Can SP3 be removed ?

[NatureMuzic]

Seems I am having some issues I never did pre SP3 - can I safely remove it ?

Thanks

 

[JS]

Try the free support first then if no joy see below on how to uninstall.
Free unlimited installation and compatibility support
(Via Email, Chat or Phone support)
http://support.microsoft.com/oas/default.aspx?ln=en-us&prid=11273&gprid=522131

How to remove Windows XP Service Pack 3 from your computer
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/950249/en-us

JS

 

[Bob I]

What defines "safely"?

 

[Kayman]

Seems I am having some issues I never did pre SP3 - can I safely remove it ?

Yes, you can.

How to remove Windows XP Service Pack 3 from your computer
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/950249

Things to do prior downloadin/installing SP3.
1.Make an Image backup of the hard drive/Windows Partition before you
install SP3
2.Test your System Restore to see if it is working correctly.
3.Make absolutely sure the machine's free of any hijackware, Trojan, or
virus infections before installing SP3.
4.Run Disk Cleanup then run a Defrag session before installing SP3.
5.Disable all real-time protections (anti-virus; anti-spyware;third-party
firewall) before downloading/installing SP3.
6.Reboot twice after installing SP3.
7.Run another Defrag.

Detailed information:
WinXP SP3 - Read all prerequisites for a successful installation
http://msmvps.com/blogs/harrywaldro...requisites-for-a-successful-installation.aspx

Windows XP Service Pack 3 Overview
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/...ad-bc34-40be-8d85-6bb4f56f5110&displaylang=en

Release Notes for Windows XP Service Pack 3
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/936929
http://download.microsoft.com/download/c/d/8/cd8cc719-7d5a-40d3-a802-e4057aa8c631/relnotes.htm
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/...8969-4ddf-beb2-8bfac9ed416b&displaylang=en&tm

The hard disk space requirements for Windows XP Service Pack 3
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/947311

Some third-party programs may experience a change in functionality after
you install Windows XP Service Pack 3
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/947309

Steps to take before you install Windows XP Service Pack 3
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/950717

How to obtain the latest Windows XP service pack
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/322389

Create an Automated System Recovery set using Backup
http://technet2.microsoft.com/windo...259b-4d55-98f9-12dbc4eb06311033.mspx?mfr=true

How to Set up and Use Automated System Recovery in Windows XP
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb456980.aspx

Installing Windows XP Service Pack 3 (SP3)
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/windowsxp/cc164204.aspx

Windows XP Service Pack 3 - ISO-9660 CD Image File:
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/...CE-B5FB-4488-8C50-FE22559D164E&displaylang=en

Windows XP Service Pack 3 Network Installation Package for IT Professionals
and Developers
(Single installations for PCs can use the same file)
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/...A8-5E76-401F-BE08-1E1555D4F3D4&displaylang=en

Recover from a system failure using Automated System Recovery
http://technet2.microsoft.com/windo...50b7-4b14-a2fd-0155d6b174f91033.mspx?mfr=true

Error message when you try to install Windows XP Service Pack 3: "Access is
denied" or "Service Pack installation did not complete"
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/949377

If you don't like the answers provided here go to:
Use this forum for all issues related to Windows XP SP3
http://forums.microsoft.com/TechNet/ShowForum.aspx?ForumID=2010&SiteID=17

Good luck

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

Seems I am having some issues I never did pre SP3 - can I safely remove it ?

Although the answer is yes (see Kayman's message), if I were you I
would describe your issues here, so you can get help with and fix
them. Removing SP3 should be a last resort, only if nothing else
works.

 

[db.·.. >]

yes, you should be able
to uninstall it without
issues.

i contacted my laptops
maker regarding the sp3,
and i was advised not
to install it.

i have also forward the
recommendation i received
to microsoft technical
support for the sp3.

 

[carl43m]

I removed mine and everything seems ok now. I had someone from microsoft
support on the line with me for 30 minutes to get it off correctly. The
person advised me not to try to install it again until some time passes as
there are many issues with it --thats why microsoft offers free support going
into next year for anyone experiencing issues. The microsoft people were
great in first trying to help me fix the issues and then finally to uninstall
it when the issues weren't able to be fixed.

One interesting thing was that after sp3, system information kept telling me
my system was windows XP version 2002, when if fact my system is XP media
center edition 2005. Using the command winver it would give the right info
but if you clicked system in control panel it gave incorrect information. I
also could no longer sync my PDA to my desktop calendar.

 

[NatureMuzic]

Thanks JS as I have tried some free suport froups elsewhere, but will look
into the links you provided. Again, thanks.

 

[NatureMuzic]

Well, I am soewhat of a PC neophyte & guess I mean can I remove it without
screwing something else up!

 

[NatureMuzic]

Kayman,

Thanks very much for all these helpful links & will be going thru them one
by one - may have more questions, but if so, I'll be back. Thanks again &
luck, of the good variety, I can surely use!

 

[JS]

You're welcome.

JS

Thanks JS as I have tried some free suport froups elsewhere, but will look
into the links you provided. Again, thanks.

 

[NatureMuzic]

Ken, thanks. For one, since I installed SP3, the mail hotkey on my Dell Dim.
300 wireless keyboard no longer works, while the other ones do.

One of the Icons in the Control Panel (Classi cView) has arbitrarily
disappeared. I was finally able to add it back, & think it was one that was
missing (Data Souirce), but it alsop added another icon, for which there is
already one there -now I have 2 Network Connections. I tried to Delete by
highlighhting it then Delete, buit to no avail.

