should service pack 3 be installed?
in [Windows XP]
|
Prev: slow
Next: IE8 works, but Firefox, Opera etc. do not
From: aaronep on 5 Dec 2009 20:17 about a year ago when service pack 3 for Windows XP was released, there was some controversy about it, in that it caused problems. Now that a year has passed, are there still reasons NOT to install SP 3, but to remain on using only SP 2? best, Aaron
From: C on 5 Dec 2009 20:29 aaronep(a)pacbell.net wrote: > about a year ago when service pack 3 for Windows XP was released, > there was some controversy about it, in that it caused problems. > > > Now that a year has passed, are there still reasons NOT to install > SP 3, but to remain on using only SP 2? > > best, Aaron No, you should install it. Just make sure you reboot TWICE after the install and deactivate your anti virus resident scanner before and during the install. I would create a system restore point before installing it as well. C
From: PA Bear [MS MVP] on 5 Dec 2009 20:44 Computers running WinXP SP2 will NOT be offered any further critical security updates, Automatic Updates will cease to function, and Windows Update website will not be available after 12 April 2010 until SP3 is installed. What do you think now? WinXP SP3 - Read all prerequisites for a successful installation http://msmvps.com/blogs/harrywaldron/archive/2008/05/08/windows-xp-sp3-read-all-prerequisites-for-a-successful-installation.aspx Free unlimited installation and compatibility support for WinXP SP3 was available from 14 April 2008 thru May 2009. Such support will cost you US$59 per incident now. -- ~Robear Dyer (PA Bear) MS MVP-IE, Mail, Security, Windows Client - since 2002 www.banthecheck.com aaronep(a)pacbell.net wrote: > about a year ago when service pack 3 for Windows XP was released, > there was some controversy about it, in that it caused problems. > > > Now that a year has passed, are there still reasons NOT to install > SP 3, but to remain on using only SP 2? > > best, Aaron
From: Mark Adams on 5 Dec 2009 21:03 "aaronep(a)pacbell.net" wrote: > about a year ago when service pack 3 for Windows XP was released, > there was some controversy about it, in that it caused problems. > > > Now that a year has passed, are there still reasons NOT to install > SP 3, but to remain on using only SP 2? > > best, Aaron > . > Only if you have "must have" applications that will not run with SP3 installed, and no replacement is available. I have installed SP3 on all of my XP machines and the only trouble I had was Norton Save and Restore wouldn't run. I called Symantec and they gave me a free download of a SP3 compatible version of S&R and I have had no further trouble.
From: Shenan Stanley on 6 Dec 2009 00:04
aaronep(a)pacbell.net wrote: > about a year ago when service pack 3 for Windows XP was released, > there was some controversy about it, in that it caused problems. > > Now that a year has passed, are there still reasons NOT to install > SP 3, but to remain on using only SP 2? It's really up to you, but my personal opinion is that it would be unwise (at best) to continue to run Windows XP with less than SP3 and post-SP3 patches installed. I once said that no one had given convincing arguments against Windows XP SP3 installation - and although one person tried (albeit in a private email instead of a public forum) I still found nothing convincing about *not* installing Windows XP SP3. The problems it 'caused' were usually problems it 'exposed'. Just because the problem was not visible before SP3 was installed does not mean it wasn't there. List of fixes that are included in Windows XP Service Pack 3 http://support.microsoft.com/kb/946480/ The article clearly states that the list of fixes it shows were added to SP3 only. If you want to know what was included in SP2 or SP1a - they have links in the article. ("The following fix list includes only the updates that were added in Windows XP SP3.") So - out of those 1174 additional fixes (yes - there are 1174 listed in SP3 alone) - how many do you have installed Post-SP2? I had about 100-120 on a good day. ;-) Your definition of "about" in this case ('about a year ago') is definitely different than mine. ;-) April 21, 2008 to December 5, 2009... That's 593 days (365.26 days in each year) or one year, seven months and fourteen days difference. Maybe "about a year and a half ago" - but closer to two years than one now. ;-P So - in the spirit of getting SP3 installed onto your computer... The following may seem long - but it will almost assuredly give you a successful Windows XP Service Pack 3 installation every time. Many of the things here - well - should have been done periodically anyway. First - before anything else - answer this: Do you have an HP branded computer with an AMD processor? (If so - answer and wait for further advice. If not, answer and continue with the steps.) Fix your file/registry permissions... Ignore the title and follow the sub-section under "Advanced