Incomplete Uninstall of SP2 Crippling System

[Major Malfunction]

Here's a problem I'm working on for someone. I was removing parasite
programs for someone's computer. I had to stop for the day and told them I'd
be back. While I'm gone, someone else comes along and tries to uninstall SP2
from the system. Allegedly, their ISP Tech Support said they were having
trouble with XP-SP2. (This is totally bogus as the problem I was working on
is not an ISP problem nor a SP2 problem.)

When I returned the next day, I found the machine trying to complete the SP2
uninstall. It was sitting at the same point "for about an hour", I was told,
and clearly stalled. The next thing I knew, he reached over and pulled the
plug "as it wasn't going to finish anyway".

Now, I fear, the computer is between states. Booting normally, we can
eventually get to a desktop, but there is not taskbar and the Flag Key
(Windows Key?) is unresponsive. Keyboard shortcuts, i.e. Flag-R or Flag-E,
do work and have been used to open command prompts and Windows Explorer.

I tried to restore to SP2 by reinstalling SP2. Using the command line, I was
able to copy SP2 to the hard drive, access the service pack and start the
install process. The process unpacks the service pack, but quits with an
error message relating to the Cryptographic Service not running. Using the
Run command, I am able to open the Computer management Console and was able
to verify this service, and several others, have not started. I am unable to
start the service and am unable to bring up any properties for the service.

Just to complete the picture, this is a typical home user: while they have
all the install disks for their games and additional programs (MS Office
2003) but they are unable to locate their original XP Home install disk.
Their PC, a Compaq, does have a recovery partition, but the files are locked
and there seems to be no way to access these files.

Help please?!

[Steve N.]

Malke wrote:

> Major Malfunction wrote:
>
> OMG. I totally feel for you. See my comments inline:
>
>
>>Here's a problem I'm working on for someone. I was removing parasite
>>programs for someone's computer. I had to stop for the day and told
>>them I'd be back. While I'm gone, someone else comes along and tries
>>to uninstall SP2 from the system. Allegedly, their ISP Tech Support
>>said they were having trouble with XP-SP2. (This is totally bogus as
>>the problem I was working on is not an ISP problem nor a SP2 problem.)
>
>
> You are not responsible for this. The client allowed this to happen. Bad
> decision on their part.
>
>>When I returned the next day, I found the machine trying to complete
>>the SP2 uninstall. It was sitting at the same point "for about an
>>hour", I was told, and clearly stalled. The next thing I knew, he
>>reached over and pulled the plug "as it wasn't going to finish
>>anyway".
>
>
> You are not responsible for this. The client allowed this to happen. Bad
> decision on their part.
>
>>Now, I fear, the computer is between states. Booting normally, we can
>>eventually get to a desktop, but there is not taskbar and the Flag Key
>>(Windows Key?) is unresponsive. Keyboard shortcuts, i.e. Flag-R or
>>Flag-E, do work and have been used to open command prompts and Windows
>>Explorer.
>
>
> You're absolutely right. The installation is toast. And to top it off,
> you have no idea what *really* was done while you were gone. Did I
> mention that you are not responsible for this?
>
>
>>I tried to restore to SP2 by reinstalling SP2. Using the command line,
>>I was able to copy SP2 to the hard drive, access the service pack and
>>start the install process. The process unpacks the service pack, but
>>quits with an error message relating to the Cryptographic Service not
>>running. Using the Run command, I am able to open the Computer
>>management Console and was able to verify this service, and several
>>others, have not started. I am unable to start the service and am
>>unable to bring up any properties for the service.
>
>
> You need to offer to rescue their data and completely format and
> reinstall Windows. No amount of messing with this system is going to
> produce something stable in the end. Cut the losses, format, clean
> install, move on. See below for more.
>
>>Just to complete the picture, this is a typical home user: while they
>>have all the install disks for their games and additional programs (MS
>>Office 2003) but they are unable to locate their original XP Home
>>install disk. Their PC, a Compaq, does have a recovery partition, but
>>the files are locked and there seems to be no way to access these
>>files.
>
>
> The client has two choices: 1) contact Compaq for a replacement Restore
> Disk cd for their exact model and wait for it to get there; 2) buy a
> retail copy of WinXP Home and have you install it. If you do the
> latter, of course the client's warranty with Compaq is void. If it's an
> older machine, no biggie on that. Remove all partitions, including the
> Compaq hidden one (after all, you're never going to use the Compaq
> Restore Disk feature), create new ones, install the retail XP, get
> drivers from the HP/Compaq site.
>
> Good luck, and remember this is not your fault,
>
> Malke

