Problems with SP4 and W2K Pro

[Dragonsi]

I recently tried installing SP4 for W2K pro but got the error "unable to contact metabase" plus a load more errors, the install then stopped but did not uninstall the files.

Has anyone else got this error and what should I do to correct it?

[mikmik]

I have had probs with installs from windows update before.
I just go and start over with a new connection - scan for updates - etc. It then quickly should pick up were it left off.
I have, however, had to reinstall my OS one time to get around the problem.

[Dragonsi]

Thanks for that but maybe I should of explained better, I'm trying to upgrade via an original Microsoft CD - the latest SP4 Cd from the Us.

I have had few people mention about turning off the IIS Admin before doing the install, I tried this but got the same error. The actual error is longer, I can quote the full error if needed...

[mikmik]

This was the only thing that came up with your error message used as a search term at MS knowledgebase.
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;313494&Product=win2000

When you try to access the metabase by using Adsutil.vbs or Mdutil.exe, you may receive the following error message:

ErrNumber: -2146893792 (0x80090020)
Error Trying To ENUM the Object (GetObject Failed): w3svc
It is for SP1 and SP2, but it might be an idea to turn of the crytography service etc.
Man, SP install issues can be a serious pain, eh?

http://aumha.org/win5/index.htm
Alright, I found it. This is just about the most incredible site I have ever seen for troubleshooting error messages. If you surf around, you will begin to see what I mean. I have given the URI for the main Win2K/XP page..
If I get some time, I will look in this site also for you. It is big, and inclusive.

Another option might be to try the update in safe-mode, but you would probably have to copy the CD to your hard drive first, as Windows will prob. not load CD drivers in safe mode (Maybe, I haven't done it for a while!)
I couldn't find anything specific on the site above, but one feature of it is the links it provides to Microsoft MVPers support and personal sites.
If you give us the error code, maybe I can help more!

[Dragonsi]

The error I got was something like this:


The SP4 setup program display the following messages near
the end of installation:
1. Unable to connect to metabase.
2. Setup failed to remove ism.dll script mappings.
Service
Pack Setup will abort.
3. An error in updating your system has occurred.


I just found this on the Microsoft BBS - a MS engineer replied:


Stop and disable the IIS Admin World Wide Web Publishing service and FTP
Publishing services. Then try the Service Pack install.


I might try this again when i have a little more time (in case things go wrong).. Meanwhile, any other advise is still more than welcome.. :)

[Dragonsi]

I tried the above last night, I stopped and disabled IIS, FTP pub & WWW pub. I also stopped all systray apps and made sure Nortan AV and firewall were stopped. Guess what - I got the same error as before...

I am having problems viewing ASP and PHP database websites, the data is displayed all over the place. So an abrupt but polite email was sent to Microsoft.

Why can't they get things to work first time..... :(

[southplatte]

Hello,

You might try what mikmik said about installing under safe mode. With Win2kPro, make sure and use your task manager to verify what exactly is running on the system as well. I believe the IIS process will show up as inetinfo.exe (might be w3svc as well haven't used Win2k for a while), so if you stop the services and bring up the task manager and see this, they are still memory resident. It is best to end task (or close manually if possible) any task that is not system critical (or use safe mode) not just the systray icons as many resident programs do not necessarily put something there.

Another option (as mikmik pointed out in safe mode comments) is to copy the cd to the hd of the system and try it from there. Sometimes a cd read error could hose the update, without necessarily giving a cd read error -- and sometimes cds are just bad, so copying it first should give a better indication of the quality of the cd.

A few other thoughts: download the service pack, request a new cd, back-up, re-install win2k, update w/sp4

ASP/PHP errors - if after trying the update, you are now getting these errors it points to the w3svc/inetinfo maybe being memory resident during the update - if the sp is trying to update this (most likely for "security concerns" according to MS) it will not only fail the update, but it is going to mess up the IIS installation. ASP is native for IIS, PHP is an add-on....you may need to re-install IIS under windows components to get ASP back, and then reinstall PHP. (re-installing IIS components will most likely require you to setup PHP and all your ftp/www sites again, though the physical data should not be harmed)

Hope you get it figured out soon! Best of luck!

[Dragonsi]

Thanks southplatte, I still haven't tried installing SP4 under safe mode, I am going to call the MS tech helpdesk this week to see what they say. At present, reformating and reinstalling W2K is not an option, it has taken me months of playing with settings to get this unit the way it is (which could be half the prob) and since I'm on a dial-up connection, I don't won't to go through hours of downloading updates and patches again.

If I reboot into safe made, are all the IIS components and security protocols active? In other words, if I reboot, can I just try installing SP4 from the HDD straight away or do I still need to stop stuff first?

[southplatte]

If you reboot into safe mode it should kill all of the IIS and anything else except any startup programs (starup folder/registry run stuff) that you can close manually and that is not at a system level such as the networking components.

