Correct "Access Denied" Error While Installing Windows XP SP3 Release Candidate

INFORMATION

This article was orginally published in the MalwareTeks blog on February 23rd, 2008, and has been moved here.

While installing Windows XP SP3, you receive the following error:

1. Backup the Registry
2. If subinacl.exe is not installed, download and install subinacl.exe.
3. Create a file called reset.cmd with Notepad. Copy the text below into the file reset.cmd and run reset.cmd from an account with administrative privileges:
   
   Windows XP Home Edition:
   
   reset.cmd

   cd /d "%ProgramFiles%\Windows Resource Kits\Tools"
    
   subinacl /subkeyreg HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE /grant=administrators=f /grant=system=f
   subinacl /subkeyreg HKEY_CURRENT_USER /grant=administrators=f /grant=system=f
   subinacl /subkeyreg HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT /grant=administrators=f /grant=system=f
   subinacl /subdirectories %SystemDrive% /grant=administrators=f /grant=system=f
   subinacl /subdirectories %windir%\*.* /grant=administrators=f /grant=system=f

   
   Windows XP Professional:
   
   reset.cmd

   cd /d "%ProgramFiles%\Windows Resource Kits\Tools"
    
   subinacl /subkeyreg HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE /grant=administrators=f /grant=system=f
   subinacl /subkeyreg HKEY_CURRENT_USER /grant=administrators=f /grant=system=f
   subinacl /subkeyreg HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT /grant=administrators=f /grant=system=f
   subinacl /subdirectories %SystemDrive% /grant=administrators=f /grant=system=f
   subinacl /subdirectories %windir%\*.* /grant=administrators=f /grant=system=f
    
   secedit /configure /cfg %windir%\repair\secsetup.inf /db secsetup.sdb /verbose

4. Run windows update.

Windows XP SP3 should now install.

COPYRIGHT NOTICE

You may not reproduce this article in whole or part without the express permission of the author and MalwareTeks.