Stop: 0X0000006F (0XC0000020 on XP Pro Sp2 Install

I am having a desktop running Windows XP Professional SP2. Due to some problems I was trying to repair it using Windows XP installation CD but the process gets failed every time with an error message saying:

“Stop: 0X0000006F (0XC0000020 Session3_Initialization_Failed.”

I thought it could be CD problem hence tried repairing with another XP cd but yet the same result and same error. After spending some time in research on web finally I came to know that the problem is with ASUS CD-S500A CD-ROM reader. To fix the same I switched ASUS drive for a Plextor CD-RW PX-W1210A, and then the process went fine without any problem.

So if anybody of you guys are facing this problem, do the same as I did. It will help you get rid of the said error.

I had a similar problem with this same error. My motherboard is manufactured by PCchips, also known by the name of Elitegroup. I did everything, including a BIOS flash. The culprit was the Samsung CDRW/DVD drive SM-308. Perhaps it needs a firmware upgrade, but I have a spare DVD ROM I can put in.

Thanks to Allen for his time to put his two cents on this. I have seen many people in other forums trying to figure this one out without answers from anyone.

I saw the date. I was not looking to help someone from 2006. There are many people that could benefit from the similar problems this person had because someone like me decided to post my results of his troubleshooting advice. Noone verified that it worked, so I posted a result. It is all about trouble-shooting and helping us here. At least that's what I think you would think.

I appreciate these old posts, i just got an old Dell in and had this same error when trying to reinstall the customers operating system. Sure enough, the customer had replaced the drive with one he had laying around. I swapped the drive out with a newer one i had and presto it worked.

This should be marked SOLVED

Thanks - having this problem now. Will try replacing the cd drive.

Yep, this solved it for me. Thanks.