WinXP SP2 extraction fails

I have been trying to install SP2 (full download) and it fails every time
trying to extract imagehlp.dll. ("The system cannot find the file
specified.") I've tried two separate downloads with the same result. I can
extract every file in the .exe file with WinZip. I have burned a CD
containing all the files in the proper directory structure.

Is it possible to run the install from the extracted files, and if so, which
executable should I run?

This is for my son's computer; his college won't let him on the network
without SP2 installed. WinXP was installed less than a month ago on a
freshly formatted hard drive.

dbls wrote:

> I have been trying to install SP2 (full download) and it fails every time
> trying to extract imagehlp.dll. ("The system cannot find the file
> specified.") I've tried two separate downloads with the same result. I can
> extract every file in the .exe file with WinZip. I have burned a CD
> containing all the files in the proper directory structure.
>
> Is it possible to run the install from the extracted files, and if so, which
> executable should I run?
>
> This is for my son's computer; his college won't let him on the network
> without SP2 installed. WinXP was installed less than a month ago on a
> freshly formatted hard drive.

Short of downloading another version of Windows XP SP2,
have the college's IT department or computer services
bring this computer up to spec. SP2 is a requirement of
the college; he (or you) has paid the tuition and all of
the attendant service fees. It should gladly comply.

Or is the dll on his computer corrupted?

http://www.dll-files.com/dllindex/dl...shtml?imagehlp

Brian



"dbls" <> wrote in message
news:1A9D9F76-E28F-4226-A5CB-...
>I have been trying to install SP2 (full download) and it fails every time
> trying to extract imagehlp.dll. ("The system cannot find the file
> specified.") I've tried two separate downloads with the same result. I
> can
> extract every file in the .exe file with WinZip. I have burned a CD
> containing all the files in the proper directory structure.
>
> Is it possible to run the install from the extracted files, and if so,
> which
> executable should I run?
>
> This is for my son's computer; his college won't let him on the network
> without SP2 installed. WinXP was installed less than a month ago on a
> freshly formatted hard drive.

The college may help but unless they have an unusual policy, they have
no obligation to bring a private computer in compliance.
The requirements are normally published and all computers are expected
to maintain compliance for the good of all computers on the network.
Colleges would be reluctant to put to much effort here since the
expected workload from all students would drain critical resources
from the IT department.

--
Jupiter Jones [MVP]
http://www3.telus.net/dandemar/


"GHalleck" <> wrote in message news:%>
Short of downloading another version of Windows XP SP2,
> have the college's IT department or computer services
> bring this computer up to spec. SP2 is a requirement of
> the college; he (or you) has paid the tuition and all of
> the attendant service fees. It should gladly comply.
>

Follow the Service Pack Installation Checklist:
http://www3.telus.net/dandemar/spackins.htm

--
Jupiter Jones [MVP]
http://www3.telus.net/dandemar/


"dbls" <> wrote in message
news:1A9D9F76-E28F-4226-A5CB-...
>I have been trying to install SP2 (full download) and it fails every
>time
> trying to extract imagehlp.dll. ("The system cannot find the file
> specified.") I've tried two separate downloads with the same
> result. I can
> extract every file in the .exe file with WinZip. I have burned a CD
> containing all the files in the proper directory structure.
>
> Is it possible to run the install from the extracted files, and if
> so, which
> executable should I run?
>
> This is for my son's computer; his college won't let him on the
> network
> without SP2 installed. WinXP was installed less than a month ago on
> a
> freshly formatted hard drive.

Merely getting another copy of the file won't help. The process of
extracting the entire package halts when it hits this file, and I have no way
of resuming the process once it stops.


"Brian K" wrote:

> Or is the dll on his computer corrupted?
>
> http://www.dll-files.com/dllindex/dl...shtml?imagehlp
>
> Brian
>
>
>
> "dbls" <> wrote in message
> news:1A9D9F76-E28F-4226-A5CB-...
> >I have been trying to install SP2 (full download) and it fails every time
> > trying to extract imagehlp.dll. ("The system cannot find the file
> > specified.") I've tried two separate downloads with the same result. I
> > can
> > extract every file in the .exe file with WinZip. I have burned a CD
> > containing all the files in the proper directory structure.
> >
> > Is it possible to run the install from the extracted files, and if so,
> > which
> > executable should I run?
> >
> > This is for my son's computer; his college won't let him on the network
> > without SP2 installed. WinXP was installed less than a month ago on a
> > freshly formatted hard drive.
>
>
>

I'm going to try this, but I'm not getting my hopes up. Since I sent the
first message, I've restored WinXP from the original CD, and (attempted) to
install the two critical updates that Windows Updates indicated were needed.
One failed (KB835732, as it has many times before) and the other succeeded.
I have read that the full SP2 update includes all the updates since SP1, so
I'm not sure that is essential.

