Thanks to HappyBeaver and Jephree for all their help and advice in trying to sort this problem. But... it will not go away!

Reinstalled SP2 over already installed version. No joy. Tried to remove SP2 using all the various methods described in Microsoft's Knowledgebase: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/318378/EN-US/
But Windows XP won't let me.

So IE6 still all pear-shaped. So... goodbye IE! It wasn't fun knowing you. I'm going to stay glued to Firefox from now on.

Thanks, chaps, for all your help, but I've lost the will to live with IE any longer.

Here is the SP2 uninstall info for what it's worth:

How to remove Windows XP Service Pack 2 from your computer

Originally Posted by jephree

Here is the SP2 uninstall info for what it's worth:

How to remove Windows XP Service Pack 2 from your computer

Thanks. This is the same page and instructions that I used. But on this machine, at least, they don't work. The uninstall routine gets part way through and then quits.

How does it quit? Any error message? What exactly happens?

Also was XP SP2 originally on this computer or did you add it?

Go to start/run

C:\WINDOWS\$NtServicePackUninstall$\spuninst

Then double click spuninst.exe

Originally Posted by jephree

How does it quit? Any error message? What exactly happens?

Also was XP SP2 originally on this computer or did you add it?

Go to start/run

C:\WINDOWS\$NtServicePackUninstall$\spuninst

Then double click spuninst.exe

The first time it quit without warning. The other time two messages flashed up and vanished too fast to read them in full, but each started with:" Windows could not find file..." The uninstall routine seems to work normally until then. It checks the system; checks available disk space and then dies.
Win XP Home was pre-insatlled on the computer when I bought it; I downloaded and installed SP2 myself without encountering any problems. This was last September, so am unable to use the System Restore method of uninstalling SP2.

Have you tried doing it in Safe Mode?

Originally Posted by jephree

Have you tried doing it in Safe Mode?

No, I haven't. Good idea, I'll give it a try and let you know. Thanks.

Sorry not to have got back to you sooner. Been leading an exciting life!

Tried to uninstall SP2 in Safe Mode as you suggested and got as far as "DeletingFiles¦Copying files" screen, when everything vanished. Including Windows XP!! SP2 Uninstall totally trashed the whole system; couldn't get back in to restore settings or do anything else, no matter what I tried. Sooo... reinstalled XP and all my software, and now everything working just fine. Including IE6.

So finally got there in the end, via the country route!

Many thanks for all your help and advice.

Thanks for the update and the thanks!

Let us know if we can help further in the future!




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