XP SP2 installation error "unable to read from or write to database"

I cannot get WindowsXP-KB835935-SP2-ENU.exe to install. It stops just after
it has backed up the old files with the error
"unable to read from or write to database". I have tried several times
with the same result each time.

I have loads of memory and disk space. I have logged in as administrator,
stopped Norton Anti-Virus and most other tasks that I could see were
unnecessary with no luck I even tried doing it in safe mode with the same
result.

In desperation I downloaded the 266MB file again in case it had got
corrupted in some way.

Any ideas anyone?

Peter Harris

Here's some steps that might help:

Download WindowsXP-KB835935-SP2-ENU.exe
Disable 3rd-party firewall until after update is installed.

Start > Run > Msconfig

1) Disable all non-Microsoft services by following these steps
Services tab. check box "Hide all Microsoft services". click "Disable All"
button.

2) Disable all non-essential startups (on my system this is all of them)
Startup tab. uncheck all (on my system) boxes

Restart computer.
Click WindowsXP-KB835935-SP2-ENU.exe to install it.

Restart computer.
Enable non-Microsoft services, and startups that were disabled in steps 1
and 2 above.
Restart computer.





"Peter Harris" <> wrote in message
news:...
>I cannot get WindowsXP-KB835935-SP2-ENU.exe to install. It stops just
>after
> it has backed up the old files with the error
> "unable to read from or write to database". I have tried several times
> with the same result each time.
>
> I have loads of memory and disk space. I have logged in as
> administrator,
> stopped Norton Anti-Virus and most other tasks that I could see were
> unnecessary with no luck I even tried doing it in safe mode with the same
> result.
>
> In desperation I downloaded the 266MB file again in case it had got
> corrupted in some way.
>
> Any ideas anyone?
>
> Peter Harris
>
>

Unfortunately that did not work. I still get exactly the same error.

Peter


"Lilla" <> wrote in message
news:%...
> Here's some steps that might help:
>
> Download WindowsXP-KB835935-SP2-ENU.exe
> Disable 3rd-party firewall until after update is installed.
>
> Start > Run > Msconfig
>
> 1) Disable all non-Microsoft services by following these steps
> Services tab. check box "Hide all Microsoft services". click "Disable All"
> button.
>
> 2) Disable all non-essential startups (on my system this is all of them)
> Startup tab. uncheck all (on my system) boxes
>
> Restart computer.
> Click WindowsXP-KB835935-SP2-ENU.exe to install it.
>
> Restart computer.
> Enable non-Microsoft services, and startups that were disabled in steps 1
> and 2 above.
> Restart computer.
>
>
>
>
>
> "Peter Harris" <> wrote in message
> news:...
> >I cannot get WindowsXP-KB835935-SP2-ENU.exe to install. It stops just
> >after
> > it has backed up the old files with the error
> > "unable to read from or write to database". I have tried several times
> > with the same result each time.
> >
> > I have loads of memory and disk space. I have logged in as
> > administrator,
> > stopped Norton Anti-Virus and most other tasks that I could see were
> > unnecessary with no luck I even tried doing it in safe mode with the
same
> > result.
> >
> > In desperation I downloaded the 266MB file again in case it had got
> > corrupted in some way.
> >
> > Any ideas anyone?
> >
> > Peter Harris
> >
> >
>
>

Just an FYI... I am getting this exact same error... and
cannot get around it. I've been searching everywhere for
some type of answer... let alone an explanation. If you
hear anything please post... and I will do the same.
Thanks.

Bob
IN Dept. of Environmental Management
Indianapolis, IN


>-----Original Message-----
>I cannot get WindowsXP-KB835935-SP2-ENU.exe to install.
It stops just after
>it has backed up the old files with the error
>"unable to read from or write to database". I have
tried several times
>with the same result each time.
>
>I have loads of memory and disk space. I have logged in
as administrator,
>stopped Norton Anti-Virus and most other tasks that I
could see were
>unnecessary with no luck I even tried doing it in safe
mode with the same
>result.
>
>In desperation I downloaded the 266MB file again in case
it had got
>corrupted in some way.
>
>Any ideas anyone?
>
>Peter Harris
>
>
>.
>

I have finally got SP2 to work :-)

I did the following:
Ran a repair re-installation of XP
Defragged my C drive.
Closed all non-MS processes in MSConfig

The SP2 update installation then ran without the previous error

However, a new error occurred as the installation was finishing. I got
"The procedure entry point GetIUMS could not be located in the dynamic link
library MSDART.dll" while it was running Migrate.exe

I could not close this error box so I ran Task manager and stopped the
Migrate.exe process and installation then continued to completion.

I have not seen any problems since. Perhaps someone will tell me if this
failure in Migrate.exe is critical.

All this trouble and all the other questions on this NG makes me wonder how
"Joe Public" is going to manage with this update. I suspect most ordinary
Windows users would not have a clue how to sort this sort of problem out or
even know where to go to find answers. I also suspect most contributors to
this group are the more technically able users in the grand scheme of things
(although they are probably the ones most likely to b***** things up)

I think there is going to be a lot of money to be made by IT support
companies!

