Best way to install Vista SP2??

B

Blithe

I asked myself the same question, EW, having a decent broadband connection
but a very shaky Vista that was randomly freezing - having no idea if the
issue was hardware, Vista Ultimate, or both.

I would recommend Windows Update based upon my experience - first I'll tell
the bad -

I thought it more safe to download 64-bit Vista & open to install from my
hard drive - but in my case - Wrong! Upon opening & beginning the
installation - a popup error said I had the wrong download - a 32-bit
version - so - giving the benefit of doubt to the error notice - being extra
careful - I clicked again to download from the Windows dload website and
started again. Wrong again! I got a different popup saying - I cannot
remember precisely - something is illegal. (I googled that & other users
were also getting that peculiar error)

Then - I activated Windows Update - & everything went so smoothly I could
not believe it. Surprise! Note: Be patient with the SP2 installation - it
shuts down 2-3 times for a 3 part installation.

Good luck - Blithe
PS - Vista has been functioning much more reliably under SP2 - but only time
will convince me when my random freezes will have stopped - for at least 10
days.
 
E

ELW

Sorry if this is redundant. I have a fairly slow broadband connection (1
mbps) but barely good enough for downloading Vista SP2. However,
considering efficiency and reliability, would I be better off downloading
the standalone installer (using another faster connection elsewhere) and
bringing the download on a flash drive to my computer?

Is this standalone installer much bigger, containing irrelevant stuff, than
what Windows Update would eventually supply me with (since I'm current with
all previous updates)?

Thanks.

EW
 
M

Mr. Arnold

ELW said:
Sorry if this is redundant. I have a fairly slow broadband connection (1
mbps) but barely good enough for downloading Vista SP2. However,
considering efficiency and reliability, would I be better off downloading
the standalone installer (using another faster connection elsewhere) and
bringing the download on a flash drive to my computer?

Is this standalone installer much bigger, containing irrelevant stuff, than
what Windows Update would eventually supply me with (since I'm current with
all previous updates)?
Click to expand...

The SP is the SP, no matter how you get it. And a SP has nothing to do
with repeated updates. The SP addresses other things.
 
G

Gordon

ELW said:
Sorry if this is redundant. I have a fairly slow broadband connection (1
mbps) but barely good enough for downloading Vista SP2.
Click to expand...

Took 15 minutes to download on my 1 MB broadband.......
 
G

Gordon

Rick Rogers said:
Hi,

The standalone is nearly 1.4GB and will contain far more than you actually
need. The vast majority should just use Windows Update to get the parts
they actually need.
Click to expand...

Agree with that - took me 15 minutes only to download on 1 MB broadband -
the same as the OP....
 
J

Jonathan Harker

The SP is the SP, no matter how you get it. And a SP has nothing to do
with repeated updates. The SP addresses other things.
Click to expand...

Get tired of being "Planters"??
 
D

db

won't fit on a flash
drive.

but you might take your
computer and connect it
to that faster connection,
temporarily and for the
purpose of the update.

the other option is to
use a freeware like
free download manager
and let it use smart technology
to download the update.

the benefit of a download
manager is that if the
computer gets disconnected
or turned off

the download manager can
pick up where the connection
was lost or stopped or you
manually paused.

a technique may be to dedicate
your computer for a couple of
hours each day, like at dinner
time and let it download sp2
in increments over the course
of several days - until the entire
download is completed.
--

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

Richard Urban

SP2 will fit on any 2 gig USB thumb drive, and most are much larger than
that at this point.
 
R

Richard Urban

MS seems to have finally broken it down.

Initially the download from MSDN (the only one available) contained both 32
bit and 64 bit versions for Vista and Server 2008. This was 1.4 gig. When
burned to a DVD it covered everything that a person who would subscribe to
MSDN would need for various computers types.
 
M

Muad'Dib

ELW said:
Sorry if this is redundant. I have a fairly slow broadband connection (1
mbps) but barely good enough for downloading Vista SP2. However,
considering efficiency and reliability, would I be better off downloading
the standalone installer (using another faster connection elsewhere) and
bringing the download on a flash drive to my computer?

Is this standalone installer much bigger, containing irrelevant stuff, than
what Windows Update would eventually supply me with (since I'm current with
all previous updates)?

Thanks.

EW
Click to expand...
I just let it do it's thing through the regular Windows update system,
and it was below 400mb. It installed it's self in three steps as
previously mentioned, and only took a total of around 15 to 20 min. Even
with your connection speed, it shouldn't be too painful, so I strongly
recommend doing it through the update system.

Good luck

Cheers
 
D

db

yeah, you're correct.

my perspective was
skewed since my
recent downloads
of other things have
been in the hundred
gigabyte ranges.

anyway here is a link
for anyone who is
interested in the download:

http://fileforum.betanews.com/detail/Microsoft-Windows-Vista-32bit/1149728719/1



--

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

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