As usual, you give excellent advice Malke.

However, I would check on the warranty specifics for the machine. I'm
not sure about Compaq warranties but I do know that Dell hardware
warranties are not voided if you install an OS other than that supplied.
Of course the OEM support for the OS would be invalidated, but since
that is virtually meaningless it's a moot point anyway.

Steve

[Jim Byrd]

Hi Major - You may well have to follow one of the routes outlined by Malke
or Steve N.; however, there's one possible "deparate" measure you might want
to go to first:

Uninstalling Windows XP SP 2 using Recovery
Console http://win-xp-sp.blogspot.com/2004_08_01_win-xp-sp_archive.html


--
Please respond in the same thread.
Regards, Jim Byrd, MS-MVP



In ,
Major Malfunction > typed:
> Here's a problem I'm working on for someone. I was removing parasite
> programs for someone's computer. I had to stop for the day and told
> them I'd be back. While I'm gone, someone else comes along and tries
> to uninstall SP2 from the system. Allegedly, their ISP Tech Support
> said they were having trouble with XP-SP2. (This is totally bogus as
> the problem I was working on is not an ISP problem nor a SP2 problem.)
>
> When I returned the next day, I found the machine trying to complete
> the SP2 uninstall. It was sitting at the same point "for about an
> hour", I was told, and clearly stalled. The next thing I knew, he
> reached over and pulled the plug "as it wasn't going to finish
> anyway".
>
> Now, I fear, the computer is between states. Booting normally, we can
> eventually get to a desktop, but there is not taskbar and the Flag Key
> (Windows Key?) is unresponsive. Keyboard shortcuts, i.e. Flag-R or
> Flag-E, do work and have been used to open command prompts and
> Windows Explorer.
>
> I tried to restore to SP2 by reinstalling SP2. Using the command
> line, I was able to copy SP2 to the hard drive, access the service
> pack and start the install process. The process unpacks the service
> pack, but quits with an error message relating to the Cryptographic
> Service not running. Using the Run command, I am able to open the
> Computer management Console and was able to verify this service, and
> several others, have not started. I am unable to start the service
> and am unable to bring up any properties for the service.
>
> Just to complete the picture, this is a typical home user: while they
> have all the install disks for their games and additional programs
> (MS Office 2003) but they are unable to locate their original XP Home
> install disk. Their PC, a Compaq, does have a recovery partition, but
> the files are locked and there seems to be no way to access these
> files.
>
> Help please?!

[Malke]

Steve N. wrote:

