Service Pack 3 for Win XP Pro
Sep 9, 2008, 8:44 am
#1
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Service Pack 3 for Win XP Pro
The Microsoft automatic update feature wants me to install service pack 3..... I have a now rather vintage ThinkPad T30 running XP Pro..... do I need to worry about backing up my system before installing this...?
Thoughts / Experiences would be appreciated.
Thanks,
Alex (Gaucho100K)
Thoughts / Experiences would be appreciated.
Thanks,
Alex (Gaucho100K)
Sep 9, 2008, 9:10 am
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I installed SP3 on my Lenovo T60p two weeks ago without incident. I did do a complete backup first, though.
Sep 9, 2008, 9:13 am
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Thanks N965VJ.... I guess I will move forward, although I will also do a backup. What software did you use for this backup, anything special...?
Sep 9, 2008, 9:25 am
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I use the ThinkVantage backup utility with a Seagate FreeAgent Go external HD. I’m not sure what backup utilities were on older ThinkPads since this is my first one.
Before installing SP3 I did a little Googling to see if I might be asking for trouble and came up with this article. So far, so good!
Before installing SP3 I did a little Googling to see if I might be asking for trouble and came up with this article. So far, so good!
Sep 9, 2008, 11:36 am
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No problems with the update here. And it did do a restore point before updating.
Sep 9, 2008, 12:28 pm
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Regular backups never hurt, and I certainly would take one before applying a major upgrade/update.
Sep 9, 2008, 6:42 pm
#7
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Sep 9, 2008, 6:49 pm
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Sep 9, 2008, 7:02 pm
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One of the first things I do on a Win install is turn off system restore. I don't need the minimal protection that it provides, especially at the expense of the overhead that it adds.
Sep 9, 2008, 8:34 pm
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To me, a backup is a copy of all documents, spreadsheets, mailboxes and files other than programs that need to be "installed" in the Windows sense.
A restore point supposedly remembers the status of all programs that need to be installed, including the operating system.
The idea is that the backed up files simply need to be copied back, but the programs need to be reinstalled.
The two processes are complementary, and one is not a substitute for the other.
I would also make a backup of any installation programs or installers that were downloaded. Everything else needed to reinstall programs is presumably on a CD-ROM or a DVD.
A restore point supposedly remembers the status of all programs that need to be installed, including the operating system.
The idea is that the backed up files simply need to be copied back, but the programs need to be reinstalled.
The two processes are complementary, and one is not a substitute for the other.
I would also make a backup of any installation programs or installers that were downloaded. Everything else needed to reinstall programs is presumably on a CD-ROM or a DVD.
Sep 10, 2008, 7:14 am
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I downloaded it onto my ThinkPad T42 and it really caused many problems. Reverting back to the SP2 operation returned the computer to normal. SP3 works fine with the Dell desktop but see no real improvement.
MisterNice
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Sep 10, 2008, 3:11 pm
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