How to workaroung access denied error to install XP SP2?

I have tried installing Windows XP sp2 from the update webpage and the install fails giving me an access denied error. I have installed software from your approved link using the main (administrator) profile (mine) on XP - but the other users cannot log onto their XP profiles after I install any software. I don't understand this and no one seems to be able to help. I have gone to microsoft with no luck and Dell as well.

So, I have 2 problems. First, I cannot install SP2 due to access denied error.

Second, any time I install software onto the hard drive, other XP profiles fail.

What am I doing wrong? I hope this is just a simple setting. Thanks

Stacy Shupe

This question was answered on March 13, 2005. Much of the information contained herein may have changed since posting.

---

These issues may occur when permissions on one or more registry keys are restricted in a way that prevents the administrator who installs the update from updating the registry keys Failure to update a registry key causes the Setup program to fail.

You can correct this problem by using editing the Registry Key

Warning: If you use Registry Editor incorrectly, you may cause serious problems that may require you to reinstall your operating system

To work around this issue, examine the Svcpack.log file to find the registry keys that are causing this issue, and then modify the registry permissions to give access to the user who is trying to install the service pack Follow these steps:

1 Make sure that the user who is trying to install the service pack is a member of the Administrators security group.

2 Open the Svcpack.log file By default, this file is located in the C:\Windows folder.

[Note by Torgeir Bakken:

Svcpack.log is the wrong file to look at, it is Setupapi.log you need to look at.

If you cannot see in setupapi.log at which registry key it fails, you need to enable Verbose logging.

To set the Verbose logging level, you can add a value to the following registry key, using regedit.exe:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE

\Software

\Microsoft

\Windows

\CurrentVersion

\Setup

Value Name: LogLevel

Data Type: REG_DWORD

Value (hexadecimal): 0000FFFF

When finished, you should set it back to the original, Value (Hexadecimal): 20000000

3 Search the log file for references to registry permissions issues Make a note of the registry keys that are referenced.

4 Click Start, click Run, type regedit, and then click OK to start Registry Editor.

5 Locate and right-click the registry keys that you noted in step 3 of this procedure, and then click Permissions.

6 Examine the permissions that are configured for each user or group Identify the restricted permissions that are affecting the user who is trying to install the service pack Make sure the Administrators group has full access configured.

[Note by Torgeir Bakken:

If you have registry issues in a HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\<some key>, try the method I describe in this webpage address below to reset permissions: http://groups.google.com/[email protected],

substituting ".AudioCD" with "<some key>".

7 Quit Registry Editor.

About the author

Posted by Kera of Katharine Gibbs School - New York on March 13, 2005

Need Help with this Issue?

We help people with technology! It's what we do.
Contact or Schedule an Appointment with a location for help!