SP3 Question

[Joy]

Seems I was reading so many "bad" thing about SP3, that now my Update icon
is asking me to install it, and I'm wondering if I should?

 

[Alias]

Seems I was reading so many "bad" thing about SP3, that now my Update
icon is asking me to install it, and I'm wondering if I should?

Not without preparing for the install first. Read these before
attempting the install:

WinXP SP3 - Read all prerequisites for a successful installation
http://msmvps.com/blogs/harrywaldron/archive/2008/05/08/windows-xp-sp...

Steps to take before you install Windows XP Service Pack 3
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/950717

Release Notes for Windows XP Service Pack 3
http://download.microsoft.com/download/c/d/8/cd8cc719-7d5a-40d3-a802-...

Alias

 

[Joy]

Thank you. I'll read these later, when I have a chance (got a house full
of company right now!), but I sure do appreciate having this information.

 

[JS]

Most people have not had problems but there are some that do.

Also if I where to install SP3 I would choose to download the
file and not use Automatic Updates.

I would also create an"Image Backup" of my drive prior
to installing SP3 just in case you do have problems.
Don't have any Image Backup software:
Try "True Image" (has a 15 day trial version available)
http://www.acronis.com/homecomputing/products/trueimage/

How to obtain the latest Windows XP service pack
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/322389

How to prevent SP3 from being installed on your PC
(Windows Service Pack Blocker Tool Kit)
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/...7A-5267-4BD6-87D0-E2A72099EDB7&displaylang=en
(Works for 1 year from date SP3 was released)

Windows XP Service Pack 3 Overview
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/...ad-bc34-40be-8d85-6bb4f56f5110&displaylang=en
Be sure to download and read the file titled 'Overview of Windows XP Service
Pack 3'
Note: "You can run the SP3 update package on any edition of Windows XP SP1
or SP2."

The hard disk space requirements for Windows XP Service Pack 3
Discusses the hard disk space requirements for installing Windows XP Service
Pack 3 (SP3)
(For a PC on which Windows XP is already installed)
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/947311/en-us

Installing Windows XP Service Pack 3 (SP3)
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/windowsxp/cc164204.aspx

Release notes for the Windows XP Service Pack 3
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/936929/en-us

List of fixes that are included in Windows XP Service Pack 3
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/946480/

Steps to take before you install Windows XP Service Pack 3
Recommends steps to take before you install Windows XP Service Pack 3.
Also includes troubleshooting information.
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/950717/en-us

Internet Explorer: (From Shenan Stanley MS MVP)
"If you have installed Windows Internet Explorer® 7 or a beta version of
Internet Explorer 8, and then install Windows XP SP3, you cannot uninstall
Internet Explorer. To avoid this, ensure Internet Explorer 7 or a beta
version of Internet Explorer 8 is not installed before installing Windows XP
SP3. If you have already encountered this issue, uninstall Windows XP SP3,
uninstall Internet Explorer, and then reinstall Windows XP SP3."

Windows XP Media Center Edition 2002: (From Shenan Stanley MS MVP)
"If you install Windows XP SP3 on a computer running Windows XP Media Center
Edition 2002 with SP1, Windows XP Media Center Edition may malfunction. To
avoid this, install Windows XP SP2 before you install Windows XP SP3. If
this issue has already occurred, uninstall Windows XP SP3, install Windows
XP SP2, and then reinstall Windows XP SP3."

