Installation of Win XP SP1

[Alan C. Brown]

I have a Toshiba Satellite 5105-S702 Laptop (Win XP Pro pre-installed by
Toshiba), Pentium 4, 1.8MHz, 512 MB RAM, 60GB HDD. The HDD was
re-partitioned, using Partition Magic 7, into 4 partitions, C: - Local Disk
(OS), D:- Applications, E: - Data & Downloads, F: - Backups.

I have downloaded the full 133MB version of Win XP SP1, which was saved in
the E Partition.

I have compiled a procedure for installing Win SP XP1, based on postings in
this and other newsgroups.

Before actually doing the installation, I would appreciate if anyone can
verify that I have a correct procedure, ensuring that I have :

- the correct order of steps in the procedure
- not missed out any steps.
- created System Restore Points at the right places in the procedure
- backed up the system at the right places in the procedure

1. Update Yamaha Sound System

2. Ensure that you have the latest drivers for :
- Graphics card
- Capture card
- Peripherals, such as Scanner, Printer, ABSplus HDD

3. Run a full CHKDSK on all drives to make sure that the "File System" is in
good shape

4. Run a Disk Clean-up - with all boxes checked except "compress old files"

5. Perform Disk Defrag

6. Backup the whole system

7. Ensure lots of free (unused) space in the C: partition. If necessary
create more free space in C: by using Partition Magic 7 to resize all
partitions.

8. Backup the whole system again if the Partition Magic 7 has been used to
increase the size of the C: partition. ( I use ABSplus Backup Software ,
which effective re-partitions & reformats the external ABSplus HDD to match
the Laptop HDD, and then makes a bootable backup of the whole laptop system)

9. Create a System Restore Point

10. Disconnect all peripherals (scanner, printer etc)

11. if possible run Ad-Aware and delete spyware

12. Turn of the Antivirus program, e-Trust EZ Antivirus - presumambly by
disabling "Real Time Protection", and using msconfigsys.

13. Turn off most of "User Start-up" programs, with the exception of
"Systray", presumambly using "msconfigsys" to uncheck programs in Start-up
Tab., and then reboot the computer
(Note : Reset "User Startup Programs" after SP1 installation has finished).

14. Login as an Administrator, and disable ALL unnecessary applications,
presumambly using msconfigsys.

15. Uninstall any programs that change the Splash Screen, or provides more
Styles, by modifying the System files (especially Styles-XP)

16. If you have ever installed "XP-Antispy", it disables a DLL that SP-XP1
needs, so just in case :

Start>Run>type : regsvr32licdll.dll <enter>
regsvr32regwizc.dll <enter>

17. In Windows Explorer, go to C:\\ Windows\System32.
If you have a subfolder called "Catroot2" (not Catroot), rename the folder
CR2OLD.

18. Logout & Reboot to bring up Windows (to get a clean Start & no files in
use).

19. Create a "System Restore Point" - call it "BeforeSP1SetupInstall_date"

20. Start the "Setup" of SP1 To install, and and watch the setup run closely
to follow the prompts.

21. During installation, choose the option "to archive / backup files that
SP1 replaces". Then if the SP1 installation gives trouble after rebooting,
you can uninstall SP1

22. On completion of the installation of SP1 - Reboot. First few reboots
will be slow, so have patience.

23. When the reboot & system speed is "normal", run Disk Defrag again on C\
Partition.
Note : Just after installation of SP1, there will be more disk activity and
a slowdown. This is normal as it is rebuilding the "prefetch" folders and
re-optimising. After a day or 2 and some reboots, it will speed up
considerably.

24. Create a System Restore Point

25. Run Windows Update, & install all Critical Updates first.

26. Run MSCONFIG, and recheck "Normal Startup" in the Start-up tab

27. Login as an Administrator, and enable ALL applications

28. Enable "Real time Protection" in Antivirus program, e-Trust EZ Antivirus

29. Create a System Restore Point

30. Re-install User Applications if necessary (create System Restore Points
before each installation)

31. Backup the whole system

Thank you

Alan C. Brown

 

[Kelly]

Aren't you an organized and a pre-thinking kind of guy! )

Generally speaking, if SP1 doesn't work for you in whatever manner,
uninstall it.

 

[Tumbleweed]

I have a Toshiba Satellite 5105-S702 Laptop (Win XP Pro pre-installed by
Toshiba), Pentium 4, 1.8MHz, 512 MB RAM, 60GB HDD. The HDD was
re-partitioned, using Partition Magic 7, into 4 partitions, C: - Local Disk
(OS), D:- Applications, E: - Data & Downloads, F: - Backups.

