SP2 to a
total of around 5-6 computers so almost 50% of the computers I
updated have problems installing the service pack. Therefore, it
is not because of anything unusual. In fact all three of these
computers have very standard, out-of-the-box setups.

One is my brother's new Dell laptop in the US. The other is my
mother's desktop computer also in the US. And the third computer
is my father's Dell laptop in Europe (I connected remotely to his
machine).

You cannot possibly claim that 50% of the computers I updated have
problems because of unusual configuration. I don't touch these
computers other than making sure that my brother and parents do
their regular Microsoft security updates. They tend to keep their
desktops very simple, with very little 3rd party software
installed.

I blame Microsoft for not issuing a patch or a product alert to
deal with this SP2 installer problem. They realled messed up on
the Vista SP2 installer.

This discussion belongs in microsoft.public.windowsupdate.

I'm sending it there via crosspost.

If you cannot install any updates, Windows Update is an appropriate
newsgroup. If you're having problems installing Vista SP2 only...

Free unlimited installation and compatibility support is available
for Windows Vista, but only for Service Pack 2 (SP2). This support
for Windows Vista Service Pack 2 (SP2) is valid until November 26,
2009. Availability of chat or e-mail support differs depending on
your geographic location. Go to
http://support.microsoft.com/oas/default.aspx?prid=13014&gprid=582034
& select appropriate category (i.e., Download issue; Installation
issue; Issues after you install a service pack).

<snipped>

I agree Vista SP is junk. Have tried several times to install SP 2.
It always ends up with "Reverting changes" for approx 5 hours.
By the way just look at the advice given to install SP on Vista. The
complexity of fixing this issue speaks for itself, try this and try
that. How Microsoft think people would dare to jump on a new OS. if
they even cannot make updates to a mature OS work is a mystery to
me.

Your computer's OEM install of Vista SP1 may be junk, BW.

Attempting a manual install per my previous reply should be a last
resort. Most users won't have to resort such a complex method to
install it manually or via Automatic/Windows Update.

In any event, free support's available so why not take advantage of
it?

Yes it is possible the OEM installation is the problem, since I
have the files prepacked on my VAIO. Sony seems to have problems
with their hardware similar to Microsofts problem with software.
But the issue is that MS soon only supports Vista SP2
installations. Since I cannot upgrade from SP1 soon this will not
be a in issue for MS. Magnificent solution.

Repeating what PA Bear already gave to you:

Free unlimited installation and compatibility support is available
for Windows Vista, but only for Service Pack 2 (SP2). This support
for Windows Vista Service Pack 2 (SP2) is valid until November 26,
2009. Availability of chat or e-mail support differs depending on
your geographic location. Go to
http://support.microsoft.com/oas/default.aspx?prid=13014&gprid=582034
& select appropriate category (i.e., Download issue; Installation
issue; Issues after you install a service pack).
So get yourself some free support. Who knows - they might have
just the suggestion.

Now - let me warn you - the one and only time I had to use this
support for Windows Vista SP2 installation issues - Microsoft
failed in my opinion. I know of many others with much differing
results than mine - after all - I had probably exhausted most of
the normal troubleshooting issues long before I called (I
essentially had, although I was avoiding some of the more drastic
on purpose) - so it is highly likely your situation is different
from mine enough so that your attempt might be more successful (or
you may be willing to go with the steps I was not willing to do.)
I had worked on it for hours and not been able to get SP2
installed. I finally let go of my "I can do it" attitude/ego and
called for the free support. I talked to them for over an hour and
in then end - they wanted me to format and install from scratch.

I disconnected from the call politely, but thinking that solution
was horrible. They had been 'on-track', I thought, with the repair
installation path they had suggested near the end of the
conversation, but they did not carry it through. So I did. The
problem had been my Windows Vista SP1 integrated DVD did not give
me the proper options - my thought is that I had leftovers from the
failed SP2 attempts and it thought my SP1 integrated DVD was a
version below what it had installed. That was incorrect - but
finding everything that it might check for seemed out of the
question. I downloaded a MSDN copy of Windows Vista with SP2
integrated and use that to perform a repair installation with my
product key. Everything has been smooth sailing ever since and the
only thing I lost (noticable) was my Internet Explorer home page
setting.
Now - giving Microsoft their fair shake - I doubt they could have
recommended I download the MSDN copy of Windows Vista with SP2
integrated and used it to perform the repair installation, but
maybe they could have just asked, "Do you have a copy of Windows
Vista with SP2 intgrated you can get your hands on?" - showing they
at least thought of it. *grin*
In any case - it is the only time (knock on wood) I have had
trouble with SP2 for Windows Vista. I have not installed SP2 for
Vista as extensively as I have SP3 for Windows XP - but enough to
make that statement and add that is less than 1% of machines so
far. It's actually to be expected. Who knows how many
millions/billions of hardware/software combinations exist and to
expect any one entity to be able to compensate for all the possible
dfferences would be ridiculous, IMO.

