Upgrade to SP2 failed and has caused problems....Help!

[JT Esq]

After attempting to upgrade SP2 using MS Update it failed part way through
and has caused the following problems. I don't have full admin rights on my
user account. It always was set up as admin and I am the only user on the PC.
This means I am unable to go back to a previous restore point. To overcome
this I booted up in Safe Mode. It looks as though I have admin rights in safe
mode except the system recovery screen presents me with a blank screen with
no recovery point option. In addition I cannot create a new admin account in
Safe Mode either. It looks as though I will need to fully recover using my
original system disks but am hesitant since all of my university work is on
this PC and do not want to loose it (I am in my last year!). Does anyone know
whether there is something else I can try before using this last resort? I am
confident in looking for and changing files if need be.

[Rick \Nutcase\ Rogers]

Hi,

When booting to Safe mode, logon as the administrator, not with your user
account (which may very well be corrupt at this point). First try
uninstalling SP2 (Control Panel/Add & Remove programs, make sure the box to
show updates is ticked at the top), or alternately try running the
spuninst.exe file in the $NtServicePackUninstall$ folder under C:\Windows.

--
Best of Luck,

Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP
http://mvp.support.microsoft.com/
Associate Expert - WindowsXP Expert Zone
www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone
Windows help - www.rickrogers.org

"JT Esq" <JT > wrote in message
...
> After attempting to upgrade SP2 using MS Update it failed part way through
> and has caused the following problems. I don't have full admin rights on
> my
> user account. It always was set up as admin and I am the only user on the
> PC.
> This means I am unable to go back to a previous restore point. To overcome
> this I booted up in Safe Mode. It looks as though I have admin rights in
> safe
> mode except the system recovery screen presents me with a blank screen
> with
> no recovery point option. In addition I cannot create a new admin account
> in
> Safe Mode either. It looks as though I will need to fully recover using my
> original system disks but am hesitant since all of my university work is
> on
> this PC and do not want to loose it (I am in my last year!). Does anyone
> know
> whether there is something else I can try before using this last resort? I
> am
> confident in looking for and changing files if need be.

[JT Esq]

Have tried uninstalling via control panel in safe mode. After an initial
question whether to continue because other programmes may be affected by the
uninstall, I OK'd this. The PC says it is inspecting current config. After
seven hours at this state I am assuming the uninstall is not going to plan!?
The file spuninst.exe does not exist in the said folder. Not sure if this now
means a complete recovery with the original disks but I have just had a
thought which you may say is a possibility or not. Can I start the PC in DOS
mode go to the config directory in c:\windows\system32\config and delete the
system file then rename the system.sav to system and then re boot? Is this
worth a try?

JT Esq

"Rick "Nutcase" Rogers" wrote:

> Hi,
>
> When booting to Safe mode, logon as the administrator, not with your user
> account (which may very well be corrupt at this point). First try
> uninstalling SP2 (Control Panel/Add & Remove programs, make sure the box to
> show updates is ticked at the top), or alternately try running the
> spuninst.exe file in the $NtServicePackUninstall$ folder under C:\Windows.
>
> --
> Best of Luck,
>
> Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP
> http://mvp.support.microsoft.com/
> Associate Expert - WindowsXP Expert Zone
> www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone
> Windows help - www.rickrogers.org
>
> "JT Esq" <JT > wrote in message
> ...
> > After attempting to upgrade SP2 using MS Update it failed part way through
> > and has caused the following problems. I don't have full admin rights on
> > my
> > user account. It always was set up as admin and I am the only user on the
> > PC.
> > This means I am unable to go back to a previous restore point. To overcome
> > this I booted up in Safe Mode. It looks as though I have admin rights in
> > safe
> > mode except the system recovery screen presents me with a blank screen
> > with
> > no recovery point option. In addition I cannot create a new admin account
> > in
> > Safe Mode either. It looks as though I will need to fully recover using my
> > original system disks but am hesitant since all of my university work is
> > on
> > this PC and do not want to loose it (I am in my last year!). Does anyone
> > know
> > whether there is something else I can try before using this last resort? I
> > am
> > confident in looking for and changing files if need be.
>
>
>

[Rick \Nutcase\ Rogers]

Hi,

As to your last question: No.

Now, check for the spuninst.exe file under:
C:\Windows\$NtServicePackUninstall%\spuninst

After 7 hours, is there any disk activity? Did you disable your antivirus
software first?

