2000 SP4 Nightmare

[FRUSTRATED]

No I am not over-reacting. I really am at a loss what to
do next. Here are the issues. I wanted to install
Microsoft Office 2003 on my laptop with Windows 2000
Professional, Service Pack l installed. This had run like
a dream and my internet applications worked fine.

I checked out the windows update, it identified 13
possible upgrades, but I chose SP4 in isolation. During
the download, my connection was lost. I re-booted the
computer, and downloaded SP4 again. The history shows 2nd
copy SP4 sucessfully installed, and the lst half copy in
Progress. I ticked to back up my previous 2000, and
checked after the installation in the Add/Remove
programmes that SP4 was showing, together with the
previous SP1.

SP4 loaded, loaded Office2003, all fine until I go onto
the internet. My browsing through IE would not load many
of my favourite pages correctly, something I had never had
a problem with before. I thought that maybe I needed to
upgrade to IE6, so went back to Windows update and on
attempting to download this, after the 'I accept' tick
box, the download would hang. I tried this on 4 separate
occasions and always the same. On trying to close the
application using Task Manager, it could not close it as
it was being debugged. I left the computer for 15 mins on
one occasion, but had to just switch off as the programme
was not responding.

I then tried to check my virus software, as I was later
aware from the Microsoft Support on-line knowledge base,
that there was a known issue with Symantec Firewall 2001,
which I do have, but had disabled for the download. I
also disable the product when on-line!!!! To see if I can
get better browsing in IE, but this does not make any
difference.

I then tried to check the status of my computer through
Symantec, and this hung in exactly the same manner on
download. So now I am unable to download any updates,
cannot use my Firewall, cannot browse the Internet as
before, and to make matters even worse, when I went back
into Add/Remove programmes to remove SP4, the files no
longer show, so I cannot remove it.

I have tried to send this document on my laptop to this
community now 4 times and get the site you are attempting
to contact is currently unavailable message.. etc. So
that is just another one to add. This message got here
through my Desktop computer.

Can anyone please offer any advice, I am tearing my hair
out!!!!

 

[Joe]

Save yourself some headaches later and just reformat and
reinstall. Although this seems radical, if you reinstall
correctly, without any issues such as losing the signal
half way, you will be better off in the long run. Once you
have a problem, your computer will never act the same and
will only get worse as time goes on and more patches,
hotfixes, and service packs are installed.

Starting with a clean install, you will get sp4 installed
without any issues, and find the computer will run much
better. Be sure to replace all drivers with the latest
driver, including the video, motherboard, and nic/modem.

Once this is done, you will find you will have much less
problems later on so the time spent now will be worth it.
I have done this about 30 to 40 times now. Even at home, I
rebuild both my computers once a year and am very happy
with the results.

Good luck.

JOE