XP SP3: Post Installation Cleanup:
http://www.aumha.net/viewtopic.php?f=62&t=33827

How to troubleshoot an unsuccessful installation of Windows XP Service Pack
3
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/950718/en-us

Free unlimited installation and compatibility support
(Via Email, Chat or Phone support)
http://support.microsoft.com/oas/default.aspx?ln=en-us&prid=11273&gprid=522131

Windows XP Service Pack 3 (SP3) Forum:
(Post your issues here)
http://forums.microsoft.com/TechNet/ShowForum.aspx?ForumID=2010&SiteID=17

Install SP3 in 'Clean Boot' mode:
How to configure Windows XP to start in a "clean boot" state
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/310353

Where to download SP3
SP3 file download:
(File is large but will only install components that your PC requires)
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/...a8-5e76-401f-be08-1e1555d4f3d4&DisplayLang=en

Availability of the .NET Framework 1.0 post-Service Pack 3 hotfix
Describes the .NET Framework 1.0 post-Service Pack 3 hotfix rollup package
for the Mscorwks.dll, Mscorsvr.dll, and Mscorlib.dll files.
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/896061/en-us

JS

 

[Alias]

Thank you. I'll read these later, when I have a chance (got a house
full of company right now!), but I sure do appreciate having this
information.

You're welcome. Let us know how the install goes.

Alias

 

[Joy]

Wow! A lot of info - thank you! At this point (since I need to have my
computer man work on something else on my computer), I'm thinking I might be
wise to let him handle all of this.

 

[Thee Chicago Wolf]

Seems I was reading so many "bad" thing about SP3, that now my Update icon

is asking me to install it, and I'm wondering if I should?

As one of the other posters have said, most have not had any issues.
In my own experience, I have updated a few Dells that acted funny but
only required the installation of the Intel Chipset Drivers and they
were fine afterwards.

- Thee Chicago Wolf

 

[Stephen Harris]

Most people have not had problems but there are some that do.

Also if I where to install SP3 I would choose to download the
file and not use Automatic Updates.

I would also create an"Image Backup" of my drive prior
to installing SP3 just in case you do have problems.
Don't have any Image Backup software:
Try "True Image" (has a 15 day trial version available)
http://www.acronis.com/homecomputing/products/trueimage/

I read that only 75% of the SP3 updates worked.
Mine did not and I downloaded the whole file first,
turned off hardware acceleration for my Nvidia card,
and disabled the antivirus. I wound up with a black screen.
This is the same computer that just worked well with SP2.


I also made a backup but it doesn't do me any good
because the computer seldom gets as far as a Logo
or reading the from the bios I think, description of
my video card.

The computer after several tries will boot to the cd-rom
but after reading the first screen, doesn't go any further.
The Win XP install disk gets as far as loosely "Windows
is inspecting your setup" then, usually when this works,
you will see more printed information on a blue screen,
but it never gets any further. So of what use is a backup cd?

The SP3 special tech said the install failed because there
were too many USB devices plugged in! And surprisingly, when
I unplugged the USB printer, it would boot the Windows Welcome
screen and stay on for a few hours. But it got worse.

Well I gave the full details in (so will not cross post)
microsoft.public.windowsxp.setup_deployment
"Very unusual problem with XP reinstall after SP3"

Mainly I wanted to comment on the "some that do" which is
about 25% of users = and is thousands of people with computers.

Service Pack 3 has created problems which I've never before
experienced in 16 years of working on computers = IBM XT.
Especially, MS was supposed to check the customer's computer
for compatibility before deploying the SP3 update which I'm
told was automatically deployed (but even if not). Customers
are not supposed to have to spend an hour researching an
automatic update that has a 1 in 4 chance of trashing their
machine! They are not supposed to ever have received it!

Did it occur to you that Microsoft would not have established
a free service telephone number just for SP3 problems if the
catastrophe level was like only just 9 in 10? MS prefers to charge.

 

[JS]

You will note that I did say to create an "Image" backup.
Both Acronis and Norton Ghost have what are called a
"Rescue Media CD"

With Acronis (which I do not have)
there is an option to create the CD.

With Ghost it is either a separate CD
(created from a downloadable .ISO file) or included with the
Install CD when you purchase the product.

The BIOS must be set to boot from CD as the first boot device.
You boot from the rescue CD and then pick the image backup
file you created just before installing SP3 and after the image
has been restored, your PC is back to just the way it was before SP3.

JS