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Error message when you try to install Windows XP = Service=20 Pack 3: "Access is denied" or =93Service Pack installation did not = complete=94

View=20 products that this article applies to.

Article ID	:	949377
Last Review	:	May 13, 2008
Revision	:	3.0

SYMPTOMS

When you install Windows XP Service Pack 3 = (SP3), you may=20 receive one of the following error messages:=20

Service Pack 3 setup error. Access is = denied.

Service Pack 3 setup error. Service Pack = installation=20 did not complete

Or, the Svcpack.log file may contain the = following=20 error message:=20

DoRegistryUpdates failed

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CAUSE

You may receive these error messages if = permissions for=20 one or more registry keys are restricted in a way that prevents = the update=20 of those registry keys.

Some programs change the system = access=20 control lists (SACL) in the Registry so that administrator = accounts cannot=20 alter them. The service pack installer runs under the user (admin) = account=20 and not under the SYSTEM account. Failure to update a registry key = causes=20 the Setup program to fail.

To verify that there is a = failure to=20 update the registry, see the "More Information" section.=20

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RESOLUTION

To resolve the issue, follow the methods that = are=20 described in this section in order until the issue is resolved. = After you=20 complete one of the methods, install Windows XP SP3 to determine = whether=20 the issue is resolved before you try the next method.=20

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Method 1: Download and then install the full = Windows XP=20 Service Pack 3 download package from the Microsoft Download = Center

Download and then try to install the full Windows XP Service Pack = 3=20 download package from the Microsoft Download Center.

For = more=20 information about how to download Windows XP Service Pack 3, click = the=20 following article number to view the article in the Microsoft = Knowledge=20 Base:=20

322389 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/322389/) = How to=20 obtain the latest Windows XP service pack

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Method 2: Restart the computer, and then close = or=20 disable any antivirus or antispyware program that may be = running

Warning This workaround may make a computer or a network = more=20 vulnerable to attack by malicious users or by malicious software = such as=20 viruses. We do not recommend this workaround but are providing = this=20 information so that you can implement this workaround at your own=20 discretion. Use this workaround at your own risk.

One of = the most=20 common causes of installation failure is when a third-party = program holds=20 a file open or locks a file that the service pack installer needs. = To help=20 prevent this issue, follow these steps before you install Windows = XP SP3:=20

1.	Exit all programs on the computer, and then = restart=20 the computer.
2.	After you restart the computer, close or = disable any=20 antivirus or any antispyware programs that may be running.=20 Note You can disable the programs from the=20 notification area. To disable a program from the = notification area,=20 right-click the third-party program icon, and then click an = option=20 to close or to disable the application.
3.	After you close the antivirus program or the=20 antispyware program, install Windows XP SP3 from the full = download=20 package that you downloaded in Method 1. Note = You may=20 also install Windows XP SP3 from the Windows Update site or = from the=20 Microsoft Update site.
4.	After Windows XP SP3 installation is = complete, enable=20 the antivirus program or the antispyware program that you = disabled=20 in step 2.

Note An antivirus = program is=20 designed to help protect your computer from viruses. You must not = download=20 or open files from sources that you do not trust, visit Web sites = that you=20 do not trust, or open e-mail attachments when your antivirus = program is=20 disabled. For additional information about computer viruses, click = the=20 following article number to view the article in the Microsoft = Knowledge=20 Base:=20

129972 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/129972/) = Computer=20 viruses: description, prevention, and recovery

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Method 3: Reset the registry and the file=20 permissions

Important This section, method, or task contains steps that = tell=20 you how to modify the registry. However, serious problems might = occur if=20 you modify the registry incorrectly. Therefore, make sure that you = follow=20 these steps carefully. For added protection, back up the registry = before=20 you modify it. Then, you can restore the registry if a problem = occurs. For=20 more information about how to back up and restore the registry, = click the=20 following article number to view the article in the Microsoft = Knowledge=20 Base:=20

322756 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/322756/) = How to back=20 up and restore the registry in Windows