That's why I'm not bothering to call Microsoft support. In my
experience they know how to come up with lots of busy-work steps to
adjust the computer's configuration (disable this and that, safe
mode, etc) - which do not fix a programming error in the service
pack installer. I am sure that psychologically it makes their
users feel like they did something productive, after tinkering with
their machine for hours. It's like if my car's engine is broken,
and the repair shop on the phone telling me to remove items from
the trunk, wash and polish the car, etc. and maybe magically it
will start running again. Based on info available online, I know
that the end result will be to re-install Vista because SP2 doesn't
know how to cope with prior Vista updates.
I doubt it's that small percentage because 3 out of the 6 computers
I tried to update have problems and will not update to Vista SP2. That is
a 50% failure rate for the computers I tried, and each of
these computers belong to different people and were purchased at
different times... a mix of desktops and laptops, some old and some
new, some OEM Vista and another one is off-the-shelf Vista... still
getting a 50% failure rate.

Sorry - I have installed SP2 on over 200 computers at this time and only
have had trouble with one. So yes - it is that small of a percentage. It
happened to be one that I did not do the initial install or a prior cleanup
on as well - the rest, I had done either cleanup and/or the initial install
or image on. So it does seem to be not Vista - but who did the initial
install, how it was done and how it has been maintained - as usual. ;-)

I don't think it is busy-work - after my ticket was read and what I had done
already explained - they just didn't have much to tell me to do anymore.
And the stuff I had done was pretty serious stuff - including SFC /SCANNOW -
which did find some corrpupt files - but since the already updated to SP2
files were not corrupt...

And I did not re-install Vista - I did a Repair installation on the one and
lost nothing but the setting for my IE homepage.

 

[scorpionleather]

Yes so that someone in India can ask me to run dozens of analysis scans on
the computers, disable everything etc. to waste my time for a few hours,
only to end up re-installing Vista at the end. No thanks, I'd rather see
Microsoft issue a patch through Windows Update, because SP2 install failed
on 3 out of 6 computers I tried. More than just coincidence or "unusual
configuration." More like a programming bug. Software bugs are not fixed
by talking to someone on the phone.

 

[Michael]

Yes so that someone in India can ask me to run dozens of analysis scans on
the computers, disable everything etc. to waste my time for a few hours,
only to end up re-installing Vista at the end. No thanks, I'd rather see
Microsoft issue a patch through Windows Update, because SP2 install failed
on 3 out of 6 computers I tried. More than just coincidence or "unusual
configuration." More like a programming bug. Software bugs are not fixed
by talking to someone on the phone.

If you don't want to take any of the advice being offered here, take a hike!
There's already enough cry-baby regulars posting. You don't have an
invitation, so talk to the hand.

 

[Shenan Stanley]

Yes so that someone in India can ask me to run dozens of analysis
scans on the computers, disable everything etc. to waste my time
for a few hours, only to end up re-installing Vista at the end. No
thanks, I'd rather see Microsoft issue a patch through Windows
Update, because SP2 install failed on 3 out of 6 computers I tried.
More than just coincidence or "unusual configuration." More like a
programming bug. Software bugs are not fixed by talking to someone
on the phone.

Doubtful - but your choice. Wait away - or get Windows Vista with SP2
integrated and perform a repair install and continue on with your life (it's
pretty quick and painless.)

 

[scorpionleather]

I'm looking for a real fix for this bug, other than re-installing Vista.
e.g. Someone tell me WHY 3 out of 6 computers failed. What is the technical
reason? You don't fix technical programmer problems just by tinkering
around aimlessley with the configuration. Michael I don't think your post
adds anything to the discussion, you just don't want to hear that there is a
programming error in the SP2 installer.

 

[PA Bear [MS MVP]]

Please eliminate the crosspost to Windows Update newsgroup in all further
replies to this thread.

 

[scorpionleather]

None of the 3 machines had any registry cleaner run on them (or any other
unusual utilities). My brother/parents stick to using the default apps,
such as IE and Word and don't go much beyond that.

They were all up to date with Windows Update patches just prior to the SP2
install. In fact that's the only way that SP2 install pops up as an
available option.. only after the other updates are installed first..

