LKBEN10847: How to remove Windows XP Service Pack 3 from your computer

Symptom

SP3 needs to be removed.

Cause

For troubleshooting purposes you may want to uninstall the Windows XP SP3.

Solution

After you have installed Windows XP SP3, a hardware device or an installed program may behave differently as before. For troubleshooting purposes you may want to uninstall the Windows XP SP3.

Method 1: Use the "Add or Remove Programs" item in Control Panel

   1. click Start > Run
   2. type appwiz.cpl and then press ENTER
   3. click the "Show Updates" check box.
   4. click Windows XP SP 3 and then click Remove.
   5. click Finish to restart the computer after the removal is finished.

Method 2: Use the hidden $NtServicePackUninstall$ folder

   1. click Start > Run
   2. type c:\windows\$NtServicePackUninstall$\spuninst\spuninst.exe and then click OK.
   2. when the Windows XP Service Pack 3 Removal Wizard starts click Next.
   3. follow the shown instructions to remove Windows XP SP3.

Method 3: Use the System Restore process
Note: Before you use System Restore, make sure that you have restarted the computer at least one time after you installed Windows XP SP3.

   1. click Start > Run
   2. type %systemroot%\System32\restore\rstrui.exe and then press ENTER:
   3. click Restore my computer to an earlier time and then click Next.
   4. click the date on which you installed Windows XP SP3 and then click Installed Window XP Service Pack 3 in the "Restore Point" box.
   5. click Next and follow the shown instructions to remove Windows XP SP3.

Method 4: Use Recovery Console

1 Insert the Windows XP CD in the CD/DVD drive and restart your computer.
2 At the "Welcome to Setup" message, press R to start the Recovery Console.
3 Select the correct Windows XP installation then type your administrator password
5 At the command prompt type "cd $ntservicepackuninstall$\spuninst" and then press ENTER.
6 At the command prompt type "batch spuninst.txt" and then press ENTER.
7 After Windows XP SP3 is removed type exit and then press ENTER.
8 Restart the computer in safe mode (press F8 when the computer restarts).
9 When the computer restarts, Windows Explorer (Explorer.exe) does not run, and the Windows icons and the Start button are unavailable.
To resolve this problem, follow these steps:

   1. Press CTRL+ALT+DEL and then click Task Manager in the Windows Security screen.
   2. Click File and then click New Task (Run).
   3. In the Open box type regedit and then click OK.
   4. Locate and then click the following registry subkey: "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\RpcSs"
   5. In the details pane right-click ObjectName and click Modify. Type LocalSystem in the Value data box, and then click OK.
   6. Restart the computer

Disclaimer:

About the Author

Author: Wim Peeters - Keskon GmbH & Co. KG

Wim Peeters is electronics engineer with an additional master in IT and over 30 years of experience, including time spent in support, development, consulting, training and database administration. Wim has worked with SQL Server since version 6.5. He has developed in C/C++, Java and C# on Windows and Linux. He writes knowledge base articles to solve IT problems and publishes them on the Lubby Knowledge Platform.

Latest update: 05.10.2020