Important = This=20 method is intended for advanced computer users. If you are not = comfortable=20 with advanced workarounds, you might want to ask someone for help, = or you=20 might want to contact Microsoft Customer Support Services. To = contact=20 Microsoft Customer Support Services, visit the following Microsoft = Web=20 site:=20

http://www.blind-compu= ting.com/contactus/ = (http://support.microsoft.com/contactus/)

1.	Download and then install the Subinacl.exe = file. To=20 do this, visit the following Microsoft Web site:=20 http://www.microsoft= .com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=3De8ba3e56-d8fe-4a91-93cf-ed6985e392= 7b&displaylang=3Den=20 = (http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=3De8ba3e56-d8fe= -4a91-93cf-ed6985e3927b&displaylang=3Den)
2.	Start Notepad.
3.	Copy and then paste the following text into = Notepad.=20 cd /d "%ProgramFiles%\Windows Resource=20 Kits\Tools" subinacl /subkeyreg HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE=20 /grant=3Dadministrators=3Df /grant=3Dsystem=3Df subinacl = /subkeyreg=20 HKEY_CURRENT_USER /grant=3Dadministrators=3Df=20 /grant=3Dsystem=3Df subinacl /subkeyreg HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT = /grant=3Dadministrators=3Df /grant=3Dsystem=3Df subinacl = /subdirectories=20 %SystemDrive% /grant=3Dadministrators=3Df = /grant=3Dsystem=3Df subinacl=20 /subdirectories %windir%\. /grant=3Dadministrators=3Df=20 /grant=3Dsystem=3Df secedit /configure /cfg=20 %windir%\repair\secsetup.inf /db secsetup.sdb=20 /verbose Microsoft provides programming examples = for=20 illustration only, without warranty either expressed or = implied.=20 This includes, but is not limited to, the implied warranties = of=20 merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose. This = article=20 assumes that you are familiar with the programming language = that is=20 being demonstrated and with the tools that are used to = create and to=20 debug procedures. Microsoft support engineers can help = explain the=20 functionality of a particular procedure. However, they will = not=20 modify these examples to provide added functionality or = construct=20 procedures to meet your specific requirements.
4.	Save this Notepad file as = Reset.cmd.
5.	Double-click the Reset.cmd file to run the = script.=20 Note This script file may take a long time to = run.=20 Additionally, you have to run this script as an = administrator.
6.	Install Windows XP = SP3.

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MORE INFORMATION

How to verify that the registry update has = failed

1.	Open the Svcpack.log file. By default, this = file is=20 located in the C:\Windows folder. To open the Svcpack.log = file,=20 click Start, click Run, type %windir%\svcpack.log, and then = click OK.
2.	On the Edit = menu, click=20 Find.
3.	In the Find = what box,=20 type DoRegistryUpdates = failed, and then=20 click Find Next. =

A=20 "DoRegistryUpdates failed" error message in the file indicates = that an=20 issue is preventing the registry update. The error message will = resemble=20 the following error message:=20

xxxx.xxx: = DoInstallation:DoRegistryUpdates=20 failed.
xxxx.xxx: Access is denied. =
xxxx.xxx:=20 Message displayed to the user: Access is denied.

Note = In this=20 message, xxxx.xxx represents the time stamp of each = entry.=20

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APPLIES TO

=95	Microsoft Windows XP Service Pack=20 3

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Keywords:

kbexpertisebeginner kbregistry kberrmsg = kbtshoot=20 kbprb KB949377

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The article is easy to=20 understand

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Thank you! Your feedback is used to = help us=20 improve our support content. For more assistance options, please = visit the=20 Help and Support Home=20 Page.

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Error message when you try to install Windows XP = Service=20 Pack 3: "Access is denied" or =93Service Pack installation did not = complete=94

On This Page

SYMPTOMS

CAUSE

RESOLUTION

Method 1: Download and then install the full = Windows XP=20 Service Pack 3 download package from the Microsoft Download = Center

Method 2: Restart the computer, and then close = or=20 disable any antivirus or antispyware program that may be = running

Method 3: Reset the registry and the file=20 permissions

MORE INFORMATION

How to verify that the registry update has = failed

APPLIES TO

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