Last Friday, a friend tried to install Service Pack 2 for Windows XP but the computer crashed before the installation was completed. Normally, the system should have undone all the unsuccessful installation and left the OS in its original state. But instead, the next time she booted WinXP an error read "Explorer.EXE - Entry Point Not Found - The procedure entry point SHCreateThreadRef could not be located in the dynamic link library SHLWAPI.dll" and the only thing we could see was her desktop with no icons, no taskbar, only the mouse cursor. I tried to find a solution in Microsoft's site, but no luck. I also tried searching in google but still no solution. So I started to try some alternative methods like making changes from the command prompt. I thought of replacing the SHLWAPI.dll (which was calling some SP2 tasks) with a dll file from a SP1 computer. I think it might have worked, but the computer wouldn't recognize any of the usb devices (memory stick - floppy drive) so I wasn't able to do it.
Then we tried to use the recovery cd that came along with her computer but it showed another error with and FDI file so it wasn't possible to do it that way either. So I tried to uninstall SP2 manually from the DOS but there was one file missing or corrupted (I guess it was the shlwapi.dll). By this point I though that I couldn't fix it myself (which would hurt my pride AND my friend's pocket.. hahaha). Anyways, I kept on trying on google, going from link to link until I found a nice blog http://weblogs.asp.net/ I couldn't fix it immediately as it was said there, but then they helped me to find my way :D
The solution is (for those who have the same problem):
1. Boot WinXP in normal mode.
2. In the desktop open the Task Manager (Ctrl + Alt + Del)
3. From the Task Manager open a new process and type "control appwiz.cpl" and click OK. This will open the Add/Remove Programs Control Panel (many message windows will appear, just click OK)
4. Once in the Add/Remove Programs Control Panel, find the "Windows XP Hotfix – KB834707" entry. It should be among the Windows XP hotfixes, not in the SP2 ones.
5. Restart.
Now your computer should boot normally, but you still have to go to Add/Remove Programs and uninstall completely SP2. Then go to http://www.microsoft.com/sp2install for instructions to install SP2.
That's all folks !! (end of the headache, a nice high fives and jumping around with Monette :D)
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After this problem was solved, Microsoft updated their site with the instructions on how to repair unsuccessful SP2 installations. A bit late grgrgrgrg !!
Anyways, the information they provide is the same and you can read it here http://support.microsoft.com/kb/888162
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