reinstall windowsXP without losing SP2?

[Chani]

I need to reinstall WindowsXP but I don't want to lose all my updates. I
have an installation disk with SP1 and the last time I had to reinstall
Windows it took me weeks to get up to date. That was before SP2. I only
have a dial up connection and I'm concerned about being online so long
without the security of the updates. My comuputer is completely up to date
at the moment and I figured that the updates must be stored somewhere on my
computer, right?

I found a folder named "$hf_mig$" in my WINDOWS folder. It's 43mb and the
subfolders all have names that start with KB. If this is what I need then I
could copy the folder to a different partition before I reinstall - but what
then?

I have read in a different post that I can download the updates from a
microsoft site, but like I said, I have dial up. And I don't have time. I
really do need to reinstall ASAP.

Also
* - I don't have a friend with cable who could download it for me
* - I do have a valid and legal copy of Microsoft XP home with SP1
* - I have searched the update newsgroup as well as this and others and
haven't found the info I need.
* - Yes, unfortunately I really do need to reinstall Windows

Hugs and Kisses for anyone who can help me with this

 

[Will Denny]

Hi

You will need to create a slipstreamed SP2 CD:

You can download the SP2 file (266 MBs) from here:

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/...BE-3B8E-4F30-8245-9E368D3CDB5A&displaylang=en -
or if you have a copy of the SP2 CD, you can copy the xpsp2.exe file from
that CD onto your hard disk/partition and use that:

then follow the directions in the following article to create a slipstreamed
XP CD:

http://www.msfn.org/articles.php?action=show&showarticle=49

 

[Will Denny]

To add - you will lose the latest Updates even if you perform a 'Repair'
install of XP:

"How to Perform a Windows XP Repair Install"
http://michaelstevenstech.com/XPrepairinstall.htm

However there won't be too many to reinstall.

 

[Guest]

Windows SP2 is freely available at most computer outles, or if you have any
concerns, call Microsoft or order one online: they are free.

Perform your repair install: do not connect to the internet and then install
SP2.

 

[Chani]

Hugs and Kisses!

While I was offline I went back and had a better look at those folders I
mentioned before. They each contain two sub folders. One named "update'' and
the other named "SP2QFE". The "update" folder contains an update.exe file as
well as the following files:
branches.inf
eula.txt
KB890175.CAT - (This file name corresponds with the name of the update,
right?)
spcustom.dll
update.ver
update_SP2QFE.inf
updatebr.inf

There are 15 of these KB folders all up. *If* they are the folders I was
looking for then I'm not even sure in which order to install them.

Your way sounds a LOT easier and a whole heap safer, so thanks again.

More hugs and kisses

Chani

 

[Chani]

Just browsing sround my Windows folder a bit more and came across
$NTServicePackUninstall$ - It's over 300mb and contains a setup.exe file.
There is a totally seperate Unistall Service Pack 2 file located in a
subfolder so it leads me to believe that I won't just be trying to unistall
SP2 if I execute it. It contains all the usual files you'd expect to find on
a Windows installation disk (if you were a half-baked hack like me).

Seriously though, I've figured I''ve got nothing to lose so I've copied it
to my other partition and I'm going to give it a try. I don't even know if I
have to install Windows from my CD first... 300mb?

I'll report back to let everyone learn from my mistakes or otherwise, OK

Thanks again