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Remove SP2 from SBS 2003 - not showing in add/remove programs

Hi,

We are currently running Windows SBS 2003 Standard and wish to apply the Windows SBS Server 2003 R2 Transition Pack.

Unfortunately we have Service Pack 2 already installed on the server. The Transition Pack will not install with service pack 2 on the server, it will only run under service pack 1.

We have tried to remove service pack 2 from the server, with no luck. The service pack 2 does not display in the add/remove programs. Also, we do not have the 'uninstallsp2 folder' usually located in the c:\windows directory. It seems this folder was removed to free up space on the server.

Are there any other ways that service pack 2 can be removed from the server?

Thank you.

gratex_ssd

Hello,

Your best bet would be to re-install SP2 from here

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyId=95AC1610-C232-4644-B828-C55EEC605D55&displaylang=en

and then locate it under Add/Remove programs. It should be there.

Mark Damen

Are you looking under Windows Server SP2 or similar. It wouldn't be listed under SBS 2003 SP2, no such thing exists!

2bitpanther

ASKER

i have checked over and over and its not in the A/R list.

i tried re-installing then after i had rebooted the system it gave me an error saying something along the lines of "Windows could not be found. It used another configuration that last worked"

There must be a way of removing it somehow

gratex_ssd

We would need exact error message - there is definitely some major issue with your OS that lies elsewhere. There should be no problem at all to install/uninstall SP2 except when there was previous SP installed with an /n switch.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/937996

2bitpanther

ASKER

The error i received when trying to reinstall sp2

"Failed to insall catalog files.

Windows Server 2003 has been partially updated and may not work properly"

When we first ran the install we didnt use any switches (or an /n switch).

gratex_ssd

Well, I think I've found a fix for you, and hopefully you will be able to reinstall SP2 correctly, make it appear in Add/Remove programs and then correctly remove it.

Check out this blog article and try if it helps (please disregard the notice on top that states that the steps below are no longer required and proceed with the guide in the blog). You can create two batch files, that will do the work for you. More here:

http://blogs.technet.com/sbs/archive/2007/06/22/sp2-may-fail-to-install-if-a-large-number-of-updates-are-installed.aspx

HTH

Mark Damen

Else, check in the folder

C:\WINDOWS\$NtServicePackUninstall$\spuninst

run the spuninst.exe file

Regards.

ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION

2bitpanther

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