Is WinXP Sp3 update necessary?

[PA Bear [MS MVP]]

No.

Did you mean to reply to Roy?

I was merely pointing out to him that there is no need to purchase the
license.

So? Use the free version, purchase the licensed version, or leave
the files in-place.

Roy wrote:

Seehttp://aumha.net/viewtopic.php?f=62&t=33827

Ideally, you would have
seen http://www.dougknox.com/xp/utils/xp_hotfix_backup.htm
before you installed SP3.

Thanks for that ,,,but there is a notification that it needs a
license that must be purchased?

The clickable "Download" link is for the free version. As the page
states, "The licensed version allows for *selective deletion*
[emphasis mine] of Hotfix files and Registry entries." The clickable
"Here" link is for that.

 

[Roy]

Control Panel said this?! I don't follow. Perhaps Add or Remove
Programs? What and where is the *exact* message? This is why I always
recommend configuring a clean boot first!

What I mean here is when I went to the add remove programs and click
uninstal the statement says that the Sp3 was already uninstalled there
was an error in that process.

Which file was corrupted? Also, Kaspersky can interfere with System

Repair what? Which files did you update and how did you update them?

The Kaspersky was the first one corrupted that its icon vanished from
the tool bars and even
when clicked from the start up menu it just briefly appeared with the
statement that
database was corrupted that it needs to be updated.
The second one which was corrupted was the Acronis as it just vanished
from the Add and removed programs but it still in the
program files and windows. When I clicked it was not working anymore
and said of an error so I forcibly removed it from the
program files.
As I stated I connected to the net and updated it twice to repair as
repairing it by itself was not possible as the windows instal facility
was
corrupted as well and non functioning.
After the kaspersky repair by update I did not notice the pop ups tha
the windows instal facility was corrupted, but possibly it sstill
there..
Hmm at this point supposing the windows instal is corrupted is there a
remedy for such to make it return to normal functionality?




I did two back ups using the acronis and they WinXP utility in the
accessories> system tools> back up.
As the Acronis got corrupted I have to fall back t the WinXP utility.
I did try to restore but it stopped in the middleof the process saying
there is an error in the restoration...
I was wondering that possibly as the C drive is loaded, there might be
a need to format the drive or something similar so that there will
be a clean restoration of the back up files?

I'm not sure what you mean by the phrase "using the System tools in a
separate hard disk." And did you not make an image? Backing up files,
although better than doing nothing, is not good enough! You needed to
image your hard drive! Then all you would need to do is restore the
image. Did you not make an image?

As I don't have enough space in theC drive I did the back up in the
external hard drive( also NTFS type)

If you didn't make an image, configure a Clean Boot environment:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/310353

and uninstall SP3 and or run Windows System Restore to the point in time
before the SP3 upgrade.

I did already the System restore and that is where the error roblems
arised as mentioned in the above post

And make an *image*!

Now as I removed already the Acronis as its corrrupted I might have to
reinstal it again to make and image, or is there
a windows facility can do the same ?
I am still digesting all the questions posted< grin>....

 

[Daave]

What I mean here is when I went to the add remove programs and click
uninstal the statement says that the Sp3 was already uninstalled there
was an error in that process.

So, SP3 is in this list and there is a Remove button? But when you click
on the button, you get a message? What is the complete text of this
message?

And once more, did you configure a Clean Boot before attempting to
remove SP3?

Also, try Start | Run and type "winver" (without the quotes) in the box.
What Service Pack level is indicated?

As I don't have enough space in theC drive I did the back up in the
external hard drive( also NTFS type)

This is important information!!!

How large is C: and how much free space exists?

I did already the System restore and that is where the error roblems
arised as mentioned in the above post

But did you try System Restore after configuring a Clean Boot?

The second one which was corrupted was the Acronis as it just vanished
from the Add and removed programs but it still in the
program files and windows. When I clicked it was not working anymore
and said of an error so I forcibly removed it from the
program files.

"Forcibly removed?" That can't be good! Sounds like you forced some
damage. How did you "forcibly remove" it?

Still need some clarification:

Did you use Acronis's imaging function or did you merely copy files and
folders? If you did the latter, that wasn't an image. But if you did,
where did you save the image archive? If you still have the archive on
an external hard drive, all you need to do is boot off the Acronis CD
and restore it.

