Service pack problems

  • Thread starter Thread starter Garry Beattie
  • Start date Start date
G

Garry Beattie

Hi guys.

I have been running Windows XP for quite a while now and have always updated
the system regularly using Windows update.

Recently my hard drive crashed. I installed a new one and then re-installed
Windows XP.
Of course the Windows XP off the CD is now old and requires over 50 critical
updates, updates and patches.

I started to run windows update only to get an error message everytime I try
and install the critical service pack. It says it can not connect to
Windows.

Any idea's?

Garry
 
You terminated yr internet connection immediately it was set up and enabled
the Firewall? prior to trying to update? - or installed a third party
Firewall first?
If not you left yourself open to viri
 
Once you get a new Hard Drive your Windows XP cd Key won't be valid anymore.
It's before unuse able. When you register the past XP, they took your HD
serial # and the XP # together.

So now you have a new HD and differ serial # you need to contact Microsoft
for a new XP cd key for the new HD. You are required personal information.

Microsoft made the XP install on a PC uniquely. Only one XP cd on one PC.
That its to protected illegal activities by making XP copy.
 
If you have an invalid CD key with your new HD, you cannot update and
connect to the update site.
 
You have to reregister/activate; use phone method; however if WinXP was an
OEM copy it dies with the origonal sys. Only a retail version can be
reactivated on a new sys.
 
That is not my experience. My HDD died last Christmas. The installation of
a new disk, then a clean install of XP, SP1a from CD, then firewall and
other protection software from CD, then internet connection for all
critical/security updates (all 2 firewalls -- the only remaining open
programmes during the download phase -- were turned off before the
installation phase) off the Windows Update site went through without a
hitch. There was only the typing in, once, of the Production Key during the
clean install of XP. It was never asked for again (for this partition).
When everything went smoothly, I contacted MS on the 3rd week via the
internet, i.e. by clicking the reminder icon in the Notification Area for
activation. Within 2min the dialogue box said activation was successful. I
closed the box and that was it. No big deal. In fact, I went through this
twice, again with success, because I had a 2nd partition on the same disk
which also had a freshly installed XP (used for cloning the other partition)
from the same XP CD and the same Production Key.

Garry, in your last sentence, could you give more details of "can not
connect to windows"? Any error message? Does any of the conditions on the
check list of item number one in the last link (to MS) apply? It is
important that there is no violation of the conditions detailed in the first
link (MVP Jupiter Jones' check list).

To end, I'd like to add that, personally, I'd wait for the new CD.

Bee.
 
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