Windows XP Windows XP Pro Setup Problem....HELP

[brewdog1965]

I'm trying to install windows xp pro again........had too many problems with the operating system. While installing, I receive this error "cannot copy file to destination direcotry" for the following files:
sapi.dl_
sapi.cp_
sapisvr.ex_
spcplui.dl_

I continue to retry to copy these files, but one by one it doesn't work so I skipe these. As the installation continues, I eventually recieve the error "an error has been encountered that prevents setup from continuing. Setup failed to install the product catalogs. This is a fatal error. The setup log files should contain more information"

When I view the log, it shows that I skipped the install of the previous four files mentioned. If I can't copy the files and I need them to install windows, what is my next move? HELP!!!

 

[Adywebb]

Are you doing a clean install - i.e. are you doing a full re-format of the hard drive?

 

[brewdog1965]

Are you doing a clean install - i.e. are you doing a full re-format of the hard drive?

No, windows became unstable after installing some drivers and no repair functions would fix the problem so I was basically re-installing windows onto the hard drive, replacing the existing windows installation. There are some important files on the hard drive so I'm holding out on formatting and doing a clean install.

 

[TECHGUNS]

Try unistalling the service pack like SP2 first if ya have it and some of the updates that go with it..

XP with SP2 installed becomes another OS identical to 2003.

XP wont install with SP2 it thinks its 2003.

If this works ya will have to update SP2 again.

I download SP2 and burned it to CD that save the hassle of waiting for the Internet.

 

[floppybootstomp]

Good point techguns, that should sort it.

I've slipstreamed SP2 with XP Pro, I always use that CD.

 

[Adywebb]

I've slipstreamed SP2 with XP Pro, I always use that CD.

Ditto

 

[brewdog1965]

Actually, I never installed SP2 on this system. Never performed a single update. Regardless, I can't get windows to load.........no safe mode...........notta. That was the reason I was trying to install XP again.

 

[Adywebb]

Have you identified and tried removing the drivers which caused the problem before attempting the re-install?

 

[TECHGUNS]

Oh check if ya have restore old points before ya had problems also.

 

[muckshifter]

Gentlemen ... once you try to re-install XP you will NOT have any restore points nor drivers ... XP will delete those when re-installing.

brewdog, you have either a RAM problem or HD problem ... try Knoppix (Linux) to lift off your data to a CD ... failing that, you may be able to "slave" off a working PC.

 

[Adywebb]

Gentlemen ... once you try to re-install XP you will NOT have any restore points nor drivers ... XP will delete those when re-installing.

Sorry Mucks, I didn't realise he had got that far with the re-install





*hangs head and slinks away quietly*

 

[muckshifter]

oh don't apologise ... I just read slower and then reread.

 

[brewdog1965]

Ok..........thanks for the info. I think I'll try deleting the catroot2 folder during the next install before I bust open the box and start playing musical memory modules. Apparently windows won't install if this folder isn't properly deleted during setup. It should only take a few moments to accomplish this so it's worth a shot.

 

[brewdog1965]

A funny thing happened last night while going in to address this problem. As I went through the initial setup screens, the repair option became available again (wasn't available for previous attempts of install). As the repair was running its course, there were numerous (too many to list) files that couldn't be copied. At this point, I skipped them one by one...nothing to lose. The repair seemed to finish with the exception of one problem........windows loaded to the user login screen with an administrator user only. To top it off, it was asking for a password. There has never been user setups on this computer with any password logins, so obviously I had no idea what the password would be. Tried a few obvious guesses, then had to quit. I've heard of a way to bust through the user password issue and I will try that tonight, but I was just curious if anyone had ever heard of this happening before? I've been a windows user/installer for many a year and never had these kind of problems before.