Jackpine said:
My computer has Windows XP Home SP2 installed. I have installed
the majority of updates issued over the last few years (all
security and most software/hardware), but I have not installed SP3.
Is it advisable to install SP3? If I choose to do so, will I be
able to select items I don't want installed from it?
Windows XP Service Pack 3 is a composite of updates released previously.
Nearly all of them released before SP3 was released are included. You may
think you are up to date - but considering only between 100 and 200 were
released to the public between SP2 and SP3 and SP3 contains over 1000
updates - it's doubtful you have all of them. It also contains SP1a and
SP2.
Can you pick/choose? No. Do you need to - unlikely. If you do - it is
because you have chosen to keep some software (maybe hardware - but less
likely) that the manufacturer of decided not to update properly. I'd update
that software.
Your system is no longer supported and there will be (if there hasn't
already been) updates released for Windows XP you will not be able to
install and that will likely leave you vulnerable. If you get SP3 - you
will be able to get updates through April 2014.
Having said that - truth is that if you want to stay with Windows XP RTM,
SP1, SP1a, SP2 or SP3 until the day your computer no longer runs and
electricity no longer exists - that is up to you. You could probably do
that - but what you could do 'like everyone else' will start to fade...
pretty quickly actually. ;-)
If you think you might have trouble installing SP3 - why is that? What are
you afraid of? What have you been told or what have you read that keeps you
from doing it? The number of machines I have installed SP3 for Windows XP
onto over the years is a very high number (1000s, 10's of 1000s even), the
number I have had issues with - I can count on one hand (I only have five
fingers on either hand.)
I suggest you do it. Install SP3 for Windows XP. But - carefully follow
these instreuctions I am about to give you to do so.
Make sure your backups are current. Lightning does strike in one place
twice, computers are prone to mistakes, even more so when used by people.
Backups are not required, not having them is unwise at best. An image of
your computers hard drive before you start is even better.
Fix your file/registry permissions...
Ignore the title and follow the sub-section under "Advanced Troubleshooting"
titled, "Method 1: Reset the registry and the file permissions"
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/949377
*will take time
** Ignore the last step - you'll install SP3 shortly, but not now.
Reboot and ...
Download/install this:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/290301
After installing, do the following:
Start button --> RUN --> type in:
"%ProgramFiles%\Windows Installer Clean Up\msizap.exe" g!
--> Click OK.
(The quotation marks and percentage signs and spacing should be exact.)
Download, install, run, update and perform a full scan (separately) with the
following two applications (freeware versions are the ones to use for this):
SuperAntiSpyware
http://www.superantispyware.com/
MalwareBytes
http://www.malwarebytes.com/
After performing a full scan with one and then the other and removing
whatever they both find completely, you may uninstall these products,
if you wish. You may be rebooting if they find something they cannot
get rid of otherwise.
Download and run the MSRT manually:
http://www.microsoft.com/security/malwareremove/default.mspx
Reboot.
Download/Install the latest Windows Installer (for your OS):
( Windows XP 32-bit : WindowsXP-KB942288-v3-x86.exe )
http://www.microsoft.com/downloadS/...6F-60B6-4412-95B9-54D056D6F9F4&displaylang=en
Reboot.
and...
Download the latest version of the Windows Update agent from here (x86):
http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=91237
.... and save it to the root of your C:\ drive. After saving it to the root
of the C:\ drive, do the following:
Close all Internet Explorer windows and other applications.
Start button --> RUN and type in:
%SystemDrive%\windowsupdateagent30-x86.exe /WUFORCE
--> Click OK.
(If asked, select "Run.) --> Click on NEXT --> Select "I agree" and click on
NEXT --> When it finishes installing, click on "Finish"...
Reboot.
Then follow the instructions here:
How do I reset Windows Update components?
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/971058
Reboot.
Now for SP3...
1) Download the full SP3 installation file.
Windows XP Service Pack 3 Network Installation Package for
IT Professionals and Developers (works just as well for you.)
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=5B33B5A8-5E76-401F-BE08-1E1555D4F3D4
You are just saving it right now - not running it yet.
2) Ensure (as well as plausible) you have no spyware/malware by doing a full
scan with SuperAntiSpyware and MalwareBytes. If you are following
along, you have already done this!
3) CHKDSK
How to scan your disks for errors
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/315265
* will take time and a reboot
4) Defragment
How to Defragment your hard drives
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/314848
* will take time
5) Ensure your hardware drivers are up to date (from the hardware
manufacturer's respective web pages.) Never get hardware drivers
for hardware that was not created/sold by Microsoft from Microsoft.
6) Reboot right before you try to install SP3.
7) Disconnect from the internet before installing (physically disconnect -
pull the network cable or disable the router/modem.)
8) Uninstall any and all third-party firewall applications (ZoneAlarm, etc)
and utilize the built-in Windows Firewall only.
9) Disable your antivirus and antispyware applications when you are about to
install SP3. Usually right-click on the icon in the taskbar gives you
a choice to do so.
Install SP3 by running the downloaded executable. Reboot when requested to
do so. Logon and let the machine 'settle' for about 10 minutes. Reboot.
Give it 5 minutes after logon to 'settle' - reboot.
After that - there will be more updates.
Log on as an user with administrative rights and open Internet Explorer
and visit
http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com/ and select to do a
CUSTOM scan...
Every time you are about to click on something while at these web pages -
first press and hold down the CTRL key while you click on it. You can
release the CTRL key after clicking each time.
Once the scan is done, select just _ONE_ of the high priority updates
(deselect any others) and install it.
Reboot again.
If it did work - try the web page again - selecting no more than 3-5 at a
time. Rebooting as needed.
The Optional Software updates are generally safe - although I recommend
against the "Windows Search" one and any of the "Office Live" ones or
"Windows Live" ones for now. I would completely avoid the
Optional Hardware updates. Also - I do not see any urgent need to install
Internet Explorer 8 at this time.
Seriously - do all that. This is like antibiotics - don't skip a single
step, don't quit because you think things will be okay now - go through
until the end, until you have done everything given in the order given. If
you have a problem with a step come ask and let someone here get you
through that step. If you don't understand how to do a step, come back and
ask here about that step and let someone walk you through it.
Then - when done - let everyone here know if it worked for you - or if you
have more issues.
