Trouble installing WIN XP SP3

Hello

I have two desktop computers and one laptop, all running Windows XP. I
successfully downloaded and installed WIN XP SP3 on one desktop and the
laptop. I’m having trouble with the other desktop.

SP3 seems to download with no problems, but does not install properly.
Before beginning the installation, I close all programs, including the
screensaver. The installation begins normally, proceeding through the
following steps: Inspecting – Creating Third Party Driver List – Performing
inventory – Checking product key – Running processes before install. It
stays on this last task for nearly three minutes, and then, without warning
or notice, the computer reboots; thereby aborting the installation.

I’ve tried it at least half a dozen times, with the same result.

Any advice would be most appreciated.

Cheers,
--
Dickie

Does the desktop have an AMD processor ?
Did you read this prior to the installation attempt ? -

Steps to take before you install Windows XP Service Pack 3
Since the system is hanging on ' Running processes before install ' then
'some' process is causing this issue. Could be a myriad of causes.

If you check the spupdsvc.log located in WINDOWS it *should* provide a
clue as to which process is causing this.

I have the same failure of installation and this what my log says:
9.547: [ProcessPostBootInf] Deleted C:\WINDOWS\system32\spupdsvc.inf at the
end of ProcessPostBootInf
29.563: [SpUpdDeleteService] DeleteService Failed: Error:1072
29.563: [SpUpdServiceStart] SpUpdDeleteService returned 1072
29.563: [SpUpdServiceStart] Deleted Service, job done. Returning the Main
Thread
29.563: [SpUpdServiceStart] setting service to stopped
Other than that, I have all the "right" requirements [and Intel, not AMD],
so why is it doing this? FWIW, I do have a dual boot system, although that
should not make a difference.

The SpUpd service was deleted and that 'stopped' it. Check the
svcpack.log, also located in WINDOWS, for further clues as to where the
installation failure lies.

Did you read this prior to the installation attempt ?

Steps to take before you install Windows XP Service Pack 3

--
Hello MowGreen

Thanks for the tips. The desktop in question does have an AMD processor,
but so does the other one, and I had no problems at all with that one. I had
not read the Microsoft pre-installation instructions, but will do so. As of
now, I used GoBack to restore the machine to the pre-download state. As far
as I can see, no damage was done to the machine, but I will proceed very
carefully from here in deciding wheather or not to give SP3 another try.

Thanks again!

Cheers, Dickie

AMD processors will only have the issue IF an OS image was applied that
was done on an Intel processor. Installing images of an OS is a common
practice with OEMs [Dell, Gateway, Acer, HP, etc]
However, HP did not follow MS guidelines as it appears that they
installed OS images created on Intel processors onto AMD systems.
No issues appeared until SP3 was installed.

cf: Unsupported Sysprep scenarios
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/828287/

> Different processor vendors
> We do not support using Sysprep to install an operating system from an image if the image was created
> by using a computer that has a different processor. For example, you cannot create a Sysprep image on a
> computer that has an Intel processor and deploy the image to a computer that has an AMD processor.


MowGreen [MVP 2003-2008]
===============
*-343-* FDNY
Never Forgotten
===============

--
Hai MowGreen

The machine that had no trouble loading SP3, I built myself, so no images.
The other one (with the install problem) was built by a friend of mine who
builts lots of them. He may well have used an image to load the OS. I'll
ask him.

Is there anything to be done, other than to start from scratch, and reload
Windows XP?

Thanks for you help.

Cheers, Dickie

--
Checked with my friend. He says he did not load the OS from and image, but
directly from the Microsoft CD. So much fo that. Will continue to tinker
about with it, and see what can be done. Will let you know if I get it
sorted.

Thanks again for your efforts.

Cheers, Dickie

Check the spupdsvc.log and svcpack.log located in WINDOWS for a possible
clue as to why SP3 failed to install.
The first log will show the registration of files and the Process
associated with it. It sounds like the problematic system is not
reaching that point in the installation process, but it might still be
worth going over.

MowGreen [MVP 2003-2008]
===============
*-343-* FDNY
Never Forgotten
===============

--
Hi MowGreen!

Just to let know know: I fiddled around, and finally got the problem
solved. It appears that, even though I had closed the program before
attempting the istallation, some element or other of SpySweeper was still
running in the background, and I could not figure out how to stop it. I
removed the whole SpySweeper program, and rebooted. I next set the screen
saver to None, and closed all programs. When I attempted to download and
install SP3, everything worked just fine. As of now, SP3 is installed on all
three of my machines, and all’s well.

Thanks again for you interest and your help.

Dickie

Nice work ! You're mowst welcome, Dickie . Glad to hear that you finally
got SP3 installed.
I'd bet that Spywsweeper had an associated Service that was running that
you were unaware of.

If you want trouble free installation of SP3, then I suggest download the
full-file version of SP3
<http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=5b33b5a8-5e76-401f-be08-1e1555d4f3d4&displaylang=en>,
then go off-line (i.e. unplug the cable from
modem/lan), reboot the system in SAFE MODE, Install the SP3 (the file
you just downloaded), reboot the system
normally, problem solved!!

To go into SAFE MODE, you need to press F8 key when booting so that black
screen with DOS-Like characters appear where you can use arrow keys to go to
the first item SAFE MODE.