Troubleshooting" titled, "Method 1: Reset the registry and the file permissions" http://support.microsoft.com/kb/949377 *will take time (** Ignore the last step (6) - you'll install SP3 shortly, but not now.) Reboot and ... Download/install this: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/290301 After installing, do the following: Start button --> RUN --> type in: "%ProgramFiles%\Windows Installer Clean Up\msizap.exe" g! --> Click OK. (The quotation marks and percentage signs and spacing should be exact.) Download, install, run, update and perform a full scan (separately) with the following two applications (freeware versions are the ones to use for this): SuperAntiSpyware http://www.superantispyware.com/ MalwareBytes http://www.malwarebytes.com/ After performing a full scan with one and then the other and removing whatever they both find completely, you may uninstall these products, if you wish. Download and run the MSRT manually: http://www.microsoft.com/security/malwareremove/default.mspx Reboot. Download/Install the latest Windows Installer (for your OS): ( Windows XP 32-bit : WindowsXP-KB942288-v3-x86.exe ) http://www.microsoft.com/downloadS/details.aspx?familyid=5A58B56F-60B6-4412-95B9-54D056D6F9F4&displaylang=en Reboot. and... Download the latest version of the Windows Update agent from here (x86): http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=91237 .... and save it to the root of your C:\ drive. After saving it to the root of the C:\ drive, do the following: Close all Internet Explorer windows and other applications. Start button --> RUN and type in: %SystemDrive%\windowsupdateagent30-x86.exe /WUFORCE --> Click OK. (If asked, select "Run.) --> Click on NEXT --> Select "I agree" and click on NEXT --> When it finishes installing, click on "Finish"... Reboot. Then follow the instructions here: How do I reset Windows Update components? http://support.microsoft.com/kb/971058 Reboot. Now for SP3... 1) Download the full SP3 installation file. Windows XP Service Pack 3 Network Installation Package for IT Professionals and Developers (works just as well for you.) http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=5B33B5A8-5E76-401F-BE08-1E1555D4F3D4 You are just saving it right now - not running it yet. 2) Ensure (as well as plausible) you have no spyware/malware by doing a full scan with SuperAntiSpyware and MalwareBytes. If you are following along, you have already done this! 3) CHKDSK How to scan your disks for errors http://support.microsoft.com/kb/315265 * will take time and a reboot 4) Defragment How to Defragment your hard drives http://support.microsoft.com/kb/314848 * will take time 5) Ensure your hardware drivers are up to date (from the hardware manufacturer's respective web pages.) Never get hardware drivers for hardware that was not created/sold by Microsoft from Microsoft. 6) Reboot right before you try to install SP3. 7) Disconnect from the internet before installing (physically disconnect - pull the network cable or disable the router/modem.) 8) Disable your antivirus and antispyware applications when you are about to install SP3. Usually right-click on the icon in the taskbar gives you a choice to do so. Install SP3 by running the downloaded executable. Reboot when requested to do so. Logon and let the machine 'settle' for about 10 minutes. Reboot. Give it 5 minutes after logon to 'settle' - reboot. After that - there will be more updates. Log on as an user with administrative rights and open Internet Explorer and visit http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com/ and select to do a CUSTOM scan... Every time you are about to click on something while at these web pages - first press and hold down the CTRL key while you click on it. You can release the CTRL key after clicking each time. Once the scan is done, select just _ONE_ of the high priority updates (deselect any others) and install it. Reboot again. If it did work - try the web page again - selecting no more than 3-5 at a time. Rebooting as needed. The Optional Software updates are generally safe - although I recommend against the "Windows Search" one and any of the "Office Live" ones or "Windows Live" ones for now. I would completely avoid the Optional Hardware updates. Also - I do not see any urgent need to install Internet Explorer 8 at this time. Seriously - do all that. This is like antibiotics - don't skip a single step, don't quit because you think things will be okay now - go through until the end, until you have done everything given in the order given. If you have a problem with a step come ask and let someone here get you through that step. If you don't understand how to do a step, come back and ask here about that step and let someone walk you through it. Then - when done - let everyone here know if it worked for you - or if you have more issues. -- Shenan Stanley MS-MVP -- How To Ask Questions The Smart Way http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html |