xp sp1 vs sp3

[fkosmakos]

I had to replace my old hd with a new one and am now going through the
problem of reinstalling everything. It is windows XP first installed in 2005.
I tried to reinstall Zone Alarm but it would not install because it said I
had sp1. I downloaded sp3, installed it and rebooted it. Zone Alarm still
said I had sp1. I downloaded sp3 and tried to install it a second time, but
it would not install because it found itself on my computer. However, when I
went to My Computer and right clicked on it, it said I had sp1.

I am stuck in the middle and cant get out. I need za to access the web so I
am desparate

 

[DL]

So what happened when you visited MS Update?

 

[Alias]

I had to replace my old hd with a new one and am now going through the
problem of reinstalling everything. It is windows XP first installed in 2005.
I tried to reinstall Zone Alarm but it would not install because it said I
had sp1. I downloaded sp3, installed it and rebooted it. Zone Alarm still
said I had sp1. I downloaded sp3 and tried to install it a second time, but
it would not install because it found itself on my computer. However, when I
went to My Computer and right clicked on it, it said I had sp1.

I am stuck in the middle and cant get out. I need za to access the web so I
am desparate

Start over. You need to reboot TWICE after installing SP3, leaving the
CD in the tray. You did burn the SP3 ISO to a CD, right? You don't need
ZA to go on the Net. Just enable the Windows firewall and don't go
anywhere weird. I would recommend Avast for an anti virus.

Alias

 

[Shenan Stanley]

I had to replace my old hd with a new one and am now going through
the problem of reinstalling everything. It is windows XP first
installed in 2005. I tried to reinstall Zone Alarm but it would not
install because it said I had sp1. I downloaded sp3, installed it
and rebooted it. Zone Alarm still said I had sp1. I downloaded sp3
and tried to install it a second time, but it would not install
because it found itself on my computer. However, when I went to My
Computer and right clicked on it, it said I had sp1.

I am stuck in the middle and cant get out. I need za to access the
web so I am desparate

You *need* ZA to access the web? No, no you do not. ;-)

If you installed Service Pack 3 for Windows XP - your Widows Firewall is up
and running and will protect you just fine. Visit
http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com/ and perform a CUSTOM scan and starrt
installing high-priority updates. You don't really need Internet Explorer 8
(IE7 is nice) and you can avoid things like "Windows Live" and "Office Live"
for now - but try to get the rest (excluding completely any hardware
updates -you should only get hardware device drivers from the hardware
device manufacturers.)

 

[Mark Adams]

I had to replace my old hd with a new one and am now going through the
problem of reinstalling everything. It is windows XP first installed in 2005.
I tried to reinstall Zone Alarm but it would not install because it said I
had sp1. I downloaded sp3, installed it and rebooted it. Zone Alarm still
said I had sp1. I downloaded sp3 and tried to install it a second time, but
it would not install because it found itself on my computer. However, when I
went to My Computer and right clicked on it, it said I had sp1.

I am stuck in the middle and cant get out. I need za to access the web so I
am desparate

You should have installed SP3 first, then installed ZA. Since you are gust
now doing the install, just start over. Reformat the drive and reinstall
Windows with SP1. Install all of the drivers for the machine, then install
SP3. Make sure the Windows firewall is turned on. Go to Control Panel,
Security Center, Automatic Updates; and set it to "notify but do not download
or install updates". This way, you can choose what you want to download,
including WGA. Connect to the net, and when updates are available, reject the
ones you don't want and install the ones you do. When done, install ZA and
turn off the windows firewall.

 

[Alias]

You *need* ZA to access the web? No, no you do not. ;-)

If you installed Service Pack 3 for Windows XP - your Widows Firewall is up
and running and will protect you just fine. Visit
http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com/ and perform a CUSTOM scan and starrt
installing high-priority updates. You don't really need Internet Explorer 8
(IE7 is nice) and you can avoid things like "Windows Live" and "Office Live"
for now - but try to get the rest (excluding completely any hardware
updates -you should only get hardware device drivers from the hardware
device manufacturers.)

