Question regarding Service Pack 3 install . . .

I will soon be installing some new Audio Recording software (Cubase 5) and it
wants to see the current Service Pack installed. Because My computer was
intentionally never connected to the internet after 1-20-04 I'm led to
believe that I may not have all XP Service pack 1 updates.
When I go to Start/Run - type in "winver" hit "Enter" the second line of
info is as follows -- Version 5.1 (Build 2600.xpsp1.020828-1920: Service Pack
1)
Can I go ahead and install S/P 2 from CD even though I may not have all of
the S/P 1 updates ?
After I install S/P 2 from CD I will be installing S/P 3 from CD.
From what I see on the Microsoft site both S/P 2 and S/P 3 CD's can be
ordered.
Windows says: "To install SP3, either Windows XP Service Pack 1a (SP1a) or
Windows XP Service Pack 2 (SP2) must already be installed." though I don't
see anything that says all of S/P 1 must be installed before you install S/P
2.

Thank you in advance!

Steve Mooney wrote:
> I will soon be installing some new Audio Recording software (Cubase
> 5) and it wants to see the current Service Pack installed. Because
> My computer was intentionally never connected to the internet after
> 1-20-04 I'm led to believe that I may not have all XP Service pack
> 1 updates.
> When I go to Start/Run - type in "winver" hit "Enter" the second
> line of info is as follows -- Version 5.1 (Build
> 2600.xpsp1.020828-1920: Service Pack 1)
> Can I go ahead and install S/P 2 from CD even though I may not have
> all of the S/P 1 updates ?
> After I install S/P 2 from CD I will be installing S/P 3 from CD.
> From what I see on the Microsoft site both S/P 2 and S/P 3 CD's can
> be ordered.
> Windows says: "To install SP3, either Windows XP Service Pack 1a
> (SP1a) or Windows XP Service Pack 2 (SP2) must already be
> installed." though I don't see anything that says all of S/P 1
> must be installed before you install S/P 2.

You *may* be able to just install SP3 straight away.

I would try that first.

With proper preparation - you are unlikely to have problems - and if you
have been performing proper maintenance all along - even if you do - you are
only out a short period of time (restoring from the backup/drive image you
made wisely before diving in...)

A place to get FREE support for SP3 installation issues *from Microsoft*...
http://support.microsoft.com/oas/def...3&gprid=522131

WinXP SP3 - Read all prerequisites for a successful installation
http://msmvps.com/blogs/harrywaldron...tallation.aspx

Steps to take before you install Windows XP Service Pack 3
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/950717

Suggestions:

1) Download the full SP3 installation file and/or burn the ISO download to
CD.
2) Ensure (as well as plausible) you have no spyware/malware by doing a full
scan with SuperAntiSpyware and MalwareBytes.
3) CHKDSK
4) Defragment
5) Ensure your hardware drivers are up to date (from the hardware
manufacturer's respective web pages.)
6) Reboot right before you try to install SP3.
7) Disconnect from the internet before installing (physically.)
8) Disable your antivirus and antispyware applications when you are about to
install SP3.

Some (if not all) of that is covered in the above links.

Other than "Automatic Updates" or the Windows Update web page - how can you
get SP3?

Windows XP Service Pack 3 - ISO-9660 CD Image File
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/d...DisplayLang=en

Windows XP Service Pack 3 Network Installation Package for
IT Professionals and Developers (works just as well for you.)
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/d...displaylang=en

--
Shenan Stanley
MS-MVP
--
How To Ask Questions The Smart Way
http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html

Replies inline
"Steve Mooney" <extradave@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:AFDE354E-D682-4331-B2EE-BF6CFE62BD35@microsoft.com...
>I will soon be installing some new Audio Recording software (Cubase 5) and
>it
> wants to see the current Service Pack installed. Because My computer was
> intentionally never connected to the internet after 1-20-04 I'm led to
> believe that I may not have all XP Service pack 1 updates.
> When I go to Start/Run - type in "winver" hit "Enter" the second line of
> info is as follows -- Version 5.1 (Build 2600.xpsp1.020828-1920: Service
> Pack
> 1)
> Can I go ahead and install S/P 2 from CD even though I may not have all of
> the S/P 1 updates ?
Yes, but make certain that your computer is ready for SP2. There is a Help
& Support article which discusses this issue.

