System recovery -- how to retain files for upgrading to SP-2

[Tom Harvey]

Hello,
I have an unstable system and may have to do a system recovery. One of the
issues that I will face after that is upgrading to SP-2. Since I have a
dial-up connection, that will be a very long process. Is there another way I
can accomplish this? For example is there a place on my computer where all
the upgrades to Windows that I have made over time (since 2002) are stored?
If that exists, can I store these files on an external H/D prior to
recovery, and then just reinstall them from that source?

Thanks for any help you can give me.

Tom

 

[lvee]

Hello,
I have an unstable system and may have to do a system recovery. One of
the issues that I will face after that is upgrading to SP-2. Since I have
a dial-up connection, that will be a very long process. Is there another
way I can accomplish this? For example is there a place on my computer
where all the upgrades to Windows that I have made over time (since 2002)
are stored? If that exists, can I store these files on an external H/D
prior to recovery, and then just reinstall them from that source?

Thanks for any help you can give me.

Tom

My first suggestion would be to contact MS for a SP2 disk, which although it
would arrive by mail it may still be faster than downloading it on a
dial -up or see if any of the Big Box stores offer it.

As far as the rest, you can create a Slipstreamed version of everything
then, rather than doing the recovery or reinstalling Xp from your original
disk, you can use the slipstreamed disk to install XP. There will, however
be several..over 50 I think, updates that you will need to install after you
complete the slipstreamed version, I had to download and install 37..so
fifty may be an exaggeration.

Here are two links about slipstreaming,
http://www.softpedia.com/get/Tweak/System-Tweak/Autostreamer.shtml

http://www.majorgeeks.com/download4324.html

and one that gives an idea about what Slipstreaming is,
http://www.winsupersite.com/showcase/windowsxp_sp2_slipstream.asp

 

[DL]

You can obtain sp2 cd from MS, for a postage fee

 

[Tom Harvey]

Thanks for the advice.

At this point it is looking like a hardware/driver problem. I just
installed a new printer/ scanner and a new optical 5 button mouse. By going
back to the original mouse that came with the computer, uninstalling the 5
button mouse software, and disconnecting the printer/scanner the problem
seems to be resolved. I am hoping that it is not the printer/scanner
because I have already spent a bunch of time getting it to work right and I
am happy with it otherwise.

My problem seems to be that the computer has a problem with standby and/or
hibernate and shuts down doing these operations coming out of (and perhaps
going into hibernation) these states.

So, maybe I won't have to do a recovery, but I need to do more testing and
just take some time to see if the problem comes back again. I am keeping my
fingers crossed.

Tom

 

[Patrick Keenan]

Hello,
I have an unstable system and may have to do a system recovery. One of
the issues that I will face after that is upgrading to SP-2. Since I have
a dial-up connection, that will be a very long process. Is there another
way I can accomplish this? For example is there a place on my computer
where all the upgrades to Windows that I have made over time (since 2002)
are stored? If that exists, can I store these files on an external H/D
prior to recovery, and then just reinstall them from that source?

Thanks for any help you can give me.

Tom

The place for you to start is to download the full version of SP2, then
slipstream your XP CD and burn a new copy (assuming the install media you
have supports this). When you do a re-install or repair install, use this
and you will be starting from SP2. Yes, there will still be other updates
you have to get. Make a list of them, then go to a system that has
high-speed connection and download them there. You won't necessarily know
what they are until reinstalling.

Download the full service pack here. It's about 250 meg.
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/...BE-3B8E-4F30-8245-9E368D3CDB5A&displaylang=en

And then use Autostreamer to make your new CD.
http://www.softpedia.com/get/Tweak/System-Tweak/Autostreamer.shtml

If you can't slipstream, do the re-install first and then immediately run
the SP2 install from the copy you downloaded.

HTH
-pk