I would install the sound, video, chipset, NIC, etc. before going for
updates. Without the NIC drivers, the OP ain't a-gonna go to any
Microsoft Update and that isn't advised unless you want to take a chance
that WGA may **** up *again* and deem his copy of Windows not to be
"genuine".

Alias

 

[fkosmakos]

Thank you. It made absolute sense.

By the way what is WGA?

 

[Shenan Stanley]

<snipped>

Thank you. It made absolute sense.

By the way what is WGA?

Now is a great time to point you to one of the easiest ways to find
information on problems you may be having and solutions others have found:

Search using Google!
http://www.google.com/
(How-to: http://www.google.com/intl/en/help/basics.html )

Using your words...
http://www.google.com/search?q=what+is+WGA

Since it most likely does not mean "Writers Guild of America" given the
context of this discussion, it must mean "Windows Genuine Advantage" and I
am sure you can take it from there.

 

[M]

Thank you. It made absolute sense.

By the way what is WGA?

It's the name of a buggy program - Windows Genuine Advantage - that
Microsoft has released to force you to play cops with them and catch
pirates. The only thing it really does that could affect the end user is
come up with false positives that make the computer user jump through
hoops he or she would rather not jump through. DON'T install it. The
only entity that benefits from WGA is Microsoft because it scares people
into thinking they don't have a genuine copy of Windows and they go out
and buy another copy. It's a win/win for Microsoft because they make
more money and control the computer user more. Note that Vista no longer
has an icon called "My Computer" because, well if you use Windows, it
isn't your computer anymore.

M

 

[fkosmakos]

It is not as easy as it appears. I reformatted the hd. Load office and
installed sp3.
However, if I go to start, my computer and right click it still says sp1. I
havent even tried to load ZA. I cannot download IE7.

it appears to be a problem with the system as I have reformatted twice and
the system cannot recognize sp3. Can I remove sp3 and do sp2 and try that

 

[fkosmakos]

I just wrote this below, but I have reformatted my new hd a second time.
Added office and then installed sp3. I rebooted, and when i right click on my
computer, it says sp1

 

[Jim]

Each format gives you a clean drive - wipes everything ?

 

[NEW ANON]

Thank you. It made absolute sense.

By the way what is WGA?

WGA is a spyware tool to stop you from pirating Microsoft Software. You
should install it as it is considered a critical security patch to protect
Microsoft's revenues. This also means that WGA is going to make your life
miserable by branding you a pirate and a cheat but hey Microsoft's finances
are more important here not your reputation.

Hope this helps.

 

[NEW ANON]

I just wrote this below, but I have reformatted my new hd a second time.
Added office and then installed sp3. I rebooted, and when i right click on
my
computer, it says sp1

If your original XP was a virgin i.e. with not service packs then you can't
install SP3 over it. You will need to download SP1a or SP2 before you can
install SP3. However, I am baffled when you say it says SP1. Do you know
what version is on the CD of your operating system?

Have you got a spare machine on which you can slipstream your OS with SP3
before you install it on your system? If so read this article if you want
to save yourself any further headaches:

http://www.theeldergeek.com/slipstreamed_xpsp3_cd_final.htm

hth

 

[Jose]

I had to replace my old hd  with a new one and am now going through the
problem of reinstalling everything. It is windows XP first installed in 2005.
 I tried to reinstall Zone Alarm but it would not install because it said I
had sp1. I downloaded sp3, installed it and rebooted it.  Zone Alarm still
said I had sp1. I downloaded sp3 and tried to install it a second time, but
it would not install because it found itself on my computer. However, when I
went to My Computer and right clicked on it, it said I had sp1.

I am stuck in the middle and cant get out. I need za to access the web soI
am desparate

Yes - slip stream SP3 onto a new XP installation CD if you have the
means.

No downloading of SPs and far fewer maybes or surprises.

The new up to date CD will be of more use to you if you have problems
in the future. Don't wish you had one - make one.

Keep you old installation CD as a spare for emergencies (or a coaster).

