Windows 2000 Update Confusion

[centerNegative]

OK, kiddies, anyone who could help me worm my way out this one will receive my utmost gratitude. I've worked my way into quite a few messes that never daunted or frustrated me too much but this one threw me for a loop.

So, I recently partitioned my scant 40 gigger into two separate drives, as the demon of organization on my shoulder forced me to do, which went very smooth, no less, and then encountered quite a wacky issue awhile back. There was like a new service pack release for Windows 2000 some time ago, number 3, I think, and I tried installing it with absolutely no luck. Half the time the install would hang, which has happened before but to finally yield at some point with some result.

But in this in case, no go. After the reboot my pc's properties continues to show me as Service Pack 2, I was baffled after several attempts, then gave up and generally dismissed the whole deal. Then a few weeks ago, I noticed a mysterious directory on my e: drive (the new partition I created) I had never created. After sifting through its contents, I was able to determine it was some temporary and setup files associated with the SP3 download/install.

So, now, how did this come about? Why would the Windows Update choose to install to the new partition when the default installation directory for, well, everything (the e: drive is just shared files - no programs or anything of substance) is the c: drive? And the c: drive is, of course, where the Winnt directory is located which is why, I postulate, the SP3 install never completed, because it was possibly looking for associated files on its home partition. Just a theory, I don't know half as much as I pretend to.

Going on that theory, however, is there any way to establish what is the exact problem there and how to rectify it? If it does pertain to a default installation directory setting, perhaps in the registry, does anyone happen to know the location and how to about initiate the proper settings for what I need? Again, I appreciate the feedback, folks!

[slim]

Hi,

I have only installed sp3 once, but I came across a similar problem where the instaler appeared to crash. I found it to be our antivirus software which was protecting certain system files. Once I disabled the norton antivirus software I was able to run the update ok.

I suggest you start by doing some obvious checks (is you have not already done so).

1. Check you have full administrative rights on the machine in question.
2. Check the add/remove programs to see if windows 2000 sp3 is showing.
3. Disable any services/software which maybe protecting the system files.
4. Is the c: drive set as the primary partition?

Often I have found the most common problem when doing updates on windows 2000, can be traced back to some sort of security/file system protection error.

Slim

[Rick]

I can’t add much to the above post
but I can tell you why the files are on your second partition
Some one at MS got it right for once
The install / update will select a temp drive and folder that has available disk space
I have a number of folders with names like wutemp
Windows Update temp folder on drives ranging from D all the way up to K
Nothing to worry about.
If you know the update failed you can delete the folder’(s)

[BigBlue66]

If you really want to install SP3 with no problems and have ~$20 to spare, order it on CD.

[centerNegative]

I think I stumbled onto something here, slim. In the Disk Management console, isn't the primary partition (c: drive) supposed to be surrounded by a slight green rectangle? I thought it was before but now looking it would appear the green rectangle has shifted to the e: partition. I've scoured the console and can't see how to shift it back. Any further insights?

And thanks to everyone for the assist!

[centerNegative]

OK, actually, that's looking like conjecture at this point. Partition Magic is showing the c: partition as Primary with the e: as Logical. Somehow I think something still isn't right, obviously. Oh, and in the Add/Remove Programs Dialog, I'm not showing any SP-3 install. Still crackin' away at it...

[centerNegative]

Ah, one more thing: I also went ahead and disabled my Norton Internet Security/Anti-Virus bundle while attempting the SP3 update again but no luck - it's still trying to install off the e: drive. Sheesh. :)

[sleddog]

Originally posted by centerNegative
[B]I think I stumbled onto something here, slim. In the Disk Management console, isn't the primary partition (c: drive) supposed to be surrounded by a slight green rectangle? I thought it was before but now looking it would appear the green rectangle has shifted to the e: partition. /B]

No. Look at the key at the bottom of the Disk Manager. Green marks an extended partition, which will include one or more logical drives shown as light blue. A primary partition is shown as dark blue.

MS Service Packs includes a bunch of files in compressed format. Before actual installation these are uncompressed. The installation will grab a partition with the most free disk space on which to create temporary directories to hold these files. In your case it happens to be the E: partition. There's nothing unusual in that. When installation of the service pack is complete the temporary files are automatically removed. Because the installation fails, this removal doesn't get done.

I don't know why the installation fails. Does it give a particular error message? Does it stop at a particularly point, with something displayed on screen? Any clues at all might help...

Do you *need* service pack 3? Are you affected by particular issues which it fixes? Don't install service packs simply because they are available....

[centerNegative]

Ah, didn't notice there was a key. Not too observant, oh well.

Well, I'll have to go through the whole procedure again to get the exact details. As I mentioned before, though it may be fuzzy, the installation would hang up. It would never complete. It would get all the way to the end and freeze and never get to the point of completion or asking if I wanted to reboot, yada, yada, yada. I just tried it some minutes ago, noticed it was installing on the e: drive first, and abruptly canceled the install.

Granted, I may not even need the service pack. I'm not as pioneering as I used to be with computers or software and while it might be practical it certainly isn't essential for me to be on the forefront of such technology, I'm just appealing to the half of me that is extremely anal and needs to fulfill that sense of completeness.

And, as logic dictates, this unwarranted issue could in fact be a symptom of problems in greater abundance, frequency, or scale. Thems the breaks. Besides, solutions are fun. :D