Re: SP3
- From: "Shenan Stanley" <newshelper@xxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Wed, 14 May 2008 21:40:14 -0500
AliceZ wrote:
Just wanted to add that I saw the following on another site
(http://www.soft32.com/download_123572.html) and it has me a bit
scared to download the SP3 because it mentions something about 3rd
party software: "Pluses: The hotfixes and security updates a
Microsoft genuine.
Drawbacks / flaws: Third party software bundled in the download may
represent serious threats to your computer.
In conclusion: If your copy of Windows is legit and genuine, I see
absolutely no reason for downloading this package."
Do you have any comments about this?
I do.
That pages is dedicated to "Microsoft Windows XP Service Pack 3 SP3 Build
3264 RC1", not the final release (not even RC2 or RC2 Refresh) of the
Service Pack 3 for Windows XP. Inn other words - "Release Candidate 1", put
there about 12/20/2007...
If you actually quote the entirety of what you have partially quoted - this
becomes clearer...
<full quote starts here>
Editor's Review - Microsoft Windows XP Service Pack 3
Windows XP Service Pack 3 Preview actually contains security updates and
hotfixes issued by Microsoft Corp. up to April 2nd, 2006; 248 files in total
Each hotfix needs to be installed manually. when downloading, you may also
get additional applications bundled with the software's installer file.
These third party application may represent a hazard for your computer, so
you will need to carefully read the installation notes. Attention: Internet
Explorer 7 is not included in the package.
Pluses: The hotfixes and security updates a Microsoft genuine.
Drawbacks / flaws: Third party software bundled in the download may
represent serious threats to your computer.
In conclusion: If your copy of Windows is legit and genuine, I see
absolutely no reason for downloading this package.
<full quote ends here>
I agree - completely - with the above. In fact - I think the above quote is
not strong enough. I would shorten it and say...
"Windows XP Service Pack 3 Preview - if you are not an Information
Technology type - testing this on a test machine - don't get it. It's not
for public consumption. This is a 'release candidate' - there is no support
for it and no guarantee it will work. Microsoft Windows XP Service Pack 3
SP3 Build 3264 RC1 - the RC1 stands for "Release Candidate 1", only get it
if you know what you are doing and will be able to properly protect
yourself."
In other words, AliceZ, the quote and the page you linked to have nothing to
do with the final release of Windows XP SP3 other than the random comments
made by people at the bottom - the "Latest user reviews"... And then I
would have to question why anyone would post a comment about the fully
released product on the old and not updated web page about a release
candidate released for said product months after the page was first
published... Not so sure I could trust their evaluation of the full product
if they cannot tell the difference. ;-)
I know you are nervous about installing SP3 - I am in fact *GLAD* that you
are. It means you are careful. However - don't get buried in the piles of
bad news when there is plenty of good news and people installing SP3 without
problems. Unfortunately - you have come to the 'hospital' for 'when things
go wrong with Windows Update' <-- or the newsgroups where people ask for
help with their problems with Windows Updates --> and you are thinking that
this represents the whole. It's like basing your world view by sitting in
an emergency room of any large city all day and night. All you see is
sickness, pain and hurting coming in the door - after all - it's an
emergency room. How many times have you popped into an emergency room just
to let the staff there know you didn't fall and break your hip - just to do
it?
You need to take the installation of SP3 wisely - prepare for it. The
computer is a fantastic thing in that you can actually (easily) perform full
system backups with the right tools and if something happens - you can roll
back to where you were before that something happened. In other words - my
suggestions for SP3 are simple:
1) Backup everything...
First - backup the files most important to you. Pictures, music, documents,
emails, contacts, web page favorites, etc. You should be doing that
consistently anyway - on a regularly scheduled basis - because that is
REALLY what you worry about with the computer. The stuff of *yours* it has
in it.
Second - if possible - use a software package like Symantec Ghost, Acronis
TrueImage or BootItNG and some external storage (external USB hard disk
drive twice or more the size of your system (C:) drive used space would be
good) to make a complete backup of your system - a 'snapshot in time' if you
will - of what it is now. That includes all your files, all your settings,
all your programs - it is literally your system set aside at XX:XXAM/PM on
whatever date you take the image. Then if you immediately install SP3 and
things do go wrong - you utilize said software to return to XX:XXAM/PM on
whatever date you made that image - like what you just did never happened.
Sounds complicated - but if yo look into getting one of those packages -
you'll find out it really is not.
2) Prepare your machine...
Beyond backing up - clean off stuff you don't need.
- Have a program installed that you never use? Uninstall it.
- Have files you can burn to CD/DVD permanently - since you only look at
them once in a blue moon? Do so.
- Have you checked for updates for said software package you DO utilize?
