New SP2 install followed by SP3 question

[Mike H]

I'm wanting to buy a copy of Windows XP Professional Full edition for a
virtual machine on a Mac, but I only seem to be able to find it at Service
Pack 2, though OEM versions appear available at SP3. However, I do have the
Microsoft XP SP3 Update CD. (I'm avoiding the OEM version because I'm not
certain it will activate on a Macintosh, not to mention it's not supported
and against the EULA.)

Can I apply the SP3 update immediately after the initial installation of XP
Professional SP2? If so, this will save a lengthy Windows Update session.

 

[philo]

I'm wanting to buy a copy of Windows XP Professional Full edition for a
virtual machine on a Mac, but I only seem to be able to find it at Service
Pack 2, though OEM versions appear available at SP3. However, I do have the
Microsoft XP SP3 Update CD. (I'm avoiding the OEM version because I'm not
certain it will activate on a Macintosh, not to mention it's not supported
and against the EULA.)

Can I apply the SP3 update immediately after the initial installation of XP
Professional SP2? If so, this will save a lengthy Windows Update session.

Yes,
once XP is up and running just install SP3 from the cd,
should work just fine

 

[Mike H]

Yes,
once XP is up and running just install SP3 from the cd,
should work just fine

Then that's exactly what I'm going to do. Thanks for the quick reply.

 

[philo]

Then that's exactly what I'm going to do. Thanks for the quick reply.

Sure thing.

XP actually performs better with SP3 ...
MS got that one right!

 

[Big_Al]

Then that's exactly what I'm going to do. Thanks for the quick reply.

You can also slipstream your CD with SP3 so it installs immediately as
SP3. Google 'slipstream'. Several methods are out now. nlite,
autostreamer, even can be done manually (SP3.exe has a command line).

 

[Mike H]

You can also slipstream your CD with SP3 so it installs immediately as
SP3. Google 'slipstream'. Several methods are out now. nlite,
autostreamer, even can be done manually (SP3.exe has a command line).

Big Al, you know, as long as I've been around PC's (since the beginning)
I've never created a slip stream CD. I don't know why. Maybe it's high time
and in this case, I think it would be a very simple one to start out on.

Thanks for bringing it up.

 

[PA Bear [MS MVP]]

Then that's exactly what I'm going to do. Thanks for the quick reply.

NB: If you're not running the most recent version of Boot Camp, SP3 may fail
to install.

 

[Mike H]

Mike H wrote:

NB: If you're not running the most recent version of Boot Camp, SP3 may fail
to install.

I'm doing this to a Macbook running Tiger, so no bootcamp (and the bootcamp
beta for Tiger is no longer available. The final release version of
bootcamp is only for Leopard). I'm intending to virtualize with VMWare
Fusion. Maybe I'll have an SP3 install issue with Fusion as well. That
wouldn't have occurred to me. Since you bring it up I'll see what I can
find about that.