SP1 won't install - constant BSOD

[Sciz]

Sciz,

I understand you have tried most MS advice and now suspect you have a hardware related problem. You may want to try out the System Update Readiness Tool as well as Resolution 2 on this page, if you have not already tried this. You have updated your drivers, I suppose. In the end, the free MS support may perhaps be a way.

I am sure you have run the Systems File Checker Tool and checked if there was something it couldn't fix, which could provide a clue in case software related.

I turned on my Vista Firewall, checked it did not say I wasn't using the recommended settings, then turned off my 3rd part firewall and virus protection. That helped for me. You may also want to disable other memory resident non-MS programs.

You are not saying exactly what happens, when the BSOD appears and what errors you get? Such info may find its way to some hardware wizzard who can interpret.

I haven't ran the system update readiness tool. I tried downloading it once and the download got interupted or something so it never finished. I am downloading it again now. As for Resolution 2, I have gone through that page word by word and no luck. Systems file checker I ran also and it had one error that couldn't be fixed but I will run it again so I can find out exactly what error it is giving me and post it here. Give me a like an hour to run it and post my updated results.

 

[Night Hawk]

You may want to look at any memory dump file or event viewer logs for information seen in those as well. If you are seeing a hardware problem like faulty memory the logs can be useful in isolating what software is involved.

 

[Sciz]

I wanted to mention. I have been running the update readiness tool, well trying to install it, for the past hour and the progress bar has gone nowhere. I assume this isn't normal but if it is please tell me so. It says...

Initializing installation... done!
Installing Update for Windows (KB947821) (update 1 of 1)...

Thanks.

Edit: Ok it finished but just said close and nothing else. So to be honest I am not sure if it did anything at all. Regardless, I am going to run the systems file checker now and get back to you when that's done. Again thank you for all the suggestions/help.

 

[Sciz]

Here are the results from the systems file checker.

Beginning system scan. This process will take some time.

Beginning verification phase of system scan.
Verification 100% complete.Windows Resource Protection found corrupt files but w
as unable to fix some of them.
Details are included in the CBS.Log windir\Logs\CBS\CBS.log. For example
C:\Windows\Logs\CBS\CBS.log

However, I can't for the life of me read those logs. The website said to type this into a new command prompt...

findstr /C:"[SR] Cannot repair member file" %windir%\logs\cbs\cbs.log >sfcdetails.txt

But after doing that it said type this...

edit sfcdetails.txt

But that does nothing. When I look for the sfcdetails.txt file that I created, it is empty.

 

[SIW2]

Hi,

This utility will produce the results for you - just right click it and run as admin, then click Start system repair.

http://www.vistax64.com/software-tools/183170-system-file-check-tool.html

Hope it helps

SIW2

 

[Sciz]

Hi,

This utility will produce the results for you - just right click it and run as admin, then click Start system repair.

http://www.vistax64.com/software-tools/183170-system-file-check-tool.html

Hope it helps

SIW2

Wow that makes things a lot easier. Now I ran it and it is showing me the log with only the [SR] strings but I can't seem to find anything that says it is corrupted or such. After hitting Start System Repair, should I then hit Start System Verify?

 

[Sciz]

Here is a screenshot of the tool after running the check.

 

[SIW2]

It's kinda hard to see, but that bit looks OK , you need to scroll further down and see if it says there are any corrupted files it couldn't fix.

You have a huge number of shortcuts on your Taskbar and desktop.

What's the wallpaper - is that you out fishing ?

SIW2

 

[Sciz]

Haha, I looked and I will take another screenshot showing the bottom for you. Yes, I have a large number of shortcuts. That is my quick launch bar. I just made it easier to access all of my programs. And no, that wallpaper is actually Uncharted 2 screenshot. You just can't see nathan drake. Below is a couple of screenshots to show you.

 

[Sciz]

Btw, I have done all of that system file checker, disk cleanup and lastly I am going to do a defrag. This is the update that I have tried multiple times through Windows Update and Standalone. Just thought it might be useful information.

 

[Sciz]

I wanted to let you know. I ran a check disk after my last reboot. Not exactly sure what it did or what it said, but it didn't say anything about corrupt files.

I am going to set a restore point to right now and try and update to Vista x64 SP1 through windows update again. Wish me luck!

 

[Sciz]

SP1 Failed again. Lovely right. I think I am done trying. I might as well realize that Microsoft has beat me and sucks so much I need to just reformat. Ughh, I should so switch to Linux.

Edit: So here's my issue. I run the sfc (system file checker) and it whines and moans that there are files missing via...

Beginning system scan. This process will take some time.

