Re: Should I install SP3

Tech-Archive recommends: Fix windows errors by optimizing your registry

Joe T wrote:
I've read other posts with problems after SP3 install. I have XP
Pro with service pack 2, IE7. A few posts/responses have said not
to. What is the consensus. If no, why?

Shenan Stanley wrote:
There is no consensus to speak of. It's more like two camps. ;-)

Camp One: Don't do it! It'll break everything. Look what it did
to me.

Camp Two: Do it, but do it wisely. In general, those who have done
it carefully, step-by-step and properly - everything is now running
smoothly. Not to mention - most of the stuff you need to do to
'prepare" - you should have been doing all along. ;-)

I push Camp Two's views. Along those lines - you'll need
information.

A place to get FREE support for SP3 installation issues *from
Microsoft*...
http://support.microsoft.com/oas/default.aspx?ln=en-us&prid=11273&gprid=522131

Windows XP Service Pack 3 - ISO-9660 CD Image File
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=2fcde6ce-b5fb-4488-8c50-fe22559d164e&DisplayLang=en

Windows XP Service Pack 3 Network Installation Package for IT
Professionals and Developers
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=5B33B5A8-5E76-401F-BE08-1E1555D4F3D4&displaylang=en

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

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 some 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

Some people experience an "endless reboot" issue...

From PA Bear [MS MVP]:
Workarounds:

http://msinfluentials.com/blogs/jesper/archive/2008/05/08/does-your-amd-based-computer-boot-after-installing-xp-sp3.aspx
[NB: The above has been updated many times and now includes "a
small tool that will detect the IntelPPM problem and mitigate it
before installing [WinXP SP3]."

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

Some people have gotten an "Access Denied" message when trying to
install SP3... Method 3 of this article:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/949377


Beyond that - some simple maintenance might be needed - like
installing the latest hardware drivers from your hardware vendors...

Joe T wrote:
Hmmm.....Let's me see. I install and I have problems OR I don't and
leave it as the status quo. That's a no brainer.
What makes this update so difficult that a person has to "get ready
first" before installing this. I have never had to read 6 Mircosoft
articles on any of my other prior updates before. I get auto
updates.
If Microsoft knew about these problems, what's the point of this
service pack?

*shrug*
Your choice.
You asked - I answered.

The problems are not caused by SP3 - but by poor third party vendor choices
and/or problems being exposed on the machines in question (those that end up
having the symptoms) often caused - again - by third party vendors/changes
in the OS. Just because installing the 1179 updates all at once exasperates
a problem you didn't *know* you had beforehand - doesn't mean it SP3 caused
the problem.

You could live your whole life and die of a heart attack tomorrow - or by
chance you go to a doctor for something unrelated and they notice something
else, find the problem and put you on a treatment that cures your issue(s)
and you live many years longer.

The posts I gave you were made through troubleshooting of the issues that
individuals had. It is a compiled "cheat-***" of known issues that have
been caused by these third-party vendor issues.

Whether it is because you have an AMD processor yet your computer vendor
made their ONLY distributed image on Intel only machines or if some
application you installed changed the permissions on the registry values SP3
needs to work right "for your protection" or if you (another third party)
just didn't know before reading what i posted that if you had IE8 beta
installed when you installed SP3 - you could not roll back to whatever IE
you had before - that is not the Service Pack's fault - it's just doing what
it was designed to do. Patch the original code/files/etc that compose
Windows XP.

As I said - if you already maintain your machine properly - most of the
'preparation' is already done. Most people - it seems - treat their
computers like a toaster. It should just work. When the crumbs build up
and the machine catches on fire because they didn't maintain it - that must
be a manufacturing flaw and they sue.

There are people out there happily running Windows 98SE. Many people who
run *no version* of Windows anywhere in their lives (that they are aware
of.) Many people who run Windows XP with no service pack, with SP1, SP1a,
SP2 and SP3. Many people switched to Vista. Others to Macintosh. I bet
there are a select few out there still trying to muddle through a BeOS
install. *grin*

Again...

*shrug*
Your choice.
You asked - I answered.

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


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