SP3 uninstall question

[xylophone]

My Dell XP was on SP1. Had to reinstall Windows. Chose to do so to SP3.
Used Dell reinstall CD and
thereafter Microsoft/Windows Update. Works perfectly. Now, may have to
consider
uninstalling SP3 in order to install a Sony camcorder program which is SP2.
Enquiring via retailer if program OK with SP3 (Sony website not mention SP3,
at all: why not?). Meantime, I see in Add/Remove I can uninstall SP3 there.
My question is - if I do so, and bearing in mind I reinstalled Windows to
SP3, will the uninstall take me back to SP2? Might there be problems there?
The reinstall was traumatic, and I don't want to reinstall Windows again if
I can possibly avoid it. Advice/comments?

 

[PA Bear [MS MVP]]

Uninstalling WinXP SP3 will return your machine to WinXP SP1.

How to remove Windows XP Service Pack 3 from your computer:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/950249

NB: WinXP SP1 is no longer supported. You would have to install SP2 (at
minimum) to be able to install any critical updates.

Uninstalling SP3 simply because the Sony application isn't working may be a
bit drastic. Make sure the Sony application itself is fully updated/patched
before taking such measures.

 

[JS]

Uninstall SP3, Install SP2
(since you implied you went straight from SP1 to SP3).

Install Sony camcorder program, verify Sony program works OK,
Then install SP3 and again verify Sony program still works OK.

JS

 

[xylophone]

Thanks, Bear, again. What I wanted to know. Said considering. Just to
get my options. Clealry, in view of what you say, no way I will unsintall
SP3.

Out of interest, as it would be drastic to do so, why should anyone want to
uninstall SP3?

 

[xylophone]

JS

Thanks. I think Bear has answered the technical question.

It may interest you, and Bear, that the reason for the Windows reinstall was
that I installed
the Sony program, stupidly, without checking it was SP1. It wasn't.
I excuse myself to a large extent in that the program should have said when
I tied to run it, beware, this is an SP2 program (you are on SP1). Everyone
who knows about these things agrees with me this is what should have
happened, it didn't, and it has been suggested to me strongly that this is
bad program design on Sony's part. After the program installed, my SP1
machine became unbelievably slow, so much so, Dell confirmed a reinstall of
Windows was necessary. I did that, and in the trauma of that (I am very
nervous in such situations), I just went for SP3, on the basis that if I
wanted to get up to date, I might as well get fully up to date. If the Sony
program is no good for SP3, on which the retailer willl advise me, I can't
take stuff off the camcorder onto my PC. At least, that is how I see it as
of now. Perhaps there is another program Sony say I could use to do so. I
only bought the thing a few weeks ago, so my best bet might well be to
return the item to the retailer and get my money back, if the retailer will
play ball. What a complicated web we sometimes weave - all because I didn't
read the install instructions 100% - the OS bit was on another page of the
guide.!! An object lesson for us all.



you that

 

[PA Bear [MS MVP]]

Of the Sony application was not supported in WinXP SP1 but it is in WinXP
SP2, I should think (but certainly cannot confirm) that it should be
supported in SP3, too.

 

[xylophone]

Thanks, Bear, for hanging in here. I find your comment most interesting as
it reflects, if it does, my own view that things SP2 should be compatible
with SP3. In my case, I say that because I understand SP3 is no more or
less, as it were, than a collection of updates, and on that basis quite
different from SP2.

Question 1. Why do you the Sony program should be supported in SP3, too

Question 2 As I reinstalled form SP1 to SP3, I understood you to say
earlier in this thread that I missed out on SP2, in that if I uninstalled
SP3 I would revert to SP1. Is that correct? This is important because if
so, the question whether my Sony program (SP2) might be compatible with SP3
is academic, since I still couldn't use it.