I have run CWShredder, Norton Antivirus, AdAware _and_ Spybot, all updated.

To me, it seems that for some damn reason the extractor has an issue with
this one file, but WinZip doesn't, like a scratched CD that won't play in one
CD player that others handle in stride.

I'm assuming that the installer extracts everything to a temporary directory
(that's what it says it is doing), then runs an executable. The first is a
breeze with WinZip; I just don't know which executable. Someone knows; can
anyone tell me?

"Jupiter Jones [MVP]" wrote:

> Follow the Service Pack Installation Checklist:
> http://www3.telus.net/dandemar/spackins.htm
>
> --
> Jupiter Jones [MVP]
> http://www3.telus.net/dandemar/
>
>
> "dbls" <> wrote in message
> news:1A9D9F76-E28F-4226-A5CB-...
> >I have been trying to install SP2 (full download) and it fails every
> >time
> > trying to extract imagehlp.dll. ("The system cannot find the file
> > specified.") I've tried two separate downloads with the same
> > result. I can
> > extract every file in the .exe file with WinZip. I have burned a CD
> > containing all the files in the proper directory structure.
> >
> > Is it possible to run the install from the extracted files, and if
> > so, which
> > executable should I run?
> >
> > This is for my son's computer; his college won't let him on the
> > network
> > without SP2 installed. WinXP was installed less than a month ago on
> > a
> > freshly formatted hard drive.
>
>
>

As I suspected, the checklist, while helpful (I did get rid of some
CoolWebSeach contamination), didn't solve the problem.

The installation itself isn't the problem; the installation per se never
starts, since the extraction never finishes.

Anyone know which executable to run? Any other ideas?

"Jupiter Jones [MVP]" wrote:

> Follow the Service Pack Installation Checklist:
> http://www3.telus.net/dandemar/spackins.htm
>
> --
> Jupiter Jones [MVP]
> http://www3.telus.net/dandemar/
>
>
> "dbls" <> wrote in message
> news:1A9D9F76-E28F-4226-A5CB-...
> >I have been trying to install SP2 (full download) and it fails every
> >time
> > trying to extract imagehlp.dll. ("The system cannot find the file
> > specified.") I've tried two separate downloads with the same
> > result. I can
> > extract every file in the .exe file with WinZip. I have burned a CD
> > containing all the files in the proper directory structure.
> >
> > Is it possible to run the install from the extracted files, and if
> > so, which
> > executable should I run?
> >
> > This is for my son's computer; his college won't let him on the
> > network
> > without SP2 installed. WinXP was installed less than a month ago on
> > a
> > freshly formatted hard drive.
>
>
>

I have solved this problem after chancing upon the correct program to start
the actual installation. Here's the full sequence of steps (you need WinZip
for this to work):

1. Download the full Service Pack update:

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/d...5-9e368d3cdb5a

2. Right-click on the downloaded file, and depending on how you have WinZip
configured, select either "Open with Winzip" or "WinZip->Open with Winzip".
(If WinZip isn't in your context menu, select "Open with..." and pick WinZip
from the list of programs presented. You may have to hold down the shift key
while right-clicking to see "Open with...".)

3. When WinZip opens, extract all files to a new folder. Make sure the
"Use folder names" checkbox is checked.

4. Go to the i386\update folder within the new folder you created. For
example, if you extracted the files to C:\SP2, you would open
C:\SP2\i386\updates. An easy way to do this is to go to Start->Run and type
the path, e.g. "C:\SP2\i386\updates".

5. Double-click the "Update" application (update.exe) in that folder. SP2
installation will begin.

"dbls" wrote:

> I have been trying to install SP2 (full download) and it fails every time
> trying to extract imagehlp.dll. ("The system cannot find the file
> specified.") I've tried two separate downloads with the same result. I can
> extract every file in the .exe file with WinZip. I have burned a CD
> containing all the files in the proper directory structure.
>
> Is it possible to run the install from the extracted files, and if so, which
> executable should I run?
>
> This is for my son's computer; his college won't let him on the network
> without SP2 installed. WinXP was installed less than a month ago on a
> freshly formatted hard drive.

dont use winzip, from a command prompt just type the
nameof the .exe and add a /X to the end, you will then be
prompted to the location to save to.
>-----Original Message-----
>I have been trying to install SP2 (full download) and it
fails every time
>trying to extract imagehlp.dll. ("The system cannot
find the file
>specified.") I've tried two separate downloads with the
same result. I can
>extract every file in the .exe file with WinZip. I have
burned a CD
>containing all the files in the proper directory
structure.
>
>Is it possible to run the install from the extracted
files, and if so, which
>executable should I run?
>
>This is for my son's computer; his college won't let him
on the network
>without SP2 installed. WinXP was installed less than a
month ago on a
>freshly formatted hard drive.
>.
>