Windows XP SP3: Endless Rebooting/Not Booting Solution Link

This is just a post referring users to

https://msinfluentials.com/blogs/jesper/archive/2008/05/08/does-your-amd-based-computer-boot-after-installing-xp-sp3.aspx

where a fix is posted about Windows XP SP3 and the solutions to an "endless rebooting" problem and also some situations where Windows doesn't boot at all.


Hope That Helps!
-James Hartig

Before Installing Windows XP SP3, "Access Denied", "SP3 Failed To Install"

Before Post: Note: If you install SP3, you cannot uninstall IE7 or IE8, so if you are planning on uninstalling either in the future or at all, do it before installing Windows XP SP3!

Note2: Please stop all spyware/anti-virus software (if you feel insecure, disconnect your internet), as these might prohibit the install to save/create files and/or registry entries!

Try to install Windows XP SP3 and receive a "Access Denied" error or an "SP3 Failed To Install" error?
Similar Errors: "The Installation can not continue please click ok to undo the changes." "Windows has been partly updated and may not work properly."
This fix will fix errors in other installations/programs also, running the "reset.cmd" regularly will prevent other problems and is beneficial.
Thinking about installing Windows XP SP3 and want to not receive this error?

Here's a poorly Photoshop example... (note: your error may look different)

Preventing Access Error Problems With SP3

1) Download SubInACL
2) Install it to 'Program Files\Windows Resource Kits'
3) Make Sure subinacl.exe is in the folder 'Program Files\Windows Resource Kits\Tools', if not move it
4) Download reset.cmd (right-click 'save link as...')
or follow the following steps

How to make your own reset.cmd

1) Open Notepad
2) Paste the following...

cd /d "%ProgramFiles%\Windows Resource Kits\Tools"
subinacl /subkeyreg HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE /grant=administrators=f /grant=system=f
subinacl /subkeyreg HKEY_CURRENT_USER /grant=administrators=f /grant=system=f
subinacl /subkeyreg HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT /grant=administrators=f /grant=system=f
subinacl /subdirectories %SystemDrive% /grant=administrators=f /grant=system=f
subinacl /subdirectories %windir%\*.* /grant=administrators=f /grant=system=f
secedit /configure /cfg %windir%\repair\secsetup.inf /db secsetup.sdb /verbose

3) Save as reset.cmd (check the picture below)

-------Done------


5) Double-click the reset.cmd on your desktop and wait for it to finish (this may take several minutes)
6) Install Windows XP SP3!!

Congrats! Your Done!

Hope this helps,
James Hartig

Windows XP Tweak: Hide Drive Letter From My Computer

This tweak will hide a drive letter from showing up in My Computer, however the drive will still be able to be accessed manually by typing in the drive letter in explorer.


----Tweak Steps----

1) Start > Run > regedit
2) Goto HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\
Explorer
3) Right click in the blank space and choose New > "REG_DWORD (DWORD Value)"

4) Name is "NoDrives"
5) Right click on "NoDrives" and select Modify
5) Following the table below, enter in a DECIMAL value!!


To Hide Multiple Drives, Add their values together.
Example: A+D = 9 Decimal Value
A+C+D = 13 Decimal Value

6) Press OK
7) Close regedit window
8) Note: A restart may be required, however I did not require one.

Hope This Helps!
-James Hartig

Windows Driver Uninstall: "Failed to uninstall the device. The device may be required to boot up the computer."

Solution for receiving the following error message:

"Failed to uninstall the device. The device may be required to boot up the computer."
When trying to uninstall devices...

(Click on certain images, if they are hard to read.)
---- Solution 1 ----
(Will Remove Driver For Good!)
(More Advanced, if you are not sure, please comment!, screwing up the registry is sometimes irreversible)
Open device manager (either from control panel or type 'devmgmt.msc' in Run...)
Right click on the device that you are tying to uninstall
Choose 'Properties'
Goto 'Details' Tab

Make Note of the Boxed Region In the Following Image (the "code")
(Format, if no image, ???\??????????\?????????)
(Note: the whole phrase will need to be noted, you can just leave this window in the background)

Open Regedit (Start -> Run -> regedit)
Goto "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Enum"

Now the noted "Code" comes into use...
Within Enum, goto the "folder" that first appears in the "code"
For the above example I would expand/goto the folder HID
Then from within that folder expand/choose the next part (after first '\') of the "code"
Then, if applicable, choose the sub-folder (following the 2nd '\') of the "code"

For the example above (HID\VID_413C&PID_2003\6&348914A4&0&000), I would choose

Right click on the "folder" and choose delete.
(Note: If there is only one sub-folder, go one folder up! (VID_413C&PID_2003)
If you get a security access error, please continue, if not then congrats, your driver is successfully deleted.

-- Security Access Fix --

Right click on the "folder" that you tried to delete
Select "Permissions..."
Choose 'Everyone'
Check "Full Control" under "Allow"



Click "Apply"
Now try to delete the "folder" again and should successfully delete!

If you are having trouble with any of the above steps, please comment!
If this successfully fixed you problem, feel free to comment also!


---- Solution 2 ----
(Quick and Dirty, Not Recommended!)
Open device manager (either from control panel or type 'devmgmt.msc' in Run...)
Right click on the device that you are tying to uninstall
Choose 'Update Driver'

Then choose:
Install From Specific Location

Click Next
Choose "Don't Search, I will choose the driver to install."
Click Next
Choose a Random Driver from the category of your current device.
(NOT RECOMMENDED!!)


The second solution, was mainly for advanced users, with an alternate idea of how to do it, it was not intended to be a step-by-step instruction.

Thanks For Reading! Hope It Helps!
-James Hartig