I just bought a nice new hard drive for my computer. All prepped and ready to
go. But this time instead of doing a clone copy as I had in the past I want
to do a clean install of XP. I've basically had the same install since I
upgraded from Win98. The registry is a cluttered mess and other garbage files
left behind from software installs / uninstalls / upgrades, various mishaps,
blunders, and oops, running the repair console a couple times, etc., over the
years. The one thing I'm dreading the most is having to go through all the
security / software updates since I originally installed XP. My copy of XP
Home is old, sheesh, it's barely SP1. So I'm looking at, what?, a couple
hundred or so updates? OUCH! I don't suppose there's any way around that?
Mike wrote:
> I just bought a nice new hard drive for my computer. All prepped
> and ready to go. But this time instead of doing a clone copy as I
> had in the past I want to do a clean install of XP. I've basically
> had the same install since I upgraded from Win98. The registry is a
> cluttered mess and other garbage files left behind from software
> installs / uninstalls / upgrades, various mishaps, blunders, and
> oops, running the repair console a couple times, etc., over the
> years. The one thing I'm dreading the most is having to go through
> all the security / software updates since I originally installed
> XP. My copy of XP Home is old, sheesh, it's barely SP1. So I'm
> looking at, what?, a couple hundred or so updates? OUCH! I don't
> suppose there's any way around that?
Before doing anything else...
- Download Windows XP SP3 ISO and make a real CD out of it.
- Download the hardware drivers for the computer in question. Be sure to
get the motherboard chipset, network, video, sound at least - if you use a
dial-up modem - download that as well. Save them to some external medium
(CD, DVD, thumb drive, external hard disk drive, etc.)
I suggest running "Belarc Advisor" on your computer to get the information
you need on what to download. Also - print the Belarc Advisor results. It
will make things easier in the future - as it contains a lot of useful
information about your current setup.
Then...
- Disconnect your computer from any method of connecting to the Internet.
(Network cable, Modem cable, whatever.)
- Put in the new hard disk drive - disconnecting the old one completely for
now.
- Install Windows XP Home Edition.
- Install the hardware drivers you downloaded earlier.
- Reboot as needed.
- Install SP3.
- Reboot as needed *and* one additional reboot before continuing...
- Connect back to the Internet.
- Visit http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com/ and install whatever it needs
you to tro convert to "Microsoft Updates".
- Once that is installed - do a "Custom" scan for updates and feel free to
install all Critical and all "Optional Software Updates". Avoid the
"Optional Hardware Updates" as they are sometimes untrustworthy, IMHO.
If you are worried about how many you will need - SP3 handled much of the
updating needs. You will probably end up needing more "Optional" than
"Critical" *overall* because you will get things like Media Player 11,
SilverLight, .Net FrameWork 1.1, 2.0. 3.0 (3.5 isn't there, yet. hah) andso
on. Maybe 15-20 total 'critical updates *not* related to those optional
updates you'll get... Maybe.
You could download SP3 for IT professionals and use it to integrate into
your installation media for Windows XP and install SP3 from the start. You
could also get the updates for Windows XP released since SP3 and integrate
those as well - but you'll still have to get the "Optional Software Updates"
that you want and all the updates associated with them in the end. ;-)
Just in case (although with a clean install - I doubt you'll need this.)
"Mike" <nowhere@zerivon.net> wrote in message
news:Xns9AE190C47720Anowherezerivonnet@207.46.248. 16...
>The one thing I'm dreading the most is having to go through all the
> security / software updates since I originally installed XP. My copy of XP
> Home is old, sheesh, it's barely SP1. So I'm looking at, what?, a couple
> hundred or so updates? OUCH! I don't suppose there's any way around that?
The practical question is whether you have high-speed Internet
or dial-up. If HS, SP2 updates should take less than 2 hours,
possibly less than 1h. (You do not have to sit there and watch it.)
--
Don Phillipson
Carlsbad Springs
(Ottawa, Canada)
"Shenan Stanley" <newshelper@gmail.com> wrote in
news:ucmzzzp6IHA.1420@TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl:
> Before doing anything else...
