Vista Service Pack 1

glennd

glennd

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I've had this customer's laptop for a while. It's a few years old. The instructions are to "get all the junk and kids stuff off it so we can have it as a spare". No problem says I. A factory reset is what we want. The factory reset went without a hitch. Fired up WSUS Offline (first time using this tool, should make it real fast), then noticed all the updates are failing, all of them. I switched on the Windows Update and let it do it's thing and it's stuck on service pack 1. By stuck I mean it reports that it's installed, the update history says it installed successfully but when it looks for new updates there is only service pack 1 offered. Install, check, install, check etc... Google, try various things, no joy. The only clue I have really is the CBS.log reports file hash mismatch on autochk.exe. I worked on this on and off for days trying various fixes including getting a known good version of autochk.exe, after which I did another factory reset using one of my Vista disks. The nett result is the same. Service Pack 1 will not install.

Any ideas?
 
When I encounter something like this, I weigh how much time I'm willing to spend on tracking down a goofy issue like this. At this point, I personally would nuke the drive with DBAN & reinstall Vista. Sounds like you attempted various known fixes to no avail., so a nuke is in your future...?
 
Vista SP1 was a b**ch in it's day.. I remember some PC's had SP1 before others due to incompatible drivers.

Before attempting the factory restore, I'd perform a full format of the drive, with the exception of the recovery partition.

Perform the restore. At this point, with the problems you're having, I would not run any driver install utilities such as Snappy Driver Installer. Just download any updated drivers from the manufacturer website.

Once done, I'd clean up the PC with CCleaner, and defrag it. Only then would I attempt to run any updates, but again, run it from Windows Update. You may have to install updates one at a time, until all you are offered is SP1.

Having said that, why not just install Vista SP2 from the start using a generic disc? Then run Snappy Driver Installer and WSUS Offline, and finally install the utilities from the manufacturers website?

Andy
 
glennd said:
....after which I did another factory reset using one of my Vista disks. The nett result is the same. Service Pack 1 will not install.
Click to expand...

So after a factory fresh install of Vista, SP1 will still not install ?

Thoughts:

Bad ram ?. Driver issues or needs BIOS update ? SP1 related fixes from the computer maker (compatibilty/enhancement) usually also found in the drivers/downloads for that computer ?
 
I've had a few of these ancient vista systems in lately with restore partitions with no sp. In a few cases the customer wanted the recovery done from the partition to keep factory installed software. Same issues, couldn't install sp1. after tons of looking into, it wasn't the same fix for each one but here's some stuff i did that worked for the 5 or 6 I've done in the last few weeks. After getting what updates do succeed, download and run the update readiness tool for 32 or 64 bit...I've even had one where it ran the same update multiple times before working. Then download sp1 manually and run it as an admin. This did the trick on one. Also go to the factory site and get ALL drivers first. I've seen a few that needed intel rst drivers or other hard drive drivers before sp1 will go. Also download newest avail I.E manually....i think 8 for vista, I think I had one where that was needed before sp1 went in.
 
Vista SP1 gave me a headache in several occasions. I vaguely remember Microsoft had a special compatibility tool which you ran prior to the upgrade.

For me.
Wipe the drive..... completely,.... including the recovery drive. (Clone it first, just in case) and perform a totally fresh install.

A number of SP1 failures were due to (at the time), duff drivers as so those contained within the recovery drive can only trip it up.

Regards.
 
After I explain to my customers how much faster the unit will run with a clean install, I usually get the ok to perform it. I simply leave the recovery partition intact, just in case they ever do want it in the future, and delete all other partitions and use a Vista with SP2 thumb drive or DVD to perform a clean install, install all drivers, and then the rest of the updates.
 
NYJimbo said:
So after a factory fresh install of Vista, SP1 will still not install ?

Thoughts:

Bad ram ?. Driver issues or needs BIOS update ? SP1 related fixes from the computer maker (compatibilty/enhancement) usually also found in the drivers/downloads for that computer ?
Click to expand...
Correct. Installed all the hardware drivers from the manufacturers web site which resolved two unknown device problems and created a new problem with the touch pad. still no joy with SP1.
 
This brings up many ugly memories of years ago trying to upgrade a base Vista to SP1.

A while back I created a slip-streamed Vista with SP2 in it and use that when re-installing. For those who wanted a N&P using the recovery partition to keep the pre-installed software, I have both SP1 and SP2 upgrades as a separate executable and, for whatever reason, they always seem to install just fine.
 
commodore64 said:
I've had a few of these ancient vista systems in lately with restore partitions with no sp. In a few cases the customer wanted the recovery done from the partition to keep factory installed software. Same issues, couldn't install sp1. after tons of looking into, it wasn't the same fix for each one but here's some stuff i did that worked for the 5 or 6 I've done in the last few weeks. After getting what updates do succeed, download and run the update readiness tool for 32 or 64 bit...I've even had one where it ran the same update multiple times before working. Then download sp1 manually and run it as an admin. This did the trick on one. Also go to the factory site and get ALL drivers first. I've seen a few that needed intel rst drivers or other hard drive drivers before sp1 will go. Also download newest avail I.E manually....i think 8 for vista, I think I had one where that was needed before sp1 went in.
Click to expand...
i've tried to install explorer 9 but the microsoft site keeps trying to give me the 64 bit version even though the vista is 32 bit. i can't find any link that unequivocally states that this is the 32 bit version.

tried the readiness tool, tried the stand alone SP1 download.
 
glricht said:
This brings up many ugly memories of years ago trying to upgrade a base Vista to SP1.

A while back I created a slip-streamed Vista with SP2 in it and use that when re-installing. For those who wanted a N&P using the recovery partition to keep the pre-installed software, I have both SP1 and SP2 upgrades as a separate executable and, for whatever reason, they always seem to install just fine.
Click to expand...
i think that's where i'm up to. looks like microsoft have taken down their iso site so now i'm looking for a reputable place where i can get a vista sp1 or sp2 iso.
 
Porthos said:
That is an ISO of the update not the actual OS disk.
Click to expand...
Sorry,

It's worded as such:

"i think that's where i'm up to. looks like microsoft have taken down their iso site so now i'm looking for a reputable place where i can get a vista sp1 or sp2 iso."

My error.
 
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