I'm trying to repair my IE-6 by uninstalling a possibly corrupted SP-3, and I can't figure out why my XP box won't let me. It's listed in my Control Panel add/remove programs list, but when I try to remove it, the Software Update Removal Wizard goes through its routine, then ultimately ends up with 2 messages that say "The System Cannot Find The File Specified" and "Service Pack 3 was Not Uninstalled". Belarc says its there, and System Properties says its there. I tried 3 options suggested by the Microsoft Support site (including the "hidden $NTServicPackUninstall$folder"), and all 3 options ended with the same "Cannot Find The File" message. Dial-A-Fix tools hasn't been successful in Repairing/Reinstalling IE, my computer is apparently clean of all Malware, and all updates are current. Can I reinstall SP-3 without uninstalling the earlier program? Also, my System Restore lost its ability to go back to the day when I installed SP-3 (a couple weeks ago). Any ideas would be greatly appreciated. Question: UPHClean was installed about the same time my box started acting up - can this be related?? At present, the only way I can access the net is via Firefox.

Try installing Internet Explorer 8 over IE6, maybe that fixes it.

IE6 is a very crappy browser, please do use Mozilla Firefox or at least IE8.

You can always try re-installing SP3, but you still may not be able to uninstall it.

Better would be a repair install of Windows XP, followed immediately by installing SP3.

I fixed a related problem on a friends' system a while back.

The culprit? Norton. (In their case, it was Norton 360.)

Had to uninstall the AV and run the removal tool before I could uninstall SP3, and reinstall it properly,(the original auto-update install was totally borked) then re-installed Norton 360. (Which wouldn't have been my choice, BTW.)

Maybe you should have a look at your AV quarantine?

Norton achieved notoriety for trashing XP Service Pack 3 installs, soon after SP3 was released.

Thanks for allthat info -

Wife insists I install Norton 360 but I want to stay away as I heard about all its problems -

Will stay with MBAM and others that your site says are OK -

Another known bad program is McAfee, which you may also want to avoid.

Another known bad program is McAfee, which you may also want to avoid.

Why are Hating McAfee this like?

Because it's just as bad as Norton is. A bloated, resource hog.

Because it's just as bad as Norton is. A bloated, resource hog.

I agree - When I tried to remove it this forum gave me the good links to a remover -

I was not able to use any other method except the tool I was given -

Same with PC tools Spyware Doctor - It would not remove but we finally 'disabled' it -