--
Best of Luck,

Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP
http://mvp.support.microsoft.com/
Associate Expert - WindowsXP Expert Zone
www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone
Windows help - www.rickrogers.org

"JT Esq" > wrote in message
...
> Have tried uninstalling via control panel in safe mode. After an initial
> question whether to continue because other programmes may be affected by
> the
> uninstall, I OK'd this. The PC says it is inspecting current config. After
> seven hours at this state I am assuming the uninstall is not going to
> plan!?
> The file spuninst.exe does not exist in the said folder. Not sure if this
> now
> means a complete recovery with the original disks but I have just had a
> thought which you may say is a possibility or not. Can I start the PC in
> DOS
> mode go to the config directory in c:\windows\system32\config and delete
> the
> system file then rename the system.sav to system and then re boot? Is this
> worth a try?
>
> JT Esq
>
> "Rick "Nutcase" Rogers" wrote:
>
>> Hi,
>>
>> When booting to Safe mode, logon as the administrator, not with your user
>> account (which may very well be corrupt at this point). First try
>> uninstalling SP2 (Control Panel/Add & Remove programs, make sure the box
>> to
>> show updates is ticked at the top), or alternately try running the
>> spuninst.exe file in the $NtServicePackUninstall$ folder under
>> C:\Windows.
>>
>> --
>> Best of Luck,
>>
>> Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP
>> http://mvp.support.microsoft.com/
>> Associate Expert - WindowsXP Expert Zone
>> www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone
>> Windows help - www.rickrogers.org
>>
>> "JT Esq" <JT > wrote in message
>> ...
>> > After attempting to upgrade SP2 using MS Update it failed part way
>> > through
>> > and has caused the following problems. I don't have full admin rights
>> > on
>> > my
>> > user account. It always was set up as admin and I am the only user on
>> > the
>> > PC.
>> > This means I am unable to go back to a previous restore point. To
>> > overcome
>> > this I booted up in Safe Mode. It looks as though I have admin rights
>> > in
>> > safe
>> > mode except the system recovery screen presents me with a blank screen
>> > with
>> > no recovery point option. In addition I cannot create a new admin
>> > account
>> > in
>> > Safe Mode either. It looks as though I will need to fully recover using
>> > my
>> > original system disks but am hesitant since all of my university work
>> > is
>> > on
>> > this PC and do not want to loose it (I am in my last year!). Does
>> > anyone
>> > know
>> > whether there is something else I can try before using this last
>> > resort? I
>> > am
>> > confident in looking for and changing files if need be.
>>
>>
>>

[JT Esq]

Thank you for your help. I have exhausted all avenues and drawn a blank. I
will do a system reload at the weekend.

"Rick "Nutcase" Rogers" wrote:

> Hi,
>
> As to your last question: No.
>
> Now, check for the spuninst.exe file under:
> C:\Windows\$NtServicePackUninstall%\spuninst
>
> After 7 hours, is there any disk activity? Did you disable your antivirus
> software first?
>
> --
> Best of Luck,
>
> Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP
> http://mvp.support.microsoft.com/
> Associate Expert - WindowsXP Expert Zone
> www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone
> Windows help - www.rickrogers.org
>
> "JT Esq" > wrote in message
> ...
> > Have tried uninstalling via control panel in safe mode. After an initial
> > question whether to continue because other programmes may be affected by
> > the
> > uninstall, I OK'd this. The PC says it is inspecting current config. After
> > seven hours at this state I am assuming the uninstall is not going to
> > plan!?
> > The file spuninst.exe does not exist in the said folder. Not sure if this
> > now
> > means a complete recovery with the original disks but I have just had a
> > thought which you may say is a possibility or not. Can I start the PC in
> > DOS
> > mode go to the config directory in c:\windows\system32\config and delete
> > the
> > system file then rename the system.sav to system and then re boot? Is this
> > worth a try?
> >
> > JT Esq
> >
> > "Rick "Nutcase" Rogers" wrote:
> >
> >> Hi,
> >>
> >> When booting to Safe mode, logon as the administrator, not with your user
> >> account (which may very well be corrupt at this point). First try
> >> uninstalling SP2 (Control Panel/Add & Remove programs, make sure the box
> >> to
> >> show updates is ticked at the top), or alternately try running the
> >> spuninst.exe file in the $NtServicePackUninstall$ folder under
> >> C:\Windows.
> >>
> >> --
> >> Best of Luck,
> >>
> >> Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP
> >> http://mvp.support.microsoft.com/
> >> Associate Expert - WindowsXP Expert Zone
> >> www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone
> >> Windows help - www.rickrogers.org
> >>
> >> "JT Esq" <JT > wrote in message
> >> ...
> >> > After attempting to upgrade SP2 using MS Update it failed part way
> >> > through
> >> > and has caused the following problems. I don't have full admin rights
> >> > on
> >> > my
> >> > user account. It always was set up as admin and I am the only user on
> >> > the
> >> > PC.
> >> > This means I am unable to go back to a previous restore point. To
> >> > overcome
> >> > this I booted up in Safe Mode. It looks as though I have admin rights
> >> > in
> >> > safe
> >> > mode except the system recovery screen presents me with a blank screen
> >> > with
> >> > no recovery point option. In addition I cannot create a new admin
> >> > account
> >> > in
> >> > Safe Mode either. It looks as though I will need to fully recover using
> >> > my
> >> > original system disks but am hesitant since all of my university work
> >> > is
> >> > on
> >> > this PC and do not want to loose it (I am in my last year!). Does
> >> > anyone
> >> > know
> >> > whether there is something else I can try before using this last
> >> > resort? I
> >> > am
> >> > confident in looking for and changing files if need be.
> >>
> >>
> >>
>
>
>