Windows XP Service Pack 3 install fails with errors 0x8007f00d and 0x8007f02b

I had an interesting case last week and since it was caused by applying a workaround for another issue I thought I’d mention it here in case anyone else ran into it.  What can happen is that when you try to install Windows XP Service Pack 3 (SP3) using WSUS, it may fail with a 0x8007f00d or 0x8007f02b error. 

This can happen if the workaround for MS09-010 was applied to the client machines adding deny permission to file C:\program files\windows nt\accessories\mswrd8.wpc.  This causes the WSUS installation to fail because we’re unable to access the file and update it.  When trying to install SP3 manually (not using the Quiet switch), it causes an error reading the file above, prompting for a source to update the file or to skip the file. Since WSUS installs SP3 in quiet mode, the installation fails because it never prompts the user for file it's trying to update.

The resolution of course is to grant permission to the file.  The easiest way to do this is via a batch file, which is what we did, containing the following line:

Echo y| cacls %programfiles%\windows nt\accessories\ /T /P Everyone:C

Once this batch file runs on the target, it changes the permissions of the file in question, thus allowing SP3 to install successfully.

Hope this helps,

Joao Madureira | WSUS Support Engineer