34 minute hang during XP Pro SP2 repair - help! (MS techs please l

[Guest]

As per HP support, I was advised to run an XP Pro repair on my notebook to
solve a problem with random reboots caused by what appeared to be an ACPIEC
issue. As I don't have a current data backup and do software QA for a living,
I advised them that a full reinstall was not an option and preferred not to
use a brute force fix when I can troubleshoot instead.

I ran the standard repair routine from a generic SP2 Pro install CD (my
original was w/SP1), and am now faced with the 34 minute hang while
installing devices error - I'm stuck in the repeated-setup-on-reboot loop.

I've tried several of the suggestions in various KB articles, short of
creating a slipstream disc to update the SP1 USBHUB.SYS (which I'm not sure
will solve the problem since I'm on SP2, not using an USB devices, and have
even disabled BIOS USB legacy support). BIOS resets do not help, and this
BIOS is so rudimentary there's virtually nothing else to shut down anyway
(and yes, I've tried shutting down everything else).

As per a different KB article, a look at the SETUPACT.LOG seems to be the
only indicator of where a problem may be. The last file that seems to be
copied OK is:

C:\Windows\system32\dllcache\netfx.cat

After this, it looks like RUNDLL32 seems to run into a problem and I see a
line that says

"Setup encountered an error while trying to set system security. An extended
error has occurred."

This is followed by three lines that end the file, and each say:

"C:\Program Files\Zero Knowledge\Freedom\Freedom.sys was copied to
C:\Windows\System32\drivers\freedom.sys"

FYI: Freedom is a freeware firewall from the Zero Knowledge company that
came with my wireless router. I rarely use it, but left it installed on my
machine to diagnose occasional issues. To my knowledge it is not actively
enabled, although it is possible it may have some kind of TSR of some sort
that loads (things seem to run OK when Freedom is off, so I didn't feel the
need to ever bother to verify). I'm also wondering how it could even be
active since I've done a repair from CD that should bypass loading this kind
of stuff (right?), and I'm signed in with full admin rights to the machine.

Anyone have any ideas where to go from here? I really want to avoid a
full-on reinstall if at all possible, and HP online support techs aren't
exactly a bunch of geniuses when it comes to this level of stuff...

 

[Guest]

Hi,

Disconnect all thrd party hardware (printers..scanners...PCMCIA
cards..external mice...etc) and have the laptop on AC power.

Start a repair installation of windows, and get to the point where the GUI
mode of setup starts. (setup would restart after copying files, and restart
for the first time - the mode that comes up is the GUI mode.)

Once the mode starts, press shift + F10 and a command window should come up.

At the command prompt, type appwiz.cpl and hit enter.

This should open the add / remove programs option. Uninstall the freedom
firewall and exit the add / remove programs option. (X it out, and type exit
at the command prompt and hit enter). Setup should continue, or restart the
computer and try performing a repair once again.

This should do the trick...if the freedom s/w is the only one causing the
problem.

Regards
Prasad

 

[Guest]

Much appreciated, Prasad - it worked!

Details for future victims:

- Freedom had it's tentacles buried deep within the system (expected for a
firewall, I'd guess), and it didn't exactly go quietly with just a simple
Add/Remove uninstall. I was constantly queried for my Freedom CD through the
setup afterward, and I killed these dialogs by hand w/the "X" button
literally dozens of times (I think it tried three times for each missing
piece).

- Eventually it seemed I had to delete a TON of references to Freedom (yeah,
RIIIIGHT!) and Zero Knowledge in the registry by hand, but once it had been
sufficiently eradicated the setup rolled on through as expected.


I know it's probably a tough thing to implement because of so many different
scenarios, but it would be nice to see MS put up a generic info/warning
message telling users to shut down or remove stuff like this before running
the Repair, since it seems a minimal version of XP does run in the background
to enough of an extent that allows some apps to still be active.

Thanks again!

- Scott

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

 

[Guest]

Glad to be of help...

Prasad

Much appreciated, Prasad - it worked!

Details for future victims:

- Freedom had it's tentacles buried deep within the system (expected for a
firewall, I'd guess), and it didn't exactly go quietly with just a simple
Add/Remove uninstall. I was constantly queried for my Freedom CD through the
setup afterward, and I killed these dialogs by hand w/the "X" button
literally dozens of times (I think it tried three times for each missing
piece).

- Eventually it seemed I had to delete a TON of references to Freedom (yeah,
RIIIIGHT!) and Zero Knowledge in the registry by hand, but once it had been
sufficiently eradicated the setup rolled on through as expected.


I know it's probably a tough thing to implement because of so many different
scenarios, but it would be nice to see MS put up a generic info/warning
message telling users to shut down or remove stuff like this before running
the Repair, since it seems a minimal version of XP does run in the background
to enough of an extent that allows some apps to still be active.

Thanks again!

- Scott

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

 

[hammerhead]

noob question

I have similar problems, or atleast symptoms. Only I don't know how to access the setupact.log file, plx to help? I'm stuck in setup (obviously can't access it then, command prompt just complains about another process using the file) and I can't boot in safe mode. Because I'm stuck in setup.
Anyone know how I can read the .log?

Thank you,
Hammerhead