Norman wrote:
> I have to ask about this.
> http://chris.pirillo.com/2008/06/04/...-install-woes/
>
> Fact or fiction?
>
> Something I just noticed when logging into account I created for my
> wife some time ago seems to lend credence to it. Complaint messages
> concerning my video driver and printer popped up. One I think
> mentioned making sure logged in as administrator and the other one
> complained about incomplete install I think.
>
> I had at that time of installation already created named accounts
> with me being the administrator and thus no longer had the
> administrator login except in safe mode.
The first part - about access denied - is 'true' - if not explained clearly
above. There are three given methods to remedy this problem and it is all
laid out here:
Error message when you try to install Windows XP
Service Pack 3: "Access is denied" or “Service Pack
installation did not complete”
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/949377
I usually recommend just skipping to, "Method 3: Reset the registry and the
file permissions", but only because I have not seen that method fail.
(Doesn't mean it has not - just means *I* haven't seen it fail to remedy the
given issue.) It *is* (and states it) intended for advanced computer users.
If you are not comfortable with advanced workarounds, you might want to ask
someone for help, or you might want to contact Microsoft Customer Support
Services. To contact Microsoft Customer Support Services, visit the
following Microsoft Web site:
http://support.microsoft.com/contactus/ (Note that you get FREE support
from Microsoft for SP3 related issues.)
When you say, "... and thus no longer had the administrator login except in
safe mode." are we to infer from that you have Windows XP Home Edition?
(All other versions of Windows XP - the subsets of Professional Edition
anyway - can utilize the built-in administrator in "normal" mode.)
Also - I should point out that an administrator is an administrator is an
administrator. The functions are what are limited in Windows XP - requiring
you to be in safe mode in order to access some of those things. However -
as far as I know - you can do everything in the above article in Windows XP
Home or Professional in normal mode.
--
Shenan Stanley
MS-MVP
--
How To Ask Questions The Smart Way
http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html