SP3 again: The hell with them!

[James Silverton]

Hello All!

I have Windows updates set to download and ask before installing. This
is the second time that it has been announced that SP3 had been
downloaded. I turned off everything including all aspects of the McAfee
security suite and the update proceeded. After a long time and all sorts
of messages about backup, a loud drum beat announced "Access denied" and
the "Update Removal Wizard (or moron)" commenced. As far as I can tell,
things are as they were before the "update" but my reaction to Microsoft
is "The hell with them" unless I am specifically informed what is needed
to install this update. There is no reason why I should do background
reading unless Microsoft tells me to do so. I am going to attempt to
communicate with MS but I am not hopeful.

--


James Silverton
Potomac, Maryland

Email, with obvious alterations:
not.jim.silverton.at.verizon.not

 

[Bruce Hagen]

Hello All!

I have Windows updates set to download and ask before installing. This is
the second time that it has been announced that SP3 had been downloaded. I
turned off everything including all aspects of the McAfee security suite
and the update proceeded. After a long time and all sorts of messages
about backup, a loud drum beat announced "Access denied" and the "Update
Removal Wizard (or moron)" commenced. As far as I can tell, things are as
they were before the "update" but my reaction to Microsoft is "The hell
with them" unless I am specifically informed what is needed to install
this update. There is no reason why I should do background reading unless
Microsoft tells me to do so. I am going to attempt to communicate with MS
but I am not hopeful.

--


James Silverton
Potomac, Maryland

Email, with obvious alterations:
not.jim.silverton.at.verizon.not

This probably contains what you have already seen, but take note of the last
link.

If SP3 was downloaded with an anti-virus, or anti-spyware, program running,
you may have a bad installation.

From: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/windowsxp/cc164204.aspx

* If the configuration of your antivirus software prevents certain system
files from being changed, SP3 installation might fail. Try temporarily
disabling your antivirus software. You can usually do this by right-clicking
your antivirus program icon (which typically appears in the bottom
right-hand corner of the computer screen) and clicking Disable.

* If you disable your antivirus software before you install the service
pack, be sure that you are aware of the risks involved, and be sure to
enable it after the service pack is installed.

Remove SP3 via Add/Remove Programs, reboot and download and install it
again. Before you do, turn off your anti-virus and any anti-spyware programs
such as Windows Defender. If you use a third party firewall, disable it and
turn on the Windows Firewall in the Control Panel for the installation. Once
SP3 is in and working, you can enable the third party firewall and turn of
the Windows Firewall. Do not keep both running.

Steps to take before you install Windows XP Service Pack 3:
http://support.microsoft.com:80/kb/950717

WinXP SP3 - Read all prerequisites for a successful installation
http://msmvps.com/blogs/harrywaldro...requisites-for-a-successful-installation.aspx

Release Notes for Windows XP Service Pack 3
http://download.microsoft.com/download/c/d/8/cd8cc719-7d5a-40d3-a802-e4057aa8c631/relnotes.htm

Download Windows XP Service Pack 3 here:
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/...A8-5E76-401F-BE08-1E1555D4F3D4&displaylang=en

Free unlimited installation and compatibility support for Service Pack 3:
http://support.microsoft.com/oas/default.aspx?ln=en-us&prid=11273&gpr

 

[glee]

Error message when you try to install Windows XP Service Pack 3: "Access is denied"
or “Service Pack installation did not complete”
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/949377/

You may need to use "Method 3" in the article.

 

[Andrew E.]

Make sure you complain to the correct source...If mcafee is installed,99%
sure "everything" isnt turned off,mcafee checks for updates every 5 seconds,
along with other misc junk that always runs.Also,update has no "drum beat"
to run.

 

[The Todal]

Hello All!

I have Windows updates set to download and ask before installing. This is
the second time that it has been announced that SP3 had been downloaded. I
turned off everything including all aspects of the McAfee security suite
and the update proceeded. After a long time and all sorts of messages
about backup, a loud drum beat announced "Access denied" and the "Update
Removal Wizard (or moron)" commenced. As far as I can tell, things are as
they were before the "update" but my reaction to Microsoft is "The hell
with them" unless I am specifically informed what is needed to install
this update. There is no reason why I should do background reading unless
Microsoft tells me to do so. I am going to attempt to communicate with MS
but I am not hopeful.

