while many people have been able to successfully upgrade to sp3, i've seen
more than enough complains and issues created by the pack to make me think
twice before downloading it.
i dont want to lose my files, and i currently dont have a way to back up my
hard drive.
all im looking for is an honest to god yes or no on whether or not i should
go ahead and update to sp3.
"Chris" <Chris@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
newsCB3E818-FA36-41ED-A3BA-ACC3EAA9EE26@microsoft.com...
> while many people have been able to successfully upgrade to sp3, i've seen
> more than enough complains and issues created by the pack to make me think
> twice before downloading it.
You can certainly download it without installing it.
It's probably a better idea to download it, and install it from a local
file, than to use Windows Update.
>
> i dont want to lose my files, and i currently dont have a way to back up
> my
> hard drive.
If you don't have a way to back up your files and don't want to lose them,
you shouldn't use your PC at all till you resolve that major issue.
> all im looking for is an honest to god yes or no on whether or not i
> should
> go ahead and update to sp3.
>
> so yes or no?
It's never a good idea to use a PC, let alone install a service pack,
without backing it up.
It's very easy to make backups. 500 gig hard disks are under $100 now, and
external drive cases are around $30.
So no, you shouldn't install it if you have no way to back it up.
What you should do is address the backup issue, determine whether you have
an AMD processor, then take the steps to install SP3.
Chris wrote:
> while many people have been able to successfully upgrade to sp3, i've seen
> more than enough complains and issues created by the pack to make me think
> twice before downloading it.
>
> i dont want to lose my files, and i currently dont have a way to back up my
> hard drive.
>
> all im looking for is an honest to god yes or no on whether or not i should
> go ahead and update to sp3.
>
> so yes or no?
With no backup, no. Spend more time getting a backup first.
On Sun, 1 Jun 2008 18:24:01 -0700, Chris
<Chris@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote:
>while many people have been able to successfully upgrade to sp3, i've seen
>more than enough complains and issues created by the pack to make me think
>twice before downloading it.
>
>i dont want to lose my files, and i currently dont have a way to back up my
>hard drive.
You better think of a way. That's more important than downloading
SP3.
>all im looking for is an honest to god yes or no on whether or not i should
>go ahead and update to sp3.
>
>so yes or no?
--
DISCLAIMER: If you find a posting or message from me
offensive, inappropriate, or disruptive, please ignore it.
If you don't know how to ignore a posting, complain to
me and I will be only too happy to demonstrate... ;-)
"Nonny" <nonnymoose@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:n9k644pbus1jrnc4i5g2l5horugvjsbjis@4ax.com...
> On Sun, 1 Jun 2008 18:24:01 -0700, Chris
> <Chris@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote:
>
>>while many people have been able to successfully upgrade to sp3, i've seen
>>more than enough complains and issues created by the pack to make me think
>>twice before downloading it.
>>
>>i dont want to lose my files, and i currently dont have a way to back up
>>my
>>hard drive.
>
> You better think of a way. That's more important than downloading
> SP3.
>
>>all im looking for is an honest to god yes or no on whether or not i
>>should
>>go ahead and update to sp3.
>>
>>so yes or no?
>
> Maybe yes.
>
> Maybe no.
>
> Your choice.
Free unlimited installation and compatibility support is available for
Windows XP, but only for Service Pack 3 (SP3), until 14 Apr-09. Chat and
e-mail support is available only in the United States and Canada.
<IMHO>
Temporarily disable all real-time protections afforded by your anti-virus
application, any anti-spyware applications, and any third-party firewall
prior to installing SP3. If you disable a third-party firewall, make sure
you then enable the Windows Firewall: The machine should not be connected to
the internet without an active firewall.
NB ZA Free users: Uninstall ZA Free via Add/Remove Programs and enable the
Windows Firewall before installing SP3.
After installing SP3 /and rebooting twice/, check to make sure your
real-time protections have been re-enabled; If you disabled a third-party
firewall, remember to re-enable it and disable the Windows Firewall.
</IMHO>
=================
Continual reboots or can only boot into Safe Mode after installing WinXP
SP3?
See http://msinfluentials.com/blogs/jesp...ng-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)."]
Chris wrote:
> while many people have been able to successfully upgrade to sp3, i've seen
> more than enough complains and issues created by the pack to make me think
> twice before downloading it.
>
> i dont want to lose my files, and i currently dont have a way to back up
> my
> hard drive.
>
> all im looking for is an honest to god yes or no on whether or not i
> should
> go ahead and update to sp3.
>
> so yes or no?
On Sun, 1 Jun 2008 18:24:01 -0700, Chris
<Chris@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote:
> while many people have been able to successfully upgrade to sp3, i've seen
> more than enough complains and issues created by the pack to make me think
> twice before downloading it.
>
> i dont want to lose my files, and i currently dont have a way to back up my
> hard drive.
>
> all im looking for is an honest to god yes or no on whether or not i should
> go ahead and update to sp3.
If you're reading about "complains and issues" *here*, in the
newsgroups, this where people come with their problems, not with their
successes. You get a very distorted view of what's going on in the
real world here; as someone once said, "hang around a transmission
shop and you will think that all cars have transmission problems."
Most problems, by far, that people report here--whether or not they
are Sp3-related--have nothing to do with defects in the software. They
result from people's ignorance, from bad or inadequate hardware, from
old drivers, from viruses, from spyware, and so on. And except for
very rare situations, they always get a fix for their problems, and in
most cases, that fix is a very simple one to implement.
I have personally seen no SP3-related problems. It works very well.
