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HELP for installing XP SP3 without crashing PC?

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13 replies

by rjmanzuk

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Can you provide a link to assistance in downloading and installing operating system XP Service Pack 3 to my PC? I've tried now through your downloads, and directly from Microsoft, and both cause the PC to crash (resulting in my having to throw the switch to shut it down, and to revert through System Restore to an earlier setup). I cannot find a HELP link with suggestions.
Thx,
Bob

13 replies

by grey hat geek

I read about that happening on OEM Hewlett Packard and AMD chipset platforms. Do you have either of these?

by rjmanzuk

Nope. I have a Dell XPS (ironically, huh?) in which an Intel CPU is installed.

by rjmanzuk

Thanks. Tried the CD approach, with exactly the same results. CRASH!!!
Just how important IS this SP3 anyway?

by thechas

You might try running the install with some of the switches set. See this discussion link where a peer posted the different switches that are available.

http://tinyurl.com/5s8peo

Chas

by rjmanzuk

Couldn't hook up to that particular link. Might you have another? or, a copy of the list you can embed in a message? Thank you for your efforts.

by rjmanzuk

Same results with that edition; but thanks.
Sure wish LINUX supported more applications I use. I'd leap to that in a minute.

by nepenthe0

Computers can crash for reasons unrelated to the operating system. Known hardware issues include:

1) overclocked CPU
2) overheated CPU
3) insufficient installed memory

The list of software issues is legion, and I cannot begin to advise you regarding this. That said, I recommend the following before you commence a serious hardware investigation:

1) Backup data files to external HD or USB flash drive.

2) Run Files and Settings Transfer Wizard, and save this invaluable folder to ext HD or USB flash drive.

3) Format the HD (NTFS).

4) Do a [i]clean[/i] install of XP SP2.

5) Reinstall applications.

6) Restore data files.

7) Run the Files Settings Transfer Wizard in reverse to restore your OS configuration.

8) Install and run [b]CCleaner[/b] (free):

http://www.ccleaner.com/

9) Install and run [b]Defraggler[/b] (free):

http://www.defraggler.com/

10) Save this HD configuration as an [i]image[/i] to an external HD with Norton Ghost:

http://www.symantec.com/norton/products/overview.jsp?pcid=br&pvid=ghost14

11) Install XP SP3.

If this works, problem resolved. If your system still crashes with XP SP3, you can recover the [i]image[/i] from backup using the Ghost disk, recovering your HD in <20 minutes (Ghost overwrites the HD at 1-2GB/min).

Good luck.

Rick/Portland, OR

by rjmanzuk

REALLY do appreciate the time and effort it must have taken to provide such a thoughtful reply. I think that for SP3 I will not risk a HD reformat, though. I WILL save the list for the next worthwhile H/W issue I enounter, if that is what this is (I sincerely doubt it, given the hard work my CPU does daily operating my flight simulators endlessly).
Thank you,
Bob

by cg it

and many companies are not going to install it until Microsoft fixes whatever causes the problem.

here's one such article on it.

http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2704,2302371,00.asp

here's one fix from Jasper's blog:

http://msinfluentials.com/blogs/jesper/archive/2008/05/08/does-your-amd-based-computer-boot-after-installing-xp-sp3.aspx

From what I understand, it's AMD based computers that have the problem and its mostly those that are from HP where HP uses the same OEM image for Intel as for AMD based computers.

by rjmanzuk

Really appreciate this link. If I ever have to FIX the problem, I'll employ some of the techniques identified. At the moment? I'm going to live with it. Fixing broken OS updates is not the way I want to spend my few remaining years on this earth.

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