SP3 unstable

I have a fresh install of W2K - 5 to 6 weeks old, rock stable. Decided to upgrade. One of the first upgrades is SP3, which results in blue screen of death. After days of trials, fighting for every successful boot, I finally gave up and uninstalled.

Somebody suggested I check drivers for currency. I found a W2K version of my display driver, which added neat functionality, but still no luck with a clean SP3. Any ideas?

Thanks
Mike

 

Well Yuck. Bad luck there. And unusual since SP3 is normally a trouble-free service pack.

Try the following and post back if it still doesn't work:

- check for a BIOS update and if one is available, load it.
- remove all devices you possibly can except video, kbd, mouse.
- cmd window and sfc /scannow to make sure you don't have some versionitis in there somewhere.
- cmd window and chkdsk /r just for good measure
- boot to VGA mode and install SP3

If that works, add your other devices back in and you should hopefully be good to go.

 

To Newt's execellent advice I will add.

Run Disk cleanup.

Turn off firewalls and virus scanners.

Or better D/L install and run Starup Control panel and turn everything off durining the install.

http://www.mlin.net/StartupCPL.shtml

And if possible I would D/L the SP to the HD and run from there also.

Mike

 

Tall order, gents! It'll have to wait until weekend, when I have ample time, then I'll report back results. Not sure I know how to run the update from HD - maybe instructions on MS site? Meanwhile, thanks.

By contrast to my fresh install, wife's Cyrix 266, 3.1->98->2K->SP3->all updates, has been running fine. But last night she experienced a total lockup; no keyboard response, etc - had to physically reset. This happened while I was pulling down fair-sized files from the office, but I was using dial-up. Could I have caused the problem? Is it possible that some command leaks through to the router resulting in a block? Is there a way/need to disable NIC when using modem?

 

No the dialup would not have effected her in any way. No need to turn of the NIC.

The lockup your wife had is probably not related to SP3. When these things happen at first opportunity do a Disk Clean, Spy/Adware clean, scandisk, defrag and full virus scan.

The processes presented by Newt and myself look worse than they are.

I have done many SP3 installs. Installed running programs and some hardware sometimes interfere with the actual install. But if they are reactivated after the install usually they are OK.

I have found using the proceedure of disconecting all external HW including network cable etc. Cleaning scanning, defrag turning off all startups then installing from the HD alsmost garantees a sucessful update.

This seems to be even more pertinent because of the prior problem.

The full SP3 is a large file 125 megs, after installation you might want to burn it to CD (good idea) and remove it from HD. Definately use the Hi Speed connection.

On the right side of screen pick the network version, it has everything.

http://www.microsoft.com/Windows2000/downloads/servicepacks/sp3/download.asp

Good luck,

Mike

 

ownuridea - to run the SP from the hard disk, just put it on there in a folder of your choice and then double-click the exe.

And Mike's additional suggestions are excellent. I should have included them.

The only slightly tricky part of all this stuff is the BIOS upgrade. Otherwise, just takes a little time. Well, maybe a lot of time but mostly you don't have to sit there while it is happening.

You will need to have the 2K CD inserted for the sfc /scannow.

And one last note - everything suggested by both of us is pretty standard for cleaning up a system and doing major installs. Not always necessary but always safe. I'll freely confess I don't always do all of it - unless I have a problem.