Service Pack 3 - Access Denied?

I've tried to install SP3 some thirty or forty times now, and keep getting
"Access Denied" message at the end. I've Googled and tried several suggested
solutions (most promising of which is to reset the Registry security
permissions), but still no go. Is there anything I'm overlooking? I have XP
Home Edition. Thanks in advance for any helpful suggestion you might have.

Hello Randy.

Give this a try and see if it solves the problem................

<http://support.microsoft.com/kb/950718>



Ǝиçεl
◕‿◕
-=-


"Randy Bell" wrote:

> I've tried to install SP3 some thirty or forty times now, and keep getting
> "Access Denied" message at the end. I've Googled and tried several suggested
> solutions (most promising of which is to reset the Registry security
> permissions), but still no go. Is there anything I'm overlooking? I have XP
> Home Edition. Thanks in advance for any helpful suggestion you might have.

Randy Bell wrote:
> I've tried to install SP3 some thirty or forty times now, and keep
> getting "Access Denied" message at the end. I've Googled and tried
> several suggested solutions (most promising of which is to reset
> the Registry security permissions), but still no go. Is there
> anything I'm overlooking? I have XP Home Edition. Thanks in
> advance for any helpful suggestion you might have.

Verify what specific version of Windows XP you have first...

Start button --> RUN
(no "RUN"? Press the "Windows Key" + R on your keyboard)
--> type in:
winver
--> Click OK.

The picture at the top of the window that opens will give you the general
(Operating System name) while the line starting with the word "version" will
give you the rest of the story. Post _both_ in response to this message
verbatim. ;-)

Do you have an HP branded computer with an AMD processor?
(If so - answer and wait. If not, answer and continue with the steps.)

Once you have provided that information, I suggest a little cleanup...

Do all of this in the order given. Do not skip a step because you
think/know you have done it before.

If you experience any errors, get any strange messages, want further
explanation for any step - come back. Post messages word-for-word.
Describe exactly what you see around the message and what you did right
before that may have caused the message.

Download, install, run, update and perform a full scan (separately) with the
following two applications (freeware versions are the ones to use for this):

SuperAntiSpyware
http://www.superantispyware.com/

MalwareBytes
http://www.malwarebytes.com/

After performing a full scan with one and then the other and removing
whatever they both find completely, you may uninstall these products,
if you wish.

Download and run the MSRT manually:
http://www.microsoft.com/security/ma...e/default.mspx

Reboot.

Search your registry for %fystem and replace the "f" with an "s". May be
three or four matches, may be none. You may even have to take ownership
of the keys in order to make the change.

Then...

Ignore the title and follow the sub-section under "Advanced Troubleshooting"
titled, "Method 1: Reset the registry and the file permissions"
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/949377
*will take time
(** Ignore the last step - you said you have SP3 installed.)

Reboot.

Download/install this:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/290301

After installing, do the following:

Start button --> RUN --> type in:
"%ProgramFiles%\Windows Installer Clean Up\msizap.exe" g!
--> Click OK.
(The quotation marks and percentage signs and spacing should be exact.)

Reboot.

Download/Install the latest Windows Installer (for your OS):
( Windows XP 32-bit : WindowsXP-KB942288-v3-x86.exe )
http://www.microsoft.com/downloadS/d...displaylang=en

Reboot.

and...

Download the latest version of the Windows Update agent from here (x86):
http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=91237
.... and save it to the root of your C:\ drive. After saving it to the root
of the C:\ drive, do the following:

Close all Internet Explorer windows and other applications.

Start button --> RUN and type in:
%SystemDrive%\windowsupdateagent30-x86.exe /WUFORCE
--> Click OK.

(If asked, select "Run.) --> Click on NEXT --> Select "I agree" and click on
NEXT --> When it finishes installing, click on "Finish"...

Reboot.

Follow these steps...

How do I reset Windows Update components?
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/971058

Reboot.

CHKDSK
How to scan your disks for errors
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/315265
* will take time and a reboot.

