Determining why SP2 fails to instal

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.newusers (More info?)

Boot into Safe Mode, uninstall your video adapter drivers, then
reboot normally. Afterward, visit the support website of the
manufacturer of your computer or video card and download
the latest drivers for your video adapter.

I had this problem occur once while testing a pre-release version
of SP2 and the above solution worked. You may have to wait up
to 20 minutes after the initial reboot, but your Taskbar and icons
will eventually appear. Then you can install your new video adapter
drivers.

--
Carey Frisch
Microsoft MVP
Windows XP - Shell/User

Be Smart! Protect Your PC!
http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/protect/defaul...

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Birkonian" wrote:

| I followed to the letter the recommended procedure -
| http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/sp2/sp2_whattoknow.m...
| including:- a) checking all Windows updates were installed (Automatic
| Updates is "on" any way); b) running a disc cleanup & then a defrag; c)
| following Hewlett Packard's advice and downloading the necessary patch for
| my HP Pavillion PC running XP Home edition; d) creating a System restore
| point before starting the SP2 download/install; e) disabling Norton AV.
| (However I did leave Norton Personal Firewall running)
|
| Everything went OK until the very end when XP/SP2 failed to restart/boot up.
| The Security Centre window had appeared exactly as Symantec's web page said
| it would and I closed it with the intention of running a NAV "Live Update".
| See
|
| http://www.symantec.com/region/reg_eu/techsupp/sp2/supp...
|
| My PC sat there with a blank screen (no desktop icons or even a "start
| button"). My only recourse was to power down and reboot into Safe Mode. I
| then opted to restore to the restore point I'd created before starting this
| one hour unproductive operation. Since the MVPs are strongly recommending
| the move to SP2 may I ask them:-
| 1. Is there any way I can determine what went wrong?
| 2. Is it worth having a second go to install SP2?
| 3. Incidentally, since backing up personal files is strongly advised and XP
| Home Edition (unlike Prof). has no built-in back-up facility what does MS
| expect me to do/use? (Surely not go out and buy a competitor's product!)
|
| The advice of the MVPs would be most welcome. Thanks.

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.newusers (More info?)

Thanks Carey, I'll give it go tho' I believe my drivers are uptodate as I'm
registered with HP to receive email notification of driver updates etc.

"Carey Frisch [MVP]" <cnfrisch@nospamgmail.com> wrote in message
news:%23WjqE8QkEHA.2236@TK2MSFTNGP12.phx.gbl...
> Boot into Safe Mode, uninstall your video adapter drivers, then
> reboot normally. Afterward, visit the support website of the
> manufacturer of your computer or video card and download
> the latest drivers for your video adapter.
>
> I had this problem occur once while testing a pre-release version
> of SP2 and the above solution worked. You may have to wait up
> to 20 minutes after the initial reboot, but your Taskbar and icons
> will eventually appear. Then you can install your new video adapter
> drivers.
>
> --
> Carey Frisch
> Microsoft MVP
> Windows XP - Shell/User
>
> Be Smart! Protect Your PC!
> http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/protect/defaul...
>
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------
-------------
>
> "Birkonian" wrote:
>
> | I followed to the letter the recommended procedure -
> | http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/sp2/sp2_whattoknow.m...
> | including:- a) checking all Windows updates were installed (Automatic
> | Updates is "on" any way); b) running a disc cleanup & then a defrag; c)
> | following Hewlett Packard's advice and downloading the necessary patch
for
> | my HP Pavillion PC running XP Home edition; d) creating a System restore
> | point before starting the SP2 download/install; e) disabling Norton AV.
> | (However I did leave Norton Personal Firewall running)
> |
> | Everything went OK until the very end when XP/SP2 failed to restart/boot
up.
> | The Security Centre window had appeared exactly as Symantec's web page
said
> | it would and I closed it with the intention of running a NAV "Live
Update".
> | See
> |
> | http://www.symantec.com/region/reg_eu/techsupp/sp2/supp...
> |
> | My PC sat there with a blank screen (no desktop icons or even a "start
> | button"). My only recourse was to power down and reboot into Safe Mode.
I
> | then opted to restore to the restore point I'd created before starting
this
> | one hour unproductive operation. Since the MVPs are strongly
recommending
> | the move to SP2 may I ask them:-
> | 1. Is there any way I can determine what went wrong?
> | 2. Is it worth having a second go to install SP2?
> | 3. Incidentally, since backing up personal files is strongly advised
and XP
> | Home Edition (unlike Prof). has no built-in back-up facility what does
MS
> | expect me to do/use? (Surely not go out and buy a competitor's
product!)
> |
> | The advice of the MVPs would be most welcome. Thanks.
>