XP SP3 vs. Dial a Fix tools

[Guest superc]

Since upgrading to SP3 I am running into an interesting problem using any tools that prompt for installation media.

I am asked insert the XP SP3 install CD.

Of course there is no such thing and whatever Dial A Fix is looking for, it is not interested in the original XP SP2 disk.

I even tried downloading the XP ISO file then making an SP3 CD, but Dial A Fix doesn't like that disk either.

Has anyone come up with a workaround for this?

[DjLizard]

Note: Dial-a-fix is actually asking the operating itself to reinstall whatever you requested by launching rundll32 against setupapi.dll.

Is this for a specific computer, or a problem with SP3 machines in general? (I have yet to try Dial-a-fix with SP3 due to the time constraints of my new job.) If you are trying to get a specific service to reinstall itself, call Microsoft as they have free support for SP3 issues (I don't know if it's still in effect but I assume so) and this would be an SP3 issue (not a Dial-a-fix issue). If it's just a general question, I have no idea how to fix or work around this because it's SP3's fault.

Forums madman 'cluberti' might be able to shed more light on this one.

[Guest Ken]

It is generic to all SP3 machines, or at least the Intel ones. I have 3 that upgraded to SP3 (thank you MS! NOY!) and now I too am being prompted for the XP SP3 installation disk. Have tried everything including uninstalling SP3 on one of them. No luck. Need to repair my MSI and also the Windows Installer. Attempts to do that tell me to run SFC repair. Of course two minutes into that routine I am prompted to insert my XP SP3 Installation disk. As noted above, there is no such thing.

[Guest Ken]

Okay some experimentation has produced a positive result.

Exit the net, or turn Auto Updates off. Purge the SFC Cache. Then Repair Permissions. You will now probably be prompted for the original XP disk. Then run SFC Scan. Then fix whatever else needs fixing. Here on my PCs as soon as I turned auto update back on however it immediately started downloading something. Don't care as WMI seems to be fixed now.

[Tarq57]

Would creating an ISO with the original disc, the SP3 installer (full download from Ms) using the program nlite, then burning it to disk (in effect, creating your own up-to-date installation media) be an answer to this?

(thinking of doing just this, haven't created the ISO, yet.)

[Tarun]

nLite tends to add unnecessary data to every file and can easily botch an ISO/Windows install.

Making an ISO of the SP3 disc, then using /slipstream (or was it /integrate?). It's late but I'll post more on it tomorrow. :)

[Tarq57]

nLite tends to add unnecessary data to every file and can easily botch an ISO/Windows install.

Oh, really.

Shame, but good to know. I'd read some good things about nlite.

Are there any particular "risk factors" for such a "botching"? Or does it seem to be somewhat random?

I was just thinking of doing pretty much a standard install (not adding drivers, nor removing Windows components- which can be disabled from the OS easily enough once installed) but slipstreaming SP3 into it, using nlite. A main reason for getting the program, and for downloading the whopping MS install package.

Must be about 20 past midnight last night in your part of the world. (Over here, it's 20 past 5 tomorrow afternoon )

[Tarun]

I've read reports from users where nLite removed things that they did not tell it to and then their (crippled) Windows install was broken even moreso.

Here's a couple easy to follow guides for integrating a service pack into your Windows ISO.

http://www.helpwithwindows.com/WindowsXP/w...sp2-bootcd.html

http://juice.altiris.com/article/2869/how-...s-os-install-cd

And it was about 1:10am :)

[DjLizard]

I've used nLite several times and had it mess things up as well, and I consider myself well-versed in Windows internals.

Also, due to a bug in Repair permissions, I recommend that all limited user accounts are temporarily upgraded to Administrator accounts before running it.