 

[PA Bear [MS MVP]]

STOP CROSSPOSTING YOUR BLITHER TO WU NG!

 

[Shenan Stanley]

I'm looking for a real fix for this bug, other than re-installing
Vista. e.g. Someone tell me WHY 3 out of 6 computers failed. What
is the technical reason? You don't fix technical programmer
problems just by tinkering around aimlessley with the
configuration. Michael I don't think your post adds anything to
the discussion, you just don't want to hear that there is a
programming error in the SP2 installer.

In order to tell you why each of the individual computers failed would take
investigation of each. There are various reasons such an installation could
fail - ranging from corrupt system files to conflicting software installed.
Some antivirus software can scan files and interrupt the process, some
malware can as well. A bad hard disk drive, a certain program being loaded
at the time of the install, the installation of pre-release software without
proper preparation, etc and so on.

If you actually want help you would need to pick one of the machine and give
details - from the software installed to how you went about installing SP2.
What is shown in the event log? What is shown in the WindowsUpdate log?
What antivirus software is installed? What antimalware software have you
run and is any running resident? What patches (excluding SP1) are now
installed?

Again - repair install is not a re-install, per se. It essentially replaces
the system files - that's all.

 

[Michael]

I'm looking for a real fix for this bug, other than re-installing Vista.
e.g. Someone tell me WHY 3 out of 6 computers failed. What is the
technical reason? You don't fix technical programmer problems just by
tinkering around aimlessley with the configuration. Michael I don't think
your post adds anything to the discussion, you just don't want to hear
that there is a programming error in the SP2 installer.

You've already been given suggestions. I've done 25 machines without a
single problem. The fact that you're running at 50% leads me to believe
you've tinkered with half, hence the 3 that have problems. I'm not the
technical guru here. No one here *works* for Microsoft, so you blowing off
steam here isn't going to get you anything but comments like mine. Chill
out and ask legitimate questions, keeping in mind the MVP's here, among a
few others, will do their best to help you. Otherwise, talk to the hand!

 

[Michael]

Please eliminate the crosspost to Windows Update newsgroup in all further
replies to this thread.

My bad. I didn't check the headers.

 

[scorpionleather]

Please eliminate the crosspost to Windows Update newsgroup in all further
replies to this thread.

When I do "reply group" in the Windows Mail application/newsreader, it only
says microsoft.public.windows.vista.general in the Newsgroups: field. I
have no idea why it is cross-posting to the Windows Update newsgroup.

 

[scorpionleather]

There is frequent mention of antivirus, and I did try while disabling this
prior to attempting to install the standalone full install of SP2. One
computer has AVG Free, the other has NOD32, and the third has Bitdefender.

Now, the thing that has me perplexed is that these 3 computers are
completely different ages and types (desktop + laptops) from different
manufacturers (Dell + another) and different methods of original Vista
install media (OEM + off the shelf CD)... and there is nothing in common
with the types of applications installed on these machines, as they don't
belong to me so the only thing I do is to make sure they are doing their
security updates.

I spent several hours researching my mother's Vista SP2 failure, and
ultimately that led to the possible solution of re-installing or restoring
Vista entirely, and that did not seem like an acceptable solution. Then the
other two computers also failed their installs with different error codes
and I was totally shocked this could happen to such a major OS.

 

[scorpionleather]

In some of my earlier posts, I mentioned that I'm just using the Windows
Update feature - I'm not burning the SP2 onto a CD or anything like that.
When the Windows Update feature does not work, then I go to the Microsoft
website and download the full SP2 standalone installer. I do this
individually from each computer (totally different days, different people's
houses). There is nothing as far as me introducing any common-thing into
the system. Unless somehow I click the mouse differently than other people
click on Windows Update.

 

[scorpionleather]

That was simply to start ruling out all common factors between the two
laptops and desktop all this is being seen on. There would seem to be
one thing in common whether hidden or in plain sight between the three
that would explain why this is happening to begin with.

Once you find out just what that is you can move on from there and no
longer have to worry with them updated. In other words you have to
"divide and conquer" all of the processes that are running on all three
to isolate the one thing common.

Whether it's the User Account Control, Windows or other firewall, or
some other 3rd party program common to the three that's what you would
need to find there.

That is good scientific thinking. They all have Microsoft Office 2007,
they're all using Vista Sidebar Gadgets turned on, etc. and I can't think of
any system-level utilities that they would all have in common. In other
words they don't have any anti-spyware or fancy OS-level software that plugs
into system-level features. Two of them have Carbonite backup, but not all
three. It's just applications in common, processes that are not started
until you click on the icon (not running as background services). In fact I
go on to their computers sometimes and use Sysinternals Autoruns to disable
any 3rd party startup programs that I find that shouldn't be booting at
startup (such as QuickTime task, etc.) which could slow the performance.

