XP Upgrade errors

[doors1963]

I was upgrading my XP Pro to XP Pro SP2 from CD and ran into this error. "Error: Setup has encountered an error (system file time out of syncm error code is 800b01001) / Fatal Error : setup failed to install the product catalogs. This is a fatal error. THe setup log files should contain more info."
I took the advice of others and set my BIOS clock back, but that was to no avail. Now everytime I restart my computer, Windows attempts to restart the installation of Windows, but comes across the same errors. I am hoping there is someway I can revert back to my old install or make Windows start the install over clean instead of restarting the install.
Anyt help would be greatly appreciated as I am very frustrated with this.

Thanks,
Ryan
rchalberg@hotmail.com

[Play_The_0dds]

do you mean you have a cd that has xp pro and sp2 batched with it? or with sp1? if you batched a beta build of sp2 on a xp install what method did you use? bart's way? have you tried booting to last known good configuration? when you turn system power on, right after the bios beep, tap F8 constantly until the boot options appear. select last know good config. if this dont work you may have to reinstall just the orriginal xp pro over it's self. if you boot from cd follow the steps to install xp(do not go to the recovery console) when xp detects the xp install you have press R to repair it.

[doors1963]

I'm not sure how SP2 got on the CD, I obtained the CD from a friend. I tried booting last known config and get the fatal blue screen. I tried booting in Safe Mode and it says Setup cannon be run in safe mode. Setup will now restart. (even with no windows cds in). If I put my original XP Pro disc in, I get the black Windows XP screen where it is loading, then it goes to setup where it says Setup will now restart, then it says "Please insert the CD labeled Windows XP professional service pack 2" and then I run into the errors encountered in my previous message.
I would like to just install my previous version of XP Pro over my existing copy but I can't get to the install options menu. No matter what I try or what CD is in, Windows tries to restart the SP2 install.
Any other suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

[GSM Super Star]

The best thing I can suggest is to use a Windows 98 Boot disk and run Fdisk. Just delete the Partition on your HD and then Run the Win XP Setup from CD.

You will then be on the way to having a working PC.

Download the 98 Boot Disk from http://www.24by7.ca/files/boot98se.exe

Hope it helps

[Play_The_0dds]

are either of the two cds you have bootable, meaning when you turn on the pc the xp cd will boot to install/recovery options? or do you have to start them as a upgrade from windows?

[doors1963]

Originally posted by known_criminal
are either of the two cds you have bootable, meaning when you turn on the pc the xp cd will boot to install/recovery options? or do you have to start them as a upgrade from windows?

They are supposed to be bootable. I installed my original XP Pro onto a brand new hard drive, so it is bootable, but even when I put the original bootable disc in, it still tries to restart the batched SP2 install.

[Play_The_0dds]

even if you set the bios to boot from cd it skips right back to the failed install? you will need to use a floppy boot disk, either win98, or a hard drive utility, or eraser disk to delete the partition, recreate it, and reforamt and install. you will lose your stuff you had on the drive, but i dont think there is any chance for repair at this point. you can get a 98 oem bootdisk from this link and run fdisk.
http://www.bootdisk.com/