Well, you could try what worked for me.
a) Download the SP3 installation program as a file on your desktop (this
enables you to disconnect from the internet, having regard to my suggested
step (b) which could otherwise put your computer at risk)
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/...A8-5E76-401F-BE08-1E1555D4F3D4&displaylang=en
b) Disconnect your computer from the internet. Uninstall your anti-virus
program, having first ensured that you have its installation files and
unlock codes so that you can put it back afterwards
c) Do a clean reboot. Using Start, Run, Msconfig, disable all services other
than Microsoft's. You do that by hiding Microsoft services and disabling
what's left. Disable startup items too.
d) After rebooting, and ensuring that you have logged in with administrator
privileges, run the SP3 installation program. Maybe it will work this time.
e) Reinstall your antivirus (whether or not SP3 has installed) and use
Msconfig to re-enable startup items.

 

[James Silverton]

Bruce wrote on Wed, 17 Sep 2008 19:23:39 -0700:

This probably contains what you have already seen, but take
note of the last link.

If SP3 was downloaded with an anti-virus, or anti-spyware,
program running, you may have a bad installation.

Thanks Bruce; I'll bet you're correct but this looks like a "Catch-22"
situation since I don't know the download is taking place until the
yellow shield announcing completion and "Updates ready to install"
appears. By that time the bad download may have occurred. It can hardly
be safe to turn off the software for an indefinite time on the off
chance that MS will chose to download some updates.

As others have mentioned, the only solution may be to download SP3 per
se with the protection switched off. However, this seems to indicate a
blindness by Microsoft to the very real world of *individuals* running
Windows XP who are their own administrators. For this major update,
Microsoft should announce the impending download and give us the choice
to risk turning off protection.

--

James Silverton
Potomac, Maryland

Email, with obvious alterations: not.jim.silverton.at.verizon.not

 

[Bruce Hagen]

Bruce wrote on Wed, 17 Sep 2008 19:23:39 -0700:




Thanks Bruce; I'll bet you're correct but this looks like a "Catch-22"
situation since I don't know the download is taking place until the yellow
shield announcing completion and "Updates ready to install" appears. By
that time the bad download may have occurred. It can hardly be safe to
turn off the software for an indefinite time on the off chance that MS
will chose to download some updates.

As others have mentioned, the only solution may be to download SP3 per se
with the protection switched off. However, this seems to indicate a
blindness by Microsoft to the very real world of *individuals* running
Windows XP who are their own administrators. For this major update,
Microsoft should announce the impending download and give us the choice to
risk turning off protection.

--

James Silverton
Potomac, Maryland

Email, with obvious alterations: not.jim.silverton.at.verizon.not

The download link I provided gives you the option to Run or Save. I saved it
to a folder in My Documents where I keep all downloaded programs. By saving
it, you can easily take the necessary precautions, but you can also burn it
to CD.

MS has always had a history of bad installs of updates and especially
service packs. However, have you ever started to install a program and get a
message that closing other programs is recommended? They don't just mean IE
and OE, they mean anti-virus, anti-spyware, etc., as well.

MS does post dates service packs will become available well in advance, but
since they don't send personal e-mails, the only way to find out is to
search, or in these newsgroups.

 

[James Silverton]

Bruce wrote on Thu, 18 Sep 2008 07:29:38 -0700:

The download link I provided gives you the option to Run or
Save. I saved it to a folder in My Documents where I keep all
downloaded programs. By saving it, you can easily take the
necessary precautions, but you can also burn it to CD.

MS has always had a history of bad installs of updates and
especially service packs. However, have you ever started to
install a program and get a message that closing other
programs is recommended? They don't just mean IE and OE, they mean
anti-virus, anti-spyware, etc., as well.

MS does post dates service packs will become available well in
advance, but since they don't send personal e-mails, the only way to
find out is to search, or in these newsgroups.

Thanks again Bruce!

I will definitely consider actually downloading SP3. In about 6 years
use of Windows XP, apart from this SP3 problem, I have never had an
apparently bad download or a failed update and I have installed all the
downloads. There have been some problems in installation but I
discovered a long time ago that MS does not appear to understand USB
external discs and I make a point of removing mine before starting the
update.

