Windows installs do wear out, and if I had one that was giving me this much trouble, I'd bite the bullet and just reformat it.
Also, there's still some question in my mind whether malware is preventing the SP2 & 3 update packages from being installed.
All things considered, backing up 50GB of data isn't a really big project, 12 DVD blanks. They're a really good thing to have around, whether you have an imaging program or not.
By now, 5 years later, I can agree that the O/S could use a refresh, also 5 years later (with a HItachi HDD-I'm knocking on a lot of wood right now) a refresh on a new HDD.
Originally, I downloaded SP2 from dial-up (you may laugh), which I thought may have corrupted over numerous (very numerous) connections, so later downloaded an IT version over a DSL at work-doesn't matter what I tried, always same result.
As for Malware, quite possible, I've done the 8 steps - recently, and have found a couple, so it could have been there since then (I have noticed occasional attackers with my previous ISP) I did have AVG installed day 1 for almost 1/2 a year, so that was useless.
That being said, I'll backup my HDD on DVD's, buy a new 'internal' and try it again. As for the specs on my current HDD, please view image... 153GB.
Now, I am a little confused about '48bit LBA' - never heard of it, and also, this issue of some driver making my AMD processor think it's an Intel? (or something like that), as mentioned by "GBHALL" way back in the beginning,(3rd post) which after, I even contacted AMD, and they insisted they never heard of any issue and it's not them (so you know what I'm staying far away from next time).:dead:
