windows installer

do you have any clue on what it's trying to "install?"  maybe there is something in your logon script?  you can find your login script at \\domainname\sysvol\domainname\scripts\sbs.bat or something similar to that.  open it up and notepad and see if there is anything in there.

also have you tried logging into one of these winxp computers with an account that has admin privelages?

myfootsmells

thanks for the pointer there is some software listed in here to be installed but it hasn't changed for 12 months otherwise the following is listed.
Also i amd logging on as with administrator account and no roaming profile.
Could it be something to do with GFI LAnguard security which you can scan network for ms patches and deploy, but i never had this problem before with it.
thanks
ps i will disable this logon script and try again.
logon script
\\SERVER\Clients\Setup\SBSCLNT.exe /s SERVER
Net use v: \\server\db3 /YES
Net use t: \\server\sos /YES
Net use s: \\server\account /YES
Net use r: \\server\cashbook /YES
Net use q: \\server\deprec /YES
Net use p: \\server\housepac /YES
Net use o: \\server\dbnetctl.300 /YES
Net use n: \\server\users /YES
Net use l: \\server\labels /YES
Net use F: \\server\work /YES
Net use J: \\server\RESEARCH /YES
Net use g: \\server\National /YES
Net use h: \\server\myobdata /yes
Net use w: \\server\clientdata /yes
NET USE X: \\OLDSERVER\WYWO /YES
Net use z: /home
rem Net use LPT1: \\server\KyoceraM /yes
rem Net use LPT2: \\server\genericT /yes
rem Net use LPT3: \\server\canonbub /yes
net time \\server /set /y

everything looks fine, i would try disabling the SBSCLNT.exe though and try it again.  let me know

removed startup scripts and still no good. logon once all ok. shut down restart logon again and its stuffed. I will try removing admin privileges from my account as maybe something is trying to install. weird thing is 2000 machines are fine with all of the above scripts etc. why is xp only getting affected.

could be something in your group policy that is being affected by a WMI filter.  i'd check in there and see which group policies are or arent applied to WinXP machines.

i believe ther is a way to reset all policies back to default level ? is this true as what you saying may make sense as i was trying to update policy templates with xp sp2 templates in group policy but it would work so i removed them and reloaded the old back in. But i have made some changes in here but nothing thats is out of the extra. butmaybe i need to reset defaul domain security and domain conmtroller policies. Also can i see anything via gpresult on the xp machines to help with this.

thanks a million

you can do a gpresult and see the output if any WMI filters were applied.  go to a computer and type gpresult and copy and paste the results

once the system crashes i cant run gpresult its keeps saying access denied. i have checked the event viewer on the xp machine and there are quite a few errors in the application log now.
some is a follows, plus a lot of com+ errors

source msdtc
event 2444

  Security Configuration (OFF = 0 and ON = 1):
      Network Administration of Transactions = 0,
      Network Clients = 0,
      Inbound Distributed Transactions using Native MSDTC Protocol = 0,
      Outbound Distributed Transactions using Native MSDTC Protocol = 0,
      Transaction Internet Protocol (TIP) = 0,
      XA Transactions = 0

another is
userenv
event 1090

Windows couldn't log the RSoP (Resultant Set of Policies) session status. An attempt to connect to WMI failed. No more RSoP logging will be done for this application of policy.

another event is
event= security centre
event id 1807

The Security Center service has been stopped.  It was prevented from running by a software group policy.

can you do a gpresult on another computer that is working doesnt have to be WinXP. I just want to see whatyou have

gpresult from win2k as follows
thanks
Microsoft (R) Windows (R) 2000 Operating System Group Policy Result tool
Copyright (C) Microsoft Corp. 1981-1999


Created on Friday, 12 May 2006 at 3:42:11 PM


Operating System Information:

Operating System Type:            Professional
Operating System Version:      5.0.2195.Service Pack 4
Terminal Server Mode:            Not supported

###############################################################

  User Group Policy results for:

  CN=Brendan smith,OU=Smith Pfeiffer,DC=smiths,DC=net,DC=au,DC=local

  Domain Name:            SMITHS
  Domain Type:            Windows 2000
  Site Name:            Default-First-Site-Name

  Roaming profile:      \\server\profiles\brendan
  Local profile:      C:\Documents and Settings\Brendan.SMITHS

  The user is a member of the following security groups:

      SMITHS\Domain Users
      \Everyone
      BUILTIN\Users
      BUILTIN\Administrators
      NT AUTHORITY\INTERACTIVE
      NT AUTHORITY\Authenticated Users
      \LOCAL
      SMITHS\BackOffice Internet Users
      SMITHS\Domain Admins


###############################################################

Last time Group Policy was applied: Friday, 12 May 2006 at 3:35:09 PM
Group Policy was applied from: server.smiths.net.au.local


===============================================================


The user received "Registry" settings from these GPOs:

      Default Domain Policy


===============================================================
The user received "Internet Explorer Branding" settings from these GPOs:

      Default Domain Policy



###############################################################

  Computer Group Policy results for:

  CN=Brendan,CN=Computers,DC=smiths,DC=net,DC=au,DC=local

  Domain Name:            SMITHS
  Domain Type:            Windows 2000
  Site Name:            Default-First-Site-Name


  The computer is a member of the following security groups:

      BUILTIN\Administrators
      \Everyone
      BUILTIN\Users
      NT AUTHORITY\NETWORK
      NT AUTHORITY\Authenticated Users
      SMITHS\BRENDAN$
      SMITHS\Domain Computers

###############################################################

Last time Group Policy was applied: Friday, 12 May 2006 at 3:32:54 PM
Group Policy was applied from: oldserver.smiths.net.au.local


===============================================================


The computer received "Registry" settings from these GPOs:

      Local Group Policy
      Default Domain Policy


===============================================================
The computer received "Security" settings from these GPOs:

      Local Group Policy
      Default Domain Policy


===============================================================
The computer received "EFS recovery" settings from these GPOs:

      Local Group Policy
      Default Domain Policy

the system template under group policy for domain policy was still a new version from xp sp2 would this affect these machines ? i have reloaded old template. is ther a easy way to reset policy setting back to sbs2000 default.

thanks

I ENDED UP RELOADED ALL DOMAIN POLICIES BACK TO DEFAULT AND PROBLEM SOLVED. THANKS VERY MUCH FOR YOU PATIENCE AND GUIDANCE. I THINK YOU EARNT YOUR 500

THANKS AGAIN

thank you!

did you assign the pts yet?