Only get safe mode after SP2 upgrade

[Guest]

So far, I have successfully upgraded a home built PC and an Acer laptop to
SP2 but I have been unseuccessful updating a per-built desktop. It's a
Medion/Cybercom PC around 2.5 years old with an AMD Athlon 64 processor.
Whenever I apply the SP2 update, the following happens when the reboot
occurs...

1. The typical reboot sequence starts
2. Before the XP splash screen, there's a flash of blue screen with an error
message, but it goes so quickly there is no chance to read it
3. The PC reboots again and presents the safe mode options.

I then have to use safe mode to restore to before the SP2 upgrade.

I suspect the problem might be to do with the problem described in this
knowledgebase article...

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/888372

"Most computers include an image that the manufacturer created by using the
System Preparation (Sysprep) tool. Sysprep lets the computer manufacturer
generate an image that can be used on different computers. The problem that
is described in the "Symptoms" section may occur if the original Windows XP
Service Pack 1 (SP1) Sysprep image is created on an Intel-processor-based
computer and if the Sysprep image is then deployed on a
non-Intel-processor-based computer. Under this configuration, after the
computer is upgraded to Windows XP SP2, the Intel processor driver
(Intelppm.sys) may try to load because an orphaned registry key remains from
the original Sysprep image.

This issue may also occur if the original Windows XP SP2 Sysprep image is
created on an Intel-processor-based computer and if it is then deployed onto
a non-Intel-processor-based computer. Again, the Intel processor driver
(Intelppm.sys) may try to load because an orphaned registry key remains from
the original Sysprep image."

I am actually quite happy to do a clean reinstall if necessary, as there are
few applications I would need to reinstall, and I have backed up all my data
already to an external drive.

My internal 160Gb drive has C:Boot (70Gb), D:Backup (70Gb) and E:Restore
(5Gb) partitions and I have the original CDs to take the machine back to
factory fresh. My concern is that, if the problem is the one above, this will
not help, as I would still have the Intel prepared Sysprep image.

I also have a full Windows XP SP2 bootable DVD from my work MSDN
subscription, and I have my own original Windows licence key that came with
the Medion PC.

I propose to boot from the XP SP2 DVD and do a clean install and reformat
the C: partition, then use my original licence key. Is this the right thing
to do?

Thanks in anticipation for your help.

 

[DL]

You might first check with your sys / mobo web site for any chipset/driver
updates

 

[Guest]

You might first check with your sys / mobo web site for any chipset/driver
updates

Sorry, I should have pointed out I already did that, and I am on the latest
versions.

 

[Jordan]

The MS article is not the same issue you are having. The MS article says
this will happen if you take the image from one computer (Intel) and move it
to another computer (non-Intel). You are just updating the same computer.

It probably is a driver for one of your components or an incompatibility
possibly due to the wrong driver. Try going into the bios of the computer
and turn off all possible devices like serial, paralell, audio, usb, network
card, etc. Boot up again in Safe Mode and uninstall (not disable) the video
card and every other device and reboot.

If windows comes up in standard mode and then starts to detect driver before
it craps out again, then you know you have a driver issue. Unfortunately,
some drivers don't kick in until after you restart so you still may have
trouble narrowing it down.