SP2 installed, then ... BSOD 2

[philote]

I apologize if this has already been brought up, but the search in TT is temporarily offline and I didn't see this posted in the last few days.

I've been working on a coworker's computer off an on for a while now. They are constantly getting viruses and spyware despite using spybot and norton. I believe this is due to his teenage daughters installing all sorts of stuff they download. I thought maybe SP2 would help a bit with this and secure their computer a little more. I had downloaded it yesterday and burned it onto cd. I ran spybot and norton to try to get the computer as cleaned up as possible, then I installed SP2. It seemed to go fine until... it finished installing, rebooted, and came up with a BSOD saying it couldn't find winsrv. I'm not sure what to do at this point, though I know a couple of my options. Should I do "last known good config", try to get the winsrv files from SP2 and copy them onto the machine, do a repair install of XP, or what?

 

[linney]

This seems to be a common problem in SP2 if you follow this link.

http://groups.google.com/groups?sourceid=navclient&ie=UTF-8&q=winsrv+sp2+xp

You could try replacing the missing file, winsrv.dat or winsrv.dll in the \windows\system32 folder with either SP2's or the original XP's. It also could be corruption in the Registry causing this.

To get SP2 to load you are probably going to require a healthy version of XP to update, not one riddled with various problems from living the "high life".

This machine may require a complete clean out (format and re-install of XP from the original CD), SP2 should install then.

It is also possible that your download or burn corrupted SP2 although this seems less likely.

Can you boot into Safe Mode and uninstall SP2 with the uninstall procedure. Even System Restore (via Safe Mode) would get you back to before SP2.

If you are lucky enough to load XP, backup any valuable data before you try SP2 again.

You could try repairing windows by running it over itself. You will lose all your windows updates (SP2 included) but your files will be untouched.

How to Perform an In-Place Upgrade (Reinstallation) of Windows XP (Q315341)

http://support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/q315/3/41.asp

 

[gpalmer711]

The following details how to uninstall SP2 from the recovery console

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?kbid=875350&product=windowsxpsp2

Greg Palmer
Free Software for Adminstrators

http://www.palmersoft.co.uk

 

[philote]

Well, I uninstalled SP2 from the recovery console since I couldn't get into safe mode. This stopped the 'stop error' problem but then it would only show a cursor atop a black screen, and nothing else. So I did a repair install of Windows and now everything seems to be fine. But it looks like I don't even have SP1 now, which I expected to happen. I'm wondering whether I should try SP2 again or what. I really don't want to have to back up everything, reinstall windows, and reinstall all the software so any advice would be great.

 

[linney]

Try SP2 once more and see if it works. If not you may have to go the clean install after a format route to get it in. This would require the re-installation of your programs but your Windows Updates would be current.

At this moment (no SP2) you require all your Windows Updates to be done but your programs are OK.

Difficult choices, but I recommend getting SP2 installed one way or the other.

 

[philote]

That's what I was thinking about doing, so I'll go for it. Thanks for the advice and I'll let you know how it goes.

 

[philote]

I booted into safe mode before installing, just in case. And it worked!

 

[linney]

I am glad that worked for you. I have looked in the past at installing SP2 RC2 in Safe Mode on a troublesome system and was surprised to get a warning on setup of the update stating words similar to -

"You are attempting to install this update in Safe Mode, Microsoft does not recommend installing in Safe Mode unless you cannot start your machine in any other mode"

Did you see that warning?

 

[philote]

No I didn't, that's kind of strange. You'd think they'd recommend that you install in safe mode, not the other way around.

 

[linney]

Well, it was RC2, maybe things have changed. Incidentally that install was unsuccessful, I ended up doing a clean install followed by RC2 with no further problems.

All the best.