sp-3

[#1]

there seem to be mixed feelings about sp3 so i may wait until it is offered again. there doesn't seem to be a cut off for sp2 yet. thanks everyone 

[#2]

I won't comment on how foolish it is to not update service packs if you are going to use the internet.
I'm on XP and use Zone alarm. I had service pack 2 kept up to date and when I installed SP 3 it went sweet as you could wish for.
I always keep up to date with all XP security and whatever updates. They are designed to augment and prop up the operating system and keep it safe from hacking etc..
'Automatic updates' are so easy and painless; I can't see why anyone would not bother; especially as it can be scheduled to run when one is asleep and when any decent ISP's give you free download time; after midnight.
Apart from that, one very good reason for me to update to SP3 is for those times when one may have to reinstall the O/S and all those updates! It saves so much time to have SP3 burnt onto a cd and no downloading except a few updates issued since SP3.

[#3]

Hello realafrica. i feel a telling off coming on. will do my best to see to it.  hope that that makes you feel better.... ......

[#4]

OK Firefly
Sorry I sounded like I was telling you off! 
Elsewhere on the forum is mention of 'Nlite'. It is a programme that you can use to copy your windows to and add all the service packs etc.., then burn it all to CD, so whenever a PC needs to have a reinstall of windows it is all on the CD and no downloading to do. It is much better than I describe it. Google for it and find out. It could make your life so much easier.

[#5]

apology unnecessary realafrica. was laughing when i wrote it. my sons and daughter will verify that it takes a bit to upset me. anyway thanks for the info . i am always grateful for help. 

[#6]

I updated 2 pcs this morning to SP3. One had a problem about 2 months back with an automatic update of netframework so was anticipating a problem today.
In fact all went OK. The real bonus is that one of the machines is running noticably smoother with everything loading quicker ( suspect this is psychological but it makes me feel better)
I still seem to have an address bar in IE7 which I expected to lose.

[#7]

okay then... am convinced. tend to hover over the mouse.. should. i. shouldn't i. actually spent a fiver and put sp2 on from a disc from ireland.  thanks again.

[#8]

Hi firefly2.
That was going to be my suggestion.
I upgraded my AMD to SP3 and had some issues but never actaully certain if it was due to the upgrade or other probloems. I've held back until I obtain a CD as I have read many times that more people have had better results from a CD upgrade that the download.
I regularly download the XP updates through Windows Update but never have automatic updates on as I prefer to keep control on what I download and when. This way I can read what possible issues I may have, be prepared to deal with them or wait till resolutions/fixes are posted.
Just my penny's

[#9]

Hi Mav.
i may do that again re the cd ,,too. i don't have auto updates either. just the notification... i like to view what the are all about first... i don't like ones that say " once downloaded it may not be un-installed." as i don't know much about the insides of the pc ...i get wary about fouling it up.

[#10]

Hi all
I just wanted to say that I have been dreading the Automatic updates telling me SP 3 was ready to download due to varying reports of problems, but I did just that not 15 minutes ago with, so far, no apparent problems or ill effects, but then like firefly I tend to worry about everything to do with my computer as Im not very computer techy.
BTW, Im running XP Home on a Dell Core 2 Duo, Im so glad I didn't opt for Athlon again!!
Thanks for listening.
Pete

[#11]

I fell fowl of one known major issue with XP SP3 recently at work when I did a clean install of Windows XP Pro (SP2) on a PC (using the original system discs). After rebooting, Windows Update only offered me SP3 so I downloaded and installed that and rebooted again. Afterwards, Windows Update wouldn't install any downloaded updates, got as far as downloading the available updates but just said "The following updates have failed..." and listed them.
After a quick Google, it appears this is a well known bug with SP3 (at least, well known by Microsoft). Apparently, SP3 doesn't include the latest "Windows Update Agent" component, so after updating the SP3, Windows Update is broken on a clean install of SP1 or SP2.
The fix (until Microsoft get round to including Windows Update Agent in the SP3 download) is to manually download and install the latest 'Microsoft Update Agent' from here:
AgentWindows, x86-based systems
http://download.windowsupdate.com/WindowsUpdate/redist/standalone/7.0.6000.381/WindowsUpdateAgent30-...
Windows, x64-based systems
http://download.windowsupdate.com/WindowsUpdate/redist/standalone/7.0.6000.381/WindowsUpdateAgent30-...
Copy the .exe file to the C: drive then go to Start>Run and type the following in to the prompt...
C:\WindowsUpdateAgent30-x86.exe /wuforce
(if the downloaded the x86 version)
or...
C:\WindowsUpdateAgent30-x64.exe /wuforce
(if you downloaded the x64 version)
...and click Run.
Note: the /wuforce part is important as it forces Windows to install the newest Windows Update Agent even if an older one exists - without the /wuforce part it will simply state that you already have the Windows Update Agent installed (you probably have, but it's the older version that won't run on SP3).
After the installer has finished, restart and then try Windows Update again - it should work again. There is another fix, which involves re-registering some .DLL files, more info is available on this Microsoft article (including the instructions above).
I can confirm this works on two PCs I've updated to SP3, both had problems with Windows Update failing after the update, but after installing the Windows Update Agent using the method above both worked again afterwards. Still, you'd think that Windows Update would download the newest Windows Update Agent before offering you the SP3 update! Typical of Microsoft, that.

[#12]

I had to do yet another re-install of XP SP2 and decided to immediately go to SP3.
No problems at all.
But now I have made my own CD installation of XP3 to save downloading it all again

[#13]

Rather than starting a new thread I just hit a problem SP3 and an older OEM license
Basically with the older OEM licenses they are not recognised by XP with SP3.
This came about because when trying to carry out a repair install of XP which has had SP3 installed will fail with the original OEM disk even if it includes SP2 on the grounds that it is an older version. But trying with a slipstreamed CD including SP3 the installer wouldn't accept the OEM key.
This also applied with a clean install using a SP3 slipstreamed disk so it was necessary to install with a SP2 disk and then add SP3