I have downloaded the full 133MB version of Win XP SP1, which was saved in
the E Partition.

I have compiled a procedure for installing Win SP XP1, based on postings in
this and other newsgroups.

<snip detailed procedure>

WOW!

I did;
1. Create backup image of C: with Norton Ghost(to another disk, but another
partition would be sufficient).
2. Install.
3. Carry on (would have restored NG Image if there was a problem but there
wasnt.

Note, this procedure is (IMHO) better than relying on XP's restore points,
since it uses a backup mechanism outside of XP, and therefore no XP bug
caused by SP1 which might damage the restore points could affect it.

 

[Alex Nichol]

9. Create a System Restore Point

10. Disconnect all peripherals (scanner, printer etc)

11. if possible run Ad-Aware and delete spyware

12. Turn of the Antivirus program, e-Trust EZ Antivirus - presumambly by
disabling "Real Time Protection", and using msconfigsys.

13. Turn off most of "User Start-up" programs, with the exception of
"Systray", presumambly using "msconfigsys" to uncheck programs in Start-up
Tab., and then reboot the computer
(Note : Reset "User Startup Programs" after SP1 installation has finished).

14. Login as an Administrator, and disable ALL unnecessary applications,
presumambly using msconfigsys.

My slightly shorter standard advice. There is no need to make a restore
point first - installing SP1 makes one, and trying to revert to anything
earlier is liable to be disastrous.

Be sure you have a good backup of important matters against any possible
total disaster (like the one who had pulled the power in the middle).

It is important to ensure you have nothing getting in the way..

I suggest
Empty the folder windows\system32\catroot2
(which can give rise to spurious messages about Cryptographic services)

Disable all anti-virus and firewall etc in their own settings. Also if
you have any program that changes the splash screen, or provides more
styles by modifying the system files (esp Styles-XP), uninstall it

If you ever installed XP-Antispy, it disables a dll XSP1 needs, so just
in case, Start - Run and run
regsvr32 licdll.dll
regsvr32 regwizc.dll

Start - run Msconfig.exe
Uncheck the Load Startup items; and in Services page check 'hide
Microsoft services' and uncheck those lines left. Put them back when
all is up and running

OK, and reboot to a clean machine from which to run the SP1 setup. All
this should not be necessary, but is worth the trouble, to make sure

 

[Alan C. Brown]

--------------------------------
My slightly shorter standard advice. There is no need to make a restore
point first - installing SP1 makes one, and trying to revert to anything
earlier is liable to be disastrous.

Be sure you have a good backup of important matters against any possible
total disaster (like the one who had pulled the power in the middle).

It is important to ensure you have nothing getting in the way..

I suggest
Empty the folder windows\system32\catroot2
(which can give rise to spurious messages about Cryptographic services)

Disable all anti-virus and firewall etc in their own settings. Also if
you have any program that changes the splash screen, or provides more
styles by modifying the system files (esp Styles-XP), uninstall it

If you ever installed XP-Antispy, it disables a dll XSP1 needs, so just
in case, Start - Run and run
regsvr32 licdll.dll
regsvr32 regwizc.dll

Start - run Msconfig.exe
Uncheck the Load Startup items; and in Services page check 'hide
Microsoft services' and uncheck those lines left. Put them back when
all is up and running

OK, and reboot to a clean machine from which to run the SP1 setup. All
this should not be necessary, but is worth the trouble, to make sure

------------------------------
Thanks for your reply.

- Restore Points
I take your point on the earlier Restore Points. I like Restore Points,
because they have gotten me out trouble on at least 2 occasions in the past.

- Catroot2
As regards emptying the folder windows\system32\catroot2, isn't the same
thing accomplished by Step # 17 - In Windows Explorer, go to C:\\
Windows\System32. If you have a subfolder called "Catroot2" (not Catroot),
rename the folder CR2OLD ?

- Antivirus & Firewall software
I use e-Trust EZ Antivirus. I don't know if you are familiar with it, and
I'm not sure what you mean by "Disable all anti-virus and firewall etc in
their own settings", but there is an option in the menu to disable Real-Time
Protection (which automatically check files and floppy disks for viruses),
which is what I do before backing the laptop. Is this what you mean ?

