I will try to remove the U3 or get another USB stick.

Do you use a stick without U3 feature now?

BIOS, USB boot and U3 fake USB CD drive may get strange results.

Another one of my semi-random ideas:

What if the problem is related to NTFS/ACL permissions?

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/246187/en-us

Can you try giving Full Permissions to Everyone?

Can you try with a FAT16 or FAT32?

jaclaz

YES!! It's done. I've installed SP3 to C:\ without an optical drive. Thank you to the unattended forums! And special thanks to all those who contributed to this thread (ilko, wimb, Joe, jaclaz,cdob).

I'm not entirely clear on the HOW this works, but I have managed to get the installation done on C:\ with my hardware configuration. Here's what I did:

1. Remove U3 from USB stick (standard program from U3 website)

2. Use USB_Multiboot_10 to ready the stick for installation

-HP format to NTFS

-USB HDD (not USB stick) was used

3. Begin Text-mode setup

Boot order is HDD, USB stick

USB_Multiboot choice = 1

Partition HDD (HDD is D: and USB stick is C:)

Do not complete Text-mode setup (or format or install)

Quit using F3

4. Start Text-mode setup (second time)

Boot order is still HDD, USB stick

USB_Multiboot choice = 1

At partition screen, HDD is now C: and USB stick is D:

Complete Text-mode setup (format, install, etc.)

5. Start GUI-mode setup

Change boot order (USB stick, then primary HDD)

Finish GUI-mode setup

6. Final reboot

Boot order is USB stick, then primary HDD

USB_Multiboot menu choice = 2

SP3 completes its first login

Remove USB stick

Edit boot.ini to reflect 1 OS in bootmenu

Wish I had better insight into how this works. My mind is a litle dissatisfied not knowing the exact mechanism of success, but practically-speaking I'm very pleased. I should have timed things, but the install did feel much faster than my optical drive installs. Thanks again to all.

Edited July 28, 200818 yr by ecommerce