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Yes, I broke down today and bought Windows XP SP2. Currently I'm attempting to do an upgrade install on my computer, but unfortunately it keeps hanging while trying to "Install Devices". It's been at 34 minutes left for the past half hour or so. The hard drive is doing nothing.

I have no idea what the problem might be since Windows won't tell me.

Anyone have any ideas here? I'm about to flip out.

And the first person to say "Use Linux" or "Use Mac" will get bitchslapped.

use BSD!

Use Amiga.

Windows is offended by something you have in your computer.

Remove any expansion cards you can and try again.

Listen, cocks. I have a real problem here and I'm looking for help, not a bunch of smarmy smartasses spamming the fucking thread. If you don't have anything to contribute, then do the board a favor and shut up.

And thanks, Vendetta. I'll have a peek around.

I just posted that while I was looking up the problem, but if that's going to be your overall attitude I just won't bother.

Have you tried closing all background applications? SP2 is a reasonably large update and I wouldn't be surprised if some other app was screwing with the attempted changes.

right sorry, I had the same problem, I just decided to go after your mac linux comment don't say it if you dont want people to loophole it.
It had something to do with my internet options, something about bocking certain dl files, no matter where they come from.

From what it sounds like he's trying to update from a previous windows to XPSP2, not from XP or XPSP1.

Which is where the 'installing drivers' bit happens. SP2's install in an existing XP doesn't have that.

Vendetta wrote:From what it sounds like he's trying to update from a previous windows to XPSP2, not from XP or XPSP1.

Ah, misread it.

If its an option, a clean install would probably be the best bet. I always consider upgrading Windows a poor option, as bits tend to be left behind.

Looks like it's just taking it's damn time now, actually...it's up to "Installing Network".

Slartibartfast wrote:I just posted that while I was looking up the problem, but if that's going to be your overall attitude I just won't bother.

Oh I'm sorry, I just tend to respond negatively when people respond to help request threads with useless spamming.

Cabwi Desco wrote:right sorry, I had the same problem, I just decided to go after your mac linux comment don't say it if you dont want people to loophole it.

You knew damn well that that sort of reply would have gotten the same treatment.


In any case, thanks to all the other guys who had actual suggestions.

I was going to suggest you kill USB device drivers, but it looks like you're okay. I had a problem caused by either my USB cardreader or my iPod, and I had to kill the drivers before it would work. I think it got confused looking for all my 'drives'.

Okay, my brother-in-law suggested that I take out the network cord and see if it went past the hangup, and it did. Thanks to all of you for your help.

Also, I'd like to apologize to Slartibartfast and Cabwi Desco. I was angry at the time and snapped at you guys a little harshly.

I too second or third the opinion that upgrades are meh, and clean installs are the way to go, but if you can do it without having to start from scratch, then yay for you.

Shinova wrote:I too second or third the opinion that upgrades are meh, and clean installs are the way to go, but if you can do it without having to start from scratch, then yay for you.

*grumble* It was working fine for a while before it started throwing a hissy fit and refusing to start Windows. Not sure if it was one of the hotfixes I installed in that flurry of installs. I took out all the other stuff I had put in (stylexp, logitech mouse, avg antivirus etc) and still I can only boot into Safe Mode.

Daltonator wrote:*grumble* It was working fine for a while before it started throwing a hissy fit and refusing to start Windows. Not sure if it was one of the hotfixes I installed in that flurry of installs. I took out all the other stuff I had put in (stylexp, logitech mouse, avg antivirus etc) and still I can only boot into Safe Mode.

Well, Hardware Compatibility List (HCL) may sounds very old, but do you have an old, legacy device attached to your computer?

As for updating (even service packs), Winblows have tendency to act funny. The best way is to reinstall fresh from scratch (reformatting the hard drive; I hope you have separate partitions for O/S and data), install the latest SP, and then proceed with your drivers/apps. But it's not very practical, though.

If you don't want to re-install, probably you may want to check your devices. If you find the culprit, then try uninstalling the device, install the SP2, then install the device again.

Also, SPs tend to re-writing some existing drivers if the SP's driver is newer. Alas, this not always the best solution. Usually it's safe to answer "Yes" when the installer asked whether you want to install newer driver, but in few cases it can cause some problems (a friend of mine had similar problem as yours, and after reinstalling from scratch, he answered NO for newer driver installation. Then it works. It was his RAID drivers, IIRC.)

Cumbersome? Yes. Winblows is the kind of operating system often tempts you to bash your monitor out of madness.

Waait...you're installing XPSP2 fresh from /CD/ on top of an existing XP install? No bloody wonder you're having trouble, just get the SP2 updater and run it from SP1 XP if you need to. Course by now it sounds well and truly borked, so best bet is going to be a data backup followed by a good, thorough nuking.

White Haven wrote:Waait...you're installing XPSP2 fresh from /CD/ on top of an existing XP install? No bloody wonder you're having trouble, just get the SP2 updater and run it from SP1 XP if you need to. Course by now it sounds well and truly borked, so best bet is going to be a data backup followed by a good, thorough nuking.

Well, what I tried to do was upgrade what I had (XP Pro, no SP) to XP SP2. Yeah, that's probably what caused the problem, but I can be a real dunce sometimes. What I'm going to try to do is go into Safe Mode again and uninstall Service Pack 2. With any luck I'll be back to my old setup and able to reinstall stuff.

Describe exactly what you did to install in the first place...there's several different things you could have done, and it might help to know which one.

White Haven wrote:Describe exactly what you did to install in the first place...there's several different things you could have done, and it might help to know which one.

OK, the short version...

I picked up Windows XP Pro SP2 Full. My computer was running XP Pro with no service packs. When it gave me the option I chose the recommended one, which was an upgrade (after removing a couple of third-party kernel modifications). After many headaches the installation finally finished and I booted into Windows normally. After that I went about reinstalling certain items. I had to reinstall AVG Antivirus and my Logitech MX1000 mouse. I also replaced Windows Notepad with Metapad, my editing app of choice and installed StyleXP to get my theme back. Around this time is when it started having trouble booting into Windows; it either hangs at the loading screen or a blank screen right after. The HDD light blinks on and off every second or so and nothing seems to happen. When I reboot it I get the option to go into Safe Mode; Last Known Good Configuration produces the same errors. I had went in there and uninstalled AVG, the Logitech software, StyleXP and Motherboard Monitor, which also threw up an error. No change on reboot. *sighs*

Bozhe moi. So you had a modified, hacked-up copy of old-school windows, which you applied SP2 in in a funky way, and then proceeded to hack it up yet again. Nuke it, man, nuke it from high orbit. At this point I couldn't even BEGIN to say what-all's borked.

If I were you, I'd go for a clean install, and reinstall all your applications.

When it comes down to Windows, clean reinstalls aren't exclusive to major upgrades either, they're also a good idea to do them every year or two even if you didn't upgrade.

Whoo boy. OK, thanks for the advice. Gotta back up some leftovers on the C: drive though.

Thanks again.

Just did a clean install; things seem to be working.