> - Download Windows XP SP3 ISO and make a real CD out of it.
>
> Windows XP Service Pack 3 - ISO-9660 CD Image File
> http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/d...cde6ce-b5fb-44
> 88-8c50-fe22559d164e&DisplayLang=en
>
> - Download the hardware drivers for the computer in question. Be sure
> to get the motherboard chipset, network, video, sound at least - if you
> use a dial-up modem - download that as well. Save them to some external
> medium (CD, DVD, thumb drive, external hard disk drive, etc.)
>
> I suggest running "Belarc Advisor" on your computer to get the
> information you need on what to download. Also - print the Belarc
> Advisor results. It will make things easier in the future - as it
> contains a lot of useful information about your current setup.
>
> Then...
>
> - Disconnect your computer from any method of connecting to the
> Internet. (Network cable, Modem cable, whatever.)
> - Put in the new hard disk drive - disconnecting the old one completely
> for now.
> - Install Windows XP Home Edition.
> - Install the hardware drivers you downloaded earlier.
> - Reboot as needed.
> - Install SP3.
> - Reboot as needed *and* one additional reboot before continuing...
> - Connect back to the Internet.
> - Visit http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com/ and install whatever it
> needs you to tro convert to "Microsoft Updates".
> - Once that is installed - do a "Custom" scan for updates and feel free
> to install all Critical and all "Optional Software Updates". Avoid the
> "Optional Hardware Updates" as they are sometimes untrustworthy, IMHO.
>
> If you are worried about how many you will need - SP3 handled much of
> the updating needs. You will probably end up needing more "Optional"
> than "Critical" *overall* because you will get things like Media Player
> 11, SilverLight, .Net FrameWork 1.1, 2.0. 3.0 (3.5 isn't there, yet.
> hah) andso on. Maybe 15-20 total 'critical updates *not* related to
> those optional updates you'll get... Maybe.
>
> You could download SP3 for IT professionals and use it to integrate into
> your installation media for Windows XP and install SP3 from the start.
> You could also get the updates for Windows XP released since SP3 and
> integrate those as well - but you'll still have to get the "Optional
> Software Updates" that you want and all the updates associated with them
> in the end. ;-)
>
> Just in case (although with a clean install - I doubt you'll need this.)
>
> A place to get FREE support for SP3 installation issues *from
> Microsoft*...
> http://support.microsoft.com/oas/def...=11273&gprid=5
> 22131
>
>
> Oh - then you can change your old hard drive to a secondary drive and
> manually copy what you need off it.
>
Shenan,
Thanks for the info on SP3. Doesn't look difficult to do, certainly would
save on a lot of downloading / installing time, and I actually prefer
dealing with ISO files. I take it I don't have to bother with SP2?
Fortunately re-installing all my other software and drivers, and getting
all the little things back to the way I like isn't a problem, that'll be
the easy part. :-) I'd never use the optional hardware updates, I always
get the latest drivers for all my hardware devices straight from the
manufacturer's website. It's just getting windows back up to speed and
happy that's the PITA.
The old hard drive will stay intact as is for a while longer. If anything
goes wrong I can always plug that right back in. Once I'm sure the new
install is all set and happy I'll keep the old drive as a slave, and I have
plans to have a little more fun by wiping it and using it to run a dual-
boot with Debian Linux on it. (Naturally, all the important stuff is
already totally backed-up to cd)
Michael wrote:
> Thanks for the info on SP3. Doesn't look difficult to do, certainly
> would save on a lot of downloading / installing time, and I
> actually prefer dealing with ISO files. I take it I don't have to
> bother with SP2?
<snipped>
Service Packs for Windows XP are cumulative.
SP3 contains everything SP2 and SP1a did - as well as all updates released
(publically and otherwise) between SP2 and SP3's release date.