Overall, my machine is slow upon start up. That is, when I first logon(on
DSL), it takes a good minute or so for my Desktop Icons to appear, then I
open either my Maxthon, or WIn IE browser & that again takes 1-2 minutes, or
open my OE67 Mailbox & that too takes a long while.

Also, now in IE7, it no lonker stores m,y Hiostory for longer than the
current session.

The slow responses, happens either when I first logon,.or I leave the PC on
& come bnack a few hours later, & to try & navigate around also takes longer
than it did prior to the SP3 install, even tho' it has been on for hours

whew !

Thanks a lot Ken

Dallas

 

[NatureMuzic]

thanks db for the input & will remember this if I do an uininstall.

Dallas

 

[NatureMuzic]

carl, thanks. As it seems they hhave a lot of bugs to exterminate (!) & for
the short time I have had a PC, it seems to me, that Windows & others, rush
these new goodies to market prematurely, then all the bugs crawl out !
Thanks again !

Dallas

 

[Gord Dibben]

I must have downloaded a version of SP3 that was screwed up somehow.

Installed flawlessly and has given no problems whatsoever.

Maybe MS forgot to insert the bugs in my version?


Gord

 

[John McGaw]

Seems I am having some issues I never did pre SP3 - can I safely remove it ?

Thanks

Yes, luckily it can be removed. I discovered that it disabled my networked
color laser printer. Uninstalled to verify that the printer worked
properly. Re-installed to verify that it truly broke the printer and to do
a few more tests. Then uninstalled again so that I had use of the printer.
It's a bloody PITA when service packs and patches cause more trouble than
they eliminate. Now if I could just eliminate the constant "security alerts"...

John McGaw
http://johnmcgaw.com

 

[NatureMuzic]

Apparently so!

I must have downloaded a version of SP3 that was screwed up somehow.

Installed flawlessly and has given no problems whatsoever.

Maybe MS forgot to insert the bugs in my version?


Gord

 

[NatureMuzic]

John, thank you!

Yes, luckily it can be removed. I discovered that it disabled my networked
color laser printer. Uninstalled to verify that the printer worked
properly. Re-installed to verify that it truly broke the printer and to do
a few more tests. Then uninstalled again so that I had use of the printer.
It's a bloody PITA when service packs and patches cause more trouble than
they eliminate. Now if I could just eliminate the constant "security alerts"...

John McGaw
http://johnmcgaw.com

 

[Stephen Harris]

Yes, you can.

How to remove Windows XP Service Pack 3 from your computer
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/950249

Things to do prior downloadin/installing SP3.
1.Make an Image backup of the hard drive/Windows Partition before you
install SP3
2.Test your System Restore to see if it is working correctly.

This advice is safe probably if you had no problems with the
installation of SP3 and are just suffering annoyances.

I had a problem with the SP3 installation, it would spontaneously
reboot after an hour or a few days to a black screen with no signal.
I set the bios to boot to cd, which it does, but it reads one line
[It can't create a virtual drive or write to disk I guess]
from the cd (such as an XP installation disk to reformat) or I
tried a rescue cd and then it quits. So a backup doesn't help either.

I'm about 99% sure it isn't a hardware problem either, unless it's
something weird like an intermittent motherboard leaky capacitor!
My next step is clear the cmos and then try with a Linux boot cd.
The bios bootstraps the operating system which ties into the mbr.

My point is that you cannot trust documentation about how to fix
or revert when problems arise because it is not "well" documented
(or solutions well tested -- well means with a degree of certainty)
yet for new software (SP3). Initially, I read that MS reported
that only about 75% of the SP3 updates were successful. Success
depends on a huge combinatorial medley of different hardwares.

 

[NatureMuzic]

Thanks Stephen & no, had no install issues, just the issues I had mentioned
previously & now ? 1 more! I wasa going to sit down & go thru things today &
I see now where in my IE7, all the icons at the top,, are missing! The icons
for Back Page, Home, History, Stop, Go Up One Level, etc. are gone - they
are on my Maxthon window, but nmot in the IE7 window!

Yes, you can.

How to remove Windows XP Service Pack 3 from your computer
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/950249

Things to do prior downloadin/installing SP3.
1.Make an Image backup of the hard drive/Windows Partition before you
install SP3
2.Test your System Restore to see if it is working correctly.

This advice is safe probably if you had no problems with the
installation of SP3 and are just suffering annoyances.

I had a problem with the SP3 installation, it would spontaneously
reboot after an hour or a few days to a black screen with no signal.
I set the bios to boot to cd, which it does, but it reads one line
[It can't create a virtual drive or write to disk I guess]
from the cd (such as an XP installation disk to reformat) or I
tried a rescue cd and then it quits. So a backup doesn't help either.

I'm about 99% sure it isn't a hardware problem either, unless it's
something weird like an intermittent motherboard leaky capacitor!
My next step is clear the cmos and then try with a Linux boot cd.
The bios bootstraps the operating system which ties into the mbr.

My point is that you cannot trust documentation about how to fix
or revert when problems arise because it is not "well" documented
(or solutions well tested -- well means with a degree of certainty)
yet for new software (SP3). Initially, I read that MS reported
that only about 75% of the SP3 updates were successful. Success
depends on a huge combinatorial medley of different hardwares.