Defragment
How to Defragment your hard drives
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/314848
* will take time

Ensure your hardware drivers are up to date (from the hardware
manufacturer's respective web pages.) Never get hardware drivers
for hardware that was not created/sold by Microsoft from Microsoft.

Reboot.

Now for SP3...

1) Download the full SP3 installation file.

Windows XP Service Pack 3 Network Installation Package for
IT Professionals and Developers (works just as well for you.)
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/d...8-1E1555D4F3D4

You are just saving it right now - not running it yet.

2) Disconnect from the internet before installing (physically disconnect -
pull the network cable or disable the router/modem.)

3) Disable your antivirus and antispyware applications when you are about to
install SP3. Usually right-click on the icon in the taskbar gives you
a choice to do so.

Install SP3 by running the downloaded executable. Reboot when requested to
do so. Logon and let the machine 'settle' for about 10 minutes. Reboot.
Give it 5 minutes after logon to 'settle'...

Reboot.

Log on as an user with administrative rights and open Internet Explorer
and visit http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com/ and select to do a
CUSTOM scan...

Every time you are about to click on something while at these web pages -
first press and hold down the CTRL key while you click on it. You can
release the CTRL key after clicking each time.

Once the scan is done, select just _ONE_ of the high priority updates
(deselect any others) and install it.

Reboot again.

If it did work - try the web page again - selecting no more than 3-5 at a
time. Rebooting as needed.

The Optional Software updates are generally safe - although I recommend
against the "Windows Search" one and any of the "Office Live" ones or
"Windows Live" ones for now. I would completely avoid the
Optional Hardware updates. Also - I do not see any urgent need to install
Internet Explorer 8 at this time.

Do all of that in the order given. Do not skip a step because you
think/know you have done it before.

If you experience any errors, get any strange messages, want further
explanation for any step - come back. Post messages word-for-word.
Describe exactly what you see around the message and what you did right
before that may have caused the message.

In the end - come back - respond with your results.

--
Shenan Stanley
MS-MVP
--
How To Ask Questions The Smart Way
http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html

Randy Bell wrote:
:: I've tried to install SP3 some thirty or forty times now, and keep
:: getting "Access Denied" message at the end. I've Googled and tried
:: several suggested solutions (most promising of which is to reset the
:: Registry security permissions), but still no go. Is there anything
:: I'm overlooking? I have XP Home Edition. Thanks in advance for any
:: helpful suggestion you might have.



First, make sure that your anti virus software isn't locking the registry
and preventing the installer from modifying the same.

Error message when you try to install Windows XP Service Pack 3: "Access is
denied" or "Service Pack installation did not complete"
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/949377

Also see:
How to reset security settings back to the defaults
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/313222

Error message when you use Windows Update or Microsoft Update Web sites to
install updates: 0x80070005
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/968003/
--

TaurArian [MVP] 2005-2010 - Update Services
http://taurarian.mvps.org
======================================
Disclaimer: The information has been posted "as is" with no warranties
or guarantees and doesn't give any rights.

See http://lmgtfy.com/?q=access+denied+sp3

Randy Bell wrote:
> I've tried to install SP3 some thirty or forty times now, and keep getting
> "Access Denied" message at the end. I've Googled and tried several
> suggested solutions (most promising of which is to reset the Registry
> security permissions), but still no go. Is there anything I'm
> overlooking?
> I have XP Home Edition. Thanks in advance for any helpful suggestion you
> might have.

Thank you TaurArian [MVP], appreciate your professional advice. You know, I
*did* have Symantec products (NIS, NAV, SystemWorks, etc) on my system for
many years; - finally decided to get rid of all of it, and have wondered if
remnants of NIS {norton internet security} are contributing to or causing
this problem? I have done everything I can think of to rid my system of
every remnant of Norton, but as you all know, Norton is good security; - yet
from a system {software} standpoint, removing it is like removing a virus or
spyware !!! {in the sense of same degree of difficulty, hehe ..} I know
that if I ever resolve this problem with windows updates (WU), I'll never put
Norton back on this machine again! Too much of a headache to remove,
although I do think Symantec security products provide excellent protection
-- maybe too much, in the sense they integrate into your system and dig down
so deep into your registry .. Anyway, thanks for the suggestion, I'm still
working on cleaning up my system and have made some substantial progress ..