Thanks for reminding me about the Firewall. I don't use a 3rd party
Firewall, but XP Pro has it's own built-in Firewall that can be disabled.

- Msconfig.exe - Startup Items & Microsoft Services

As regards unchecking the Load Startup Items ( in the General Tab I assume),
I was under the inpression that not all the Startup items are to be
disabled, but only the non-essential ones. There are presumambly some
essential ones listed among the 26 items in my Startup tab, such as the
C-Pad /Touchpad items.
I do not know what all 26 items are, so I'll probably have to clarify which
ones are essential in another post.

There are even more items in the Services tab, about 78.
Are you saying that all of these Service Items can be disabled ?

In the Essential Tab List, 2 of the items are indicated as essential :

Remote Procedure Call (RPC) Locator, and Remote Procedure call.

Regards

Alan C. Brown












as regards

 

[Alan C. Brown]

Thanks for your reply.
I have read quite a few posts concerning problematic, and even disatrous, XP
SP1 installs, and I prefer not have any problems, especially since I do not
want to have to rely on Toshiba's Recovery CDs to re-install XP Pro on the
C: partition, even as last resort.

Regards
Alan C. Brown
---------------------

 

[Alan C. Brown]

Disk (OS), D:- Applications, E: - Data & Downloads, F: - Backups.

<snip detailed procedure> ----------------------------------------------



I did;
1. Create backup image of C: with Norton Ghost(to another disk, but
another > partition would be sufficient).
2. Install.
3. Carry on (would have restored NG Image if there was a problem but there
wasnt.

Note, this procedure is (IMHO) better than relying on XP's restore points,
since it uses a backup mechanism outside of XP, and therefore no XP bug
caused by SP1 which might damage the restore points could affect it.

---------------------------------------------------------------

Thanks for your reply.
Are you saying that the only thing that you did to prepare for the
installation of XP SP1, was to create a bootable image of C: with Noton
Ghost?

I am using ABSplus Backup software and External HDD with the Express Backup
option, which is supposed to partition & format the ABSplus HDD to match the
Laptop HDD, and create a bootable backup image of my Laptop HDD, which can
be updated by periodic backups. Since I will probably resize the laptop
partitions (step #7), then it would make sense to do a full bootable backup
at step #8.

However I have been informed of a problem with the ABSplus Backup software
not being able to create the Partition Magic Boot Manager partition on the
ABSplus drive, which means that a bootable cannot be made. This will be
the subject of another post concerning a possible solution, which I hope to
resolve before carrying out step #8.

Since Partition Magic is now owned by Symantec, I am interested in any
Symantec backup software that does what ABSplus claims to do, and which
is fully compatible with Patition Magic. Does Norton Ghost qualify ?

I take your point about the restore Points, but they have gotten me out of
trouble on 2 occassions in the past, and so I consider them as extra
insurance.

By the way, are these posts upside down ?

Alan C. Brown

 

[Alex Nichol]

- Catroot2
As regards emptying the folder windows\system32\catroot2, isn't the same
thing accomplished by Step # 17 - In Windows Explorer, go to C:\\
Windows\System32. If you have a subfolder called "Catroot2" (not Catroot),
rename the folder CR2OLD ?

I was giving you an alternate recipe rather than commenting on
individual items

- Antivirus & Firewall software
I use e-Trust EZ Antivirus. I don't know if you are familiar with it, and
I'm not sure what you mean by "Disable all anti-virus and firewall etc in
their own settings", but there is an option in the menu to disable Real-Time
Protection (which automatically check files and floppy disks for viruses),
which is what I do before backing the laptop. Is this what you mean ?

I use it too - yes disabling real time protection is what is referred
to, though see below on the disabling services

Thanks for reminding me about the Firewall. I don't use a 3rd party
Firewall, but XP Pro has it's own built-in Firewall that can be disabled.

BTW - that should not be disabled if you use the 'express' method - or
you are likely to get infected meanwhile. I really think that approach
causes troubles, and would advise using a 'full' Network download, or
the CD you can order

- Msconfig.exe - Startup Items & Microsoft Services

As regards unchecking the Load Startup Items ( in the General Tab I assume),
I was under the inpression that not all the Startup items are to be
disabled, but only the non-essential ones.

No startup items are essential to basic use of the system for purposes
like upgrading it. And turning off non-MS services is again turning off
things that are inessential, and will turn off most AV programs and
third party firewalls in the process. The object is to have the
playing field as simple as possible