You should also insure that your computer is ready for SP3 as well.

Note well, your computer must be free of malware.
> After I install S/P 2 from CD I will be installing S/P 3 from CD.
> From what I see on the Microsoft site both S/P 2 and S/P 3 CD's can be
> ordered.
> Windows says: "To install SP3, either Windows XP Service Pack 1a (SP1a)
> or
> Windows XP Service Pack 2 (SP2) must already be installed." though I
> don't
> see anything that says all of S/P 1 must be installed before you install
> S/P
> 2.
>
> Thank you in advance!
>
That is correct, the SP2 update can be installed on the XP "Gold" version,
but the SP3 will not.

Jim

Thanks Guys ! Regarding making sure the computer is free of Malware before
installing Service Packs my guess is that it must be because I reformatted
the hard drive and reinstalled XP on 1-20-04. Since then the computer has
never been connected to the internet. I had heard somewhere that certain
viruses or other could survive a reformat/reinstall but I don't know if
that's true or not.

"Jim" wrote:

> Replies inline
> "Steve Mooney" <extradave@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:AFDE354E-D682-4331-B2EE-BF6CFE62BD35@microsoft.com...
> >I will soon be installing some new Audio Recording software (Cubase 5) and
> >it
> > wants to see the current Service Pack installed. Because My computer was
> > intentionally never connected to the internet after 1-20-04 I'm led to
> > believe that I may not have all XP Service pack 1 updates.
> > When I go to Start/Run - type in "winver" hit "Enter" the second line of
> > info is as follows -- Version 5.1 (Build 2600.xpsp1.020828-1920: Service
> > Pack
> > 1)
> > Can I go ahead and install S/P 2 from CD even though I may not have all of
> > the S/P 1 updates ?
> Yes, but make certain that your computer is ready for SP2. There is a Help
> & Support article which discusses this issue.
>
> You should also insure that your computer is ready for SP3 as well.
>
> Note well, your computer must be free of malware.
> > After I install S/P 2 from CD I will be installing S/P 3 from CD.
> > From what I see on the Microsoft site both S/P 2 and S/P 3 CD's can be
> > ordered.
> > Windows says: "To install SP3, either Windows XP Service Pack 1a (SP1a)
> > or
> > Windows XP Service Pack 2 (SP2) must already be installed." though I
> > don't
> > see anything that says all of S/P 1 must be installed before you install
> > S/P
> > 2.
> >
> > Thank you in advance!
> >
> That is correct, the SP2 update can be installed on the XP "Gold" version,
> but the SP3 will not.
>
> Jim
>
>
>
>

HOW TO get a computer running WinXP SP1 fully patched
http://groups.google.com/group/micro...66ae41add7dd2b

HOW TO get a computer running WinXP Gold (no Service Packs) fully patched
http://groups.google.com/group/micro...5afa8ed33e121c
--
~Robear Dyer (PA Bear)
MS MVP-IE, Mail, Security, Windows Desktop Experience - since 2002
AumHa VSOP & Admin http://aumha.net
DTS-L http://dts-l.net/


Steve Mooney wrote:
> I will soon be installing some new Audio Recording software (Cubase 5) and
> it wants to see the current Service Pack installed. Because My computer
> was
> intentionally never connected to the internet after 1-20-04 I'm led to
> believe that I may not have all XP Service pack 1 updates.
> When I go to Start/Run - type in "winver" hit "Enter" the second line of
> info is as follows -- Version 5.1 (Build 2600.xpsp1.020828-1920: Service
> Pack 1)
> Can I go ahead and install S/P 2 from CD even though I may not have all of
> the S/P 1 updates ?
> After I install S/P 2 from CD I will be installing S/P 3 from CD.
> From what I see on the Microsoft site both S/P 2 and S/P 3 CD's can be
> ordered.
> Windows says: "To install SP3, either Windows XP Service Pack 1a (SP1a)
> or
> Windows XP Service Pack 2 (SP2) must already be installed." though I
> don't
> see anything that says all of S/P 1 must be installed before you install
> S/P
> 2.
>
> Thank you in advance!

