Why update to SP3?

[JoeSpareBedroom]

<snip>


Ignorance is often *not* bliss. ;-)

A computer is not a toaster - but people treat it like many of the other
appliances they have in their home they believe require no maintenance. I
have also seen people throw away plain old toasters because they did not
seem to heat like they used to - when all they had to do was empty the
crumbs so that the heating element didn't get switched off so fast because
of so little room/so much reflected heat. ;-)

A computer is still a sophisticated piece of equipment - although most
just want what they always want: it should just work. Real world -
things do not work that way.

I would say - given the age of SP3 and the number of complaints I have
seen since its release - the number of customers that have had issues
versus those who did not... the number without issues is much larger.
One could argue that most just don't know where to complain - but
honestly - if it affected enough people, the mass media would be involved
much more heavily than I ever noticed with SP3.

*shrug*

I forget which update it was that "fixed" OE so that people couldn't view
attachments without an extra step. Good idea, but it would've been lovely if
the MS kiddies figured out a way to put a HUGE dialog box on the screen to
inform users of the change. I recall hundreds of messages in one of the MS
newsgroups....

Meanwhile, in Redmond, I'm sure there was much laughter and merriment about
the prank.

 

[Shenan Stanley]

<snip>

I forget which update it was that "fixed" OE so that people
couldn't view attachments without an extra step. Good idea, but it
would've been lovely if the MS kiddies figured out a way to put a
HUGE dialog box on the screen to inform users of the change. I
recall hundreds of messages in one of the MS newsgroups....

Meanwhile, in Redmond, I'm sure there was much laughter and
merriment about the prank.

Doubtful - but whatever conspiracy theory floats your boat. ;-)

Mistakes can/do and will happen. If anyone ever invents anything that
satisfies everyone all the time - this will all be moot. ;-)

 

[SC Tom]

The web page says "helps you to completely clone your current system drive
onto your new WD hard drive." Do you happen to know if it'll place the
image onto a drive OTHER THAN a new WD HD? Like a Seagate external HD?

It will clone it to anywhere you want. I have a Hitachi HDD in my notebook
that I clone on a regular basis to a WD My Book external drive using ATI for
WD.

 

[JoeSpareBedroom]

<snip>


Doubtful - but whatever conspiracy theory floats your boat. ;-)

Mistakes can/do and will happen. If anyone ever invents anything that
satisfies everyone all the time - this will all be moot. ;-)

When a mistake as simple as the one above is made, do you guys report the
unbelievable number of complaints to Redmond? It must get monotonous cutting
& pasting the same explanation 649 billion times.

Some of the errors remind me of a beauty which myspace is famous for: "An
unknown error has occurred. Technical services has been informed." Uh....no.
Clicking on "Home" does not produce an "unknown error" for two years
running, unless the myspace founder spent all of Rupert Murdoch's buyout
money on beer instead of hiring some real programmers.

 

[Daave]

Aside from the disadvantage of the disk space it occupies, would
setting a restore point before the update achieve the same thing?

Although highly recommended, setting a Restore Point won't achieve the
same thing. It's possible that an update or piece of malware or bad
piece of hardware would cause a situation where the PC can't boot.
Without being able to boot into Windows, System Restore is useless.

That being said, SR has helped me tremendously a few times (and it's
*much* quicker than restoring an image!). Always a good tool to have in
the arsenal...

 

[Bill in Co.]

Aside from the disadvantage of the disk space it occupies, would setting a
restore point before the update achieve the same thing?

No. System Restore is much more limited in what it can and cannot do.
(that said, it's still a good idea to have it available as an option).

Imaging or cloning are the only true solutions for a backup, should anything
go wrong, or should you wish to revert back to a clean system. And the
cost for such programs is minimal, in the final analysis.

 

[JoeSpareBedroom]

It will clone it to anywhere you want. I have a Hitachi HDD in my notebook
that I clone on a regular basis to a WD My Book external drive using ATI
for WD.

This is too good to be true. I have a WD hard drive. I see the web site.
There's gotta be a catch. No downloads on Sunday for anyone with a beard,
maybe?

 

[Shenan Stanley]

When a mistake as simple as the one above is made, do you guys
report the unbelievable number of complaints to Redmond? It must
get monotonous cutting & pasting the same explanation 649 billion
times.
Some of the errors remind me of a beauty which myspace is famous
for: "An unknown error has occurred. Technical services has been
informed." Uh....no. Clicking on "Home" does not produce an
"unknown error" for two years running, unless the myspace founder
spent all of Rupert Murdoch's buyout money on beer instead of
hiring some real programmers.

