XP SP3

[AliceZ]

Thank you. We read your message and noticed the flash drive we used still had
it's LED light 'turned' on. Usually, when we save something to the flash
drive, the LED blinks on and off and then turns off when finished. I (we) are
suspecting something wrong with the flash drive. Glad you mentioned
alternative way to backup. We do have CD-R 700 MB disks, but think they would
be too small. We also have quite a few DVD+R 4.7GB disks. Hopefully, we can
use those. Do you think so? I am really sorry to keep 'bugging' you on this
subject. If you are too busy to answer, I will understand and post the
question on the forum.
Alice

 

[Colin Barnhorst]

I don't remember if Backup can use cds. I think that may require a
different backup program. At some point you should think about an external
hard drive that can be used with both computers as you are doing with the
flash drive now.

 

[AliceZ]

Thank you. Yep, you are right, Windows backup doesn't work with CD disks. I
saw the following two places that offer free backup software:
http://backup.comodo.com/#
and
http://www.snapfiles.com/get/erunt.html
We are seniors and really cannot afford to purchase too many extras.
(We were using only one flash drive with desktop and was thinking of getting
another one for notebook, when funds permit. Each one is about 2GB and backup
is over 1GB.)
Sorry to have bothered you with all these questions. Thanks again.
Alice

 

[Colin Barnhorst]

Good luck.

Thank you. Yep, you are right, Windows backup doesn't work with CD disks.
I
saw the following two places that offer free backup software:
http://backup.comodo.com/#
and
http://www.snapfiles.com/get/erunt.html
We are seniors and really cannot afford to purchase too many extras.
(We were using only one flash drive with desktop and was thinking of
getting
another one for notebook, when funds permit. Each one is about 2GB and
backup
is over 1GB.)
Sorry to have bothered you with all these questions. Thanks again.
Alice

 

[AliceZ]

Thank you. Have you heard anything about the Comodo back-up program? It states
"FREE Download and License." Don't know what the 'licence' means.
If you do not know answer, no need to answer. My husband already posted the
question on MS forum.
Thanks again for everything.

 

[Marko Jotic]

sorry, I should have remembered it's optional, not critical. I misread
what you wrote (bolded)

Luckily, the MS .Net Framework Service Packs were not part of any past WinXP
Service Pack, they were standalone updates to whichever .Net Framework
version a PC had previously installed. So I'm hoping that Colin's right and
that WinXP Service Pack 3 will not include the past MS .NET Framework
Service Pack updates.

Craig

--
Marko Jotic
"Common sense is anything but common".
From the notebooks of Lazarus Long. Robert A. Heinlein.
Handmade knives, antique designs, exotic materials at
http://www.knifeforging.com/

 

[Colin Barnhorst]

It is recommended by several folks in this newsgroup. I have not used it.
It cannot hurt to try it.

 

[Alan]

I still remember the "immature" response I received from some of the
respected members of this group, when I wrote here on January 30, that SP3
would install ONLY on top of SP1 or SP2.

See
http://groups.google.com/group/micr...681db3d56e8/02f511c3160fd52e#02f511c3160fd52e

The name 'Colin Barnhorst rings a bell, and HE wrote:
"You are reading too much into an apparent omission in the wording.
Perhaps
it may have been an oversight on the writer's part in not explicitly
mentioning "XP Gold", but "Gold" doesn't show up in MS whitepapers
anyway.
The thrust of the passage is that SP3 supercedes (sic) the need to
have SP1 or SP2
installed."

If you go to the XP SP3 download details link at
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyId=75ED934C-842...
and read the system requirements you will find that all editions of
XP Gold
are listed AS WELL AS XP SP1 and XP SP2. The System Requirements
statement
is deterministic and is what MS Product Support Services commits
itself to.

But, hell, not only did someone know what the word 'deterministic' means,
but he even used it in a sentence. Goll--eee!!

Additionally, Colin came back with:
"Check back in a couple of hours to see if an experiment I am
running works.
I already know the answer but you are so stubbornly hanging on to a
misconception that I am using a copy of XP Home Gold OEM to install
Windows
on a virtual machine, after which I will block Automatic Updates and
install
SP3 Release Candidate (without activation or validation) just to
show you
what we are trying to tell you is true. You could have done this
for
yourself with VPC but check back in a few hours.

REALLY soon after that he informed us that:
"I stand corrected. XP Gold will return an error message:

At minimum, you must have Service Pack 1 installed."