Windows XP is not the only application on your computer. I bet you have
Microsoft Word, Microsoft Works, WordPerfect, Open Office or something
installed to help you type up documents. Or perhaps a program to help you
sort pictures? What about one to play music or movies? Something to help
you manage you finances, maybe? When was the last time you visited the web
page for the manufacturer of said product and seen if there were any updates
for those things?
- Visit the hardware manufacturer's web page for each of the devices in your
computer and get the newest hardware driver and install it. Motherboard
chipset, video card, sound card, network card, modem. This will be made
much easier if (as many people do) you have a 'big box' machine - one
manufactured/sold/supported by a large company like Dell, IBM, HP, Packard
Bell, Gateway, etc. You can visit the web page for said manufacturer,
usually go to their support web page and give a model number or serial
number (or both) and see what drivers are available and get them all in one
place.
- Run your updated antivirus against your machine - do a FULL scan. Clean
up anything it finds.
- Run at least one - if not several - antispyware applications against your
machine and cleanup anything they find (SuperAntiSpyware, Spybot Search and
Destroy, LavaSoft Ad-Aware 2007, etc.)
- Use disk cleanup to clear out some space and cleanup your system restore
to the last one only. http://support.microsoft.com/kb/310312
- Run a CHKDSK on your system drive. http://support.microsoft.com/kb/315265
- Run a defragmentation on your system drive.
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/314848
Then - you are ready... To start reading up... ;-)
Steps to take before you install Windows XP Service Pack 3
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/950717
Release Notes for Windows XP Service Pack 3
http://download.microsoft.com/download/c/d/8/cd8cc719-7d5a-40d3-a802-e4057aa8c631/relnotes.htm
Key things to note:
Internet Explorer:
"If you have installed Windows Internet Explorer® 7 or a beta version of
Internet Explorer 8, and then install Windows XP SP3, you cannot uninstall
Internet Explorer. To avoid this, ensure Internet Explorer 7 or a beta
version of Internet Explorer 8 is not installed before installing Windows XP
SP3. If you have already encountered this issue, uninstall Windows XP SP3,
uninstall Internet Explorer, and then reinstall Windows XP SP3."
Windows XP Media Center Edition 2002:
"If you install Windows XP SP3 on a computer running Windows XP Media Center
Edition 2002 with SP1, Windows XP Media Center Edition may malfunction. To
avoid this, install Windows XP SP2 before you install Windows XP SP3. If
this issue has already occurred, uninstall Windows XP SP3, install Windows
XP SP2, and then reinstall Windows XP SP3."
It seems som people are unable to get further updates after installing
SP3... Seems some have experienced a symptom similar to doing a repair
installation on Windows XP - and the same fix seems to work for them for
that...
Updates are not installed successfully from Windows Update, from Microsoft
Update, or by using Automatic Updates after you repair a Windows XP
installation
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/943144
ome people experience an "endless reboot" issue...
From PA Bear [MS MVP]:Workarounds:
1. Boot into Safe Mode and rename INTELPMM.SYS to INTELPMM.OLD.
2. After booting into Safe Mode:
Start --> Run --> (copy/paste)
sc config intelppm start= disabled
--> OK --> Reboot into normal (Windows) mode.
Other references include:
.. http://aumha.net/viewtopic.php?p=187790#p187790
..
http://msinfluentials.com/blogs/jesper/archive/2008/05/08/does-your-amd-based-computer-boot-after-installing-xp-sp3.aspx
.. http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/05/09/windows_xp_sp3_reboots_crashes/
..
http://www.computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&articleId=9084418
.. You receive a "Stop 0x0000007E" error message after you upgrade to Windows
XP Service Pack 2 or Service Pack 3 on a non-Intel-processor-based computer
(Revised 06 May-08)
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/888372
And last - know who and how to contact if you have trouble:
http://support.microsoft.com/oas/default.aspx?ln=en-us&prid=11273&gprid=522131
And GO! Visit http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com/ and get SP3 and install
it on your computer. You cannot be more prepared. Plus - if you followed
all the advice - worst case is you have learned a lot and protected your
data from ANY disaster that might occur. Best case - you've done all that
*for nothing* other than learning and you will maintain the new backup
regime and you'll have the latest Windows XP Service Pack (SP3) installed on
your machine and you will continue running happily and strong with
confidence.
Good luck.
Hope that helps.
--
Shenan Stanley
MS-MVP
--
How To Ask Questions The Smart Way
http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html
.
- Prev by Date: Cannot download and install Windows XP SP3
- Next by Date: RE: Control I.D. not found sp3
- Previous by thread: Re: SP3
- Next by thread: Re: SP3
- Index(es):
Relevant Pages
|