Not only do those at Microsoft notice, but yes - some of us report it as
well. Not like we have any more pull than everyone else reporting it
though... Do you report it? ;-)

As far as tiring and cutting & pasting - to this day because people don't
listen to detailed instructions but make up their own - I copy/paste the
same answers each day - even though I may have done the same response in the
same conversation already.

 

[Jose]

SP-3 is listed in the updates in Add/Remove programs, so it can be easily
uninstalled.

****


I'm sitting here eating a nice bagel and reading a Microsoft white paper
which what's contained in SP3:

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyId=68C48DAD-BC3....

I've just gotten some bugs OUT of my desktop machine as of a day or two ago.
It's running beautifully. I don't see anything in the white paper which
applies to my computing situation. Desktop machine, not wireless, never will
be. As close as I get to "networked" (other than the internetZ) is using
some VPN software once a month to connect with my employer's system. If a
service pack messed with that situation, I'd have to travel to Redmond with
a rifle.

Is there a favorite fix in SP3 which any of you would like to mention?
Something you think NO user should be without?

How about anything BROKEN by SP3 which any of you would like to describe?
Remember, please, that you are under oath.

What bugs did you get rid of?

What system problems did you resolve that were the result of your own
hand?

Wasn't your last problem "resolved" by uninstalling software that you
chose to install yourself - wasn't it uninstalling ZoneAlarm that
brought back your snappiness?

ZA can be fairly complicated and if not configured properly, it can be
an issue. If you get it tuned up for your system it works great, but
usually not out of the box. That's what happens when you download a
good product and don't know how to use it properly or bother to figure
it out.

Here is the list of SP3 updates you can read and see if they might be
useful to you.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/946480

If you install SP3 and other items on your system are out of date or
incompatible with the updates you may indeed have some issues, but it
is probably not the "fault" of SP3.

Since the new issues seem to come after the SP3 update, SP3 usually
ends up being the fall guy. It is easy to blame.

I predict you will have a batch of new issues on or about 1/13/10.

 

[JoeSpareBedroom]

Not only do those at Microsoft notice, but yes - some of us report it as
well. Not like we have any more pull than everyone else reporting it
though... Do you report it? ;-)

As far as tiring and cutting & pasting - to this day because people don't
listen to detailed instructions but make up their own - I copy/paste the
same answers each day - even though I may have done the same response in
the same conversation already.

I noticed.

 

[JoeSpareBedroom]

SP-3 is listed in the updates in Add/Remove programs, so it can be easily
uninstalled.

****


I'm sitting here eating a nice bagel and reading a Microsoft white paper
which what's contained in SP3:

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyId=68C48DAD-BC3...

I've just gotten some bugs OUT of my desktop machine as of a day or two
ago.
It's running beautifully. I don't see anything in the white paper which
applies to my computing situation. Desktop machine, not wireless, never
will
be. As close as I get to "networked" (other than the internetZ) is using
some VPN software once a month to connect with my employer's system. If a
service pack messed with that situation, I'd have to travel to Redmond
with
a rifle.

Is there a favorite fix in SP3 which any of you would like to mention?
Something you think NO user should be without?

How about anything BROKEN by SP3 which any of you would like to describe?
Remember, please, that you are under oath.

What bugs did you get rid of?

What system problems did you resolve that were the result of your own
hand?

Wasn't your last problem "resolved" by uninstalling software that you
chose to install yourself - wasn't it uninstalling ZoneAlarm that
brought back your snappiness?

ZA can be fairly complicated and if not configured properly, it can be
an issue. If you get it tuned up for your system it works great, but
usually not out of the box. That's what happens when you download a
good product and don't know how to use it properly or bother to figure
it out.

Here is the list of SP3 updates you can read and see if they might be
useful to you.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/946480

If you install SP3 and other items on your system are out of date or
incompatible with the updates you may indeed have some issues, but it
is probably not the "fault" of SP3.

Since the new issues seem to come after the SP3 update, SP3 usually
ends up being the fall guy. It is easy to blame.

I predict you will have a batch of new issues on or about 1/13/10.
================


Two (and probably more I'm not aware of) sources spend quite a bit of time
helping users dig themselves out holes created by MS updates. I'm not saying
*all* the updates are evil, but all informed users know that *some* updates
are evil.

 

[thanatoid]

OK - I'll bite. Why would it be to my advantage to switch*
to Vista or Win7?

* "upgrade" not proven yet in this discussion.

Joe - I don't have the patience to read the whole thread, I
wouldn't be surprised if some people had told you to switch to
Linux.

"If it ain't broke, don't fix it". Period. SP 3 is largely
unnecessary - I have read a few articles which basically plainly
tell you that, and I have yet to see a program mentioning it
requires SP3 - some say "XP with SP2", some say just "XP".