Thank you PA Bear but wouldn't this require me to connect the computer to the
internet?
I was planning to install SP2 and SP3 from CD in order to continue to keep
it off the internet.

"PA Bear [MS MVP]" wrote:

> HOW TO get a computer running WinXP SP1 fully patched
> http://groups.google.com/group/micro...66ae41add7dd2b
>
> HOW TO get a computer running WinXP Gold (no Service Packs) fully patched
> http://groups.google.com/group/micro...5afa8ed33e121c
> --
> ~Robear Dyer (PA Bear)
> MS MVP-IE, Mail, Security, Windows Desktop Experience - since 2002
> AumHa VSOP & Admin http://aumha.net
> DTS-L http://dts-l.net/
>
>
> Steve Mooney wrote:
> > I will soon be installing some new Audio Recording software (Cubase 5) and
> > it wants to see the current Service Pack installed. Because My computer
> > was
> > intentionally never connected to the internet after 1-20-04 I'm led to
> > believe that I may not have all XP Service pack 1 updates.
> > When I go to Start/Run - type in "winver" hit "Enter" the second line of
> > info is as follows -- Version 5.1 (Build 2600.xpsp1.020828-1920: Service
> > Pack 1)
> > Can I go ahead and install S/P 2 from CD even though I may not have all of
> > the S/P 1 updates ?
> > After I install S/P 2 from CD I will be installing S/P 3 from CD.
> > From what I see on the Microsoft site both S/P 2 and S/P 3 CD's can be
> > ordered.
> > Windows says: "To install SP3, either Windows XP Service Pack 1a (SP1a)
> > or
> > Windows XP Service Pack 2 (SP2) must already be installed." though I
> > don't
> > see anything that says all of S/P 1 must be installed before you install
> > S/P
> > 2.
> >
> > Thank you in advance!
>
>

Since you're running WinXP SP1 (which I overlooked earlier), you can skip
SP2 entirely and install SP3 via CD. You can use the appropriate link under
"Order Windows XP Service Pack 3 on a CD" at
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/322389 or you can download WinXP SP3 from
the Download Center using another computer & then burn it to use on the
target computer.

Please note that WinXP SP3 was released in May 2008 and any CD you use will
NOT include any critical security updates released on or after 10 June 2008.
--
~PA Bear


Steve Mooney wrote:
> Thank you PA Bear but wouldn't this require me to connect the computer to
> the internet?
> I was planning to install SP2 and SP3 from CD in order to continue to keep
> it off the internet.
>
> "PA Bear [MS MVP]" wrote:
>> HOW TO get a computer running WinXP SP1 fully patched
>> http://groups.google.com/group/micro...66ae41add7dd2b
>>
>> HOW TO get a computer running WinXP Gold (no Service Packs) fully patched
>> http://groups.google.com/group/micro...5afa8ed33e121c
>> --
>> ~Robear Dyer (PA Bear)
>> MS MVP-IE, Mail, Security, Windows Desktop Experience - since 2002
>> AumHa VSOP & Admin http://aumha.net
>> DTS-L http://dts-l.net/
>>
>>
>> Steve Mooney wrote:
>>> I will soon be installing some new Audio Recording software (Cubase 5)
>>> and
>>> it wants to see the current Service Pack installed. Because My computer
>>> was
>>> intentionally never connected to the internet after 1-20-04 I'm led to
>>> believe that I may not have all XP Service pack 1 updates.
>>> When I go to Start/Run - type in "winver" hit "Enter" the second line of
>>> info is as follows -- Version 5.1 (Build 2600.xpsp1.020828-1920: Service
>>> Pack 1)
>>> Can I go ahead and install S/P 2 from CD even though I may not have all
>>> of
>>> the S/P 1 updates ?
>>> After I install S/P 2 from CD I will be installing S/P 3 from CD.
>>> From what I see on the Microsoft site both S/P 2 and S/P 3 CD's can be
>>> ordered.
>>> Windows says: "To install SP3, either Windows XP Service Pack 1a (SP1a)
>>> or
>>> Windows XP Service Pack 2 (SP2) must already be installed." though I
>>> don't
>>> see anything that says all of S/P 1 must be installed before you install
>>> S/P
>>> 2.
>>>
>>> Thank you in advance!

