Beware when installing Windows XP SP3

[John Raabe]

SP3 (Service pack 3) is the big new update of the aging Windows XP operating system. Users report that things are a bit snappier when this new tweak is running properly.

But be forewarned - have tested backups and keep your fingers crossed. Like all recent MS software there are problems. My HP desktop running XP Media Center was completely trashed down to the blinking light in the upper corner of a black screen - couldn't even get to the BIOS! Only too late did I find out there was a critical bug fix to my backup software (the unpatched backup failed to restore).

So I've pulled an all-nighter and will probably be rebuilding things for days.

Here is the MS Release notes about the problems you can expect.
http://download.microsoft.com/download/c/d/8/cd8cc719-7d5a-40d3-a802-e4057aa8c631/relnotes.htm

Even installing all the SP2 updates will not make SP3 run on my HP. I have had to uninstall it reload XP from the HP restore partition and reload and restore all my programs. What a mess! Can we trust Microsoft to build anything that is stable anymore??? Vista? IE7?

[desdawg]

Sounds like a mess John. My laptop came loaded with Windows Vista and I recently bought a desktop with the same operating system. I had to update Quickbooks and my old version of Microsoft Office (97) wouldn't run in it. I have been feeling pretty technologically challenged as it's not my thing at all. I like to just use it and have it work and be familiar. I guess all of the new features and new look are great for someone who uses it to earn a living but that doesn't describe me. To me it is just another tool in the toolbox.

[mvk]

You know your a Luddite when   Wonder why John put something about windows in the Rants

Mike

[John Raabe]

Perhaps Microsoft has evolved as natures way of telling us we aren't as smart as we think we are.

[peternap]

I feel for you John. When I bought this laptop, I spent weeks for a computer that had XP. No Luck. The first week, a full wipe and reload. I'm getting better at stabilizing it by taking out the useless frills out, but what a pain.

MICROSOFT spells UNSTABLE!

[glenn kangiser]

I think I turned off automatic updates and the thing that caused the most trouble ever with my computer was a Microsoft automatic update program wuauclt.  It took me months to find and delete to get my computer to run.