Here's how you can get SP3 or SP4 to install

[Simon_Says]

On Windows 2003 user regedit.
On Windows 2000 user regedt32.

First make a backup of your registry.

Browse to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Installer\UserData\S-1-5-18\Products\C896E102E88BEA14C864B3ABACCD6D7E\Patches

On the left hand pane, below this \Patches key will be a variety of reg keys that represent the GUIDs of BE hotfxes and service packs that have been installed, delete each of these keys.

On the right hand pane there is a key called AllPatches.
Open this key (again for Windows 2003 regedit is fine, but for Windows 2000 you must use regedt32) and empty out its contents; you should be able to just hit the Backspace key on the keyboard.

You are done with this key.

Now browse to HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Installer\Products\C896E102E88BEA14C864B3ABACCD6D7E\Patches

On the right hand pane there will be some keys that display the GUIDs of the BE hotfixes and service packs that have been installed.
Also on the right hand pane is an additional \Patches reg key of type REG_MULTI_SZ.

Delete the keys on the right hand pane that display the GUIDs.

Still on the right hand pane, Open the (REG_MULTI_SZ) \Patches key (again for Windows 2003 regedit is fine, but for Windows 2000 you must use regedt32) and empty out its contents; you should be able to just hit the Backspace key on the keyboard.

Below are some examples of the BE hotifx and service pack GUIDs
SP2 66491A51A43069648AA275E5A4E2BDD9
SP3 7E69932F48D43D84890E6B292C9E1094
HF47 E5866158DB0276041A35233CED489727
HF50 EAABEB068F14465459B63C8D5DAD9B2A
HF51 35C60F7F92418ED42B25287D3A5683E9
HF52 1A42F459EA25FED41BA5823BA2CA67F6
HF54 63E588DEC470F354EB8D3BCC32E877F5

[Carlton_Whitmor]

After these steps did you reboot the server? or just go ahead and install the latest service pack?

[Hector_Bravo]

After following the instructions for the registry, it worked for me. I installed SP4 with no problem (no reboot is necessary).

Thanks a lot!

[Simon_Says]

Like Hector said, there is no need to reboot.

[James_Allan]

Finally someone who knows... maybe you can train Symantec techs?

Thanks a lot worked great!

[A_van_der_Boom]

Its nice this workaround made it possible to install SP4 but is this the only thing wrong with SP4 ? I always shiver when you need to resort to this kind of workarounds with a brand new SP, it simply needs to install correctly, period. What if SP5 comes along, can it still install properly with these registry changes, what about the next hotfix ? Who knows.

For now I keep myself far away from installing SP4 untill Veritas resolves the installation problem.

Regards
A van der Boom

[Patrick_Hetheri]

One question, after we make the registry changes and apply the path, when I check the updates alot of previous hotfixes and sps are displayed of ones that I have already applied. Do we need to reapply them?

[A_van_der_Boom]

That's exactly what I told in my previous reply. In essence you tell BE that hotfixes etc. are not installed by removing the registry keys but the files which make up those hotfixes etc. are still installed. Although BE thinks the hotfixes are not there, they still are.

You might save the keys you remove before applying SP4 and afterwards reapply them again. Keep in mind that I never tried this before with BE !!!

Regards
A van der Boom

[Scott_Birmingha]

To Veritas:
SP4a is no different than SP4. Same error and still unable to install. Please inform me when a working service pack is available.

To everyone who has posted:
I apologize for taking so long to post but I finally managed to try the solution posted by Simon Says and SP4 finally installed!

Thank-you for your help!!!!!

I just hope that this SP solves my problems with BE.

Once again, many thanks.

[ACTANO_GmbH_ACT]

Hi Simon,

thx for this guide.

But ih have a problem. After i done this on my Win2k3 SP1 Machine, the Veritas Installer dont start any more.

Any suggestions?

best regards,

Henry

[Network_Admi14]

I have just completed this registry edit and SP4a installed without error immediately afterwards but I though you should know that it did require a reboot.

W2k3 Server Std. Edition (MS Update Patches current to today)
BE 9.1 4691 Sp3 (previous to Sp4a install)

I was surprised to discover that the "Veritas Update" site (accessible from within BE 9.1) doesn't list SP4a. Then, after having manually discovered SP4a existed, I found the circular reference in support documents (http://seer.support.veritas.com/docs/280008.htm and http://support.veritas.com/docs/279747 ) very frustrating and ended up calling Symantec.

Even though I indicated I had no error within my product and was only applying their recommended updates they would not help without payment. I see now that they would have charged me $90 US only to inform me I would have to undergo the inconvenience and downtime (on 4 production systems) to un/reinstall.

Thanks to the forum for saving me wasted time and money!

[MARC_RAGUSA]

This worked. However, be sure to backup the registry keys you delete. Then you can restore them after you install the patch.

Important: Don't restore the registry keys until you go back to the two registry locations and copy the values in AllPatches and Patches.

After you merge the backups, you will then need to add the values you copied to AllPatches and Patches. This is code for the SP4a you just installed. Now when you check for updates, the correct ones will appear.