a windows XP problem of gigantic proportions (that you probably havent heard off)

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planescape

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Yesterday a friend called me over to do the simplest of tasks, get her sp2 and install it...so i brought over a cd i had of xp pro. with sp 2 and most of the updates. I started her computer, put in the cd, and clicked on install, selecting the upgrade only option (through windows)...
so windows restarted once, and started up the installation before entering windows as usuall...everything was ok until...in the middle of the freeking installating, with 39 minutes remaining a FATAL ERROR msg came up

one of the components that windows needs to continue setup could not be installed: the parameter is incorrect (E:\1386\asms)

now i figured i could just restart and cancel the installation but it keeps going back to the installation screen with 39 minutes remaining before logging into windows and the msg repeats over and over again...i cant cancel it and ive tried pressing any key with the cd inside still and canceling the whole installation with the f3 key but it always goes back to the 39 minute screen of death............
im really not sure how to get back into windows or to get rid of the installation...

im sure someone has had this problem before but it feels like its not so simple to solve...

thank you very much for any of your help....im very sorry if i posted this on the wrong forum but my friend needs her computer badly
 
why is it urgent for her to have service pack 2? service pack 1 is still supported my microsoft.


Welcome to Tech-forums!
 
instead of upgrading thru windows, boot from the cd instead and format it, if that dont work, fdisk it, delete the partition and make a new one or make a new xp cd
 
Warez Monster said:
instead of upgrading thru windows, boot from the cd instead and format it, if that dont work, fdisk it, delete the partition and make a new one or make a new xp cd
\


the thing is she really does not want to get rid of any of the info on her computer....i was thinking of reinstalling a new windows without formatting which i have done and has worked in the past...

i need to find a way to bypass the install screen without formatting!

this is so deadly, im so screwed
 
See my Sig for a repair install. However, if you are going to upgrade to SP2, download and install SP2, or reinstall Windows with a Windows XP SP2 disk. XPsp1 to XPsp2 is not an "upgrade" IMO and was not done correctly on your part.
 
Take out that hard drive and set it as a slave. Save all the critical data to your computer in a specific file. Put the hd back in the lady's puter as the master and reformat and then copy the data to her puter by installing your HD as a slave in her system. Once accomplished you just erase that file from your drive and defragment. Swaping hard drives....may even turn out to be erotic!! Just kidding!!! :)
 
RicoDirenzo said:
Take out that hard drive and set it as a slave. Save all the critical data to your computer in a specific file. Put the hd back in the lady's puter as the master and reformat and then copy the data to her puter by installing your HD as a slave in her system. Once accomplished you just erase that file from your drive and defragment. Swaping hard drives....may even turn out to be erotic!! Just kidding!!! :)

thanks for your advice! that sounds like a great solution and that is most likely what i am going to do if i cant repair possibly or maybe just install a new windows over the old one...accept that then there might be 3 windows...the old, the half installed, and then a new...which will inevitably cause many xp problems...

was it my screw up that caused this problem because i did the dumbest thing in the world: i opened the windows xp cd in windows and clicked install, i thought it would not cause problems, and i selected the 'upgrade' option instead of installing a brand new windows...it said it came recommended but i should have known better...

oh well

:eek:
 
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