"TaurArian" wrote:

> Randy Bell wrote:
> :: I've tried to install SP3 some thirty or forty times now, and keep
> :: getting "Access Denied" message at the end. I've Googled and tried
> :: several suggested solutions (most promising of which is to reset the
> :: Registry security permissions), but still no go. Is there anything
> :: I'm overlooking? I have XP Home Edition. Thanks in advance for any
> :: helpful suggestion you might have.
>
>
>
> First, make sure that your anti virus software isn't locking the registry
> and preventing the installer from modifying the same.
>
> Error message when you try to install Windows XP Service Pack 3: "Access is
> denied" or "Service Pack installation did not complete"
> http://support.microsoft.com/kb/949377
>
> Also see:
> How to reset security settings back to the defaults
> http://support.microsoft.com/kb/313222
>
> Error message when you use Windows Update or Microsoft Update Web sites to
> install updates: 0x80070005
> http://support.microsoft.com/kb/968003/
> --
>
> TaurArian [MVP] 2005-2010 - Update Services
> http://taurarian.mvps.org
> ======================================
> Disclaimer: The information has been posted "as is" with no warranties
> or guarantees and doesn't give any rights.

Thank you Shenan Stanley (MS-MVP), I appreciate such lengthy professional
advice .. am still working on all your suggestions, some of which I had
already tried multiple times. One thing I've noticed is that resetting the
HKLM branch of the registry, **trashes** my system -- no taskbar; many
essential services {including System Restore, Windows Audio, etc} don't run;
system won't even run in Safe Mode; etc. -- I had to restore my system to
bootability using the Recovery Console everytime I reset HKLM, then restore a
good registry from an ERUNT backup -- so that I've learned I **CAN** get the
Service Pack 3 to install if I do the full registry reset thing (resetting
permissions), I need to discover a less intrusive method to get SP3 to
install - because my system is rendered useless that way .. resetting
permissions on the other branches of the registry, and on the system files,
does not harm my system, but resetting HKLM is a no-no for now .. so I've
tried viewing a verbose logfile to see if I can discover which registry keys
need their permissions changed -- but lately even that isn't working because
for some reason when I set the logging level to verbose, the SP3 install
resets it back to default so that registry information doesn't show up in the
%windir%\setupapi.log, even though the %windir%\svcpack.log continues to show
a "DoRegistryUpdates Failed" message .. sigh .. thanks again for your helpful
post, I'll keep trying to get this to work ..

"Shenan Stanley" wrote:

