SP3 Installation crashes (reboots) with NO error message

Clarifications

My Computer, Properties, Advanced, Startup and Recovery and untick Automatically restart. While you are there make sure that Small memory dump (64 KB) is selected and the output is %SystemRoot%\Minidump. The Blue Screen will dump the Minidump file.

Restart the PC normally as this will allow the PC to Blue Screen. Take note of Stop 0X000000 error message and post it or Google it.

Or if you are feeling adventurous

Minidump Files can be found here. C:\WINDOWS\Minidump\Mini122707-02.dmp

How to read the small memory dump files that Windows creates for debugging
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/315263

To download and install the Windows debugging tools, visit the following Microsoft Web site:
http://www.microsoft.com/whdc/devtools/debugging/default.mspx

Instructions on using Windbg.

Open Windbg and select file, Symbol file path and brows to the Symbol folder that you have downloaded and installed Symbols to, select OK.
Close the workpage and save the Workspace information. This should lock in the Symbol path.
Open Windbg and select file and select Open Crash Dump then navigate to the minidump, highlight it and select Open.
There are two ways to use !analyze -v the easiest is to click on !analyze -v under Bugcheck Analysis.
When you have ran the initial dump if you look to the bottom of the screen you will see kd> to the right of that type in !analyze -v and press the Enter key.
Ctrl + a will let you copy the information and paste it into notepad.

Look to the bottom of the page for information like this. This was fixed by updating the Graphics Drivers.
FAULTING_THREAD: 864f6a98

DEFAULT_BUCKET_ID: GRAPHICS_DRIVER_FAULT

CUSTOMER_CRASH_COUNT: 1

BUGCHECK_STR: 0xEA

PROCESS_NAME: logon.scr

LAST_CONTROL_TRANSFER: from 00000000 to bfef0fea

STACK_TEXT:
f6434e6c 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 sgiul50!DrvBitBlt+0x585

STACK_COMMAND: .thread 0xffffffff864f6a98 ; kb

FOLLOWUP_IP:
sgiul50!DrvBitBlt+585
bfef0fea 75f9 jne sgiul50!DrvBitBlt+0x580 (bfef0fe5)

SYMBOL_STACK_INDEX: 0

SYMBOL_NAME: sgiul50!DrvBitBlt+585

FOLLOWUP_NAME: MachineOwner

MODULE_NAME: sgiul50

IMAGE_NAME: sgiul50.dll

DEBUG_FLR_IMAGE_TIMESTAMP: 3b7dfec7

FAILURE_BUCKET_ID: 0xEA_IMAGE_sgiul50.dll_DATE_2001_08_18

BUCKET_ID: 0xEA_IMAGE_sgiul50.dll_DATE_2001_08_18

I had a similar issue...

in both cases that I encountered, an 'Access Denied' error came up about half-way through the installation and then a roll-back occurred. Both were resolved by installing SubInACL and running a script as prescribed in this article:
http://tinyurl.com/5nacly

evidently, it's a common issue.

I suspect that spyware or a virus had removed administrator permissions to parts of the registry.

You will want to use this installer:
http://tinyurl.com/4qvth5

Let us know what happens.

here to have one only the sun isn't over the yardarm as yet. ;)

and then you can have that Rum. How long have you had your picture up there. You look a lot younger than I had you pegged for. ;)

Where's the rod. :p

< Typo >

Did you find a resolution?
If so, what was it?

Thanks to both you guys for the comments (although it looks like you had a good time sub -threading :)
I checked the access permissions and that wasn't the issue. I had already downloaded the sp3 installable so that wasn't it either.

Capt Billy reminded me about the autorestart hiding the BSOD that reveals the problem. I got the code 0x0000000A and ran the WinDbg. It said something about video driver, so I went to the Intel site, upgraded, and restarted the upgrade. Although it looked like it ran, it give me a message saying that XP may be incompletely installed and unstable. I was still on sp2.
I ran the install again, and it worked for some reason! Not sure why it took two tries after the driver was upgraded but at least I got it going. Thanks for the ideas and reminders, guys!