Tried the SP3 update and that didn't go well for my system..
long story short- had to format drive and do total reinstall XP home.

not trying the SP3 again for awhile - just need to get the other updates/hot fixes etc.

Now I can't get any of the critical updates, they download but fail to install.
looked on the net for tips - found some - tried them but still nothing installs.
turned off AV, Aspy, Firewall etc. {only while trying to get updates}

If anyone has any ideas let me know...

I finally did send MS an email request for help so if they give me info that works I'll post it.

Are you getting any error messages that appear when installation fails? If so, what do the mssg.s state? (A sample.)

If no help avails itself via MS, and I'd probably do this anyway, I'd roll back the machine to a checkpoint when everything was working well. (post when SP2 was installed).

Was SP2 installed before or after your AV, Aspy, Firewall, etc.?

Aspy would probably be the one I'd select to remove, first and temporarily, for diagnostic purposes.

The thing I'd be looking for or trying to determine is whether one of the installed programs (and/or its underlying files) is causing some type of conflict interfering with the ability to do further installations.

For some reason, anti-spy. apps. have been tending to mess up people's machines.

That's the short "what I'd do" stuff.

The more tiresome one is to look at the computer's logs of, i.e., Events.

I'm booting my laptop with XP; I don't remember whether XP has the ability to go to the machine's Performance Information, then, to view Probs. & Solutions (as can be done with VISTA).

what a pain this must be for you!

The SP3 install went okay on this computer. (desktop), but my husband says the laptop (which is newer) is running a bit slower on boot up now that SP3 went to it this week.

I guess we were lucky? I will especially thank the "computer gods" tonight!

... just thought of something (and before un-installing any of your programs) ...

I don't know whether you may have seen this:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/943144


ETA: Jo,y'know if you have tried any of the ideas you might see posted here (within this thread), people posting won't know since that info. also isn't stated. Please bear with us .

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/949377/

You know, Spybot has be pinging us to accept changes in the registry lately (newest version).

I have denied them, not knowing what it was all about.
But I did accept the last one, as it followed the SP3 download on the laptop. (I haven't seen it yet on this desktop).

Does accepting that prompt mean anything serious in regards to updates?

I'm not sure MrsD.; been awake all night with a sucky cold and my brain is foggy.


If you mean whether the prompt to update your Spybot is anything to worry about related to future Spybot updates or in relation to Windows Updates, I'm unclear.

Either way, I'm not very familiar with Spybot, SpyDoctor and other such programs.

On my software, though, when I receive notices that updates are available, I generally delay for a bit - to feel more assured that (possible lingering) glitches will have been ironed out by the time I download and install.

Others who use Spybot or comparable are probably better suited to answer your question.

Too, Spybot's website might present the answer if it has a FAQ page, a Help guide (wtihin the program), or a Knowledge Base.

My CD is a replacement for my original -it came with the SP2 on it already.

I think I will try uninstalling the av, aspy etc and try it that way.
That might be it since I did get some updates early on and then none , maybe it was after I added the security stuff...

back later have to try to fix aunts pc now LOL

... getting a better picture now ...

And, it seems that your XP was bundled with SP2. That's the best way - for any/all SPs to come.

Because of that, and because it seems that you're stating that everything was working okay after the install of XP and SP2, it would lead me to suspect it is something about having installed subsequent programs before trying to do additional Windows Updates.

Yeah, I'd try the uninstall, particularly of the anti-Spy program, first. It can always be installed later - after you have the Updates you want/need for your machine.

Yeah it worked finally!!
removed all the AV & anti spyware
Also ran CCleaner after the removal of those programs.

Yippee!!!

I don't know exactly what it is about anti-Spy programs but they do seem to be causing probs. for people - and their computers.