Cannot Install SP3 ("File Open or In Use")

[RH610]

I'm trying to install Service Pack 3 on my Win2k Server machine and got the error message:

"The file C:\WINNT\SYSTEM32\telnet.EXE is open or in use by another application"

The install procedure then halts and I cannot install the service pack.

Now, I know telnet service was not running and telnet.exe was not open or in use by anything. It is not in task manager and the service is disabled. In spite of that, I renamed all instances of telnet.exe on the C drive, rebooted and retried the WIN2K SP3 install. Now I always get

"The file C:\WINNT\SYSTEM32\command.com is open or in use by another application"

Now I'm really going, "What gives?" Command.com is not open or in use by anything. Something weird is going on. I am the local administrator and signed in as such. I am in the "adminstrators" group. I don't think I should go renaming command.com, besides, I'm sure an error would pop up with some other file name.

Any Ideas?

Thank You

 

[karlisi]

Check for viruses before patching. Perhaps you have telnet server and there is open connection?

===
Karlis
ECDL; MCP

 

[RH610]

Thanks for the reply. As I said in my original message, though, I renamed all instances of telnet.exe and do not get the telnet error anymore. The error I now get refers to command.com being in use (which it isn't). I don't think this is an issue of some file being in use, but rather some sort of problem with WIN2K. What problem exactly is what I don't know (permissions? or something else?)

Thank You

 

[sham14]

I had similar issue recently. Someone had removed the security for accessing the file I was getting error message for. Maybe just have a look and check security tab for that file (right click on file - properties - security) and make sure system has adequate permission to replace the file.

 

[RH610]

Thanks Sham14,

Even though I was logged on as Administrator, I still had to give full access permissions to the "everyone" group (they had been removed on certain files for security purposes) on the files in question (command.com, cmd.com, telnet.exe) in order for the Win2K SP3 to install.

 

[karlisi]

Admins do not have full access to objects by default, you should grant these rights to them. If you removed permissions for Everyone, you should give full access to Administrator and System to avoid problems.

===
Karlis
ECDL; MCP