SP2 install freeze

-I had to reinstall XP home on my laptop and update is hanging on the install
(not the download) for a number of updates including SP2. I followed the
advice to download SP2 for IT professionals directly to my machine
(by-passing update) but even there it freezes at the same place (during
install). It happens when it says "checking product key" under "inspecting
your current configuration". Under update I get the error code 0x87FF0004.
Another error code I'm getting for other freezing updates is 0x800706BE. For
a while I thought this was a license problem since it was hanging at the
"checking product key" point but I kind of doubt it. Its an OEM XP home
version but it should be good and legal. I reinstalled XP home a second time
but still same problem. When it freezes it just stops and the hard drive
activity stops, for as much as 10 or 15 minutes (that's when I give up). Only
the intall seems to freeze, not the whole PC (e.g. mouse and keyboard still
work). Can anyone advise? Thanks.

"Daveo" wrote:

> -I had to reinstall XP home on my laptop and update is hanging on the install
> (not the download) for a number of updates including SP2. I followed the
> advice to download SP2 for IT professionals directly to my machine
> (by-passing update) but even there it freezes at the same place (during
> install). It happens when it says "checking product key" under "inspecting
> your current configuration". Under update I get the error code 0x87FF0004.
> Another error code I'm getting for other freezing updates is 0x800706BE. For
> a while I thought this was a license problem since it was hanging at the
> "checking product key" point but I kind of doubt it. Its an OEM XP home
> version but it should be good and legal. I reinstalled XP home a second time
> but still same problem. When it freezes it just stops and the hard drive
> activity stops, for as much as 10 or 15 minutes (that's when I give up). Only
> the intall seems to freeze, not the whole PC (e.g. mouse and keyboard still
> work). Can anyone advise? Thanks.

"Daveo" wrote:

> -I had to reinstall XP home on my laptop and update is hanging on the install
> (not the download) for a number of updates including SP2. I followed the
> advice to download SP2 for IT professionals directly to my machine
> (by-passing update) but even there it freezes at the same place (during
> install). It happens when it says "checking product key" under "inspecting
> your current configuration". Under update I get the error code 0x87FF0004.
> Another error code I'm getting for other freezing updates is 0x800706BE. For
> a while I thought this was a license problem since it was hanging at the
> "checking product key" point but I kind of doubt it. Its an OEM XP home
> version but it should be good and legal. I reinstalled XP home a second time
> but still same problem. When it freezes it just stops and the hard drive
> activity stops, for as much as 10 or 15 minutes (that's when I give up). Only
> the intall seems to freeze, not the whole PC (e.g. mouse and keyboard still
> work). Can anyone advise? Thanks.


Never mind, I found the answer. I should have researched a little more
before posting. If anyone else needs this same fix, you'll find it by
searching here on "checking product key". You'll find several messages a
couple with a thread that includes the instructions which are a series of
comand prompts and file renames/deletions that fix the problem. Thanks.