SP2 before or after registry clean up?

When you say junk do you mean spyware and viruses and that sort of thing?

If thats the case you should make sure your system is as clean as possible run the spyware programs clean out your registry and run your antivirus.

SP2 has issues with the above when installing.

Check out this site for further infoemation.

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=fh;ln;xpsp2getinstall

Good luck

either way is fine imho. betcha sp2 does some registry cleanup on it's own. fwiw, if i choose to run a registry cleaner (i use registry healer) i do it last then i back up the registry

By junk, I mean registry entries that no longer align w/programs, maybe some entries from a few yrs. of internet usage, etc. I use Adaware, Spybot S&D, & NAV on a regular basis, also have installed MS Updates, w/exception of SP2. This O/S is a 98SE upgrade to WinXP Pro, 450Mhz, 256 Ram, OK for email & surfing, & Office Suite, MS Project, etc. Just want to clean it up so it runs faster. Used to compile some Java & .Net on it, but uninstalled those, & some registry entries probably still remain.

I'd recommend running it before the SP2 install. SP2 is almost a whole new OS, and the cleaner your system before install, the better. My company has done many SP2 installs, with only one or two failures, but we make it a policy to clean up the computer as much as possible before install.

I pretty much agree with the previous post. My update procedure is as follows:

1. Removal of any 'unnecessary' software. Especially internet junk. (games, Internet Explorer add on toolbars, Search Assistants, etc....)
2. Complete "Safe Mode" scan with updated anti-virus software and a spyware remover.
3. Boot normally. Remove all Temp files, temporary internet files, and empty Recycle Bin.(Disk Cleanup utility is good for this)
Run the Registry cleanup utility. DON'T delete any entries that you are unsure of or don't know what they are. Take your time going through them.
4. Defrag the hard drive.
5. Unplug all peripherals except for the basics.(mouse, keyboard, monitor)
6. Run the Service Pack install
7. After installation; plug in peripherals one at a time, making sure each one works before plugging in the next.

I have never advocated the use of registry cleaners. I have never found them necessary, and in some cases they actually caused problems. Many of the items cleaned are "so what items," for example items in the MRU lists that no longer exist. I have updated many PCs to SP2, some relative new, maybe a month old, and others older, a couple years. I never had a problem. I do recommend virus and spyware checks before the update.

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