Installing XP SP1

[John D. Miller]

When I download/install SP1 from fthe Windows Update
site, it takes perhaps 1 minute to download the 1.9 mb
file. Progress was shown in the download progress bar.
Then installation was automatic...it just began, this
time showing progress in the install progress bar. This
took 45-60 minutes or longer. It appeared--since both
bars were in 1 small window that the Update site was
installing the files but that doesn't quite make sense;
ones computer installs files, right? Yet, as noted, both
bars were in 1 Update window. Is Windows Update
monitoring the install progress.

Anyhow, 2 questions:

1. How does it work? Who or what is doing the install?

2. Why did it take so long to install SP1. I'm running
XP with broadband and a 1.7ghz cpu. I noticed that for
long periods the CPU light was off, occasionally
flickering briefly, sometimes strongly on. If not on are
files not being installed?

 

[dglock]

if you are refering to the light that comes on at the
front of the comp, its not a "cpu" light. it denotes hard
drive activity.
your comp is doing the install but its under the
direction of msn web site.
the time it took to install does seem quite long as mine
only took about 5 mins.
if every thing works ok the i wouldn't worry about it.
don

 

[NobodyMan]

When I download/install SP1 from fthe Windows Update
site, it takes perhaps 1 minute to download the 1.9 mb
file. Progress was shown in the download progress bar.
Then installation was automatic...it just began, this
time showing progress in the install progress bar. This
took 45-60 minutes or longer. It appeared--since both
bars were in 1 small window that the Update site was
installing the files but that doesn't quite make sense;
ones computer installs files, right? Yet, as noted, both
bars were in 1 Update window. Is Windows Update
monitoring the install progress.

Anyhow, 2 questions:

1. How does it work? Who or what is doing the install?

2. Why did it take so long to install SP1. I'm running
XP with broadband and a 1.7ghz cpu. I noticed that for
long periods the CPU light was off, occasionally
flickering briefly, sometimes strongly on. If not on are
files not being installed?

So you know: if you don't download the full Network Intall version of
the SP, all you are getting is a very small loader file. This file
examines your OS, and then contacts MS to get the files needed to run
the install - and that is a large amount of files.

Depending on how much has to be pulled down, the speed of your
broadband, how busy the MS servers are, and internet congestion, this
takes a bit. Once the files are retrieved, they are installed, which
takes a few minutes (minimum) as well.

 

[Alex Nichol]

Anyhow, 2 questions:

1. How does it work? Who or what is doing the install?

2. Why did it take so long to install SP1. I'm running
XP with broadband and a 1.7ghz cpu. I noticed that for
long periods the CPU light was off, occasionally
flickering briefly, sometimes strongly on. If not on are
files not being installed?

The full SP1 is 130 MB in all. The express method you were using
downloads that little stub, which assesses which of the components your
machine actually *needs* and then proceeds to down load these, in some
optimised order. Each one installs independently, before going on to
the next. This is done by the controlling stub program invoking
'Windows Insstaller' on your machine.

This approach save time - the total down load may be nearer 30 MB that
130 - but it is still a major matter, and liable to being disrupted by
communication problems, trying to do other things simultaneously and so
on. I have come to the view that one should not use this method. If
you have Broadband, take the 'Network' download on the same page - the
full 130MB - and then run it. If you have only dial up, get either the
$10 CD copy (order from link on same page) or the new free security
pack CD, from
http://www.microsoft.com/security/protect/default.asp
which I am told includes SP1 - I have yet to receive my copy though