;Best 100% method of updating to Windows SP3
As all the XP Computer users are being Forcibly Updated to SP3 from 19th May 2009
I want to pass on Tips to get you through the process as painlessly as possible, Including those AMD Processor Machines(which mine was one) which needed Patching otherwise the computer would be sent into a constant "Reset Mode"
Preparation... Do Not Download the SP3 file from Windows Update or Microsoft update !Can be slow and Possibly spotty(Incomplete) Instead use
this Link with a
Download Manager Program. It Indirectly looks at the Microsoft Link and you can make a back up file with the Download Manager ...The other Link ? Its a
"Hit and Hope its complete?" NO Backup File and Very slow!!
The Complete file is
quote:
Size : 316 MB (331,805,736 bytes)
On Disk: 316 MB (331,808,768 bytes)
If you have this File already in Place Right Click on it and select Properties.
If the Numbers don't tally, Delete it!
Next, those AMD Machines (disregard this if you have an Intel Processor) Microsoft have Issued a fix Patch of 498K
KB953356 quote:
Description:
If you have an AMD processor and are considering upgrading to Windows Service Pack 3 (SP3), then it is important that you apply this patch before SP3. Otherwise, your system may possibly get stuck in a loop of reboots that will stop Windows XP from starting.
NOTE Certain Hewlett/Packard(H/P) models have their own Factory patch .Unknown if installing the MS patch above by error will alter matters?
http://tinyurl.com/hp-sp3-fixpatch Next Up Because an Upgrade like this is Very Fussy about what is running while installing and may Produce an error later. You must know what must be shutdown and You cannot do it online Because your Security programs Need to be taken down completely too Antivirus & Firewalls
To do it Manually takes forever, and Windows Task Manager is a Mass of Strange Language
The answer is an Old program called
Enditall from 1999 (size is 396K) for WIN 95/98 and NT(The Forerunner of WIN 2000 and XP) The address is
www.the-old-sea-dog.net/enditall.html SImple Window, Boxes allow you to stop the Processes almost completely or keep an isolated Process running by favoriting it.(Ok for trouble shooting)On this occasion, stop the lot,bar those pre-protected items
Then once you are satisfied, Hit the
" End it all" Button and You'll see many of the Icons by the clock Disappear ...All suspended !
They won't be reactivated until you reset the computer or manually restart them
Did Note the Screensaver was Unaffected By this but Its up to you if you want to stop this as well?
1 final Item and this I only use on Big long Downloads and that is a
Download manager Program There are Several Different Programs I could use, all have their own way of compiling the File
What they do is They are given an address where the MasterFile is Kept then Download it to the computer and reassemble the File within the Manager Program But Until, the File is complete The file size is transmitted first it will not be released to the Computer user until the sums add up So you get all the data Go directly(to the Masterfile) without a download manager there is a small chance that the data is incomplete
Now the clever bits
1- If you have to stop the computer or you have a Crash.This data is Retained and you can restart the download where you left off
2- If there is a slowdown or crash on the Download link the Program will start hunting for a "Mirror" site and get data from that place too .If Nothing is Coming down the Pipeline It Keeps Probing the server/s address on a poor connection and several servers this means getting various bits of the Program from Different places and assembling the program Like a big jigsaw puzzle Thus if you go off one server and onto another Does not mean it will start in the same place It may fill a gap first then continue on ..Thus Each of the Mirrors Looks after the Other
Is a good Idea to check where the Mirrors(if any?) are located (time zone wise) as Some can be quiet or down. while the One local to you is Busy. Same applies to Servers running programs .I Had No Joy on any US Server the other week Doing a check on my connection quality. But there were several European
servers UK? Ditto Busy!
Ended up in Switzerland got a 1st time connection Only 2 time zones ahead of the UK
[b[
Something to try: You do not have to start downloading off the Main server Point at the local Mirror site and the Download manager will switch to any site with the same Information automatically if need be.[/b]
All you have to do is set the Location of the file Start the Program and in no time (About 30 minutes on this 316MB file with a 1MB connection) and ...You can surf at near normal speed while this is running But Hit a video Link then Enter the download or the Clip takes Priority If equal then The obvious result is a slowing of both links!
The Program I like is called
Leechget from
www.leechget.net. I have tried several others and while they are good on their own they have presented problems Download of this program is just 2.57.MB
All you Have to do is copy the Download file link address. Open the Console click File >New download > click " From Clipboard " and Its off and running
There are other Ways available but need practice..
And The Pay version of the Program opens up more channels (you get 3 on the Free version) More channels Mean you can download a couple of Programs together But the BB connection Speed will rule what is allowed in and slow down things .Personally I'm Happy with what I have
-----------------------------------------------
Action Time This is the Order that that the Update
must be installed with the Programs and Patches mentioned
In the Section above
If you have already got the Program then Use it when it says so.
4 - Download and install the Download manager of your Choice, also download/install
Enditall to see How the buttons work on a dummy run if you like(quite safe)
5 - Next Download the
AMD Fix Patch Or the
H/P AMD fix Patch(if applicable?) DO NOT OPEN YET!