Now as I removed already the Acronis as its corrrupted I might have to
reinstal it again to make and image, or is there
a windows facility can do the same ?

Windows does not have an imaging utiliity. If you want to use a free
imaging product, try DriveImageXML:

http://www.runtime.org/driveimage-xml.htm

But note that you need to boot off a Bart PE rescue CD in order to
restore the image.

But also note that Acronis is superior (and you already paid for it and
they do offer support). What version of Acronis are you running?

 

[Roy]

So, SP3 is in this list and there is a Remove button? But when you click
on the button, you get a message? What is the complete text of this
message?

IIRC, it says that Sp3 was already removed??????? How was that when it
was still present in the control panel that is why I removed it first
there ….

And once more, did you configure a Clean Boot before attempting to
remove SP3?

That is the one that I missed…..

Also, try Start | Run and type "winver" (without the quotes) in the box.
What Service Pack level is indicated?

Win Xp Sp2

This is important information!!!

How large is C: and how much free space exists?

The C Drive had 20 GIGS and before the sp3 installation it had 4.7
gigs of free space and after the installation it only had 2.7 gigs
left

I did that also

But did you try System Restore after configuring a Clean Boot? Hmnn ,,,no….

"Forcibly removed?" That can't be good! Sounds like you forced some
damage. How did you "forcibly remove" it?

I remove the files by deleting it from the C drive any remnants as
found in the Search option…

Still need some clarification:

Did you use Acronis's imaging function or did you merely copy files and
folders? If you did the latter, that wasn't an image. But if you did,
where did you save the image archive? If you still have the archive on
an external hard drive, all you need to do is boot off the Acronis CD
and restore it.

Well what I get was some sort of Tib files of ( complete back up)

Windows does not have an imaging utiliity. If you want to use a free
imaging product, try DriveImageXML:

http://www.runtime.org/driveimage-xml.htm

But note that you need to boot off a Bart PE rescue CD in order to
restore the image.

But also note that Acronis is superior (and you already paid for it and
they do offer support). What version of Acronis are you running?

The Acronis Image version was Acronis Home version 11

 

[Daave]

IIRC, it says that Sp3 was already removed??????? How was that when it
was still present in the control panel that is why I removed it first
there ….

I can't answer, especially since I don't know the exact message (at
least, if we have the complete message, we can Google it). In the event
that it has been truly removed, you can always try the Windows Installer
CleanUp Utility:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/290301

(But if you are able to restore the Acronis image you made, you don't
even need to worry about it.)

That is the one that I missed…..

Win Xp Sp2

It sounds like SP3 has been uninstalled. And again, running that
CleanUp utility mentioned above might remove that leftover entry in your
Add or Remove Programs list.

The C Drive had 20 GIGS and before the sp3 installation it had 4.7
gigs of free space and after the installation it only had 2.7 gigs
left

By today's standards, that's a *very* small hard drive! And 2.7 GB of
free space, as you know, is not enough to perform a number of actions
(System Restore being one of them, IIRC). If you plan on keeping this
PC, I would suggest replacing the hard drive with a larger one.

I did that also

Hmnn ,,,no….

I think that your C: drive is too filled up *and* since you didn't
configure a Clean Boot (or run in Safe Mode), System Restore was unable
to function, probably because Kaspersky or some other program was
running in the background (or maybe just because you didn't have enough
free space).

I remove the files by deleting it from the C drive any remnants as
found in the Search option…

Not good! When that happens, sometimes what you need to do is reinstall
the program so that you may uninstall it!

Well what I get was some sort of Tib files of ( complete back up)

Good. A .tib file is an image archive. Since you made this image before
you started having all these issues, what you should do is configure the
BIOS to boot off your Acronis CD and restore the image. Hopefully, the
backup archive was validated!

The Acronis Image version was Acronis Home version 11

Sounds like a plan! Good luck. And keep in mind that once you restore
this image, all your other headaches you reported that happened after
the image was made will disappear.

