SUSE :: How To Update SUSE 10 Sp2 Without Corrupting Files

I have a SUSE 10 sp2 server that I am using for hosting VMware and virtual machines. I have installed the basic host machine with only file server enabled (no dns, dhcp, print services or anything else). This is the fifth time I have had to reinstall because after I applied all the updates the system downloaded, it would not boot with a cd/dvdrom mounted. I tried everything I knew hot to do, which I admit isn't much (edited the fstab, tried to mount through command line) but nothing brought it back.

this all started because I had the entire machine loaded with VMware, two virtual machines, and all was well until I decided to update the OES2 sp1 virtual machines. All manor of issues cropped up like corn in the summer. So I reloaded after a week because I couldn't fix the problems and decided in my limited knowledge the updates probably caused the issues, and there was no undoing the updates. I assume (dangerous as that may be) that I applied too many updates to my bare system, but I would like a more experienced opinion.