 

[square/circle]

It is not as easy as it appears. I reformatted the hd. Load office and
installed sp3.
However, if I go to start, my computer and right click it still says sp1. I
havent even tried to load ZA. I cannot download IE7.

it appears to be a problem with the system as I have reformatted twice and
the system cannot recognize sp3. Can I remove sp3 and do sp2 and try that

go here....

http://www.winsupersite.com/showcase/windowsxp_sp2_slipstream.asp

problem solved.

s/c

 

[Twayne]

Without being able to pass WGA, many things MS won't be available to
you.

Vista is not one iota different than XP or any other version w/r to
ownership: They all are owned by Microsoft. You simply buy a license to
use them. You don't own the software and are not free to do as you wish
with it unless it's granted in the license.

This will probably result in cries of disdain, but WGA has advantages to
anyone who uses it, it's easy to use, easy to repair should anything
become corrupted, and has never caused a problem for me or anyone around
here where I've worked on most of the area's machines at one time or
another.
I admit it's a useless step, but the owner of anything can do
anything they wish within the limits of the law, so take advantage of it
and reap the benefits.

Doesn't mean I agree with it; I don't. But I do believe in truth and
not reacting to the knee jerks of the few.

HTH,

Twayne`

 

[Twayne]

It is not as easy as it appears. I reformatted the hd. Load office and
installed sp3.
However, if I go to start, my computer and right click it still says
sp1. I havent even tried to load ZA. I cannot download IE7.

it appears to be a problem with the system as I have reformatted
twice and the system cannot recognize sp3. Can I remove sp3 and do
sp2 and try that

There are conflicting articles at the MS site about SP3. One page in
particular, where it explains what to do before installing SP3 says
either SP1a or SP2 is requied. Other places only say SP1, not SP1a. In
fact, SP1 and SP1a, except for the name, are identical but the "a"
version was created because they ran out of serial numbers for it; so
they added the "a" to SP1.
I myself used SP1 but that was some time ago: SP1a didn't exist yet.
So perhaps the idiot programmer now writes the code so it has to be the
SP1a; MS has done stranger things.

Reformatting isn't enough to completely clean the hard drive, by the
way. You need to, at the very beginning, remove and recreate the
partition/s on the drive too. It makes a difference. Why? Sort of a
long story.

What do you mean, "can't recognize SP3"? You say that and then right
after, ask about removing it? That seems inconsistent.

Anyway, at least once, do not just reformat: Start right from the
beginning and remove/recreate the partitions and go from there.
Do 3 Restarts
You might try SP1a.
Do 2 Restarts, and power down.
When you go to install SP3, do a 30S power down, turn the machine on
with the disk in the drive, and immediately install it without doing
anything else.

HTH,

Twayne`

 

[Twayne]

Why did you install Office? It has nothign to do with anything.

WERE are you looking to see SP1?

Are you CERTAIN you have the right SP3? There are versions of it for
each different computer mfr and one much larger, all encompassing
version. Make sure it's the one for your machine or the full version.

HTH,

Twayne`

I just wrote this below, but I have reformatted my new hd a second
time. Added office and then installed sp3. I rebooted, and when i
right click on my computer, it says sp1

 

[Twayne]

If your original XP was a virgin i.e. with not service packs then you
can't install SP3 over it. You will need to download SP1a or SP2
before you can install SP3. However, I am baffled when you say it
says SP1. Do you know what version is on the CD of your operating
system?
Have you got a spare machine on which you can slipstream your OS with
SP3 before you install it on your system? If so read this article if
you want to save yourself any further headaches:

http://www.theeldergeek.com/slipstreamed_xpsp3_cd_final.htm

hth

NO, NO, NO! Don't go messing with slipstreams at this point!! You'll
only be adding more unknowns to the situation, which you already have
too many of. The only thing slipstream saves you is having to put in
the SPx CD and take it out. And it'll cost you considerable time, too,
besides the fact that yo uhave no way to test it since your machine
isn't running right!

Twayne`