This is a dupe of an item in CHATTER\Computing in general...

Usually I just put the critical updates (Windows Update) on my system.
Yesterday, with a little time on my hands, I checked out the "Software, Optional" list and chose 6 to install. The list included things like 'Remote Desktop', a .NET update, "Root certificates" update, an XML update and 2 'Windows updates'. I know that the RDP update (finally) completed, but don't remember which of the others it hung on.

The downloads all completed but the installations hung on the second one. It sat there for about an hour. I clicked the dialogue's "Cancel" button and it was acknowledged in the dialogue screen but it sat there for another 10 minutes. I couldn't X-out of the dialogue either.
Ultimately, I powered off, then re-booted.

I decided that the exercise was folly and chose to use the restore point created by the (bad) update to get back a proper system.
While it let me do so, the restore dialogue just sat there. After 10-15 minutes I powered off and re-booted and got a message that the restore was incomplete or unsuccessful and that I should either undo it or do a different one.

I chose to retore from a System Checkpoint of the day before, but again it just sat there and I was forced to re-boot. I ignored the warning on the re-boot, got a couple of system errors, but appeared to have an operational system.

However, I soon learned that (almost) nothing would end. I also found that things like "Add/Remove Programs" would startup but would not populate the list of software... it just sat there doing nothing. I found that using "Restart" or "Shutdown" in the Task Manager would do nothing.
I found that the "Start bar" would become dead as soon as I tried to end something (like IE or the Add/Remove Programs dialogue.

I have tried using the XP CD to do a "repair" but it only seems to offer an 'upgrade' install or a 'full' install. No sign of "Repair" being available.

I seem to be stuck in some limbo place. Anyone know how I can get things back to normal?