> Randy Bell wrote:
> > I've tried to install SP3 some thirty or forty times now, and keep
> > getting "Access Denied" message at the end. I've Googled and tried
> > several suggested solutions (most promising of which is to reset
> > the Registry security permissions), but still no go. Is there
> > anything I'm overlooking? I have XP Home Edition. Thanks in
> > advance for any helpful suggestion you might have.
>
> Verify what specific version of Windows XP you have first...
>
> Start button --> RUN
> (no "RUN"? Press the "Windows Key" + R on your keyboard)
> --> type in:
> winver
> --> Click OK.
>
> The picture at the top of the window that opens will give you the general
> (Operating System name) while the line starting with the word "version" will
> give you the rest of the story. Post _both_ in response to this message
> verbatim. ;-)
>
> Do you have an HP branded computer with an AMD processor?
> (If so - answer and wait. If not, answer and continue with the steps.)
>
> Once you have provided that information, I suggest a little cleanup...
>
> Do all of this in the order given. Do not skip a step because you
> think/know you have done it before.
>
> If you experience any errors, get any strange messages, want further
> explanation for any step - come back. Post messages word-for-word.
> Describe exactly what you see around the message and what you did right
> before that may have caused the message.
>
> Download, install, run, update and perform a full scan (separately) with the
> following two applications (freeware versions are the ones to use for this):
>
> SuperAntiSpyware
> http://www.superantispyware.com/
>
> MalwareBytes
> http://www.malwarebytes.com/
>
> After performing a full scan with one and then the other and removing
> whatever they both find completely, you may uninstall these products,
> if you wish.
>
> Download and run the MSRT manually:
> http://www.microsoft.com/security/ma...e/default.mspx
>
> Reboot.
>
> Search your registry for %fystem and replace the "f" with an "s". May be
> three or four matches, may be none. You may even have to take ownership
> of the keys in order to make the change.
>
> Then...
>
> Ignore the title and follow the sub-section under "Advanced Troubleshooting"
> titled, "Method 1: Reset the registry and the file permissions"
> http://support.microsoft.com/kb/949377
> *will take time
> (** Ignore the last step - you said you have SP3 installed.)
>
> Reboot.
>
> Download/install this:
> http://support.microsoft.com/kb/290301
>
> After installing, do the following:
>
> Start button --> RUN --> type in:
> "%ProgramFiles%\Windows Installer Clean Up\msizap.exe" g!
> --> Click OK.
> (The quotation marks and percentage signs and spacing should be exact.)
>
> Reboot.
>
> Download/Install the latest Windows Installer (for your OS):
> ( Windows XP 32-bit : WindowsXP-KB942288-v3-x86.exe )
> http://www.microsoft.com/downloadS/d...displaylang=en
>
> Reboot.
>
> and...
>
> Download the latest version of the Windows Update agent from here (x86):
> http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=91237
> .... and save it to the root of your C:\ drive. After saving it to the root
> of the C:\ drive, do the following:
>
> Close all Internet Explorer windows and other applications.
>
> Start button --> RUN and type in:
> %SystemDrive%\windowsupdateagent30-x86.exe /WUFORCE
> --> Click OK.
>
> (If asked, select "Run.) --> Click on NEXT --> Select "I agree" and click on
> NEXT --> When it finishes installing, click on "Finish"...
>
> Reboot.
>
> Follow these steps...
>
> How do I reset Windows Update components?
> http://support.microsoft.com/kb/971058
>
> Reboot.
>
> CHKDSK
> How to scan your disks for errors
> http://support.microsoft.com/kb/315265
> * will take time and a reboot.
>
> Defragment
> How to Defragment your hard drives
> http://support.microsoft.com/kb/314848
> * will take time
>
> Ensure your hardware drivers are up to date (from the hardware
> manufacturer's respective web pages.) Never get hardware drivers
> for hardware that was not created/sold by Microsoft from Microsoft.
>
> Reboot.
>
> Now for SP3...
>
> 1) Download the full SP3 installation file.
>
> Windows XP Service Pack 3 Network Installation Package for
> IT Professionals and Developers (works just as well for you.)
> http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/d...8-1E1555D4F3D4
>
> You are just saving it right now - not running it yet.
>
> 2) Disconnect from the internet before installing (physically disconnect -
> pull the network cable or disable the router/modem.)
>
> 3) Disable your antivirus and antispyware applications when you are about to
> install SP3. Usually right-click on the icon in the taskbar gives you
> a choice to do so.
>
> Install SP3 by running the downloaded executable. Reboot when requested to
> do so. Logon and let the machine 'settle' for about 10 minutes. Reboot.
> Give it 5 minutes after logon to 'settle'...
>
> Reboot.
>
> Log on as an user with administrative rights and open Internet Explorer
> and visit http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com/ and select to do a
> CUSTOM scan...
>
> Every time you are about to click on something while at these web pages -
> first press and hold down the CTRL key while you click on it. You can
> release the CTRL key after clicking each time.
>
> Once the scan is done, select just _ONE_ of the high priority updates
> (deselect any others) and install it.
>
> Reboot again.
>
> If it did work - try the web page again - selecting no more than 3-5 at a
> time. Rebooting as needed.
>
> The Optional Software updates are generally safe - although I recommend
> against the "Windows Search" one and any of the "Office Live" ones or
> "Windows Live" ones for now. I would completely avoid the
> Optional Hardware updates. Also - I do not see any urgent need to install
> Internet Explorer 8 at this time.
>
> Do all of that in the order given. Do not skip a step because you
> think/know you have done it before.
>
> If you experience any errors, get any strange messages, want further
> explanation for any step - come back. Post messages word-for-word.
> Describe exactly what you see around the message and what you did right
> before that may have caused the message.
>
> In the end - come back - respond with your results.
>
> --
> Shenan Stanley
> MS-MVP
> --
> How To Ask Questions The Smart Way
> http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html