Thanks again PA Bear. I'll simply download it instead and burn it. I had been
assuming that by downloading it, it would simply install itself on the host
computer . . .

"PA Bear [MS MVP]" wrote:

> Since you're running WinXP SP1 (which I overlooked earlier), you can skip
> SP2 entirely and install SP3 via CD. You can use the appropriate link under
> "Order Windows XP Service Pack 3 on a CD" at
> http://support.microsoft.com/kb/322389 or you can download WinXP SP3 from
> the Download Center using another computer & then burn it to use on the
> target computer.
>
> Please note that WinXP SP3 was released in May 2008 and any CD you use will
> NOT include any critical security updates released on or after 10 June 2008.
> --
> ~PA Bear
>
>
> Steve Mooney wrote:
> > Thank you PA Bear but wouldn't this require me to connect the computer to
> > the internet?
> > I was planning to install SP2 and SP3 from CD in order to continue to keep
> > it off the internet.
> >
> > "PA Bear [MS MVP]" wrote:
> >> HOW TO get a computer running WinXP SP1 fully patched
> >> http://groups.google.com/group/micro...66ae41add7dd2b
> >>
> >> HOW TO get a computer running WinXP Gold (no Service Packs) fully patched
> >> http://groups.google.com/group/micro...5afa8ed33e121c
> >> --
> >> ~Robear Dyer (PA Bear)
> >> MS MVP-IE, Mail, Security, Windows Desktop Experience - since 2002
> >> AumHa VSOP & Admin http://aumha.net
> >> DTS-L http://dts-l.net/
> >>
> >>
> >> Steve Mooney wrote:
> >>> I will soon be installing some new Audio Recording software (Cubase 5)
> >>> and
> >>> it wants to see the current Service Pack installed. Because My computer
> >>> was
> >>> intentionally never connected to the internet after 1-20-04 I'm led to
> >>> believe that I may not have all XP Service pack 1 updates.
> >>> When I go to Start/Run - type in "winver" hit "Enter" the second line of
> >>> info is as follows -- Version 5.1 (Build 2600.xpsp1.020828-1920: Service
> >>> Pack 1)
> >>> Can I go ahead and install S/P 2 from CD even though I may not have all
> >>> of
> >>> the S/P 1 updates ?
> >>> After I install S/P 2 from CD I will be installing S/P 3 from CD.
> >>> From what I see on the Microsoft site both S/P 2 and S/P 3 CD's can be
> >>> ordered.
> >>> Windows says: "To install SP3, either Windows XP Service Pack 1a (SP1a)
> >>> or
> >>> Windows XP Service Pack 2 (SP2) must already be installed." though I
> >>> don't
> >>> see anything that says all of S/P 1 must be installed before you install
> >>> S/P
> >>> 2.
> >>>
> >>> Thank you in advance!
>
>

PA Bear. At the Download Center I found the following: "Windows XP Service
Pack 3 - ISO-9660 CD Image File" at this address --
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/d...0-fe22559d164e
Just to be sure I didn't miss something I'm checking with you first . . .