And when you are eventually ready to reinstall SP3 (I wouldn't do it
until after you have your larger hard drive; SP2 updates will still be
available for another year), follow Shenan's advice! Also, it's
important to make sure you don't have any programs running in the
background (that's why I always recommend configuring a Clean Boot; and
some have reported success using Safe Mode as well).

 

[Roy]

I can't answer, especially since I don't know the exact message (at
least, if we have the complete message, we can Google it). In the event
that it has been truly removed, you can always try the Windows Installer
CleanUp Utility:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/290301

I willl download that utiliity for possilbe use....

(But if you are able to restore the Acronis image you made, you don't
even need to worry about it.)



It sounds like SP3 has been uninstalled. And again, running that
CleanUp utility mentioned above might remove that leftover entry in your
Add or Remove Programs list.


By today's standards, that's a *very* small hard drive! And 2.7 GB of
free space, as you know, is not enough to perform a number of actions
(System Restore being one of them, IIRC). If you plan on keeping this
PC, I would suggest replacing the hard drive with a larger one.

I think that is the best way to do.....
This SONY VAIO VGN A59GP desktop replacement system that I tried to
install the SP3 is my favorite and had been with me for almost 4 years
now ....
I am just reluctant to upgrade the hard drive as I am apprehennsive
that I may not able to make a complete transfer of the C drive
recovery partition to the New HDD . Still doing plans for it also...

I think that your C: drive is too filled up *and* since you didn't
configure a Clean Boot (or run in Safe Mode), System Restore was unable
to function, probably because Kaspersky or some other program was
running in the background (or maybe just because you didn't have enough
free space).

That is more likely the restore option of the Winxp through system
tools was unsuccessful

Not good! When that happens, sometimes what you need to do is reinstall
the program so that you may uninstall it!

Yes, that was my mistake , tsk tsk, tsk for being impatient with
stubborn files....

Good. A .tib file is an image archive. Since you made this image before
you started having all these issues, what you should do is configure the
BIOS to boot off your Acronis CD and restore the image. Hopefully, the
backup archive was validated!


Sounds like a plan! Good luck. And keep in mind that once you restore
this image, all your other headaches you reported that happened after
the image was made will disappear.

And when you are eventually ready to reinstall SP3 (I wouldn't do it
until after you have your larger hard drive; SP2 updates will still be
available for another year), follow Shenan's advice! Also, it's
important to make sure you don't have any programs running in the
background (that's why I always recommend configuring a Clean Boot; and
some have reported success using Safe Mode as well).

Thanks for that information Daave!
Have a nice day!

 

[Daave]

I think that is the best way to do.....
This SONY VAIO VGN A59GP desktop replacement system that I tried to
install the SP3 is my favorite and had been with me for almost 4 years
now ....
I am just reluctant to upgrade the hard drive as I am apprehennsive
that I may not able to make a complete transfer of the C drive
recovery partition to the New HDD . Still doing plans for it also...

I'm not sure I follow, but all you need to do is clone the old drive;
the result will be a functionally identical new drive (including the
recovery partition), just larger. The new drive you purchase will have
cloning software you can use. Or you may use Acronis's cloning function.

Thanks for that information Daave!

You're welcome.

Have a nice day!

You, too!

 

[BillW50]

In Daave typed on Mon, 16 Mar 2009 14:08:25 -0400:

You *do* have support now. Not the kind of support you're talking
about, but the kind of support Bob I is talking about -- regular
critical updates are still coming out.

Well Roy's SP3 update doesn't seem to be going well for one. And Roy's
problem of slower boots is a big no-no with me. No need for that on a
netbook. Secondly, on this Asus EeePC 4G SSD I only have 260MB free. You
need 450MB free to install SP3. I removed all Live applications which I
didn't use anyway (gave me about 100MB more free) and Add/Remove said MS
Works v9 ate up 401MB. I didn't use it, so I uninstalled and it only
gave me about 200MB more free. No way to reinstall it since it only gets
installed from a Recovery disc (which is really a Ghost v11 image - Asus
OEM Windows XP SP2). I did image the SSD before removing it, so I have
that at least.

I have trimmed everything I can think of. No Hibernation file, update
folders deleted (except the "$hf_mig$ folder"), no pagefile, System
Restore turned off, and temps moved to a Ramdisk. I used to have 1.3GB
free before installing software I wanted to have. But even the current
SP2 updates are eating up a lot of space. Soon, I am going to have to
stop updating this computer since I just won't have the room for the
future ones anyway.