There should be two options for safe mode -- safe mode and safe mode with networking support -- choose the first, if you choose with networking it will load all network services which may include some, if not all, of the IIS components.

[Dragonsi]

Thanks again southplatte, I called MS today and they wouldn't help me unless I paid them $60 - what planet do they live on, cos it ain't Earth...

When I have a little more time, I'll back up my data and the IIS log/data and try installing SP4 in safe mode, I'll keep you posted as to whether it worked...

[netman4ttm]

http://www.x-setup.net/

The basic idea here is to lie to the Micro$oft update engine, so you can get a new install.

But this is the best general purpose Windows tools I have ever used. (and really made a mess with)

[Dragonsi]

OK - here's an update -

Yesterday while disableling IIS, FTP & WWW publishing, my system crashed. When it rebooted, I got the dreaded blue screen of death with a fatal stop error. A good friend of mine came around and managed to get the system up again by deleting restore points from the reg. However, after inspecting my system, he informed me there were a lot of serious security issue with w2k and suggested a reinstall. So after 2 hours of backing up important system files (my business data is on a seperate HDD, so that was safe), a fresh version of w2k was installed followed straight away by SP4.

I have spent most of today reinstalling applications and doing windows updates from MS (on a 46K dial-up). Here's the news I didn't want....

*Five windows updates (security patches) will not install..
*Certain drivers (pen mouse etc.) will not install..
*asp & php website are still be displayed all messed up, asp pages display code at the top of the page and no apply buttons appear.
*My network took forever to get going..

To say I'm pi$$ed of with MS is an understatement, I want to send Mr Gates a letter bomb (only joking), sell my PC's and buy some MAC's....

Another strange thing is when I define a new site in Dreamweaver MX, my system crashes unless I disable my Firewall (Norton 2001), what's all that about..

Is SP3 still available? My system worked a treat under that, if it is - I might reinstall again and put SP3 on it instead of this dodgy thing that is SP4.

PS - yet another 'I'm not impressed' email has been sent to MS customer service, they must be getting to know me by now.. I need some sleep... zzzzzzzz

[Dragonsi]

Microsoft has replied to me email (bit of a shock) and suggested downloading the uninstalled security patches to a temp folder and installing under safe mode. I haven't had the chance yet but will try in a few days... I'll keep ya informed..

[mukkact]

I am also facing the same problem. I have followed the steps explained in the mail chain i.e.

1. Launching windows in safe mode
2. Stopping IIS Admin, WWW,FTP publishing services
3. Installing SP4

Even then it is giving the error message stating that

"Unable to connect to metabase " And

"Setup failed to remove ism.dll script mappings"


Earlier when I am installing in normal mode, Installation window got disappeared after 30 sec starting of the installation. Since almost two months, I am fighting with installation of SP4..even then I am not able to make out.

Any help is highly appreciated in advance

[Dragonsi]

Mukkact,

Take my advise, do not bother installing SP4, since I have re-installed w2k just to get SP4 to work, I have had nothing but problems. In fact over the next few days, I am going to remove SP4 and re-install SP3. I had no problems with SP3 for over 8 months and believe that SP4 is nothing but trouble. A friend of mine, who sells a lot of PC's, 90% of units sold with Win2000 that have had SP4 installed have been returned with the same symptons as I have experianced. ASP & PHP website not displaying correctly, in fact, I cannot view the BBC website ( www.bbc.co.uk ) at all, just get a server not available error. If I visit this site from my laptop (XP home) - I get no problems. Evan M$ Access will not work correctly and often crashes the system. Several periherals will not install and some software (Norton System Works) give warnings of incompatibility with SP4.

I'm not sure what M$ are up to but they have buggered this one up completely. One point of interest here is what type of CPU you are using. I have noted that all units that are having problems, all use AMD processors, not 1 unit that uses Intel has been returned - I do know that M$ and Intel work together with updates etc, and it seams a conspiricy might be at hand to bring down AMD......

[Dragonsi]

Finaly, I have managed to get rid of SP4 - was a bitch because it wasn't showing up in 'Add/Remove Programs'. Then in Safe Mode, installed SP3 onto my system. Rebooted and downloaded about 50Mb of security patches and updates. Installed IE6 (SP3 reinstalled IE5.1) and the Google toolbar and from first inspection, all appears ok.

I can now visit www.bbc.co.uk again and forums like this one appear firt time, no need to refresh. I have tried a few applications and they all worked (so far), next is to install hardware and software I couldn't get to work under SP4.

I guess the old saying is right >> 'don't fix what ain't broke'

[Thistleknot]

I had the same freaking error when installing service pack4. I went through the services and sorted by status and what was started. I noticed service pack service wasn't enabled, nor was my remote procedure call and workstation, I enabled these and a couple other misc services (such as event viewer) and it installed.

I was getting "Unable to register the event source."
"unable to conenct to metabase"
and "setup failed to remove ism.dll script mappings. Service pack will abort setup."