"Don Phillipson" <e925@SPAMBLOCK.ncf.ca> wrote in news:O8lHhFs6IHA.2260
@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl:
> The practical question is whether you have high-speed Internet
> or dial-up. If HS, SP2 updates should take less than 2 hours,
> possibly less than 1h. (You do not have to sit there and watch it.)
>
I'm on DSL, fortunately very close to the hub building for my area. Still,
not the fastest of DSL connections and downloading everything since my
original install would take some time. I wouldn't do it all at once, but 3 or
4 hours at a time for however many days it would take. Nothing more boring
that staring at the monitor watching the status window during a long download
time, I usually get something to eat, watch a movie, go for a bike ride. :-)
"Shenan Stanley" <newshelper@gmail.com> wrote in news:ueayqkr6IHA.3672
@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl:
> Service Packs for Windows XP are cumulative.
>
> SP3 contains everything SP2 and SP1a did - as well as all updates released
> (publically and otherwise) between SP2 and SP3's release date.
That's a relief. I'll be having some fun with all this tomorrow.
I recently inquired about service packs and learned you have to have SP1
installed before you can install SP3.
ie, SP3 won't install on an original XP installation.
"Mike" <nowhere@zerivon.net> wrote in message
news:Xns9AE1E434426D2nowherezerivonnet@207.46.248. 16...
> "Shenan Stanley" <newshelper@gmail.com> wrote in news:ueayqkr6IHA.3672
> @TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl:
>
>> Service Packs for Windows XP are cumulative.
>>
>> SP3 contains everything SP2 and SP1a did - as well as all updates
>> released
>> (publically and otherwise) between SP2 and SP3's release date.
>
>
> That's a relief. I'll be having some fun with all this tomorrow.
>
> Mike
>
Mike wrote:
> I just bought a nice new hard drive for my computer. All prepped
> and ready to go. But this time instead of doing a clone copy as I
> had in the past I want to do a clean install of XP. I've basically
> had the same install since I upgraded from Win98. The registry is a
> cluttered mess and other garbage files left behind from software
> installs / uninstalls / upgrades, various mishaps, blunders, and
> oops, running the repair console a couple times, etc., over the
> years. The one thing I'm dreading the most is having to go through
> all the security / software updates since I originally installed
> XP. My copy of XP Home is old, sheesh, it's barely SP1. So I'm
> looking at, what?, a couple hundred or so updates? OUCH! I don't
> suppose there's any way around that?
Shenan wrote:
> Before doing anything else...
> - Download Windows XP SP3 ISO and make a real CD out of it.
>
> Windows XP Service Pack 3 - ISO-9660 CD Image File
> http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/d...cde6ce-b5fb-44
> 88-8c50-fe22559d164e&DisplayLang=en
> - Download the hardware drivers for the computer in question. Be sure
> to get the motherboard chipset, network, video, sound at least - if you
> use a dial-up modem - download that as well. Save them to some external
> medium (CD, DVD, thumb drive, external hard disk drive, etc.)
>
> I suggest running "Belarc Advisor" on your computer to get the
> information you need on what to download. Also - print the Belarc
> Advisor results. It will make things easier in the future - as it
> contains a lot of useful information about your current setup.
>
> Then...
>
> - Disconnect your computer from any method of connecting to the
> Internet. (Network cable, Modem cable, whatever.)
> - Put in the new hard disk drive - disconnecting the old one completely
> for now.
> - Install Windows XP Home Edition.
> - Install the hardware drivers you downloaded earlier.
> - Reboot as needed.
> - Install SP3.
> - Reboot as needed *and* one additional reboot before continuing...
> - Connect back to the Internet.
> - Visit http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com/ and install whatever it
> needs you to tro convert to "Microsoft Updates".
> - Once that is installed - do a "Custom" scan for updates and feel free
> to install all Critical and all "Optional Software Updates". Avoid the
> "Optional Hardware Updates" as they are sometimes untrustworthy, IMHO.
>
> If you are worried about how many you will need - SP3 handled much of
> the updating needs. You will probably end up needing more "Optional"
> than "Critical" *overall* because you will get things like Media Player
> 11, SilverLight, .Net FrameWork 1.1, 2.0. 3.0 (3.5 isn't there, yet.
