Need XP Pro SP1a , cant install , WTF !

Dear Person;….

I'm back MUCH sooner than planned…
I was here awhile ago with my computer that would not boot…
I was given EXCELLENT help that included using "Puppy" to retrieve my data & do a complete reinstall which I did…
Everything humming along fine , 95% back the way it was , till…..
I was having a problem with a download accelerator program (DAP) that WAS working fine , but , then started to act up…
I decided that I no longer needed it …
As I was uninstalling the program , a window popped up saying "This file shares these other files & may cause these other programs problems if you delete them" or words to that effect…
It asked if I wanted to save these files…
Without thinking I hit the wrong button & deleted the files…
Everything went to hell in a wicker basket immediately…
The first thing I noticed was that Netzero would get the network connection , but would not show the pages..
I could not even go offline because the graphic was missing…
Had to turn the computer off…
I uninstalled Netzero & reinstalled it & got the same results…
Other problems showed up…
Smart @$$ that I am , I decided that since I have the "Puppy" CD & another 8GB flash drive , here I go with ANOTHER reinstall…
I now have a bare bones unit again….
Problem is that I need to get the updates,,,
I have the SP1 & SP3 on the flash drive…
Smart @$$ that I am , I downloaded them to "My Documents" for future use…
I went to install SP1/SP1a & it will NOT install….
About 1/3 of the way thru it stops with the following;.."Error Occured While Downloading SP1".."The Server Did Not respond"…
I thought that maybe the file was no good & found more SP1's onthe web , but , they ALL did the same thing…
Now , I can not get ANY updates from Microsoft because when I try to , Microsoft will not allow it because I do not have SP1 installed…
Aint that cute ????
I can not get updates because I do not have this update installed !!!!
What a conundrum !!!
I can not even use that computer because it has IE6 (problematical) & I need to get IE7 which I can not install becaue I have to have SP2 or later installed….I have 316 MBs of SP3 ready to go….
BTW;…Did you know that you can skip SP2 & just install SP3 because 99% of SP2 is in SP3 ???
After all that , what I need is the FULL file for SP1/SP1a so I can proceed …
Any idea how I can solve this ????


Also , on the flash drive that I got the data using "Puppy" (From the 1st crash) I have the following:…
When I open it up there is a folder saying "Program Files"
I open that up & there's a folder that says: "Windows Update"….
When I open that up I get a blank page , nothing !!!!
WHY ????

THANK you for your time & anticipated help….

Have a GREAT day & weekend….


Later…Ron.M…. …

quick suggestion, do a window restore.

Lee, he can't, he did a clean install.

Ron, download the .exe versions of SP2 (no need for SP1 or SP1a) and SP3 and install them that way.

You can download SP2 .exe here: Windows XP Service Pack 2 Network Installation Package for IT Professionals and Developers

You can download the SP3 .exe here: Windows XP Service Pack 3 Network Installation Package for IT Professionals and Developers

I was going to recommend the SP1 exe version but I can't find it any more. I prefer SP1 then SP3 as SP1 is smaller than SP2 so it goes quicker, but the end result is the same using SP2 then SP3.

Lee;…

GOOD to see you & THANKS for trying…. …

Ztruker is right…
I have two icons on my desktop on the other unit…
One is for the Recycle bin & the other is for Netzero….
I can only restore for 1 or 2 days back…
I did it anyway & it removed Netzero & changed my desktop wallpaper back to original…
Did not help…Still will not install…


Ztruker;…

GOOD to see you back also….

THANKS for the link to SP2…
It is a 266 MB file … …
Since I'm on a sloooow boat to China with dial-up , it'll take at least 18 HOURS to download…
I intend to try that marathon tomorrow…
I already have SP3 , so that's a load off…

THANKS again…
I WILL let you guys know what happens…
Give me a couple of days to git-r-dun… …


Have a GREAT evening…. …



Later…Ron.M…. ….

Ztruker;….

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THANK YOU , THANK YOU , THANK YOU !!! [external image: Posted Image]
Who'd have thunk that you could skip SP1/SP1a to get the thang working ???
It took about 15 hours overnight to download ..(266 MBs)..
I installed it & went to the MS update site & was accepted…
I installed SP3 (which I previously downloaded to desktop)….
I installed IE7…Updates for that little jewel took over 2 hours….
I am now on my way to get this unit back to where it was before the 1st time it would not boot & my major screrw-up…[external image: Posted Image]
I don't know what religion you are (Don't care either , irrelevant) , But , I'm sending a request to the Pope to get you cannonized as "Saint Ztruker" !!!!
Without your help , I'd have a severely limited computer…
MANY , MANY THANKS for your EXCELLENT advice & help…

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Have a GREAT day & weekend….[external image: Posted Image]


Later…Ron.M… ….

Good news indeed. Glad all is well. Take care Ron.

hello, im Zac and this is my first time writing to a forum. Basically im having a real problem trying to update my windows xp sp1 to sp1a, or 2. the file i try to install is " sp1aexpress_usa" from the microsoft update site. the error i keep getting is "the server did not respond". i read i dont need to install 1a just jump to sp2 but when i tried that it keeps asking for ".net framework 2.0 service pack 2". and when i try to download that i get an error saying i need to install sp2 lol. some of the things i have tried are: 1. recovery to factory settings (formatted harddrive) 2. ran regcure program and fixed my registery 3. reinstalled my internet settings and have 60% wifi connection (internet is working fine when i web browse and download videos) please help i need to update my xp service packs so i can install other programs.

Hi Zac, Did you try the links provided by Ztruker in post 3….? Let us know if this does the trick for you Regards paws

Thank you so very much. its weird that if finally worked because i tried sp1a and 2 many times. i used that link to download sp2 and the first time i got an error saying "delayed write failed" and "source file could not be found". then i tried it again with nothing else running in the background even my norton and it installed perfect. then i installed sp3 the same way and im good now.

Hi zac772,

The key to your solution may have been disabling Norton.
Norton Protection System tends to be very aggressive in preventing changes to your operating system.

That "protection" can include preventing installation of new processes and applications as well as updates to existing operating system and software.

You should read-up on the features of your particular Norton product to determine the best ways to use it with your system.

The specific feature that was most likely blocking your ability to install Service Packs was: Norton Product Tamper Protection

Norton Product Tamper Protection prevents outside programs from making changes to the Norton product. This security feature also prevent Windows System Restore from changing Norton files, which results in the Restoration Incomplete message.

Norton Product Tamper Protection protects Norton AntiVirus from an attack or modification by any virus or other unknown threat. You can protect your product from accidental modification or deletion by keeping the Norton Product Tamper Protection option turned on.

If you want to temporarily turn off Norton Product Tamper Protection, you can turn it off for a specified duration.

Another example of Norton aggressively preventing change:

You cannot run System Restore on your computer when Norton Product Tamper Protection is turned on. You must temporarily turn off Norton Product Tamper Protection to run a successful System Restore.