Did you ever download/run the Norton Removal Tool?
http://service1.symantec.com/SUPPORT...05033108162039

Related discussion: http://windowssecrets.com/comp/080207#story1
--
~Robear Dyer (PA Bear)
MS MVP-IE, Mail, Security, Windows Client - since 2002
www.banthecheck.com


Randy Bell wrote:
> Thank you TaurArian [MVP], appreciate your professional advice. You know,
> I
> *did* have Symantec products (NIS, NAV, SystemWorks, etc) on my system for
> many years; - finally decided to get rid of all of it, and have wondered
> if
> remnants of NIS {norton internet security} are contributing to or causing
> this problem? I have done everything I can think of to rid my system of
> every remnant of Norton, but as you all know, Norton is good security; -
> yet
> from a system {software} standpoint, removing it is like removing a virus
> or
> spyware !!! {in the sense of same degree of difficulty, hehe ..} I
> know
> that if I ever resolve this problem with windows updates (WU), I'll never
> put Norton back on this machine again! Too much of a headache to remove,
> although I do think Symantec security products provide excellent
> protection
> -- maybe too much, in the sense they integrate into your system and dig
> down
> so deep into your registry .. Anyway, thanks for the suggestion, I'm
> still
> working on cleaning up my system and have made some substantial progress
> ..
>
> "TaurArian" wrote:
>> First, make sure that your anti virus software isn't locking the registry
>> and preventing the installer from modifying the same.
>>
>> Error message when you try to install Windows XP Service Pack 3: "Access
>> is
>> denied" or "Service Pack installation did not complete"
>> http://support.microsoft.com/kb/949377
>>
>> Also see:
>> How to reset security settings back to the defaults
>> http://support.microsoft.com/kb/313222
>>
>> Error message when you use Windows Update or Microsoft Update Web sites
>> to
>> install updates: 0x80070005
>> http://support.microsoft.com/kb/968003/
>>
>> Randy Bell wrote:
>>>> I've tried to install SP3 some thirty or forty times now, and keep
>>>> getting "Access Denied" message at the end. I've Googled and tried
>>>> several suggested solutions (most promising of which is to reset the
>>>> Registry security permissions), but still no go. Is there anything
>>>> I'm overlooking? I have XP Home Edition. Thanks in advance for any
>>>> helpful suggestion you might have.

Yes several times, but I'll run the Removal Tool again {can't hurt} .. ..
thanks! It's very difficult to completely clean the registry of everything
put in there by symantec software .. even going into safe mode and doing
aggressive search .. which is a word to the wise for those considering
installing norton products, - make sure you want to deal with the
consequences later if you wish to remove them from your system .. this is
probably true for ALL security products {norton, mcafee, trendmicro,
kaspersky, etc} -- but norton is especially difficult to remove ..

