service pack 3

[bob12a]

Is there any advantage in installing service pack 3 or is it best to leave well alone

[BeeCeeBee]

It contains many safeguards Bob do install!!

[Guest Wolfeymole]

Read more about it here in the whatever flavour you like download Bob.

 

Download details: Windows XP Service Pack 3 Overview

[BeeCeeBee]

Going a bit further, you really should allow automatic updates from Microsoft and the fact that you asked about sp3 indicates that you may have elected not to do so. Despite what anyone may feel about Mr Gates and Co. you are using their products so it is wiser to trust their judgment than it is to ignore them.

 

This, by the way, is the very advice I got from Wolfey when I first expressed concerns.

Edited January 2, 2009 by BeeCeeBee

[bob12a]

Thank you BC for the advice

I Always have my automatic updates on and they are auto checked every day at 06:00

 

Thought you might like to see top half of

 

Computer Profile Summary Computer Name: Bf (in MSHOME) — front room Profile Date: 02 January 2009 10:24:26 Advisor Version: 7.2x Windows Logon: Bob

Click here for Belarc's System Management products, for large and small companies. Operating System System Model Windows XP Home Edition Service Pack 2 (build 2600) MEDIONPC MS-7204

Enclosure Type: Desktop Processor a Main Circuit Board b 3.00 gigahertz Intel Pentium D

16 kilobyte primary memory cache

1024 kilobyte secondary memory cache Board: MICRO-STAR INTERNATIONAL CO., LTD MS-7204 REV:A

Bus Clock: 200 megahertz

BIOS: Phoenix Technologies, LTD 6.00 PG 10/07/2005 Drives Memory Modules c,d 250.05 Gigabytes Usable Hard Drive Capacity

90.68 Gigabytes Hard Drive Free Space

 

SONY DVD RW DW-Q31A [CD-ROM drive]

SONY DVD-ROM DDU1615 [CD-ROM drive]

 

EPSON Stylus Storage USB Device [Hard drive] -- drive 2

Generic USB Mass Storage [Hard drive] -- drive 4

Generic USB Mass Storage [Hard drive] -- drive 3

Generic USB Mass Storage [Hard drive] -- drive 1

ST3250823AS [Hard drive] (250.06 GB) -- drive 0 3072 Megabytes Installed Memory

 

Slot 'A0' has 512 MB

Slot 'A1' has 512 MB

Slot 'A2' has 512 MB

Slot 'A3' has 512 MB Local Drive Volumes

 

 

c: (NTFS on drive 0) 128.15 GB 51.03 GB free d: (NTFS on drive 0) 115.87 GB 38.63 GB free e: (FAT32 on drive 0) 6.03 GB 1.01 GB free

Edited January 2, 2009 by bob12a

[BeeCeeBee]

I Always have my automatic updates on and they are auto checked every day at 06:00

 

Bob unless you have elected to specifically not allow sp3 to download or install there is a certain inconsistency with what you say and what you show.

 

If you are allowing automatic updates you should not be running SP2 as SP3 should have downloaded and installed. It is not a good idea to pick and choose which updates to allow unless you possess a level of knowledge probably beyond yours or mine.

[Diurno]

Bob unless you have elected to specifically not allow sp3 to download or install there is a certain inconsistency with what you say and what you show.

 

If you are allowing automatic updates you should not be running SP2 as SP3 should have downloaded and installed.

 

Just an observation.(I might be wrong, I am probably:D)

 

Even if you are allowing automatic updates, don't you have to agree with the installation of SP3, I assume that you have to do this because it is a major update and normally they(Microsoft) recommend you to do a backup of all your data before you start installing SP3?

[BeeCeeBee]

You may well be right Carlos I don't recall there being an exception for SP3 but perhaps there was.

 

My understanding is that unless you ask to be advised but not download it would have been automatic.

 

The fact remains though that despite the fact that it seems to take the blame for a lot of issues SP3 should be installed and several later updated relate directly to it.

[Diurno]

Yeah, I completly agree with you, SP3 should be installed.

 

However, like you said "it seems to take the blame for a lot of issues" therefore I recommend that a backup is done before installing (there are ways to go back to SP2 but :D safety comes first).

[Plastic Nev]

I also agree, about SP3. but a lot of folk, especially those who follow and read through forums such as this, have seen there have been problems with SP3 so have been reluctant themselves to allow the update to take place.

A look at the help page link Wolfeymole posted is to be well advised, and then take it from there. If the instructions on that page are followed, there should then be no problem now, as most of the early issues have now been patched or sorted out.

[bob12a]

Thanks you all for your help.

Have now managed to update to sp3

 

Bob12a

[Guest Wolfeymole]

Good man Bob

[bob12a]

Meant to mention HAD to switch to IE before I could download back in FF now

[BeeCeeBee]

Correct bob they are Microsoft downloads and designed to be downloaded through IE.