Which brings me to my next point. While I can see the importance of
plugging up security holes. But anything you don't want on your system
has to make it through your firewall and anti-virus first anyway. Thus
since the anti-virus is looking for and blocking the software that wants
to take advantage of the security holes, why bother patching the holes
anyway?

I do have other netbooks and other computers with SP2 which has a lot of
room to install SP3. But since it just doesn't seem that important on
this 4GB, I don't see it as important for the rest of my computers
either. Getting about 6 computers to SP2 was a disaster for me. As it
worked, but performance went down the tubes. I could only get SP2 to
work well by using a Windows XP SP2 install disc. Or by an OEM version
with SP2 already applied. The last thing I need is a repeat of the same.
Sadly, there are no SP3 Home install discs available this time around.

 

[Daave]

Sadly, there are no SP3 Home install discs available this time around.

Yes, there are. I have one! Although there are no Retail CDs with SP3,
there are certainly OEM CDs with SP3 (that's what I have: a generic OEM
XP Home installatin CD). Even Dell OEM CDs (w/ SP3) exist!

Furthermore, once can *create* his or her own installation CD w/ SP3 by
the slipstreaming process.

 

[Daave]

Well Roy's SP3 update doesn't seem to be going well for one.

That's because he neglected to totally disable an antivirus program.

Secondly, on this Asus EeePC 4G SSD I only have 260MB free.

I would never buy a laptop with such a small amount (4GB, correct?) of
storage space! I'm surprised they even exist.

 

[Terry R.]

The date and time was Tuesday, April 21, 2009 3:33:17 PM, and on a whim,
Daave pounded out on the keyboard:

That's because he neglected to totally disable an antivirus program.


I would never buy a laptop with such a small amount (4GB, correct?) of
storage space! I'm surprised they even exist.

It's a lap "tot", not laptop. ;-) Meant for web surfing & email. Not
much else unless you use external storage.


Terry R.

 

[olfart]

I have trimmed everything I can think of. No Hibernation file, update
folders deleted (except the "$hf_mig$ folder"), no pagefile, System
Restore turned off, and temps moved to a Ramdisk. I used to have 1.3GB
free before installing software I wanted to have. But even the current SP2
updates are eating up a lot of space. Soon, I am going to have to stop
updating this computer since I just won't have the room for the future
ones anyway.

Which brings me to my next point. While I can see the importance of
plugging up security holes. But anything you don't want on your system has
to make it through your firewall and anti-virus first anyway. Thus since
the anti-virus is looking for and blocking the software that wants to take
advantage of the security holes, why bother patching the holes anyway?

I do have other netbooks and other computers with SP2 which has a lot of
room to install SP3. But since it just doesn't seem that important on this
4GB, I don't see it as important for the rest of my computers either.
Getting about 6 computers to SP2 was a disaster for me. As it worked, but
performance went down the tubes. I could only get SP2 to work well by
using a Windows XP SP2 install disc. Or by an OEM version with SP2 already
applied. The last thing I need is a repeat of the same. Sadly, there are
no SP3 Home install discs available this time around.

Bill
Jusst can't figure what's using your C Drive space. My eee701 has a full
install of XPHome SP3 with all the latest updates, plus MS Works 4.0 and a
bunch of other progs and I'm using 2,8gb with 1.2gb free. My only big
program is Garmin GPS using about 1.8gb and I have that on D along with temp
files, docs, etc.
If you want I'll run Belarc Advisor and email you a copy. I think I still
have your email addy.

 

[John John - MVP]

The date and time was Tuesday, April 21, 2009 3:33:17 PM, and on a whim,
Daave pounded out on the keyboard:


It's a lap "tot", not laptop.

or a laptoy... Around here one of the major bank was giving them away
for free if you opened an account with them. Most people said they
wanted a free toaster instead...

John

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

or a laptoy... Around here one of the major bank was giving them away
for free if you opened an account with them. Most people said they
wanted a free toaster instead...

