Windows XP Service Pack 3 Setup Error ntoskrnl.exe is open or in u

Trying to install Windows XP Service Pack 3, I get the error message:
Service Pack 3 Setup Error
The file c:\windows\system32\ntoskrnl.exe is open or in use by another
application. Please close all other application and click Retry.

I don't have any other applications running. I tried following the
insturction in the article 950718 "How to troubleshoot an unsuccessful
installation of Windows XP Service Pack 3" but it did not help. Does anybody
have any suggestions? Thanks.

Bob

If you're in the US, contact MS for free support with installation
issues with SP3:
http://support.microsoft.com/oas/def...3&gprid=522131

Antivirus|security suite or anti-malware software may be guarding
ntoskrnl and preventing it from being replaced.

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

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


Ranpalandil wrote:

> Trying to install Windows XP Service Pack 3, I get the error message:
> Service Pack 3 Setup Error
> The file c:\windows\system32\ntoskrnl.exe is open or in use by another
> application. Please close all other application and click Retry.
>
> I don't have any other applications running. I tried following the
> insturction in the article 950718 "How to troubleshoot an unsuccessful
> installation of Windows XP Service Pack 3" but it did not help. Does anybody
> have any suggestions? Thanks.
>
> Bob

Thanks for the info. I connected with a technician through chat and allowed
him to remotely access my computer. He worked with me for quite awhile before
I had to reboot and then I didn't manage to get reconnected. But he had
worked with me for quite awhile for FREE and made several changes to my
computer which were probably good wheither or not the contributed to solving
the problem.

I tried the installation again after the reboot and it still would not
complete and then I thought to try it is safe mode.

So my suggestion to anybody having trouble with the Service Pack 3
installation would be to download the installation file and then try
installing it in safe mode.

Bob

"MowGreen [MVP]" wrote:

> If you're in the US, contact MS for free support with installation
> issues with SP3:
> http://support.microsoft.com/oas/def...3&gprid=522131
>
> Antivirus|security suite or anti-malware software may be guarding
> ntoskrnl and preventing it from being replaced.
>
> Steps to take before you install Windows XP Service Pack 3
> http://support.microsoft.com/kb/950717
>
> MowGreen [MVP 2003-2008]
> ===============
> *-343-* FDNY
> Never Forgotten
> ===============
>
>
> Ranpalandil wrote:
>
> > Trying to install Windows XP Service Pack 3, I get the error message:
> > Service Pack 3 Setup Error
> > The file c:\windows\system32\ntoskrnl.exe is open or in use by another
> > application. Please close all other application and click Retry.
> >
> > I don't have any other applications running. I tried following the
> > insturction in the article 950718 "How to troubleshoot an unsuccessful
> > installation of Windows XP Service Pack 3" but it did not help. Does anybody
> > have any suggestions? Thanks.
> >
> > Bob
>

You're mowst welcome. Downloading the standalone package is a good
practice but so is the advice MS gives in the KB article I had posted.

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

If one follows the above article then would should not have to boot to
Safe Mode as there will not be unnecessary processes nor services
interfering with the application of SP3.

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


Ranpalandil wrote:

> Thanks for the info. I connected with a technician through chat and allowed
> him to remotely access my computer. He worked with me for quite awhile before
> I had to reboot and then I didn't manage to get reconnected. But he had
> worked with me for quite awhile for FREE and made several changes to my
> computer which were probably good wheither or not the contributed to solving
> the problem.
>
> I tried the installation again after the reboot and it still would not
> complete and then I thought to try it is safe mode.
>
> So my suggestion to anybody having trouble with the Service Pack 3
> installation would be to download the installation file and then try
> installing it in safe mode.
>
> Bob
>
> "MowGreen [MVP]" wrote:
>
>
>>If you're in the US, contact MS for free support with installation
>>issues with SP3:
>>http://support.microsoft.com/oas/def...3&gprid=522131
>>
>>Antivirus|security suite or anti-malware software may be guarding
>>ntoskrnl and preventing it from being replaced.
>>
>>Steps to take before you install Windows XP Service Pack 3
>>http://support.microsoft.com/kb/950717
>>
>>MowGreen [MVP 2003-2008]
>>===============
>> *-343-* FDNY
>>Never Forgotten
>>===============
>>
>>
>>Ranpalandil wrote:
>>
>>
>>>Trying to install Windows XP Service Pack 3, I get the error message:
>>>Service Pack 3 Setup Error
>>>The file c:\windows\system32\ntoskrnl.exe is open or in use by another
>>>application. Please close all other application and click Retry.
>>>
>>>I don't have any other applications running. I tried following the
>>>insturction in the article 950718 "How to troubleshoot an unsuccessful
>>>installation of Windows XP Service Pack 3" but it did not help. Does anybody
>>>have any suggestions? Thanks.
>>>
>>>Bob
>>

You are infected with a rootkit virus. Reboot computer with Windows XP CD. go into recovery console. Type Fixboot (make sure it is fixing c drive) and then do fixmbr. Now the masterboot record has been repaired and the rootkit is gone. I would download avast, update it, do a boot time scan and then do sp3 install and you are good to go.