I spent three days trying to install Windows XP Professional through Service Pack 3 on an old Dell Dimension 4400 that I’ve had lying around the house that I want to pass on to a friend. It’s taken 5 attempts, and I’m still not sure it’s really there.
Attempt 1: Install Windows XP, then Windows XP Service Pack 2. Notice funky screen behavior and warning messages about recovering from a registry backup after reboot. System crashes; rebuild.
Attempt 2: Install Windows XP, the Windows XP Service Pack 2. Notice funky screen behavior and warning messages about recovering from a registry backup after reboot. Press ahead and install Windows XP SP 3. System crashes spectacularly with lsass.exe error messages and black screens. Rebooting does nothing.
Attempt 3: Install Windows XP, then try to go directly to Windows XP SP 3. System denies attempt. Pick up with installing XP SP 2 as seen in attempt 2.
Attempt 4: See attempts 2 & 3.
Attempt 5: Install Windows XP, then install Windows XP Service Pack 1. Aha! System stable. Install Windows XP SP 3. Get lsass.exe error messages and black screen of death. Reboot. System starts up, then crashes. Reboot. System starts up, gives 4 bit color and is missing device drivers. Try to re-install missing device drivers; fails. Reboot. System comes up cleanly. Reboot to see if this is fluke. System comes up cleanly. Still skeptical; reboot again. System comes up cleanly. Check My Computer’s System Properties to see OS version. Windows XP Service Pack 3. Still skeptical, reboot again. Aha! “WIndows – Registry Recovery”. “ONe of the files containing the system’s Registry data had to be recovered by use of a log or alternate copy. The recovery was successful.” Reboot again. System comes up cleanly.
I know it’s Windows XP, but honestly, does this make any sense at all? I didn’t realize we actually had “self-repairing” computer operating systems back in 2002.