HUGE problem ahile upgrading to Service Pack

Win XP HE

Follow-up to: microsoft.public.windowsxp.perform_maintain

Hi, I did not have the full SP1--only some of the hotfixes.
A program that I want to install absolutely needs at least SP1 so I decided
to take the plunge and upgrade to SP1a
I 1st went onto microsoft's website and used the update web service.It
wanted me to 1st download the Validation Aplet before doing anything else.
So, I told it to download it and it did, went through the check and told me
could not validate Windows--of course to my great surprise at I am using a
Sony Vaio laptop boutgh from Best Buy and I sure don't think Sony puts
iilegal copies of Windows as OEM versions on its line of laptop.
I decided to uninstall this patch since it wasn't doing anything for
me--using Restore to earllier point. BUT, Restore does uninstall it--that
is by design from MS--so I Undid Restoration--what was the point....
I downloaded SP1a full version to my hard drive (so I COULD uninstall it in
case of conflicts--I had checked before with SONY for any potentila drive
problems, etc. and they had told me no problems.)
I installed SP1a, and during reboot process clicked on "No" to
restart--meant to click on "yes' but made a mistake. Nut no matter, I
re-booted myself right after that.
Here comes the HUGE problem:
Windows won't boot.
It gets stcuk loading my settings and gives the following error message:
Windows Product Activation (Title in the Title Bar.)
A problem is preventing Windos from accurately checking the license for this
computer. Error Code: 0x800700f.
I click on OK, but then Windowsa wants to log off; goes through screen
"saving your settings", then wants to reboot so goes through "loading your
settings" and--of course, gives the error message again, on and on and on,
in an endless loop, no matter what I do.
I tried booting in Safe Mode, but it gets stuck after a waile.
I tried to boot in DOS, no go.
I tried booting with "last successful configuration", no go.
All of my personal and business info is on that laptop and this is a HUGE
problem for me.

Can anyone help, please?

sorry if this posted twice--my email client told me couldn't sent 1st
message/post; so I re-posted--but it looks like it had gotten thru on the
1st try anyway.
Tx for ur advice on the problem described below.
----- Original Message -----
"stef" <stef.bm_at_hotmail.removethis.com> wrote in message
news:...
> Win XP HE
>
> Follow-up to: microsoft.public.windowsxp.perform_maintain
>
> Hi, I did not have the full SP1--only some of the hotfixes.
> A program that I want to install absolutely needs at least SP1 so I
decided
> to take the plunge and upgrade to SP1a
> I 1st went onto microsoft's website and used the update web service.It
> wanted me to 1st download the Validation Aplet before doing anything else.
> So, I told it to download it and it did, went through the check and told
me
> could not validate Windows--of course to my great surprise at I am using a
> Sony Vaio laptop boutgh from Best Buy and I sure don't think Sony puts
> iilegal copies of Windows as OEM versions on its line of laptop.
> I decided to uninstall this patch since it wasn't doing anything for
> me--using Restore to earllier point. BUT, Restore does uninstall it--that
> is by design from MS--so I Undid Restoration--what was the point....
> I downloaded SP1a full version to my hard drive (so I COULD uninstall it
in
> case of conflicts--I had checked before with SONY for any potentila drive
> problems, etc. and they had told me no problems.)
> I installed SP1a, and during reboot process clicked on "No" to
> restart--meant to click on "yes' but made a mistake. Nut no matter, I
> re-booted myself right after that.
> Here comes the HUGE problem:
> Windows won't boot.
> It gets stcuk loading my settings and gives the following error message:
> Windows Product Activation (Title in the Title Bar.)
> A problem is preventing Windos from accurately checking the license for
this
> computer. Error Code: 0x800700f.
> I click on OK, but then Windowsa wants to log off; goes through screen
> "saving your settings", then wants to reboot so goes through "loading your
> settings" and--of course, gives the error message again, on and on and on,
> in an endless loop, no matter what I do.
> I tried booting in Safe Mode, but it gets stuck after a waile.
> I tried to boot in DOS, no go.
> I tried booting with "last successful configuration", no go.
> All of my personal and business info is on that laptop and this is a HUGE
> problem for me.
>
> Can anyone help, please?
>
>