> hah) andso on. Maybe 15-20 total 'critical updates *not* related to
> those optional updates you'll get... Maybe.
>
> You could download SP3 for IT professionals and use it to integrate into
> your installation media for Windows XP and install SP3 from the start. You
> could also get the updates for Windows XP released since SP3 and
> integrate those as well - but you'll still have to get the "Optional
> Software Updates" that you want and all the updates associated with them
> in the end. ;-)
> Just in case (although with a clean install - I doubt you'll need this.)
>
> A place to get FREE support for SP3 installation issues *from
> Microsoft*...
> http://support.microsoft.com/oas/def...=11273&gprid=5
> 22131
>
> Oh - then you can change your old hard drive to a secondary drive and
> manually copy what you need off it.
Michael wrote:
> Thanks for the info on SP3. Doesn't look difficult to do, certainly
> would save on a lot of downloading / installing time, and I
> actually prefer dealing with ISO files. I take it I don't have to
> bother with SP2?
> Fortunately re-installing all my other software and drivers, and
> getting all the little things back to the way I like isn't a
> problem, that'll be the easy part. :-) I'd never use the optional
> hardware updates, I always get the latest drivers for all my
> hardware devices straight from the manufacturer's website. It's
> just getting windows back up to speed and happy that's the PITA.
>
> The old hard drive will stay intact as is for a while longer. If
> anything goes wrong I can always plug that right back in. Once I'm
> sure the new install is all set and happy I'll keep the old drive
> as a slave, and I have plans to have a little more fun by wiping it
> and using it to run a dual- boot with Debian Linux on it.
> (Naturally, all the important stuff is already totally backed-up to
> cd)
Shenan Stanley wrote:
> Service Packs for Windows XP are cumulative.
>
> SP3 contains everything SP2 and SP1a did - as well as all updates
> released (publically and otherwise) between SP2 and SP3's release
> date.
Mike wrote:
> That's a relief. I'll be having some fun with all this tomorrow.
~~single~~ wrote:
> I recently inquired about service packs and learned you have to
> have SP1 installed before you can install SP3.
> ie, SP3 won't install on an original XP installation.
How is that relevant here - where the OP clearly stated in the beginning
their installation CD for Windows XP was with SP1 integrated? ;-)
You are correct in that in order to install SP3 onto a running copy of
Windows XP - you must have SP1 or above already installed. If integrating
SP3 into an installation CD yourself - I do not belive that to be true - the
CD can have no service packs what-so-ever.
However - in this case the OP has Windows XP SP1 from the start - installing
SP3 next should be no problem. ;-)
"Shenan Stanley" <newshelper@gmail.com> wrote in
news:uy8OST36IHA.616@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl:
> ~~single~~ wrote:
>> I recently inquired about service packs and learned you have to
>> have SP1 installed before you can install SP3.
>> ie, SP3 won't install on an original XP installation.
>
> How is that relevant here - where the OP clearly stated in the beginning
> their installation CD for Windows XP was with SP1 integrated? ;-)
>
> You are correct in that in order to install SP3 onto a running copy of
> Windows XP - you must have SP1 or above already installed. If
> integrating SP3 into an installation CD yourself - I do not belive that
> to be true - the CD can have no service packs what-so-ever.
>
> However - in this case the OP has Windows XP SP1 from the start -
> installing SP3 next should be no problem. ;-)
Well, I was being a little sarcastic when I said 'barely' SP1. If I had
gone to the store a couple weeks earlier it probably wouldn't have been.
:-)
Though I'm going to have to wait before I can do the clean install. Seems
after all my prepping I forgot about one little detail. My copy of XP is
the upgrade and I need a qualifying product to do an install without a
previous Windows version already on the drive. No idea where my old Win98
cd got to. I called a friend that luckily still has his old Win2K cd that I
can use.
XP Home Clean Install 
Linear Mode
