SP2 install

[Guest]

Our laptop was not updated with the XP SP2 and when I couldn't get the online
download to work I sent for the CD directly from Microsoft. Installed it as
soon as I received it and everything appeared to go fine. However, and
please forgive my terminology...I am NOT very computer savvy...now the dang
thing won't start up! I keep getting a black screen apologizing for the
inconvenience, blah, blah and advising me that windows will restart.
However, it keeps cycling between this screen and the Windows XP screen and
never actually loads. If I can ever get it to load again, I plan on
UNinstalling the stupid service pack update that I thought was going to be
such a great thing!!!

 

[Rock]

Our laptop was not updated with the XP SP2 and when I couldn't get the
online
download to work I sent for the CD directly from Microsoft. Installed it
as
soon as I received it and everything appeared to go fine. However, and
please forgive my terminology...I am NOT very computer savvy...now the
dang
thing won't start up! I keep getting a black screen apologizing for the
inconvenience, blah, blah and advising me that windows will restart.
However, it keeps cycling between this screen and the Windows XP screen
and
never actually loads. If I can ever get it to load again, I plan on
UNinstalling the stupid service pack update that I thought was going to be
such a great thing!!!

Did it boot and run after installing SP2 and then after some subsequent
reboot the problem occurred, or did it happen right away?

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

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

Installing Service Packs
http://www3.telus.net/dandemar/xpsp2.htm
http://www3.telus.net/dandemar/spackins.htm

Pre-Install, Install, Cleaning Up Afterwards
http://forum.aumha.org/viewforum.php?f=45

What to Know Before You Download and Install Windows XP Service Pack 2
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/sp2/sp2_whattoknow.mspx

Get the Latest Updates and Information from Your PC Manufacturer Before
Installing Windows XP Service Pack 2
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/sp2/oemlinks.mspx

The hard disk space requirements for Windows XP Service Pack 2
http://support.microsoft.com

 

[Guest]

It ran for a bit after the SP2 install but then I OKd some automatic updates
and when I tried to restart after those I ran into the current problem of not
being able to boot. I'd appreciate any help. I've now tried reinstalling XP
using the original disk but can only get so far as a blue screen that prompts
me to insert a disk I don't have. When I escape from that I then get a
screen asking me to sign in using an adminstrator password which I don't have
either! I have a feeling I'm stuck but would appreciate any help I can get.
Thanks!

 

[Rock]

It ran for a bit after the SP2 install but then I OKd some automatic
updates
and when I tried to restart after those I ran into the current problem of
not
being able to boot. I'd appreciate any help. I've now tried reinstalling
XP
using the original disk but can only get so far as a blue screen that
prompts
me to insert a disk I don't have. When I escape from that I then get a
screen asking me to sign in using an adminstrator password which I don't
have
either! I have a feeling I'm stuck but would appreciate any help I can
get.
Thanks!

Sorry but what you post is unclear. You need to be specific. You stated
you tried to reinstall XP. How? If you tried a repair install, since SP2
was applied you should do the repair with an installation CD that has SP2
incorporated in it.

The process of integrating a service pack into the installation CD is called
slipstreaming. Here are some links on how to do this. Autostreamer makes
the process easier.

Slipstream

http://www.theeldergeek.com/slipstreamed_xpsp2_cd.htm
http://unattended.msfn.org/unattended.xp/

Autostreamer
http://fileforum.betanews.com/detail/1092632287/1
http://www.simplyguides.net/guides/using_autostreamer/using_autostreamer.html
http://www.neowin.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=223562


Back to your post. You stated you get so far and a blue screen appears.
How far does it go, where in the setup process does it blue screen? I have
never seen that. What is the message, what disk is it prompting for? How
did you "escape from that"? What screen appears asking you to sign in?

If the computer ran fine after SP2 was applied and then problems happened
after some auto updates, the first troubleshooting step to take would have
been to do a system restore to the restore point created right before those
updates were applied.