> Malke wrote:
>
>> Major Malfunction wrote:
>>
>> OMG. I totally feel for you. See my comments inline:
>>
>>
>>>Here's a problem I'm working on for someone. I was removing parasite
>>>programs for someone's computer. I had to stop for the day and told
>>>them I'd be back. While I'm gone, someone else comes along and tries
>>>to uninstall SP2 from the system. Allegedly, their ISP Tech Support
>>>said they were having trouble with XP-SP2. (This is totally bogus as
>>>the problem I was working on is not an ISP problem nor a SP2
>>>problem.)
>>
>>
>> You are not responsible for this. The client allowed this to happen.
>> Bad decision on their part.
>>
>>>When I returned the next day, I found the machine trying to complete
>>>the SP2 uninstall. It was sitting at the same point "for about an
>>>hour", I was told, and clearly stalled. The next thing I knew, he
>>>reached over and pulled the plug "as it wasn't going to finish
>>>anyway".
>>
>>
>> You are not responsible for this. The client allowed this to happen.
>> Bad decision on their part.
>>
>>>Now, I fear, the computer is between states. Booting normally, we can
>>>eventually get to a desktop, but there is not taskbar and the Flag
>>>Key (Windows Key?) is unresponsive. Keyboard shortcuts, i.e. Flag-R
>>>or Flag-E, do work and have been used to open command prompts and
>>>Windows Explorer.
>>
>>
>> You're absolutely right. The installation is toast. And to top it
>> off, you have no idea what *really* was done while you were gone. Did
>> I mention that you are not responsible for this?
>>
>>
>>>I tried to restore to SP2 by reinstalling SP2. Using the command
>>>line, I was able to copy SP2 to the hard drive, access the service
>>>pack and start the install process. The process unpacks the service
>>>pack, but quits with an error message relating to the Cryptographic
>>>Service not running. Using the Run command, I am able to open the
>>>Computer management Console and was able to verify this service, and
>>>several others, have not started. I am unable to start the service
>>>and am unable to bring up any properties for the service.
>>
>>
>> You need to offer to rescue their data and completely format and
>> reinstall Windows. No amount of messing with this system is going to
>> produce something stable in the end. Cut the losses, format, clean
>> install, move on. See below for more.
>>
>>>Just to complete the picture, this is a typical home user: while they
>>>have all the install disks for their games and additional programs
>>>(MS Office 2003) but they are unable to locate their original XP Home
>>>install disk. Their PC, a Compaq, does have a recovery partition, but
>>>the files are locked and there seems to be no way to access these
>>>files.
>>
>>
>> The client has two choices: 1) contact Compaq for a replacement
>> Restore Disk cd for their exact model and wait for it to get there;
>> 2) buy a retail copy of WinXP Home and have you install it. If you do
>> the latter, of course the client's warranty with Compaq is void. If
>> it's an older machine, no biggie on that. Remove all partitions,
>> including the Compaq hidden one (after all, you're never going to use
>> the Compaq Restore Disk feature), create new ones, install the retail
>> XP, get drivers from the HP/Compaq site.
>>
>> Good luck, and remember this is not your fault,
>>
>> Malke
>
> As usual, you give excellent advice Malke.
>
> However, I would check on the warranty specifics for the machine. I'm
> not sure about Compaq warranties but I do know that Dell hardware
> warranties are not voided if you install an OS other than that
> supplied. Of course the OEM support for the OS would be invalidated,
> but since that is virtually meaningless it's a moot point anyway.
>
> Steve

You're so sweet, Steve. I wuv u.

Malke
--
MS MVP - Windows Shell/User
Elephant Boy Computers
www.elephantboycomputers.com
"Don't Panic!"

[Malke]

Jim Byrd wrote:

> Hi Major - You may well have to follow one of the routes outlined by
> Malke or Steve N.; however, there's one possible "deparate" measure
> you might want to go to first:
>
> Uninstalling Windows XP SP 2 using Recovery
> Console
> http://win-xp-sp.blogspot.com/2004_08_01_win-xp-sp_archive.html
>
>
Hi, Jim. It's true he could try just uninstalling SP2 that way, but the
reason I didn't suggest it is because from my own unhappy experience
with this sort of thing, the machine is in such a twist that the best
thing to do is start over. Also, depending on how the OP is charging,
from a practical standpoint it could take many more hours to try and
untangle the system than to just wipe it. The client will be happier to
spend less money and the OP will stop twitching eventually. ;-)

Malke
--
MS MVP - Windows Shell/User
Elephant Boy Computers
www.elephantboycomputers.com
"Don't Panic!"