I guess sometimes it pays to be a little stubborn, as I was.

And I suppose that sometimes it pays to have just a little humility and be
able to say "I'm sorry."

Alan

 

[Bill in Co.]

What's the big rush? Why does anyone need or want SP3? Just because
it's newer, or what?

 

[Daave]

What's the big rush? Why does anyone need or want SP3? Just
because it's newer, or what?

Is there a context to this?

 

[Bill in Co.]

Is there a context to this?

Yes. I'm asking the question.

 

[Shenan Stanley]

Context asked for:
http://groups.google.com/group/micr...0/95759c208de163ae?lnk=st&q=#95759c208de163ae
(Conversation - complete)


<Below seems to be just this 'thread'>

I've heard that MS will be releasing SP3 for WinXPsp2, in a month
or so. I searched but did not find any info about it, other than it
will be abour 328MB.
Is this SP3 "coming out" soon? Will everyone who has SP2 be
required to download (?) and install it?
At the moment it appears to me that this SP3 will make many changes
to our computers and possibly cause problems with other programs we
now have installed.

Microsoft will announce the release of SP3 soon. There are online
articles by various journalists who place the release announcement
anywhere from next Monday to sometime next quarter so you will have to
just wait. Do not use the version of SP3 currently available on
microsoft.com since it is a release candidate for public testing and not
the final. The size of the service pack download will vary from 65mb to
nearly 400mb depending on how up to date your system is. Wait for it to
be offered to you by Windows Updates. There are no urgent updates in it
if you are already up to date with the critical patches that come out
every month. As with all important upgrades, it is wise to back up your
important files before applying SP3 when it is available.

Oh, and just disregard the immaturity of some of the responses you are
getting to your question.

I still remember the "immature" response I received from some of the
respected members of this group, when I wrote here on January 30,
that SP3 would install ONLY on top of SP1 or SP2.

See
http://groups.google.com/group/micr...681db3d56e8/02f511c3160fd52e#02f511c3160fd52e

The name 'Colin Barnhorst rings a bell, and HE wrote:
"You are reading too much into an apparent omission in the
wording. Perhaps it may have been an oversight on the
writer's part in not explicitly mentioning "XP Gold", but
"Gold" doesn't show up in MS whitepapers anyway.
The thrust of the passage is that SP3 supercedes (sic) the
need to have SP1 or SP2 installed."

If you go to the XP SP3 download details link at
<incomplete link snipped>
and read the system requirements you will find that all
editions of XP Gold are listed AS WELL AS XP SP1 and
XP SP2. The System Requirements statement
is deterministic and is what MS Product Support Services
commits itself to."

But, hell, not only did someone know what the word 'deterministic'
means, but he even used it in a sentence. Goll--eee!!

Additionally, Colin came back with:
"Check back in a couple of hours to see if an experiment I am
running works. I already know the answer but you are so
stubbornly hanging on to a misconception that I am using a
copy of XP Home Gold OEM to install Windows
on a virtual machine, after which I will block Automatic
Updates and install SP3 Release Candidate (without
activation or validation) just to show you what we are trying
to tell you is true. You could have done this for
yourself with VPC but check back in a few hours."

REALLY soon after that he informed us that:
"I stand corrected. XP Gold will return an error message:
At minimum, you must have Service Pack 1 installed."

I guess sometimes it pays to be a little stubborn, as I was.

And I suppose that sometimes it pays to have just a little humility
and be able to say "I'm sorry."

What's the big rush? Why does anyone need or want SP3? Just
because it's newer, or what?

Is there a context to this?

Yes. I'm asking the question.

Not that I see the connection where "Bill in Co." decided to post
the'query'... But - there is the path it took to get there... Perhaps
given the full thread as it is, a more complete answer can be gotten to -
perhaps not (at least I don't see it.)

As to answer something of "Bill in Co." and the question put forward...
Depends on the person. Some people must have the latest and greatest (per
their perception.) Some people want less work (although I don't get this
point) when integrating for an install. Some just think something like this
will fix some issue they are having or somehow improve their performance to
more than just a noticable point... It is a personal thing.

In the end - just like your question - some people 'just want to know'...

 

[Daave]

Yes. I'm asking the question.

The subject line started with "Re:"

It looked like you were responding to someone elses's post but snipped
all of it!

Why would anyone want SP3? To be up-to-date and fully patched, of
course.