Forget about Vista or Win7. XP is enough work to keep running
well. Th ONLY advantages the new OS's offer is to MS and
hardware vendors. All the stuff every new Win release promises
has been EXACTLY the same since Win 3.11. Stupid "make life
easier but **** up your system" features, the ever-present "IT'S
SO MUCH FASTER!" (HAH!), etc. But no one told you you needed at
least 512 MB of RAM for XP and brand name machines were sold all
over the world with 128 or 256 MB. When they ran like crap, you
had to go through the "get more RAM XPerience".

Just like no one told you need 4GB of RAM to enjoy the Vista
"Aero" look. WHO GIVES A SHIT ABOUT CRAP LIKE THAT?

You have it running perfectly - make an image of the C: drive
(Acronis or Ghost) and keep it in a safe place and be happy your
machine works like it should.

Cheers,
t.

 

[db]

I can safely say that there are
always some added improvements
and features in the newer o.s.'s

however, you will probably
ask me what they are.

so you'll probably need to buy
a fresh box of bagels for this

and create a new thread / discussion
for the topic


--
db·´¯`·...¸><)))º>
DatabaseBen, Retired Professional
- Systems Analyst
- Database Developer
- Accountancy
- Veteran of the Armed Forces
- @Hotmail.com
- nntp Postologist
~ "share the nirvana" - dbZen

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

[JoeSpareBedroom]

I can safely say that there are
always some added improvements
and features in the newer o.s.'s

I'm the customer. I have not stated a need for a new product. Therefore, any
new features you might mention have no meaning to me, unless a new Windows
version is capable of emptying my dishwasher and causing a painful death for
a couple of irresponsible dog owners in my neighborhood.

however, you will probably
ask me what they are.

No, actually.

so you'll probably need to buy
a fresh box of bagels for this

and create a new thread / discussion
for the topic

Please don't. I'm begging you.

 

[Daave]

I'm the customer. I have not stated a need for a new product.
Therefore, any new features you might mention have no meaning to me,
unless a new Windows version is capable of emptying my dishwasher and
causing a painful death for a couple of irresponsible dog owners in
my neighborhood.

There is talk that Windows 8 will do just that.

No, actually.

Smart move.

db as you can see is pretty much only capable of blowing hot air. You
may want to introduce him to your killfile... (I'm pretty sure that
would be one of Windows 8's defaults; one can only hope!)

 

[ANONYMOUS]

There is generally no need to have any service packs (never mind SP3)
especially if you are not likely to install any new application
packages or any new updates from M$.

Having said so, Service Packs are free and you have nothing to lose
apart from losing the habit of your system which crashes from time to
time because M$ programmers forgot to correct something when your
original system was dispatched but now they managed to issue a new patch
or service pack to correct it.

I have installed SP3 and all updates since then and I have also saved
these on a DVD just in case I need to re-install the OS in the future.
M$ has the habit of removing Service Packs and patches from its servers
when they are no longer supported. This does not mean you can't
continue using it .

I take it you don't like adventures in life right? Installing SPs is an
experience you should have if you are interested in computers and other
high tech systems.

hth

 

[JoeSpareBedroom]

There is talk that Windows 8 will do just that.


Smart move.

db as you can see is pretty much only capable of blowing hot air. You may
want to introduce him to your killfile... (I'm pretty sure that would be
one of Windows 8's defaults; one can only hope!)

Nah. He's just likes to see his moniker online, even if he's saying nothing.

 

[JoeSpareBedroom]

I take it you don't like adventures in life right?

Au contraire. But to me, a computer is just a tool, not a hobby. I prefer
musical adventures.

 

[SC Tom]

This is too good to be true. I have a WD hard drive. I see the web site.
There's gotta be a catch. No downloads on Sunday for anyone with a beard,
maybe?

No catch, but like I said, it's not a full-blown version. I don't believe
it'll do incremental images (I may be wrong; I haven't checked that out),
but by booting from the CD created after installing it, I can create a full
image of 55GB of data in about an hour, hour and a half. And that takes up
about 37GB on my external drive using standard compression. And I think
there was an offer to upgrade it to the full version for a discounted price.

 

[Doum]

This is too good to be true. I have a WD hard drive. I see the web
site. There's gotta be a catch. No downloads on Sunday for anyone with
a beard, maybe?

It's limited, it won't do incremental backups but it will create images
on external HD or clone a HD to another one. And I think his installation
program needs to see a WD hard disk to proceed with the installation (or
a Seagate disk if you download from Seagate) but since you have a WD
disk, you're good to go.

For incremental BU, you need to buy ATI from Acronis or a computer store.