"Steve Mooney" wrote:

> Thanks again PA Bear. I'll simply download it instead and burn it. I had been
> assuming that by downloading it, it would simply install itself on the host
> computer . . .
>
> "PA Bear [MS MVP]" wrote:
>
> > Since you're running WinXP SP1 (which I overlooked earlier), you can skip
> > SP2 entirely and install SP3 via CD. You can use the appropriate link under
> > "Order Windows XP Service Pack 3 on a CD" at
> > http://support.microsoft.com/kb/322389 or you can download WinXP SP3 from
> > the Download Center using another computer & then burn it to use on the
> > target computer.
> >
> > Please note that WinXP SP3 was released in May 2008 and any CD you use will
> > NOT include any critical security updates released on or after 10 June 2008.
> > --
> > ~PA Bear
> >
> >
> > Steve Mooney wrote:
> > > Thank you PA Bear but wouldn't this require me to connect the computer to
> > > the internet?
> > > I was planning to install SP2 and SP3 from CD in order to continue to keep
> > > it off the internet.
> > >
> > > "PA Bear [MS MVP]" wrote:
> > >> HOW TO get a computer running WinXP SP1 fully patched
> > >> http://groups.google.com/group/micro...66ae41add7dd2b
> > >>
> > >> HOW TO get a computer running WinXP Gold (no Service Packs) fully patched
> > >> http://groups.google.com/group/micro...5afa8ed33e121c
> > >> --
> > >> ~Robear Dyer (PA Bear)
> > >> MS MVP-IE, Mail, Security, Windows Desktop Experience - since 2002
> > >> AumHa VSOP & Admin http://aumha.net
> > >> DTS-L http://dts-l.net/
> > >>
> > >>
> > >> Steve Mooney wrote:
> > >>> I will soon be installing some new Audio Recording software (Cubase 5)
> > >>> and
> > >>> it wants to see the current Service Pack installed. Because My computer
> > >>> was
> > >>> intentionally never connected to the internet after 1-20-04 I'm led to
> > >>> believe that I may not have all XP Service pack 1 updates.
> > >>> When I go to Start/Run - type in "winver" hit "Enter" the second line of
> > >>> info is as follows -- Version 5.1 (Build 2600.xpsp1.020828-1920: Service
> > >>> Pack 1)
> > >>> Can I go ahead and install S/P 2 from CD even though I may not have all
> > >>> of
> > >>> the S/P 1 updates ?
> > >>> After I install S/P 2 from CD I will be installing S/P 3 from CD.
> > >>> From what I see on the Microsoft site both S/P 2 and S/P 3 CD's can be
> > >>> ordered.
> > >>> Windows says: "To install SP3, either Windows XP Service Pack 1a (SP1a)
> > >>> or
> > >>> Windows XP Service Pack 2 (SP2) must already be installed." though I
> > >>> don't
> > >>> see anything that says all of S/P 1 must be installed before you install
> > >>> S/P
> > >>> 2.
> > >>>
> > >>> Thank you in advance!
> >
> >

Steve Mooney wrote:
> PA Bear. At the Download Center I found the following: "Windows XP
> Service Pack 3 - ISO-9660 CD Image File" at this address --
> http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/d...0-fe22559d164e
> Just to be sure I didn't miss something I'm checking with you first
> . . .

Do not make this more difficult than it needs to be.

If you would like to download and burn a CD that will help you install
Service Pack 3 for Windows XP on multiple computers (or even just one)
through a friendlier interface (if you have autoplay turned on the CD
drives - it will just automatically run and step you through the process, if
you don't have autoplay turned on, you double-click on the CD drive in My
Computer after putting in the CD and it will start something that will walk
you through the install) you would get the ISO image file, create a CD from
it (you burn the image to CD, not the file that *is* the image...) and use
the CD.

Windows XP Service Pack 3 - ISO-9660 CD Image File
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/d...DisplayLang=en

(Use something like ISORecorder to record this to CD if you have a CD burner
and blank CD.)

If you just want a large executable you can take to one computer or another,
copy it to the desktop or hard drive someplace and run to install Windows
XP - you get the IT Professionals version...

Windows XP Service Pack 3 Network Installation Package for
IT Professionals and Developers (works just as well for you.)
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/d...displaylang=en

--
Shenan Stanley
MS-MVP
--
How To Ask Questions The Smart Way
http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html