--

James Silverton
Potomac, Maryland

Email, with obvious alterations: not.jim.silverton.at.verizon.not

 

[James Silverton]

James wrote to Bruce Hagen on Thu, 18 Sep 2008 10:51:44 -0400:

Thanks again Bruce!

I will definitely consider actually downloading SP3. In about 6 years
use of Windows XP, apart from this SP3 problem, I have
never had an apparently bad download or a failed update and I have
installed all the downloads. There have been some
problems in installation but I discovered a long time ago that
MS does not appear to understand USB external discs and I make
a point of removing mine before starting the update.

Can I ask a further question? After my first failure with the SP3
update, there were some further updates that appeared to install without
trouble. Will the effective installation of updates depend on whether or
not SP3 has been installed?

--

James Silverton
Potomac, Maryland

Email, with obvious alterations: not.jim.silverton.at.verizon.not

 

[Bruce Hagen]

James wrote to Bruce Hagen on Thu, 18 Sep 2008 10:51:44 -0400:



Can I ask a further question? After my first failure with the SP3 update,
there were some further updates that appeared to install without trouble.
Will the effective installation of updates depend on whether or not SP3
has been installed?

--

James Silverton
Potomac, Maryland

Email, with obvious alterations: not.jim.silverton.at.verizon.not

Those were updates to SP2. They will make no difference when you try SP3
again. You are fully protected as you are, but updates to SP2 will cease at
some time, (the date eludes me), which will make SP3 a necessity.

 

[James Silverton]

thecreator wrote on Thu, 18 Sep 2008 12:14:49 -0400:

If you want to get over the hump with this XP Service Pack
3, then do the following:

Thanks very much! That sounds like it might do the job but it also looks
like a lot of work. As I've said, I'm a user of Windows XP and not
really very interested in its innards I think MS has a lot of
chutzpah to make that necessary.

--

James Silverton
Potomac, Maryland

Email, with obvious alterations: not.jim.silverton.at.verizon.not

 

[James Silverton]

James wrote to thecreator on Thu, 18 Sep 2008 12:40:03 -0400:

Thanks very much! That sounds like it might do the job but it also
looks like a lot of work. As I've said, I'm a user of
Windows XP and not really very interested in its innards I
think MS has a lot of chutzpah to make that necessary.

Another question, addressed also to Bruce if I may. If the downloaded
version of SP3 fails to install, will the system be automatically
restored as it has been in failed updates?

Thanks in advance!

--

James Silverton
Potomac, Maryland

Email, with obvious alterations: not.jim.silverton.at.verizon.not

 

[Bruce Hagen]

James wrote to thecreator on Thu, 18 Sep 2008 12:40:03 -0400:



Another question, addressed also to Bruce if I may. If the downloaded
version of SP3 fails to install, will the system be automatically restored
as it has been in failed updates?

Thanks in advance!

--

James Silverton
Potomac, Maryland

Email, with obvious alterations: not.jim.silverton.at.verizon.not

Nothing is ever 100% guaranteed, hence why we backup important folders
regularly. That said, I would hazard a 99.99999% yes answer.

 

[TaurArian]

First, make sure that your anti virus software isn't locking the registry
and preventing the installer from modifying the same.

Error message when you try to install Windows XP Service Pack 3: "Access is
denied" or “Service Pack installation did not complete”
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/949377

Also see:
How to reset security settings back to the defaults
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/313222

FYI - where to get assistance -



Microsoft Windows XP Service Pack 3 (All Languages)
http://support.microsoft.com/oas/default.aspx?ln=en-us&prid=11273&gprid=522131

Free unlimited installation and compatibility support is available for
Windows XP, but only for Service Pack 3 (SP3). This support for SP3 is valid
until April 14, 2009. For more information about this policy, visit the
Windows XP Support Lifecycle page located at
http://support.microsoft.com/lifecycle/?p1=3223. Chat and e-mail support is
available only in the United States and Canada. For all other Windows XP
issues, visit the Help and Support site at
http://support.microsoft.com/oas/default.aspx?gprid=1173, and then choose
your product.

