In my article Windows XP SP3 Woes, I wrote about my experience trying to install Windows XP Service Pack 3 on my notebook computer. Service Pack 3 didn’t like me.
This week, I got some feedback from Bob in South Africa on his experiences:
Terry, Microsoft’s auto update of SP 3 on my XP Home SP 2 OS was an unmitigated DISASTER (!) and required me to do a format and reinstall of XP SP 2. Then I saw that TechRepublic was kindly offering an ISO download of SP 3 of which I took advantage and burned myself an SP 3 install CD (with install wizard). After disconnecting from the Internet and shutting down everything in my notification area, I ran the install CD of SP 3 which went off perfectly. On rebooting, better stability was immediately discernible. That was three months ago and I have had no problems whatever. I suggest this as a good way to install SP 3. Thanks for the excellent newsletters and for pointing out the very suspect conditions included in Google Chrome’s EULA. Kindest regards, Bob, South Africa.
I tried installing via the full download from Microsoft and tried installing via Microsoft Updates. Both attempts failed at the same point — with a thoroughly useless message Access Forbidden, without identifying what SP3 was attempting to access.
Matt Ketelaar wrote:
I’m glad you made it through Gustav OK.I have the same problem you do when trying to update to service pack 3. The same thing happens on both my laptop and my desktop. I get the notice that the update could not be installed and the process is reversed and I too turned off antivirus, firewalls and anti-spam. Do I understand you correctly that the problem is due to not enough unused space on the harddrive? Please advise or clarify.
I wrote back to say "Right timing, but wrong interpretation." I’m going to upgrade to a larger hard drive for overall space needs. That’s not the issue, at least there wasn’t any indication in the error message, that I had on the XPSP3 attempted installation. All I meant was that I wasn’t going to try again on my current drive (which last week’s online issue mentioned is failing).
Tom Linton wrote:
I too had a fight with XP Service Pack 3. I was a good thing in some ways as I had to format my HD and start over. (It wouldn’t fix it self when I tried to uninstall.)Now my PC is cleaner and runs much faster. It was due for a cleanup.
I also got myself an image backup program and have a GOOD image of my PC (updated operating system and all my software) backed up in case of future disasters.
Recently, I got a notice from another eletter I subscribe to telling me MS had tweaked the Service Pack to remove some of the problems.
I gave it another try knowing I wouldn’t need to spend two days getting my system back.
It worked without a hitch.
Good luck with your endeavor.
Tom
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