XP: is SP3 installed?

[steeve]

I thought that SP3 had already been installed on my machine, but now WU is trying to install it. How do I know if it is already installed?

 

[kimsland]

Start-->Run--> sysdm.cpl

 

[steeve]

Great, thanks for that. It's not installed after all. (Maybe a good thing from what I've heard here and there)

 

[kimsland]

Well there are many users ( and support users) that say don't install

I say

Definately Absolutely Yes Install SP3

But who am I to say!

 

[steeve]

Are you saying it was a positive experience for you? I guess I'm nervous, I can't afford to have any downtime.

 

[kimsland]

I see

If you cannot afford any downtime I would then adise against it

To install SP3 your system needs to be:

Bug free
Running already ok (if not run sfc /scannow to fix it)
Antivirus or any other live protecting software removed

So actually to get it to the stage of installing SP3 (reliably) you may need to do some initial steps first

 

[steeve]

My system very clean and well maintained and runs beautifully. So I guess thats a good start. I'll wait till I've got a little less pressure on then give it a go. Thanks for your help

 

[LookinAround]

As with most major software releases, there were some problems with the initial XP SP3 release (remember all those problems for early iPhone adopters?)

But most, if not all, SP3 issues have been addressed and are in the release. In general, before installing

• Run your all your anti-virus, anti-spyware scans to verify current data
• Run a full backup (but you should be doing that anyways, right? )
• Make sure you have enough hard drive space
• Be sure to review this from MS Steps to take before you install Windows XP Service Pack 3

You might also find this thread interesting The value of installing XP SP3 vs. SP2 + updates

 

[steeve]

Thanks! Great links and advice.

 

[jnjgoss]

I have good luck with SP3

The only machine I have had trouble installing it on is an HP Pavilion a 810n.
It locks this computer down everytime I install it. It will not boot past basic startup and then goes right back to trying to boot all over again.The first time I was able to uninstall it in safe mode but it still wouldn't boot up after uninstall.
So I ran a system recovery and went back to running fine.
Dummy me tried it one more time and it did the same thing again but this time it wouldn't let me uninstall it in safe mode.
So I did a system recovery again and it is back up and running fine again.
But on this machine I will not try SP3 until I find some answers to why it will not take it.
Thanks,

 

[LookinAround]

The only machine I have had trouble installing it on is an HP Pavilion a 810n.
It locks this computer down everytime I install it. It will not boot past basic startup and then goes right back to trying to boot all over again.The first time I was able to uninstall it in safe mode but it still wouldn't boot up after uninstall.
So I ran a system recovery and went back to running fine.
Dummy me tried it one more time and it did the same thing again but this time it wouldn't let me uninstall it in safe mode.
So I did a system recovery again and it is back up and running fine again.
But on this machine I will not try SP3 until I find some answers to why it will not take it.
Thanks,

I suspect your HP has an AMD processor?

The initial release of SP3 didn't work for HP/AMD machines. (Problem was actually traced back to HP. If i remember correctly, they created an image for their XP release and reused the image for their machines. Turns out image was built with on an Intel based HP. Worked OK for SP2 but not when SP3 came out.)

But if this is your case, a new SP3 download should work. (was fixed in July/Aug as i recall) I think HP also release fixes.

 

[steeve]

Thanks to all for good advice...SP3 install went without a hitch

 

[gguerra]

I've installed SP3 on at least 20 machines. Only had a problem with one of them where a wireless LAN adapter would not function correctly. So I went to add/remove programs in control panel and uninstalled it and all is well now.