Author Topic: Updating Windows XP SP2 to SP3  (Read 25846 times)

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Offline Chim

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Updating Windows XP SP2 to SP3
« on: June 30, 2012, 06:07:16 AM »
My sister and brother-in-law bought a Dell GX280 computer today.  (Used)
I went and set it up for them.  It's now running fine.

It's got Windows XP Pro SP2.
Will it eventually update to SP3 on its own?
I did set it to Automatic Updates.  It didn't update to SP3 during the time that I was there.

Or will it wait until the TIME the Automatic Updates are set to ... come up?
I would have thought an Update to SP3 would supersede that time and start happening immediately.

I probably won't be over there at their house again until Monday.
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Offline Pondus

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Re: Updating Windows XP SP2 to SP3
« Reply #1 on: June 30, 2012, 10:13:29 AM »
just run windows update manually.....

OBS: and i always change the default install time (3 at night) to a time when the computer is on...
on work computer i use lunch time

Offline DavidR

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Re: Updating Windows XP SP2 to SP3
« Reply #2 on: June 30, 2012, 03:09:15 PM »
Currently you will receive Zero Security Updates on XP SP2, MS support (KB, security updates) for XP SP2 ended over 18 months ago (I can't recall the exact date). So it won't offer any updates much less SP3, you will have to manually download it, install it and then windows update should offer the KBs released since SP3, be ready for a flood.

SP3 full download is in the order of 363MB if I remember rightly, I had to get someone on broadband download that for me (when I was on dial-up). Even after that, the number of KBs would tax anyone on dial-up and manually downloading them (for off-line installation) would not be an easy task.
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Offline Chim

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Re: Updating Windows XP SP2 to SP3
« Reply #3 on: June 30, 2012, 03:25:40 PM »
Ahhh, that's right.  The ole end of support for Windows XP SP2 thing.  The thought did enter my mind yesterday and I was even gonna toss that in my inquiry, but I was rushing things as I got back to my place a bit late.

Okay, that makes sense.  Thanks, David ... Pondus!

Oh, my sister and brother-in-law's computer DOES have High Speed Internet.
So I WILL be able to manually download it there.

BTW ... would this be a legit place from which to download Windows XP SP3?

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows/downloads/service-packs

There is a link in there over at the right, which says, "Download SP3."

Or is there some more legit, more highly-recommended place from where I can download it?
« Last Edit: June 30, 2012, 03:27:11 PM by Chim »
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Offline DavidR

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Re: Updating Windows XP SP2 to SP3
« Reply #4 on: June 30, 2012, 03:34:36 PM »
You're welcome.

Boy are they lucky, whilst SP3 is a bit of a chore to download if on dial-up, it isn't to hard to find a friend to download it. But the thought of all of the KB security updates released after SP3 sends a shiver up my back if you were on dial-up.
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Offline Chim

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Re: Updating Windows XP SP2 to SP3
« Reply #5 on: June 30, 2012, 06:42:15 PM »
Okay, now ...
Let's just say that when I get around to updating their computer to SP3 something goes drastically wrong.
I take it a System Restore in Safe Mode SHOULD get rid of the SP3 Update and set the computer back to its former SP2 status, right?
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Offline Asyn

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Re: Updating Windows XP SP2 to SP3
« Reply #6 on: June 30, 2012, 06:43:18 PM »
I take it a System Restore in Safe Mode SHOULD get rid of the SP3 Update and set the computer back to its former SP2 status, right?

Yes.
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Offline DavidR

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Re: Updating Windows XP SP2 to SP3
« Reply #7 on: June 30, 2012, 07:29:00 PM »
Personally I would use hard disk imaging software to make an exact copy of the Partition before making major changes.
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Offline MikeBCda

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Re: Updating Windows XP SP2 to SP3
« Reply #8 on: June 30, 2012, 10:10:45 PM »
Ah, memories ... when I bought this system (with XP) from my favorite OEM dealer, it was otherwise ready to go off the shelf, but he needed a week to get MS updates right up to current (including SP1, IIRC).  When SP2 came out I was still on dialup, so sent for the CD for that ... by the time of SP3 I was on DSL, so gave the download a try.  Size was more or less as noted by David, and download plus installation took about 45 minutes.
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Offline Chim

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Re: Updating Windows XP SP2 to SP3
« Reply #9 on: June 30, 2012, 11:45:19 PM »
Thanks, Asyn, David, Mike.

The more I think about it, I'm tempted to just let it be, just let a sleeping dog lie.
It's that no Windows CD or System Recovery CD came with the purchase of this used computer by my sister & brother-in-law.
So, if something drastic should go wrong that not even a System Restore can undo, I wouldn't have the luxury of being able to reinstall Windows.

Hmmm???  Or CAN I?  Can I make a legal copy of the Windows XP Pro SP2 that's installed in the computer right now?
If so ... HOW?
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Offline DavidR

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Re: Updating Windows XP SP2 to SP3
« Reply #10 on: July 01, 2012, 12:19:48 AM »
That is even more reason to use hard drive imaging software, if you haven't got the windows CD you have no way of doing a Repair install if anything serious happens to the system. If you have when you make an image of the partition or drive, it is an exact copy.

A restore for me on a partition/multiple partitions takes less than 20 minutes. If I have a problem that is likely to take more than 20 minutes, I have the option to restore my last backup. I do regular weekly backup images and keep the last 6, so at worst I lose a max of 6 days program updates. I do regular file backups a few times a day for more volatile files/documents/emails/favourites/address book/media files, etc. etc. so as far as loss of data files it would be less than a day.

A robust backup and recovery strategy is essential.
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Offline CraigB

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Re: Updating Windows XP SP2 to SP3
« Reply #11 on: July 01, 2012, 04:18:34 PM »

BTW ... would this be a legit place from which to download Windows XP SP3?

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows/downloads/service-packs

There is a link in there over at the right, which says, "Download SP3."

Or is there some more legit, more highly-recommended place from where I can download it?

Dont use that download link as that is the volume license edition and wont recognise your license key, if you read on further it states not for single computer use.

Best to do as DavidR suggested by making a system image then update the SP via windows update.

Offline oldman

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Re: Updating Windows XP SP2 to SP3
« Reply #12 on: July 01, 2012, 04:46:50 PM »
Hi Chim,

You can use the download you linked to. The direct link to the download page is HERE. IIt may say "for IT professionals and developers " but you can safely use it.

It's not that well documented but the biggest cause of SP3 install problems are interference from Security programs such as antivirus programs. I suggest either disabling your security programs before installing SP3 or installing it in Safe Mode. I've installed or directed people installing SP3 with the above steps and never had a failure.

Offline Asyn

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Re: Updating Windows XP SP2 to SP3
« Reply #13 on: July 01, 2012, 04:57:13 PM »
You can use the download you linked to. The direct link to the download page is HERE. IIt may say "for IT professionals and developers " but you can safely use it.

I can confirm this.
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Offline CraigB

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Re: Updating Windows XP SP2 to SP3
« Reply #14 on: July 01, 2012, 06:07:59 PM »
You can use the download you linked to. The direct link to the download page is HERE. IIt may say "for IT professionals and developers " but you can safely use it.

I can confirm this.
I used that same link about three days ago on an update from SP2 for a friends system as i thought i could save some time downloading it from my house and transfer it over to the other system when there, and after the first visit to windows update it wouldn't validate the license  :o spent a hour on the phone with microsoft and giving them all the info at which stage they told me that version was for volume licensing  ???, luckly all i had to do was image back SP2 then let it do the update via windows.