SP2 makes XP-Home/SP1 CD useless?

[~ FreeSpirit ~]

This is from the www.webtree.ca:

"Build an XP-SP2 Recovery Disc
Slipstreaming Service Pack 2
Here's the problem: Once you upgrade to SP2, you won't ever be able to
install the original version of Windows XP over it; you have thus rendered
the ancient practice of reinstalling the operating system impossible."

What happens if I have to reformat and reinstall my OS? All I have is the
CDs from HP with XP-Home/SP1. Should I uninstall SP2 to prevent that from
happening?

FS~

 

[DL]

Nothing prevents you reformating - assuming hw functions
Do not uninstall sp2
Create a slipstreamed install cd
using Autostreamer is easy
http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/repair.txt

 

[~ FreeSpirit ~]

Nothing prevents you reformating - assuming hw functions
Do not uninstall sp2
Create a slipstreamed install cd
using Autostreamer is easy
http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/repair.txt

===================
I downloaded something (Autoslipstreme.exe) to make a slipstream CD that I
hope I can do it correctly. I can't afford to keep having a tech come out
to the house or pay someone at CompUSA to work on my PC with all these
problems that keep cropping up with these updates. I still haven't found
the answer as to why the MS scanner and camera wizard does not come up after
some MS updates. I wish I knew which one caused the problem so I could
delete it. Now with SP2 on my PC I am unable to even get updates from MS,
no less from HP. They're blocked by SP2s Active-X control thing that
refuses to allow them at any setting. It seems like every second or third
"critical" update I have another problem....

As for the above website:

XP REPAIR INSTALL

1. Boot the computer using the XP CD. You may need to change the
boot order in the system BIOS. Check your system documentation
for steps to access the BIOS and change the boot order.

I don't have a regular XP-CD; all I have is the CD HP gives you with the PC
to bring it back to factory status. It would cost me at least $75 for the
tech to start going into the BIOS to make changes,... etc. You don't think
the average PC user is qualified I'm sure. I'm not a PC tech and cartainly
not qualified to mess around and make changes in the BIOS.... :-(

FS~

 

[Shenan Stanley]

~ FreeSpirit ~ wrote:
<snip>

Make your slipstreamed SP2 CD.
Gather all of your other applications (and installation media/CD keys, etc)
together.
Back up your important data (documents, spreadsheets, emails, contacts,
bookmarks, etc..).

Format and Reinstall.

Seriously - you have been battling these same troubles for months now - it's
time to take the dive and redo the system. It would have - without a doubt
and with careful planning - taken less time than you have already spent on
trying to get something fixed by yourself that you are not qualified to do.

BACKUP your data first. Don't forget your Favorites/Bookmarks. Don't
forget your pictures and such. Don't forget your documents and
spreadsheets. Don't forget your downloaded installation programs. Don't
forget your email and the associated contacts. Don't forget your CD Keys.
Collect it all together in a pile - burned safely to CD and/or copied to
some external media. Use CD-Rs, not CD-RWs.. Close the sessions on the
burned CDs.

Download and burn to CD the latest drivers for your hardware - each piece -
but at least your motherboard chipset, video card, network card and modem
for now.

Get a system snapshot with Belarc Advisor - print it out - that way you know
what you had installed and what your hardware is.

Make your slipstreamed Windows XP SP2 CD.

Unplug all peripherals (Printers, Scanners, Cameras, External Drives, etc) -
leave only your mouse, keyboard and monitor plugged in.

Boot from it. (Doing whatever it takes to get into your system BIOS and
setting the system to boot from CD first.)

Follow the directions and DELETE the partitions on your computer when it
asks you where to install.. Then create new partition(s) and install! Once
done - update all of your hardware with the drivers you dlownloaded earlier.
Then visit the Windows Update web site and download all the updates OTHER
THAN hardware. Install your Antivirus application, immunize with the
various antispyware applications and then begin reinstalling your other
applications (Office, etc.)

After you get all the software installed - plug in your peripherals one at a
time - get their drivers installed and updated - one at a time.. ONE AT A
TIME.

Then begin the tedious task of importing all of your old files back - if you
like. Get the Windows Backup going on your important files and folders..
Make sure your AntiVirus software is set to autoupdate - make sure windows
updates (autoupdates) are setup the way you desire. Enjoy the use of your
computer.

 

[Sharon F]

This is from the www.webtree.ca:

"Build an XP-SP2 Recovery Disc
Slipstreaming Service Pack 2
Here's the problem: Once you upgrade to SP2, you won't ever be able to
install the original version of Windows XP over it; you have thus rendered
the ancient practice of reinstalling the operating system impossible."

What happens if I have to reformat and reinstall my OS? All I have is the
CDs from HP with XP-Home/SP1. Should I uninstall SP2 to prevent that from
happening?

FS~

If I remember correctly you have a multi-disk HP restore set for your
system. That set did not allow you to run the conventional MS repair back
in pre-sp2 time. Instead it runs a special HP recovery program. If that is
the case, creating a slipstreamed CD is not going to work for you.

Recovery under these conditions will be:
a) a full restore with the HP program. When that's done, install SP2. Then
go to Windows Update to pick up security updates that were released after
SP2.

b) The "B" option depends on a repair path being supplied by the HP
recovery program and if SP2 can still be uninstalled: Uninstall SP2. Run
the HP repair. When finished, reinstall SP2.

IGNORE THE FOLLOWING IF THE FIRST PART OF THE POST APPLIES TO YOU:

If on the other hand, you have a CD from HP that contains the conventional
MS setup files (not the HP recovery program) and were able to use it to
follow the directions in this article:

How to perform an in-place upgrade (reinstallation) of Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;315341

Then a SP2 slipstreamed CD can be created and would be useful to you.

 

[DL]

As I said before there have been numerous posts regarding problems with the
HP card reader
The MS recovery wizard you ran stated that there was a problem with the HP
card reader. I am aware that hardware devices showed no such problem.
In order to ascertain as to whether the Card reader is actually faulty you
will have to try another brand, a usb plug-in type. Perhaps you could borrow
one from somewhere, or buy one from a supplier who guarantees a refund if it
doesn't work