Now, keep in mind, all three failed install of SP2 in different ways. One
showed a false "successful" install and SP2 keeps popping up as an available
update. The other keeps reverting back to SP1 only after reboot. The third
shows an error during the install routine prior to reboot. The error codes
are different. So this also indicates that maybe there's not much in common
on the systems, but instead something messed up inside the software logic of
SP2 itself.

 

[Shenan Stanley]

<snipped>
In Vista General newsgroup (may have some overlap due to crossposting with
WindowsUpdate):
http://groups.google.com/group/micr...a.general/browse_frm/thread/48154730a1f9bf50/
(longer, gets off-topic more through argument instead of discussion)

In WindowsUpdate newsgroup (may have some overlap due to crossposting with
Vista General):
http://groups.google.com/group/microsoft.public.windowsupdate/browse_thread/thread/cc1c7c11f9853bc5/
(not quite as long, less argumentative - although it either has or will
happen)

I'm looking for a real fix for this bug, other than re-installing
Vista. e.g. Someone tell me WHY 3 out of 6 computers failed. What
is the technical reason? You don't fix technical programmer
problems just by tinkering around aimlessley with the
configuration. Michael I don't think your post adds anything to
the discussion, you just don't want to hear that there is a
programming error in the SP2 installer.

In order to tell you why each of the individual computers failed
would take investigation of each. There are various reasons such
an installation could fail - ranging from corrupt system files to
conflicting software installed. Some antivirus software can scan
files and interrupt the process, some malware can as well. A bad
hard disk drive, a certain program being loaded at the time of the
install, the installation of pre-release software without proper
preparation, etc and so on.
If you actually want help you would need to pick one of the machine
and give details - from the software installed to how you went
about installing SP2. What is shown in the event log? What is
shown in the WindowsUpdate log? What antivirus software is
installed? What antimalware software have you run and is any
running resident? What patches (excluding SP1) are now installed?

Again - repair install is not a re-install, per se. It essentially
replaces the system files - that's all.

There is frequent mention of antivirus, and I did try while
disabling this prior to attempting to install the standalone full
install of SP2. One computer has AVG Free, the other has NOD32,
and the third has Bitdefender.
Now, the thing that has me perplexed is that these 3 computers are
completely different ages and types (desktop + laptops) from
different manufacturers (Dell + another) and different methods of
original Vista install media (OEM + off the shelf CD)... and there
is nothing in common with the types of applications installed on
these machines, as they don't belong to me so the only thing I do
is to make sure they are doing their security updates.

I spent several hours researching my mother's Vista SP2 failure, and
ultimately that led to the possible solution of re-installing or
restoring Vista entirely, and that did not seem like an acceptable
solution. Then the other two computers also failed their installs
with different error codes and I was totally shocked this could
happen to such a major OS.

They don't necessarily have to have a piece of software in common. They can
have a maintenance plan in commoon (or lack of one) or they could all be
used by an individual who might have visited the same web page, got infested
by the same malware (unbeknownst to them) or made some of the same changes
to the systems in question without knowing it might later come back to cause
issues and thus - doesn't remember when the time does come they even made
said changes.

Yes - all three *now* have different AV software. Did they (any pair of
them) ever have one of the other systems current AV installed? What about
antimalware applications? All threee of them ever have anything specific
run on them to clear something up? What about other third party software
(from security software like firewalls to just plain software, like Adobe
products, Corel products, other freeware and paid software?) Any specific
tweaks done to all three systems to speed up things? A registry edit for
the networking here, a change for hibernation there, maybe a turning off of
specific services so that they do not load at startup? How often is
software installed/uninstalled on the systems and by what manner?

How are the systems backed up and how often? How often are they
defragmented? What about CHKDSK? Scanned for malware (not viruses, but
things most AV software will not pick up...)? Do they all have the same
post-SP2 patches installed?

*I had found, in my research with that one computer I had issue with, there
was supposedly someone who had called Microsoft with the issue and in the
end, Microsoft had them remove a certain patch, reboot - and they could
install SP2 for Windows Vista - some others removed the language packs -
which happened in SP1 installs as well. Many merely had to disable most of
their 'resident' software to get it to install. A few had to do malware
scans and cleanup a bit - some even had to get rid of old install leftovers
that were blocking them.

Sometimes the clue was buried in the C:\Windows\WindowsUpdate.log file.