Sevice Pack 2 help please

Hello All,
Downloaded SP 2 twice last year and had to remove it both times as laptop kept freezing. Tried MS and were no real help.
Have reinstalled it again and same problem.
Everthing freezes, no pattern to it, then will just work.
Running Windows XP and works fine on SP 1.
Any suggestions welcome.

PS. please remember I'm a bit of a novice.

[LFC_SL]

Is there an error message? Or does it just freeze?

Hi, There is no error message. Can last a couple of seconds or a couple of mins.

[Singh400]

Integrate the SP2 installer into the XP CD. Then install

thanks Singh, sorry but can you tell me how to do that please?

[LFC_SL]

http://www.nliteos.com/nlite.html

[Singh400]

Originally Posted by woolytoon

thanks Singh, sorry but can you tell me how to do that please?

The easiest way would be to use an utility like nLite. However I prefer doing it manually:

Copy the contents of you XP CD to C:\XP_CD then download the network installation of Service Pack 2. Then rename the exe to SP2.exe and place in the root of the C: drive.

Then start > run. and type in the following:

C:\SP2.EXE /INTEGRATE:C:\XP_CD

Wait for it to integrate itself, it'll tell you which its finished.

Then all you have to do is make a bootable iso.

Thanks guys, I had started doing it the nLite before you posted you manual way singh400.
However - stuck.
On the nLite I am up to the available presets, however I cannot work out what I need to import.
Can you tell me?

[Uridium]

Originally Posted by Singh400

Integrate the SP2 installer into the XP CD. Then install

I read the OP's first post to say that he is having lockups AFTER the SP has been installed not during the install.

If so how exactly is this going to resolve the issue with the OP's laptop hanging once SP2 has been installed? It's irrelevant whether you install the service pack via the executable or a slipstreamed install if it's causing his machine to lock up once installed.

I'd check the system eventlog (Start\Run eventvwr) for any errors once the SP had been applied as it sounds like a controller driver issue

Completely confused now and problem seems to be getting worse.
uridium-I appreciate your words, but please remember you are dealing with a novice - I can do what you tell me to do, but don't know what to do once I have the info in front of me.

[Steve.J.Davies]

Chack out the event log as in previous post.

What is happening when the freeze occurs ? Is it consistent in some way ?
e.g when you try to access the net, when you run a certain program, when you insert a CD ? when wi-fi tries to connect, just after boot (when many Init routines may still be running ? or somesuch ?

You have done an uptodate Anti-virus check and spyware sweep ?

How much memory is there on the laptop ?

IIRC there are some apps that don't get on too well with SP2 so I suppose we could end up exploring what you have installed.

Hi Steve,
Not really used any other programmes other than the net since installing sp2.
There does not seem to be any pattern to it and it can happen anytime.
Antivirus and spyware fully up tp date and clear on scan yesterday.
No issues with memory, previously I have uninstalled sp2 and works fine again.
The event log - can you tell me exactly what I'm looking for please?

[Steve.J.Davies]

So how much memory is on the laptop ?

Control Panel -> Admin tools -> Event Viewer

three different logs - look in them, all. records are timestamped so you should be able to find anything of interest around the time of the freeze up.

I take it is a 'freeze up' and there are no error boxes from anything just before the freeze ? ?

It may help to open the task manager on a process view (sort it by CPU usage descending) and leave it on view by playing with window sizes. You may see see something spike the CPU just befaore/as the freeze happens.

You have made sure you are using up to date drivers (as suggested by uridium) ?

What model laptop is it ?

[zeus123]

Sorry guys, I haven't read every word of every post so I might be repeating something here!

Originally Posted by uridium

It's irrelevant whether you install the service pack via the executable or a slipstreamed install

I agree. I suspect it might be something you have installed which isnt getting along with SP2.

Id install windows and then before you install anything else install SP2. Then start installing your drivers etc. Everything will either work without freezes or when you install a particular program or driver the freeze will occur and you will know what is causing the issue.

[Uridium]

Originally Posted by Steve.J.Davies

What model laptop is it ?

I'd be interested to know this as well.

Also is the machine locking up solidly requiring a reboot to resolve or is it just a temporary lockup that frees itself up after a period of time (how long)

these may sound silly questions but 9 out of 10 hardware/driver related lockups i come across are only resolved by a reboot whereas software/application issues normally only lock the machine for a few seconds/minutes at a time but will then normally free up again