Peter





"Bob" <> wrote in message
news:088a01c4839e$eb796750$...
> Just an FYI... I am getting this exact same error... and
> cannot get around it. I've been searching everywhere for
> some type of answer... let alone an explanation. If you
> hear anything please post... and I will do the same.
> Thanks.
>
> Bob
> IN Dept. of Environmental Management
> Indianapolis, IN
>
>
>>-----Original Message-----
>>I cannot get WindowsXP-KB835935-SP2-ENU.exe to install.
> It stops just after
>>it has backed up the old files with the error
>>"unable to read from or write to database". I have
> tried several times
>>with the same result each time.
>>
>>I have loads of memory and disk space. I have logged in
> as administrator,
>>stopped Norton Anti-Virus and most other tasks that I
> could see were
>>unnecessary with no luck I even tried doing it in safe
> mode with the same
>>result.
>>
>>In desperation I downloaded the 266MB file again in case
> it had got
>>corrupted in some way.
>>
>>Any ideas anyone?
>>
>>Peter Harris
>>
>>
>>.
>>

I am also experiencing difficulties successfully loading
WindowsXP-KB835935-SP2-ENU. as the error message "Unable toread from or write
to the database" pops up.
I have XP professional and use Automatic Updates but downloaded the 266mb
Service Pack from MS downloads.
I have tried to load SP2 about 4 times and give up.
Peter, we should not have to go to the same extent as you, repairing, defrag
etc.
as normal housekeeping supposedly controls those issues. ????

"Peter Harris" wrote:

> I have finally got SP2 to work :-)
>
> I did the following:
> Ran a repair re-installation of XP
> Defragged my C drive.
> Closed all non-MS processes in MSConfig
>
> The SP2 update installation then ran without the previous error
>
> However, a new error occurred as the installation was finishing. I got
> "The procedure entry point GetIUMS could not be located in the dynamic link
> library MSDART.dll" while it was running Migrate.exe
>
> I could not close this error box so I ran Task manager and stopped the
> Migrate.exe process and installation then continued to completion.
>
> I have not seen any problems since. Perhaps someone will tell me if this
> failure in Migrate.exe is critical.
>
> All this trouble and all the other questions on this NG makes me wonder how
> "Joe Public" is going to manage with this update. I suspect most ordinary
> Windows users would not have a clue how to sort this sort of problem out or
> even know where to go to find answers. I also suspect most contributors to
> this group are the more technically able users in the grand scheme of things
> (although they are probably the ones most likely to b***** things up)
>
> I think there is going to be a lot of money to be made by IT support
> companies!
>
> Peter
>
>
>
>
>
> "Bob" <> wrote in message
> news:088a01c4839e$eb796750$...
> > Just an FYI... I am getting this exact same error... and
> > cannot get around it. I've been searching everywhere for
> > some type of answer... let alone an explanation. If you
> > hear anything please post... and I will do the same.
> > Thanks.
> >
> > Bob
> > IN Dept. of Environmental Management
> > Indianapolis, IN
> >
> >
> >>-----Original Message-----
> >>I cannot get WindowsXP-KB835935-SP2-ENU.exe to install.
> > It stops just after
> >>it has backed up the old files with the error
> >>"unable to read from or write to database". I have
> > tried several times
> >>with the same result each time.
> >>
> >>I have loads of memory and disk space. I have logged in
> > as administrator,
> >>stopped Norton Anti-Virus and most other tasks that I
> > could see were
> >>unnecessary with no luck I even tried doing it in safe
> > mode with the same
> >>result.
> >>
> >>In desperation I downloaded the 266MB file again in case
> > it had got
> >>corrupted in some way.
> >>
> >>Any ideas anyone?
> >>
> >>Peter Harris
> >>
> >>
> >>.
> >>
>
>
>

geoff wrote:

> I am also experiencing difficulties successfully loading
> WindowsXP-KB835935-SP2-ENU. as the error message "Unable toread from or write
> to the database" pops up.
> I have XP professional and use Automatic Updates but downloaded the 266mb
> Service Pack from MS downloads.
Hi

I would think you need to delete/rename the .log files in
the folder %windir%\Security\ (and maybe %windir%\System32\CatRoot2\).

I have created a batch file that does this for you.


http://www.michna.com/kb/WxSP2.htm#C...Service_Pack_2

Look for fixdb.bat under "Error 0x800710D9 Unable to read from
or write to the database"


--
torgeir, Microsoft MVP Scripting and WMI, Porsgrunn Norway
Administration scripting examples and an ONLINE version of
the 1328 page Scripting Guide:
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/scr...r/default.mspx

Torgeir, Many thanks for your assistance. SP2 loaded without difficulty
following your instructions and advice. Regards Geof

"Torgeir Bakken (MVP)" wrote:

> geoff wrote:
>
> > I am also experiencing difficulties successfully loading
> > WindowsXP-KB835935-SP2-ENU. as the error message "Unable toread from or write
> > to the database" pops up.
> > I have XP professional and use Automatic Updates but downloaded the 266mb
> > Service Pack from MS downloads.
> Hi
>
> I would think you need to delete/rename the .log files in
> the folder %windir%\Security\ (and maybe %windir%\System32\CatRoot2\).
>
> I have created a batch file that does this for you.
>
>
> http://www.michna.com/kb/WxSP2.htm#C...Service_Pack_2
>
> Look for fixdb.bat under "Error 0x800710D9 Unable to read from
> or write to the database"
>
>
> --
> torgeir, Microsoft MVP Scripting and WMI, Porsgrunn Norway
> Administration scripting examples and an ONLINE version of
> the 1328 page Scripting Guide:
> http://www.microsoft.com/technet/scr...r/default.mspx
>