6- NOW Download the SP3 Update using the Download Manager
6a- Copy the Download web address and Paste it into the Download Manager Console/box as a New
Download and Click the OK or whatever Button to start the wizard
6b-You'll notice that there'll be a box Showing the Speed of the Link and How long to finish 90 to 125kbps is good Lower than 90 means its a poor connection .And If there is an option to Open up More "streams"
Try it? On my Leechget program I have just 3 which is adequate. Go to the pay version can take it to I think 20? But I only Use Leechget for 1-off Downloads not 7 days a week Mega downloads
As I say suits my Purposes.
7 The Download will take about 30-40 Minutes Depending on Connection speed and you can surf while this is running in the Background
Avoid using a streaming Web link as this will slow the speed down to dial-up Levels at best (50kbps) The other link won't work good either
They fight for Priority! You can wait for a short while?
7a- Move the Files if they are in different folders into a single New? Folder to help expedite things
8 - Now Go offline
---------------------------------------------
9 - Now open and run the Enditall Program .You'll Note nearly all the icons Next to the Clock are removed
9a - Now run the AMD Patch if you Have this type of processor Otherwise skip this step and go to #10
9b- If there is a Message shown to reset the computer Do It To be on the safe side and run Enditall again and go to #10
10 - Now the Big one ...Click on the SP3 Folder labeled
windowsxp-kb936929-sp3-x86-enu.... and the wizard will Start It will scan 100's of files.and install new files. Time taken on My computer was about 40 minutes So allow about ¾ of an Hour for it to complete
10a It completes, Message comes up asking for a reset. Do it!
----------------------------------------------
Moment of truth..My Observations... 11 - Computer restarts but Very slowly, in My case Flashed up a 2nd strange Windows XP screen which Hung for a while before opening onto the XP Desktop, and the Icons were very slow to appear
also a Pair of Black "DOS Prompt" Boxes appeared on this computer. Just close them
Be Patient! Only Odd thing I Noted was the Startup List needs re-editing Some blocked items were showing again
12 - I ran CCleaner on the Registry Cleaner and It found a Lot of Items to go ,also now said I had SP3 on the Landing page
13 It was Patch Tuesday on the day I did this I wondered how many patches MS would throw in my direction The forecast was for 2 ...I got those earlier and at closedown I got a further 21!
Epilog: I was One of the Biggest apprehensive wall sitters on this Issue with the AMD Processors and SP3 But I hung on until I got the Best Information and as luck would have it Things are running as smooth as ever
On the Minus side I think several games will not be playable with this machine ! This is the Only message board getting the Full Patch locations and Workarounds In One Topic (Now in the right order) And You'll have Backup files to pass on or update other Computers
-----------------------------------------------
TIP I have Made a Folder within the My Document Box I have Entitled
Saved Downloads & Backups and all New Downloads are Pointed to that folder Odd one goes astray and Currently the total stands at 880 MB / 59 Files and was created on the First day I ran this Computer 21 October 2007 and all old files are consigned to the Recycle Bin if a [
stable update[/b] is available <---- NOTE!
Can always reuse the old Version if the Newer version is Buggy (And it still Happens!
) I trawl Updates religiously looking for Improvements and also for Unstable Version alerts.
I'm coming up to 10 years Surfing later in the year and put it this way , there still is as many Bad Versions Out there as opposed to good versions The amount of homemade programs is on the way down sharply .I think we have to be as vigilant as ever and Be there to alert everyone if there is something Good /Bad Useful or Useless
Best example I can cite is Avast! (The Anti Virus Program ) When that first arrived That was frowned on By the Computing Magazine columnists)for being similar to
Ad-Aware and Not very good
But as you know these days Ad-Aware and Avast! Have nothing in Common. Ad Aware Version 7 Was unstable Lost a lot of Fans (Latest version (#8)is a Total rewrite) The Long term surfers have switched to a Spywareblaster/Avast! set up and with the Rise of Broadband still looking for Value Many Surfers including me have switched to COMODO Firewall And they are all Free,reliable(and NOT Bloated)
Norton ,McAfee Software suites They can leave you tied
Updates can run out and You must Pay to Update or renew the Security update service !!
I had Norton Works In the early days and somehow its A/V signatures got out and Wrecked Windows
(this was before We started surfing) Had to Reformat the Hard drive and reload Windows!
PS The Early Versions of AdAware Could also do something similar if the Quarantine folder was not emptied in a certain way Had a few Crashes off this Program
For the Record My last bad Crash was due to McAfee Personal Firewall(ex 2004) getting Old (never updated) Just could not cope with some recent Programs and Incoming data. So, It did the only logical thing It blocked them, My BBconnection,and Many other things too! Took me better than 2 weeks to root the cause out Found eventually with Windows Task Manager (2nd crash in early December 2008 was unrecoverable) Have Switched to COMODO which is Updateable .Bit Fussy on auto Updating installing Files but its No Big thing. I just reply "Yes" if I know its a Good Update
AnswerPool.com 
