Failed to update to XP Service Pack 2 - now laptop won't start win

[SJM]

I have a 4-year-old EI System laptop that I'm trying to upgrade to XP Service
Pack 2 because I've never needed to connect it to the internet. It failed to
download and install the upgrade because it couldn't find a specific file =
ssstars.scr. Because of this I cancelled the download and it went through
several minutes of putting things back in place (I suppose). When the laptop
went to restart it just kept looping through the first 2 initial steps. I
can't even get it to start in Safe Mode or any of the other modes listed when
you press the F8 key.

Have I lost everything or is there a way to get it to start without
resorting to using the System Recovery disk?

 

[Jerry]

Why SP2 when SP3 is available?

 

[TaurArian]

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/875350
How to remove Windows XP Service Pack 2 from your computer

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/875355
How to use the Automatic Recovery feature to recover your computer if the Windows XP
Service Pack 2 Setup program is not completed successfully

How to help protect your computer if you decide to remove Windows XP Service Pack 2 from
your Windows XP-based computer or from your Windows XP Tablet PC 2005-based Tablet PC
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/878454

Windows XP Service Pack 2 Problem Solver
http://winhlp.com/node/125

Are you aware that SP3 is now available -

Release notes for Windows XP Service Pack 3
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/936929

The hard disk space requirements for Windows XP Service Pack 3
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/947311

Steps to take before you install Windows XP Service Pack 3
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/950717

Some third-party programs may experience a change in functionality after you install
Windows XP Service Pack 3
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/947309

How to obtain the latest Windows XP service pack
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/322389


--

TaurArian [MVP] 2005-2008 - Update Services
http://taurarian.mvps.org
======================================
How to ask a question: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/555375
Computer Maintenance: Acronis / Diskeeper / Paragon / Raxco


|I have a 4-year-old EI System laptop that I'm trying to upgrade to XP Service
| Pack 2 because I've never needed to connect it to the internet. It failed to
| download and install the upgrade because it couldn't find a specific file =
| ssstars.scr. Because of this I cancelled the download and it went through
| several minutes of putting things back in place (I suppose). When the laptop
| went to restart it just kept looping through the first 2 initial steps. I
| can't even get it to start in Safe Mode or any of the other modes listed when
| you press the F8 key.
|
| Have I lost everything or is there a way to get it to start without
| resorting to using the System Recovery disk?
| --
| SJM