"PA Bear [MS MVP]" wrote:

> Did you ever download/run the Norton Removal Tool?
> http://service1.symantec.com/SUPPORT...05033108162039
>
> Related discussion: http://windowssecrets.com/comp/080207#story1
> --
> ~Robear Dyer (PA Bear)
> MS MVP-IE, Mail, Security, Windows Client - since 2002
> www.banthecheck.com

Randy Bell wrote:

> Thank you Shenan Stanley (MS-MVP), I appreciate such lengthy professional
> advice .. am still working on all your suggestions, some of which I had
> already tried multiple times. One thing I've noticed is that resetting the
> HKLM branch of the registry, **trashes** my system -- [...]

What do you mean by "resetting the HKLM branch of the registry"?

Harry.


> no taskbar; many
> essential services {including System Restore, Windows Audio, etc} don't run;
> system won't even run in Safe Mode; etc. -- I had to restore my system to
> bootability using the Recovery Console everytime I reset HKLM, then restore a
> good registry from an ERUNT backup -- so that I've learned I **CAN** get the
> Service Pack 3 to install if I do the full registry reset thing (resetting
> permissions), I need to discover a less intrusive method to get SP3 to
> install - because my system is rendered useless that way .. resetting
> permissions on the other branches of the registry, and on the system files,
> does not harm my system, but resetting HKLM is a no-no for now .. so I've
> tried viewing a verbose logfile to see if I can discover which registry keys
> need their permissions changed -- but lately even that isn't working because
> for some reason when I set the logging level to verbose, the SP3 install
> resets it back to default so that registry information doesn't show up in the
> %windir%\setupapi.log, even though the %windir%\svcpack.log continues to show
> a "DoRegistryUpdates Failed" message .. sigh .. thanks again for your helpful
> post, I'll keep trying to get this to work ..
>
> "Shenan Stanley" wrote:
>
>> Randy Bell wrote:
>>> I've tried to install SP3 some thirty or forty times now, and keep
>>> getting "Access Denied" message at the end. I've Googled and tried
>>> several suggested solutions (most promising of which is to reset
>>> the Registry security permissions), but still no go. Is there
>>> anything I'm overlooking? I have XP Home Edition. Thanks in
>>> advance for any helpful suggestion you might have.
>> Verify what specific version of Windows XP you have first...
>>
>> Start button --> RUN
>> (no "RUN"? Press the "Windows Key" + R on your keyboard)
>> --> type in:
>> winver
>> --> Click OK.
>>
>> The picture at the top of the window that opens will give you the general
>> (Operating System name) while the line starting with the word "version" will
>> give you the rest of the story. Post _both_ in response to this message
>> verbatim. ;-)
>>
>> Do you have an HP branded computer with an AMD processor?
>> (If so - answer and wait. If not, answer and continue with the steps.)
>>
>> Once you have provided that information, I suggest a little cleanup...
>>
>> Do all of this in the order given. Do not skip a step because you
>> think/know you have done it before.
>>
>> If you experience any errors, get any strange messages, want further
>> explanation for any step - come back. Post messages word-for-word.
>> Describe exactly what you see around the message and what you did right
>> before that may have caused the message.
>>
>> Download, install, run, update and perform a full scan (separately) with the
>> following two applications (freeware versions are the ones to use for this):
>>
>> SuperAntiSpyware
>> http://www.superantispyware.com/
>>
>> MalwareBytes
>> http://www.malwarebytes.com/
>>
>> After performing a full scan with one and then the other and removing
>> whatever they both find completely, you may uninstall these products,
>> if you wish.
>>
>> Download and run the MSRT manually:
>> http://www.microsoft.com/security/ma...e/default.mspx
>>
>> Reboot.
>>
>> Search your registry for %fystem and replace the "f" with an "s". May be
>> three or four matches, may be none. You may even have to take ownership
>> of the keys in order to make the change.
>>
>> Then...
>>
>> Ignore the title and follow the sub-section under "Advanced Troubleshooting"
>> titled, "Method 1: Reset the registry and the file permissions"