Regardless of what you call it, I think they're great and something I
yearn for. They are small and light, and therefore easy to carry.
Since I use my laptop for almost nothing but E-mail when I'm
traveling, it would be ideal for me.

 

[Frank Holman]

or a laptoy... Around here one of the major bank was giving them away
for free if you opened an account with them. Most people said they
wanted a free toaster instead...

John

Funny... but not believable.

 

[John John - MVP]

Funny... but not believable.

Which part is not believable? That a bank was giving them away for free
or that people wanted free toasters instead?

http://search.yahoo.com/search;_ylt...+bank+free+eeepc&fr=yfp-t-501&fr2=sfp&iscqry=

They had one on display at my branch during the promotion. I didn't get
one I was already a customer, this was for new customers... who hadn't
already received a free toaster!

John

 

[BillW50]

In Daave typed on Tue, 21 Apr 2009 18:33:17 -0400:

That's because he neglected to totally disable an antivirus program.

That could explain why upgrading to SP2 was hell for me. One would think
as big and wonderful Microsoft is, they would run a verify and make sure
everything is going to plan. And if it doesn't, to report back and guess
what is going wrong. But I guess Microsoft programmers are as dumb as
nails. I am just a simple electronic engineer and that seems to be
programming 101 to me. But I am just a hardware engineer who only

I would never buy a laptop with such a small amount (4GB, correct?) of
storage space! I'm surprised they even exist.

4GB was just fine just before the updates came. Then the space
disappears really fast. My 8GB (with SP2) netbooks are still enjoying
over 1GB of free space. But in a year or two, that won't be enough
either.

Personally I love computing with only 10 watts of power. And anything
less would be more wonderful. So this is as low as I can safely go and
still get the job done. The only things I can't get these netbooks to do
well is flight simulators, edit large video/audio files, and keep up
with Windows updates (well for 4GB anyway for now). Otherwise they are
doing just fine. Sure beats those low powered PDAs I have been using. No
wonder they are selling in the millions, eh? <grin>

 

[BillW50]

In olfart typed on Tue, 21 Apr 2009 19:58:49 -0400:

Bill
Jusst can't figure what's using your C Drive space. My eee701 has a
full install of XPHome SP3 with all the latest updates, plus MS Works
4.0 and a bunch of other progs and I'm using 2,8gb with 1.2gb free.
My only big program is Garmin GPS using about 1.8gb and I have that
on D along with temp files, docs, etc.
If you want I'll run Belarc Advisor and email you a copy. I think I
still have your email addy.

Hi olfart! Well on the EeePCs, I am working with the OEM version of
Windows XP SP2. I do have retail versions of XP that I never tried with
these, so that might make a big difference. My biggest beef is the wave
of endless Windows updates. The last SP2 wave didn't seem like too much,
sounded like 20MB or so. But it must have been 100MB or more after
installation.

You mentioned MS Works v4. I believe I have that or at least v4.5
somewhere. I could actually get to love MS Works except for the fact it
doesn't support macros. It seems that MS has been holding that part back
for some reason. Which forces me to MS Office. Which always had this
feature.

I do have some paid version of Belarc Advisor, but I have to dig to find
it. It is probably a year or two old. Is that good enough?

 

[Roy]

That's because he neglected to totally disable an antivirus program.

No, I disabled the kaspersky before I did that update procedure.....
But one thing that keeps me thinking if the space for the hard drive
for such is just less than 2 gig then how come my C drive which had
4.7 GB of free space before the Sp3 intal would pose a problem?

 

[BillW50]

In
Roy typed on Tue, 21 Apr 2009 21:22:21 -0700 (PDT):

No, I disabled the kaspersky before I did that update procedure.....
But one thing that keeps me thinking if the space for the hard drive
for such is just less than 2 gig then how come my C drive which had
4.7 GB of free space before the Sp3 intal would pose a problem?

Microsoft declares that SP3 will use no more than 500MB when everything
is all said and done. MS Works said in Add/Remove that it ate up 401MB.
So I removed it and I only got back less than 200MB. So Roy, it seems
very clear to me that the people at Microsoft knows nothing about math.
Otherwise how do you explain this nonsense? I expect this nonsense from
things like Linux (which freeware means you have nobody to complain
too), but Microsoft should know better!