• US:
http://support.microsoft.com/oas/default.aspx?ln=en-us&prid=11273&gprid=522131

• CA:
http://support.microsoft.com/oas/default.aspx?ln=en-ca&prid=11273&gprid=522131

• UK:
http://support.microsoft.com/oas/default.aspx?ln=en-uk&prid=11273&gprid=522131

• AU:
http://support.microsoft.com/oas/default.aspx?ln=en-au&prid=11273&gprid=522131

• Other:
http://support.microsoft.com/oas/default.aspx?gprid=1173
select Windows XP | select Windows XP Service Pack 3

--

TaurArian [MVP] 2005-2009 - Update Services
http://taurarian.mvps.org
======================================
How to ask a question: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/555375
Computer Maintenance: Acronis / Diskeeper / Paragon / Raxco

 

[James Silverton]

thecreator wrote on Thu, 18 Sep 2008 12:14:49 -0400:

If you want to get over the hump with this XP Service Pack
3, then do the following:

I agree with comments on MS' chutzpah (my word not their's) in charging
money to fix their own problems, as mentioned in this Australian source
but it might be the simplest way to go:
http://www.ditii.com/2008/09/17/1495-for-windows-xp-sp3-cd/. Apparently,
even Microsoft knows about the problems people are having and sells an
SP3 CD for $14.95 (I don't know whether it is USD or AUD).

A little further investigation shows that MS will sell the thing for
about USD 10, including shipping (most of the cost.) I'd have little
compunction in using a pirated copy either!
--

James Silverton
Potomac, Maryland

Email, with obvious alterations: not.jim.silverton.at.verizon.not

 

[James Silverton]

thecreator wrote on Fri, 19 Sep 2008 11:31:00 -0400:

It isn't a lot of work, when it is done correctly the
first time.

Thanks, but the operating word is "correctly" and I am inclining to
gritting my teeth and buying the CD. I visited my local branch of
"Pirates R Us" but they did not have it. In fact, they did not know that
you could get the CD from Microsoft.

That said, I don't have My Documents folder on the same
partition or Hard Drive as the operating system on this
computer.

--

James Silverton
Potomac, Maryland

Email, with obvious alterations: not.jim.silverton.at.verizon.not

 

[Bruce Hagen]

Thanks, but the operating word is "correctly" and I am inclining to
gritting my teeth and buying the CD. I visited my local branch of "Pirates
R Us" but they did not have it. In fact, they did not know that you could
get the CD from Microsoft.

--

James Silverton
Potomac, Maryland

Email, with obvious alterations: not.jim.silverton.at.verizon.not

Why not just burn your own CD? It will be exactly the same as the one you
pay for minus the label.

Download and Save. Save it to the Desktop, or any folder, and burn it from
there. You haven't installed anything up to this point, so no harm, no foul.

Download Windows XP Service Pack 3 here:
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/...A8-5E76-401F-BE08-1E1555D4F3D4&displaylang=en

 

[James Silverton]

Bruce wrote on Fri, 19 Sep 2008 10:48:35 -0700:

Why not just burn your own CD? It will be exactly the same as the one
you pay for minus the label.

Thanks Bruce but my current impression is that the messy need to turn
off interfering programs (and possibly missing something) has caused
*two* bad downloads and I am not going to try again!

Download and Save. Save it to the Desktop, or any folder, and burn it
from there. You haven't installed anything up to this point, so no
harm, no foul.

Download Windows XP Service Pack 3 here:
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/...A8-5E76-401F-BE08-1E1555D4F3D4&displaylang=en

--

James Silverton
Potomac, Maryland

Email, with obvious alterations: not.jim.silverton.at.verizon.not

 

[Bruce Hagen]

Thanks Bruce but my current impression is that the messy need to turn off

interfering programs (and possibly missing something) has caused *two* bad
downloads and I am not going to try again!

But you /didn't/ have two bad downloads, you had two bad installations,
didn't you? Programs running in the background do not cause a bad download,
just the installation.

 

[James Silverton]

Bruce wrote on Fri, 19 Sep 2008 11:11:27 -0700:

But you /didn't/ have two bad downloads, you had two bad
installations, didn't you? Programs running in the background do not
cause a bad download, just the installation.

I don't think this is the case since neither *download* gave an error
message. I rather carefully turned off everything before the second
attempt at installation. However, I could be wrong and I may know when I
try to use the CD from the horse's mouth
--

James Silverton
Potomac, Maryland

Email, with obvious alterations: not.jim.silverton.at.verizon.not