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windows xp sp3

croxley
Newbie
Posts: 1
Registered: ‎08-06-2010

windows xp sp3

As Microsoft are withdrawing updates for XP2 in July I have got to install the dreaded XP3. Does anyone know if all the problems have been sorted out now. I am not computer savvy enough to deal with these.
Thanks.
7 REPLIES 7
HPsauce
Pro
Posts: 6,998
Thanks: 146
Fixes: 2
Registered: ‎02-02-2008

Re: windows xp sp3

What problems specifically?
I have worked on hundreds of PC's with SP3 installed, all because they had a problem, but I can't recall any due to SP3 - rather the opposite in fact.  Roll_eyes
As with any update it's a good time to check you have enough memory and disk space and maybe take a backup.
(few XP systems run well in 512MB, 768MB can be OK but 1GB is a reasonable minimum)
Peter_Vaughan
Grafter
Posts: 14,469
Registered: ‎30-07-2007

Re: windows xp sp3

I think the OP is referring to the upgrade issues that occurred with earlier SP3 releases.
@Croxley: Don't use windows update to install SP3 but instead download a stand-a-lone install program from here. Ignore the comments about not downloading if it's just for a single PC as that link takes you to windows update. Once downloaded, just run the file and it will update your system. As always, before any updates, make sure you have a backup of any important files.
ReedRichards
Seasoned Pro
Posts: 4,927
Thanks: 145
Fixes: 25
Registered: ‎14-07-2009

Re: windows xp sp3

There were two notable problems with XP SP3:
A clash with Norton Internet Security that was sorted out by Symantec long ago.
A problem with certain HP/Compaq computers that had AMD CPUs which lead to a "reboot loop".  If you happen to have such a computer then download and run this update http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyId=230796A7-54D6-4C31-BDA3-EFD2F7E87A8C&displa... before running the SP3 Service Pack.
Otherwise there is nothing to dread about SP3. 
thejudge
Rising Star
Posts: 624
Thanks: 10
Registered: ‎01-08-2007

Re: windows xp sp3

Croxley,
I was very wary for a long time, too. My system worked perfectly well with SP2 and (as an ex-sysadmin) I always believe in "If it ain't bust, don't fix it". Nonetheless, for the same reasons as you stated, I decided a couple of weeks ago to take the plunge.
There's a good list of what you need to think about here:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/950717
If you have XP Pro (which I do) you might not want to bother with creating an ASR set. I started to do that, then realised that it would take ages (and at least 4 DVD-Rs!). Just make sure that you backup any data files you need (I did this to my old W98 machine which is networked to this one, but you could do it to CD-R/DVD-R) and create a standard restore point.
Next, check what that page says about Internet Explorer. I uninstalled IE7 just in case.
As Peter says, download the standalone version of SP3. Then you can burn it to a CD-R/DVD-R and run the upgrade from that.
Defrag.
Remember to disable your anti-virus before starting the install.
Once you start the install, the preliminaries (unpacking the files, checking space) and the actual updating of the files takes only about 8-9 minutes on a 4.2GHz Athlon with 4GB RAM. However, the cleanup processes which the update runs afterwards can take a further half an hour.
Once the install has completed, reboot. Once everything is up and you're sure things are OK, you may be prompted to install some more Windows Updates. Some of these relate to SP3 specifically. Others are updates for Internet Explorer 6 (which is what your system would have defaulted to once you uninstalled IE7). What I did was to download and install IE7 again, then reboot without updating anything else. Any Windows Updates you're offered upon reboot should then be more relevant and should be installed.
And defrag again after everything has been updated.
Don't feel intimidated. After about two years, even Microsoft have managed to iron the bugs out!  Smiley
pierre_pierre
Grafter
Posts: 19,757
Thanks: 3
Registered: ‎30-07-2007

Re: windows xp sp3

just did this weeks M$S update, 11 of them on SP3 and they took a long time at this time of day.  And the latest i.e is 8 not 7
thejudge
Rising Star
Posts: 624
Thanks: 10
Registered: ‎01-08-2007

Re: windows xp sp3

Quoth Pierre_Pierre:
Quote
And the latest i.e is 8 not 7

Yes, I know, but I've only gone as far as IE7. The same applies to 7 as to 8; it's probably best to uninstall 7 or 8 (whichever you have) before upgrading.
Funny thing: I had the notification for all today's updates, clicked on the systray icon to download them, and then the icon disappeared and I've seen neither hide nor hair of the updates. Windows Update is often a bit flaky like that.
pierre_pierre
Grafter
Posts: 19,757
Thanks: 3
Registered: ‎30-07-2007

Re: windows xp sp3

the wife uses a XP SP3 net book, the update notification was on Tuesday, the downloads started and then disappeared, today it asked if we wanted to install, so far 10 minutes and only two of 11 done