[Jim Byrd]

OK, makes sense, Malke. I'll leave it to you XP gurus. (Anything's better
than that "twitching" thing - ugly, that is!) :)

--
Please respond in the same thread.
Regards, Jim Byrd, MS-MVP



In ,
Malke > typed:
> Jim Byrd wrote:
>
>> Hi Major - You may well have to follow one of the routes outlined by
>> Malke or Steve N.; however, there's one possible "deparate" measure
>> you might want to go to first:
>>
>> Uninstalling Windows XP SP 2 using Recovery
>> Console
>> http://win-xp-sp.blogspot.com/2004_08_01_win-xp-sp_archive.html
>>
>>
> Hi, Jim. It's true he could try just uninstalling SP2 that way, but
> the reason I didn't suggest it is because from my own unhappy
> experience with this sort of thing, the machine is in such a twist
> that the best thing to do is start over. Also, depending on how the
> OP is charging, from a practical standpoint it could take many more
> hours to try and untangle the system than to just wipe it. The client
> will be happier to spend less money and the OP will stop twitching
> eventually. ;-)
>
> Malke

[Major Malfunction]

Thanks to everyone who offered suggestions. The PC is out of warranty, so
I'm opting for the simpler plan: wiping and starting over. The client agreed
to buy an XP upgrade and I'm using that to wipe all partitions and reinstall
XP and their programs. Prior to wiping the system, I did manage to get it
stable enough to copy their important data to Zip disks for backup . . . but
only from a command line. GUI copy was not working. I'd boot the system, go
get coffee while the OS stabilized, get a refill after going through a
prompt for new software installs, get more coffee while waiting for the
desktop to show, open a command window, issue the xcopy and get still more
coffee waiting for the command to execute. I did test the archives I did
copy and the information is readable on another system.

Ah yes, the experience of having used DOS and using XCOPY does come in handy
now and then.

Again, thanks to all and we can let this thread die.

"Jim Byrd" > wrote in message
...
> Hi Major - You may well have to follow one of the routes outlined by Malke
> or Steve N.; however, there's one possible "deparate" measure you might
want
> to go to first:
>
> Uninstalling Windows XP SP 2 using Recovery
> Console http://win-xp-sp.blogspot.com/2004_08_01_win-xp-sp_archive.html
>
>
> --
> Please respond in the same thread.
> Regards, Jim Byrd, MS-MVP
>
>
>
> In ,
> Major Malfunction > typed:
> > Here's a problem I'm working on for someone. I was removing parasite
> > programs for someone's computer. I had to stop for the day and told
> > them I'd be back. While I'm gone, someone else comes along and tries
> > to uninstall SP2 from the system. Allegedly, their ISP Tech Support
> > said they were having trouble with XP-SP2. (This is totally bogus as
> > the problem I was working on is not an ISP problem nor a SP2 problem.)
> >
> > When I returned the next day, I found the machine trying to complete
> > the SP2 uninstall. It was sitting at the same point "for about an
> > hour", I was told, and clearly stalled. The next thing I knew, he
> > reached over and pulled the plug "as it wasn't going to finish
> > anyway".
> >
> > Now, I fear, the computer is between states. Booting normally, we can
> > eventually get to a desktop, but there is not taskbar and the Flag Key
> > (Windows Key?) is unresponsive. Keyboard shortcuts, i.e. Flag-R or
> > Flag-E, do work and have been used to open command prompts and
> > Windows Explorer.
> >
> > I tried to restore to SP2 by reinstalling SP2. Using the command
> > line, I was able to copy SP2 to the hard drive, access the service
> > pack and start the install process. The process unpacks the service
> > pack, but quits with an error message relating to the Cryptographic
> > Service not running. Using the Run command, I am able to open the
> > Computer management Console and was able to verify this service, and
> > several others, have not started. I am unable to start the service
> > and am unable to bring up any properties for the service.
> >
> > Just to complete the picture, this is a typical home user: while they
> > have all the install disks for their games and additional programs
> > (MS Office 2003) but they are unable to locate their original XP Home
> > install disk. Their PC, a Compaq, does have a recovery partition, but
> > the files are locked and there seems to be no way to access these
> > files.
> >
> > Help please?!
>