Beginning verification phase of system scan.
Verification 100% complete.Windows Resource Protection found corrupt files but w
as unable to fix some of them.
Details are included in the CBS.Log windir\Logs\CBS\CBS.log. For example
C:\Windows\Logs\CBS\CBS.log


So I look in the log, which I have deleted after every scan so it is fresh, and search for "cannot repair". With my luck, it found nothing. So I am being told by the scan that there are errors but in the log there is nothing found...I am at a loss now of what to do. If anyone has any other suggestions I would appreciate it.

 

[Submarine]

SP1 Failed again. Lovely right. I think I am done trying. I might as well realize that Microsoft has beat me and sucks so much I need to just reformat. Ughh, I should so switch to Linux.

Edit: So here's my issue. I run the sfc (system file checker) and it whines and moans that there are files missing via...

Beginning system scan. This process will take some time.

Beginning verification phase of system scan.
Verification 100% complete.Windows Resource Protection found corrupt files but w
as unable to fix some of them.
Details are included in the CBS.Log windir\Logs\CBS\CBS.log. For example
C:\Windows\Logs\CBS\CBS.log


So I look in the log, which I have deleted after every scan so it is fresh, and search for "cannot repair". With my luck, it found nothing. So I am being told by the scan that there are errors but in the log there is nothing found...I am at a loss now of what to do. If anyone has any other suggestions I would appreciate it.

Too bad. Try the long route and search the log for the word "error". Could perhaps give an idea. For me it pointed to the Vista firewall, so I made sure it was on. Then disabled 3rd party. Don't know which made the trick. You seem to have a lot of programs. I don't know if you have prevented memory resident programs from loading during the update. Probably a good idea. Also run a checkdisk.

 

[Sciz]

I ran a check disk. As well as have now talked with Microsoft. They had me uninstall my Norton Antivirus and Spybot. Still no luck, so they said they would call today and have the research team help me try and fix my issue.

 

[Submarine]

I ran a check disk. As well as have now talked with Microsoft. They had me uninstall my Norton Antivirus and Spybot. Still no luck, so they said they would call today and have the research team help me try and fix my issue.

That sounds good. I hope you will sort out the problems. If so, please publish the solution here

 

[Sciz]

I ran a check disk. As well as have now talked with Microsoft. They had me uninstall my Norton Antivirus and Spybot. Still no luck, so they said they would call today and have the research team help me try and fix my issue.

That sounds good. I hope you will sort out the problems. If so, please publish the solution here

Will do. Thanks for all your suggestions.

 

[Sciz]

Ok, so for the past few days I have been talking to Microsoft. So far they haven't fixed my problem. In fact, the recent situation is it won't boot. Not normally, not in safe mode, and not even boot from a CD or DVD option. I get blue screen for everything. So it's in a no boot situation. Microsoft has scheduled a call back for tomorrow so I will let you know what they say about it tomorrow. If it's even fixable at this point. Right now I am running a memory test, Memtest86 I believe, and I am going to let that go for 5 or 6 hours to see if I have bad RAM. I feel like it's a hardware issue at this point so I am looking for what it is.

 

[Sciz]

Long story short, something got messed up. I have done numerous things, even more things than what Microsoft support knew how to do. I figured out how to run a check disk with a vista dvd boot even though no OS or hard drive was booted up. I learned a lot. What I learned most is that I am at a no going back situation. Nothing works, so I am going to put my hard drive into my roommates comp, back it up, and reformat my comp completely. Then immediately after, install SP1 then reinstall all of my programs. I will let you know if all goes smoothly. Also, if you are wondering how I am typing this without a comp, I have a laptop that's like 5 years old that I am using temporarily. Thanks for all your help but this one is a goner. Reformatting is the only thing left to do.

 

[Submarine]

Long story short, something got messed up. I have done numerous things, even more things than what Microsoft support knew how to do. I figured out how to run a check disk with a vista dvd boot even though no OS or hard drive was booted up. I learned a lot. What I learned most is that I am at a no going back situation. Nothing works, so I am going to put my hard drive into my roommates comp, back it up, and reformat my comp completely. Then immediately after, install SP1 then reinstall all of my programs. I will let you know if all goes smoothly. Also, if you are wondering how I am typing this without a comp, I have a laptop that's like 5 years old that I am using temporarily. Thanks for all your help but this one is a goner. Reformatting is the only thing left to do.

SP1 is a difficult one, no doubt about it. Let's hope this will work, you should then get a much better running computer. SP1 did a lot to improve mine, and you will now also have afresh install, that's nice. At least something in the misery.

 

[Sciz]

Yes, and my roommate gave me a great idea, it's what he does. I will make a 60gb partition and have simply Vista SP1 on there. All my other programs and games will go on a separate partition with the remaining HDD. Fyi, I have a 500gb internal HDD and a 500gb external USB HD. So that way if I have a problem with my Vista files, such as a corrupt windows file which is what caused this, then I can just reformat that partition. It makes a lot of sense.