Upgrade to Windows XP SP3 - Comments Page 1

May 9, 2008 (Computerworld) Installing Windows XP Service Pack 3 sends some PCs into an endless series of reboots, according to posts to a Microsoft support forum.

Jesper Johansson, a former program manager for security policy at Microsoft Corp. and a prominent Windows blogger, has worked with users to tentatively identify the problem as involving only machines using processors from Advanced Micro Devices Inc.

Johansson also spelled out workarounds for the problems on his blog. See http://msinfluentials.com/blogs/jesper/

I installed Service XP Pack 3 from Microsoft Windows upgrade web site. The computer would only work in Safe Mode. Using that I was able to able to do a system restore from a couple of days ago. Now the computer works again.

I installed windows Service Pack 3 from Microsoft Windows upgrade from web site and had no problems,it took about forty five minutes connecting with DSL.If you use a dial up it would take a real long time.

Hi Bob. I upgraded to Windows XP SP3 without any problems. I have not however noticed any difference. I upgraded using Administrative options to download SP3 from the Windows catalogue so that I could keep a copy of SP3 to slipstream.

When upgrading to SP3 or any major updates, users should download the update and before installing they should turn off their firewall, antivirus and any spyware detectors. I go even further than this by turning off as many Services as I think can safely be turned off and also by opening Windows Task Manager and ending as many programs and processes as I think can safely be ended. There do not seem to be many problems updating this way. Care needs to be taken when turning off Services or Processes. However, even turning of vital Services or Processes will still run again on reboot therefore no lasting damage will be done.

I downloaded the full version and installed it on my XP Pro computer and have had absolutely no problems since the installation.

Bob, I installed XP SP3 with not problems whatsoever and I did notice that the performance was noticeably better. Have no way of testing how much but it is noticeable. Have always kept up with installs of service updates and the only real trouble I had was with net framework patch that kept indicating it had not installed even though it had. Set it to do not install and have not heard from it again. For me SP3 wa a good package.

I have a PC with an AMD processor and the SP3 sends the machine into a series of reboots. I had to uninstall the SP3 to get my machine to work.

Hi! I just installed XP SP3 on my HP 1350n, with an AMD Processor. It had XP Media Center installed. Well, after the initial reboot, I got another reboot, then another, then another. I started XP in "Safe Mode". It took about 10 minutes to load!! I'm doing a System Restore right now and am about 12 minutes into the process. I hope I get my PC back!??

Hi Bob, I downloaded xp sp3 two days ago. It was very simple to download, but then the problem started. My email in outlook express disappeared. Three times I talked to Netvision support,but to no avail. They could not help me and said to contact microsoft. Of course, Friday Microsoft is closed.
Finally, I did a "system restore" and now I have my email back with good old SP2.
It was a terrible experience. No more experiments for me.

I just installed Ubuntu on a machine that the user installed SP3 on. His machine would not complete the boot process after installing SP3. To tell the truth, I think that his Windows version was pirated but I'm not sure. I installed Ubuntu 8.04, and didn't even tell him it's not Windows. It's been a full day now, and so far no complaints. He was already using Firefox but I was expecting to hear complaints about Open Office. No complaints yet, but it is still early.