Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008 service pack installation fails with error 0x80004005 - [Info]

[Neel23]

Windows Vista SP2 and Windows server 2008 will Fail to Install with error 0x80004005 if you have installed Vista or Windows Server 2008 Through Cloned Disks or Partitions

Here is important update by the Microsoft For Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008 Users , who are about to upgrade to Vista SP2 or Windows Server 2008 SP2. If you have installed the Windows Vista or Windows Server 2008 by using clone hard disk or any partition software then you need to clean install for installing SP2 of both Vista and Windows Server 2008.

Microsoft has gives the reason that the service pack installation will encounter the Error 0x80004005. So Microsoft just provided the way to solve this issue instead of any update or hotfix release.

Cause:

When you try to install a Windows Vista Service Pack, You may encounter the following error message:

Install Windows Service Pack

Installation was not successful
Unspecified error
Error: E_FAIL(0x80004005)

When you install Vista SP2, the Vista SP2 installer must update the system boot files. If third-party disk management tools are used to "clone" disks or partitions, the SP2 installer will be unable to uniquely identify the correct system boot files.

Resolution:

To work around this issue, turn off the computer and physically unplug all drives that are not required for starting Windows. Power up the computer and restart the service pack installation.

If the workaround is not successful, the alternative is to perform a clean-install.

Via Microsoft

[darshit]

Well , thanks for the info. Microsoft should release some update or hotfix for this instead of saying to do clean install. Clean install is solution to all problem. But isn't it a stupid way to resolve any issue? But anyways doing clean install for SP update is really a head pain.