Running XP Pro, SP2
When I try to install Java, I get the following error message:
Error 1304.Error writing to file C:\Program Files\Common Files\Java\Update\Base Images\jre1.6.0.b105\patch-jre1.6.0_05.b13\launcher.exe. Verify that you have access to that directory.

Well I go to that directory and double-click it, and I get the following messsage:
Windows cannot access the specified device, path or file. You may not have the appropriate permissions to acces the item.

Well, as far as I know, I am the administrator of the computer and the only one to be using it. How do I get the permissions? I have already tried taking ownership of the containing folder, but it won't let me take ownership of the launcher.exe file itself, because there is no securities tab on the properties of that file, only a general tab.

try unintalling or deleting the file and update. If that doesn't work then we will have to do a bit more work.

Thank you... at first I couldn't delete it or do anything else with it, but when I tried it from a cold boot, it finally worked. I guess some process had been using the file. Sometimes in the midst of frustration we forget to check the obvious. LOL