First - are you saying that installing SP2 crashed your systems
and/or caused problems with your system?
Second - no one can answer that. Your machine is *your* machine.
Unique by hardware components (maybe) and by hardware+software
installed (almost definitely) and by your usage and maintenance of
it (definitely.) What will/won't have adverse or advantageous
affects on your computer will be different than just about everyone
else on the planet in the same situation with SP3.
My observations (YMMV) and suggestions for a safe/healthy
install...
Short version: know what you are getting into and properly prepare.
Longer version:
Windows XP Service Pack 3 has worked for 100's of thousands
(if not millions upon millions) of users. Strictly speaking -
percentage-wise - those with issues are not just in the minority -
but 'super-minority'. Also - most problems installing it have been
caused by something already being wrong with the machine in
question and the installation of SP3 merely exposing that fact.
A place to get FREE support for SP3 installation issues *from
Microsoft*...
http://support.microsoft.com/oas/default.aspx?ln=en-us&prid=11273&gp
rid=522131
Windows XP Service Pack 3 - ISO-9660 CD Image File
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=2fcde6ce-b5
fb-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=5B33B5A8-5E
76-401F-BE08-1E1555D4F3D4&displaylang=en
WinXP SP3 - Read all prerequisites for a successful installation
http://msmvps.com/blogs/harrywaldron/archive/2008/05/08/windows-xp-s
p3-read-all-prerequisites-for-a-successful-installati on.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_crash
es/ .
http://www.computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBa
sic&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
Hope that helps!