Re: service pack 3, do I need it?

Pdigmking wrote:
A little less "snot" would make these responses more helpful.

Why should I install a service pack that will simply re-inatall a
bunch of patches that I've aleady downlaoded? I use the internet,
one could deduce that given the fact that I am posting to newsgroup
via the internet. I need SP3 because I use the internet?
According to the MS PDF there is nothing critical in the new
service pack, the only thing in it that I've not already downloaded
as a matter of course is some network functions and IT functions
that I won't use. It seems silly to sit around for an hour running
a service pack this is installing a bunch of stuff that I've
already installed. Am I missing something here?

As far as future upgrades are concerned, my installer has been
upgraded a couple times already. Why should I need an entire
service pack to continue to get patches? Why not just update the
installer I (and others) are using now?

I worry about these large MS service packs. SP3 has crashed some
systems, and MS response seems to be "that's your problem". I
ended up switching to XP from 98 because 98 literally ate itself
after a patch install. XP has been stable and trouble free, but
now MS is pushing Vista, and judging from the Vista on my wifes new
laptop, I don't need it. I'm using a PC that I built, and have
maintained for over 6 years. While it clocks as fast on most
proceedures as my new laptops with supposedly faster technology
i.e. dual core processors, faster RAM etc., it does have some old
components. One of the problems with Vista has been that it simply
won't run on machines with older technology. One of the things I
noticed in the MS PDF was that SP3 was that it includes some kind
of patch for running Vista compatable software on XP machines, this
makes me nervous. Does SP3 contain some Vista stuff that I don't
need but will crash my computer?

No "snot" - reality may seem like "snot" to you - but you are asking other
people whether or not *you* need to do something.

I figure the best person to know whether or not they need to do something is
the person asking. I have no idea of your needs/wants - I have no idea of
anything about you. You have walked into a room of total strangers and
asked, "Do I need the bee keeper outfit?" but never stated whether or not
you dealt with bees. ;-P

I gave you a straight answer. Only you know what you need. I could explain
until I am blue in the face why I need/want SP3 - but you may not understand
it or you may not care why *I* need it. ;-)

Windows XP SP3 and Vista... The only thing I can think of is the change in
the Remote Desktop Client to allow one to connect to a NLA protected remote
desktop session on a Vista machine - perhaps someone else knows more
'crossover' that this SP includes.

I am confused by this paragraph of yours:

As far as future upgrades are concerned, my installer has been
upgraded a couple times already. Why should I need an entire
service pack to continue to get patches? Why not just update the
installer I (and others) are using now?

So - if I am understanding that correctly - you have been integrating
patches/service packs into your Windows XP Installation Media? And you seem
to be saying that you will do this anyway - which means you will be
integrating service pack 3 insto the installation media. What would be the
point of that unless you are running it on your system already?

Everytime something large (like a service pack) comes out - some people have
issues. Fact of the business. Milions of software/hardware combinations -
someone is going to be using something in a way not tested for and that
small percentage of the total user base will experience issues. Then people
begin coming here and posting about those issues and then others come in and
say, "Look how many people are having trouble, it must mean the software is
broken!" It's like walking into a hospital emergency room and saying, "Look
at all the sick people, the world must be in a pandemic!"

Last thing - If it takes an hour to install on your machine - something else
is wrong. ;-) Either that machine is reaching EoL, or you have some other
issues going on. So far - worst case was 30 minutes - and that machine was
far beyond its EoL. Now if you are including download time - understood -
you may have slower download speed. ;-)

In the end - you asked for opinions and you got one from me. Mine is, "only
you know what you need/want." I gave you some facts (sooner or later you
will need to install SP3 to be able to install on your working PC some
patches just like you now need SP2 to download and install some patches on
your working machine; It is *not* just a patch roll-up - mainly yes - but it
does contain a couple of other features and changes (some of which you may
never utilize - not knowing you - I don't know.) I know people still
happily using Windows 98 and Windows ME - so telling you that you *need*
some service pack for an OS - not my place.

--
Shenan Stanley
MS-MVP
--
How To Ask Questions The Smart Way
http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html


.

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