File is Corrupt Windows XP Prof SP2

I am having an issue that I see across the internet, but cannot find any clear cut answer to it. This thread: "forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=118720"
had the same issue and he felt bad RAM was the issue. That is not the case with me.
I am trying this on two separate boxes - Compaq Presario Laptop and a 2.7ghz Sempron machine. I have Windows XP Professional (with Service Pack 1a) installed. When I attempt to install sp2, I get the error File is Corrupt. I have plent of space, the systems are good, I have downloaded the sp again just in case it is the file - its not.

I have absolutely no idea how to get it patched up! There is so much software that I cannot install because it wants all the SPs installed...I am at wit's end. Can someone give me some ideas before pc's start flying out my window?

Thanks - Jesse

 

Have you tried to just go straight to SP3?

 

It may be that a corrupt file in Windows is causing this to not work. You may want to run the Windows System File Checker to verify all system files are the proper versions and not corrupted. To do this, go to the Command Prompt and type "sfc /scannow". It'll take awhile to scan, and may require your XP SP1 CD to copy files, but it should fix most problems to do with system files.

Going to XP3 right away is another good idea; you can download it here.

 

Ok - thanks. I will try both of these and see what occurs. I downloaded the sp3 already - I will redownload it JUST in case something is amiss with it.

Thanks - and I will reply back to this shortly.

Jesse

 

sfc /scannow didnt repair anything - it did a scan for about 10 minutes and completed... nothing found not intact. Attempted to go straight to sp3 - file is corrupt. Makes me think that maybe the initial windows installation did not properly work and the scannow is not picking it up. Any other thoughts? I guess I could fdisk/format and start again...there is nothing worth keeping - it is a clean install.

 

That's a distinct possibility; however, the underlying problem might be that your hard drive is beginning to go bad - if it's starting to develop bad sectors, the installation might be writing files to sectors that are marginal and that end up failing after the installation, resulting in those files becoming corrupted.

I would first run a good hdd diagnostic to see what the state of health is for the hdd, and to determine just how marginal it is. Then, do a full format of the disk (merely doing a new installation without specifically reformatting will not do it, the disk needs to be specifically formatted first), and then run a bad-sector check so that those sectors are marked as unusable. After that, try a fresh reinstallation and see if that helps.

 

ok thanks. doing all that this morning.

 

Makes no sense. At least - not to me. I have done everything - there are no bad sectors on the HD. - Remember this is on two different pc's that have been working normally. I just want to get Vista off of them. I even did an fdisk/format clean OS...still having continuous issues...acting like files cant be found. So........we took one of the two sticks of memory out of the computers...and installations, service packs, everything works perfectly. I do not understand that AT ALL considering this memory is fine...but evidently...there's SOMETHING that the system does not like about it.

Thanks for your responses in this. Once everything is 100% on this subject...I'll close this out.