XP Pro support

[BTC]

I manage a couple small networks with roughly 25 total computers. All are
running xp pro. The computers are roughly two years old or older.

The windows xp pro software that I received with the computers had service
pack 1a included.

I read that Microsoft will stop supporting service pack 1a. All the
computers been updated with the appropriate windows updates as they have
been released.

My question: If I have to replace a hard drive and reinstall windows xp pro,
what do I do if my original disk starts with service pack 1a? Will service
pack 2 download and install?

Can I download service pack 2 and save it on a cd?

Or should I just clone an existing drive? (This wouldn't incorporate the
proper license key)

Advice?

Thanks

 

[Tom Porterfield]

I manage a couple small networks with roughly 25 total computers. All are
running xp pro. The computers are roughly two years old or older.

The windows xp pro software that I received with the computers had service
pack 1a included.

I read that Microsoft will stop supporting service pack 1a. All the
computers been updated with the appropriate windows updates as they have
been released.

My question: If I have to replace a hard drive and reinstall windows xp
pro, what do I do if my original disk starts with service pack 1a? Will
service pack 2 download and install?

Can I download service pack 2 and save it on a cd?

Or should I just clone an existing drive? (This wouldn't incorporate the
proper license key)

Advice?

You can download SP2 directly from Microsoft at
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/...BE-3B8E-4F30-8245-9E368D3CDB5A&displaylang=en.
Save that file to CD or other storage location and use it in a reinstall
scenario.

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

I manage a couple small networks with roughly 25 total computers. All
are running xp pro. The computers are roughly two years old or older.

The windows xp pro software that I received with the computers had
service pack 1a included.

Why have you not upgraded to SP2?

I read that Microsoft will stop supporting service pack 1a. All the
computers been updated with the appropriate windows updates as they
have been released.

My question: If I have to replace a hard drive and reinstall windows
xp pro, what do I do if my original disk starts with service pack 1a?
Will service pack 2 download and install?

Yes. Just as it will now.

Can I download service pack 2 and save it on a cd?

Yes.You can also merge it with your existing CD to make a new "slipstreamed"
one that incoroprates SP2.

 

[Yves Leclerc]

And if the original CD are true XP install CDs, you can slipstream SP2 onto it
(creating a new install CD.) I personally use Autostreamer, which creates the
ISO of the new install CD with the service pack 2 merged in and makes the CD
bootable.

 

[Rock]

I manage a couple small networks with roughly 25 total computers. All are
running xp pro. The computers are roughly two years old or older.

The windows xp pro software that I received with the computers had service
pack 1a included.

I read that Microsoft will stop supporting service pack 1a. All the
computers been updated with the appropriate windows updates as they have
been released.

My question: If I have to replace a hard drive and reinstall windows xp
pro, what do I do if my original disk starts with service pack 1a? Will
service pack 2 download and install?

Can I download service pack 2 and save it on a cd?

Or should I just clone an existing drive? (This wouldn't incorporate the
proper license key)

Advice?

I would recommend for the clean install to slipstream SP2 into the XP
installation CD, so SP2 is put on from the beginning. Then all you have to
do is go to Microsoft update for the 60+ post SP2 updates.

SP2 is available for download or you can order it on CD for the cost of
shipping.

Download Windows Service Pack 2 Standalone Version
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/...BE-3B8E-4F30-8245-9E368D3CDB5A&displaylang=en

Order Windows XP Service Pack 2 on CD
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/downloads/updates/sp2/cdorder/en_us/default810.mspx

Slipstream

http://www.theeldergeek.com/slipstreamed_xpsp2_cd.htm
http://unattended.msfn.org/beginner/slipstream.htm

Autostreamer
http://fileforum.betanews.com/detail/1092632287/1
http://www.simplyguides.net/guides/using_autostreamer/using_autostreamer.html
http://www.neowin.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=223562