While installing Windows XP SP3, you receive the following error:
Windows XP Service Pack 3 installation failed.
Access is denied.
Resolution:
1. Backup the Registry
2. If subinacl.exe is not installed, download and install it.
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:
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
Regards,
Avinash P.