>> http://support.microsoft.com/kb/949377
>> *will take time
>> (** Ignore the last step - you said you have SP3 installed.)
>>
>> Reboot.
>>
>> Download/install this:
>> http://support.microsoft.com/kb/290301
>>
>> After installing, do the following:
>>
>> Start button --> RUN --> type in:
>> "%ProgramFiles%\Windows Installer Clean Up\msizap.exe" g!
>> --> Click OK.
>> (The quotation marks and percentage signs and spacing should be exact.)
>>
>> Reboot.
>>
>> Download/Install the latest Windows Installer (for your OS):
>> ( Windows XP 32-bit : WindowsXP-KB942288-v3-x86.exe )
>> http://www.microsoft.com/downloadS/d...displaylang=en
>>
>> Reboot.
>>
>> and...
>>
>> Download the latest version of the Windows Update agent from here (x86):
>> http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=91237
>> .... and save it to the root of your C:\ drive. After saving it to the root
>> of the C:\ drive, do the following:
>>
>> Close all Internet Explorer windows and other applications.
>>
>> Start button --> RUN and type in:
>> %SystemDrive%\windowsupdateagent30-x86.exe /WUFORCE
>> --> Click OK.
>>
>> (If asked, select "Run.) --> Click on NEXT --> Select "I agree" and click on
>> NEXT --> When it finishes installing, click on "Finish"...
>>
>> Reboot.
>>
>> Follow these steps...
>>
>> How do I reset Windows Update components?
>> http://support.microsoft.com/kb/971058
>>
>> Reboot.
>>
>> CHKDSK
>> How to scan your disks for errors
>> http://support.microsoft.com/kb/315265
>> * will take time and a reboot.
>>
>> Defragment
>> How to Defragment your hard drives
>> http://support.microsoft.com/kb/314848
>> * will take time
>>
>> Ensure your hardware drivers are up to date (from the hardware
>> manufacturer's respective web pages.) Never get hardware drivers
>> for hardware that was not created/sold by Microsoft from Microsoft.
>>
>> Reboot.
>>
>> Now for SP3...
>>
>> 1) Download the full SP3 installation file.
>>
>> Windows XP Service Pack 3 Network Installation Package for
>> IT Professionals and Developers (works just as well for you.)
>> http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/d...8-1E1555D4F3D4
>>
>> You are just saving it right now - not running it yet.
>>
>> 2) Disconnect from the internet before installing (physically disconnect -
>> pull the network cable or disable the router/modem.)
>>
>> 3) Disable your antivirus and antispyware applications when you are about to
>> install SP3. Usually right-click on the icon in the taskbar gives you
>> a choice to do so.
>>
>> Install SP3 by running the downloaded executable. Reboot when requested to
>> do so. Logon and let the machine 'settle' for about 10 minutes. Reboot.
>> Give it 5 minutes after logon to 'settle'...
>>
>> Reboot.
>>
>> Log on as an user with administrative rights and open Internet Explorer
>> and visit http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com/ and select to do a
>> CUSTOM scan...
>>
>> Every time you are about to click on something while at these web pages -
>> first press and hold down the CTRL key while you click on it. You can
>> release the CTRL key after clicking each time.
>>
>> Once the scan is done, select just _ONE_ of the high priority updates
>> (deselect any others) and install it.
>>
>> Reboot again.
>>
>> If it did work - try the web page again - selecting no more than 3-5 at a
>> time. Rebooting as needed.
>>
>> The Optional Software updates are generally safe - although I recommend
>> against the "Windows Search" one and any of the "Office Live" ones or
>> "Windows Live" ones for now. I would completely avoid the
>> Optional Hardware updates. Also - I do not see any urgent need to install
>> Internet Explorer 8 at this time.
>>
>> Do all of that in the order given. Do not skip a step because you
>> think/know you have done it before.
>>
>> If you experience any errors, get any strange messages, want further
>> explanation for any step - come back. Post messages word-for-word.
>> Describe exactly what you see around the message and what you did right
>> before that may have caused the message.
>>
>> In the end - come back - respond with your results.
>>
>> --
>> Shenan Stanley
>> MS-MVP
>> --
>> How To Ask Questions The Smart Way
>> http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html