However, I strongly recommend that before taking any big step, you
back up anything you can't afford to lose. If, as you say, you
"currently dont have a way to back up [your] hard drive," you are in a
very vulnerable situation, regardless of whether or not you install
SP3. Your first priority, far more important than installing a service
pack, should be to institute a program of regular backup.
--
Ken Blake, Microsoft MVP - Windows Desktop Experience
Please Reply to the Newsgroup
If you have an AMD Chip, don't put SP3 on.
If you have Norton Anti-Virus, don't put SP3 on.
There are many more reasons not to install SP3 but you need to read about
the the issues and work-arounds.
If you building a computer or have on that has hardly no software installed,
then you stand a better chance of getting it installed without issues.
"Patrick Keenan" <test@dev.null> wrote in message
news:utMijHFxIHA.3968@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...
>
> "Chris" <Chris@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> newsCB3E818-FA36-41ED-A3BA-ACC3EAA9EE26@microsoft.com...
>> while many people have been able to successfully upgrade to sp3, i've
>> seen
>> more than enough complains and issues created by the pack to make me
>> think
>> twice before downloading it.
>
> You can certainly download it without installing it.
>
> It's probably a better idea to download it, and install it from a local
> file, than to use Windows Update.
>
>>
>> i dont want to lose my files, and i currently dont have a way to back up
>> my
>> hard drive.
>
> If you don't have a way to back up your files and don't want to lose them,
> you shouldn't use your PC at all till you resolve that major issue.
>
>
>> all im looking for is an honest to god yes or no on whether or not i
>> should
>> go ahead and update to sp3.
>>
>> so yes or no?
>
> It's never a good idea to use a PC, let alone install a service pack,
> without backing it up.
>
> It's very easy to make backups. 500 gig hard disks are under $100 now,
> and external drive cases are around $30.
>
> So no, you shouldn't install it if you have no way to back it up.
>
> What you should do is address the backup issue, determine whether you have
> an AMD processor, then take the steps to install SP3.
>
> HTH
> -pk
>
>
Chris wrote:
> while many people have been able to successfully upgrade to sp3,
> i've seen more than enough complains and issues created by
> the pack to make me think twice before downloading it.
>
> i dont want to lose my files, and i currently dont have a way to
> back up my hard drive.
>
> all im looking for is an honest to god yes or no on whether or
> not i should go ahead and update to sp3.
>
> so yes or no?
Patrick Keenan wrote:
> You can certainly download it without installing it.
>
> It's probably a better idea to download it, and install it from a
> local file, than to use Windows Update.
>
> If you don't have a way to back up your files and don't want to
> lose them, you shouldn't use your PC at all till you resolve that
> major issue. It's never a good idea to use a PC, let alone install a
> service
> pack, without backing it up.
>
> It's very easy to make backups. 500 gig hard disks are under
> $100 now, and external drive cases are around $30.
>
> So no, you shouldn't install it if you have no way to back it up.
>
> What you should do is address the backup issue, determine whether
> you have an AMD processor, then take the steps to install SP3.
<answers inline from here on>
George wrote:
> If you have an AMD Chip, don't put SP3 on.
False.
If you have an AMD chip and think there is a possibility your OEM used an
image made on an Intel chip to 'put' Windows XP onto the system - then you
need to perform a step or two before installing SP3 all because your OEM
messed up things for you.
> If you have Norton Anti-Virus, don't put SP3 on.
False.
While some people have better luck installing *anything* with their AV
turned off - on the many I have installed upon so far (60+% with
Norton/Symantec AV - admitrtedly AV *only*) I have not turned off or
uninstalled the AV software nor had any issues by doing this.
> There are many more reasons not to install SP3 but you need to read
> about the the issues and work-arounds.
There are no _reasons_ not to install SP3. I can show _excuses_ and _things
that need effort put into them_ because something is already wrong with the
system in question - things that Windows XP SP3 would exasperate if
installed without first fixing them - but that is not a reason to stop the
installation of SP3 - that is a reason to fix what is wrong with your
computer.
> If you building a computer or have on that has hardly no software
> installed, then you stand a better chance of getting it installed
> without issues.
No doubt a clean install means the least amount of effort.
For the rest of the world (including the OP) - the answer is, "Yes, you
should put forth the effort to install SP3 on your Windows XP system.
Excuses can be given things can be postponed - but sooner or later - you
likely will be doing it anyway."
Prepare for it - backup your stuff (if you don't have a method of doing this
already - spin the barrel again... click... click... boom! = or you could
start doing what one thing is unique about "risk and computers"...) and read
through the known issues and the things that resolve them. Do those things
*before* installing SP3 and then you can install SP3 with the confidence
that worst case is restoring your system to the state you last backed it up
in. Best case - you have cleaned up and fixed problems that already existed
on your system (you don't have to know you have a blood clot to suddenly
drop dead from one) and gotten the latest service pack for your operating
system installed.
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/jesp...ng-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.
Personally, I say no, SP3 is not ready for prime time. AFAIC, it's still in
beta. Many hardware and software issues. However, you should not lose your
files. You might not be able to properly boot if you have an AMD processor
or the wrong BIOS or Norton or many of the other conflicting applications
though. SP3 will also change the functionality of a few programs after
installation as well. Compatibility and functionality of many third party
applications is a concern as well.
In a nutshell, MS has provided plenty of information about SP3 here and you
can Google for more:
If you are adventurous and have a reliable BACKUP I say go for it. For the
over-cautious who don't have the time to be a MS beta-tester, just say no.
Hopefully MS will issue a SP3a to fix their compatibility issues.
is sp3 safe yet? 
CB3E818-FA36-41ED-A3BA-ACC3EAA9EE26@microsoft.com...
Linear Mode
