| From | Bruce Cyr |
|---|---|
| Posted | 2004-11-04 19:40:32 UTC ago |
| Subject | {OFF TOPIC} Pogue's Column on Installing WXP SP2 |
Its available at:
http://www.nytimes.com/packages/html/technology/circuits.html
but since access is by subscription only and since he requests that it
be widely shared, I've taken the liberty of reproducing the gist of it
here FWIW. As you can see, he was able to get better access to hands on
help that most of us:
I regret the number of people who wrote to report that SP2 "broke" their
computers. They reported everything from programs that no longer work to
PC's that won't even start up. When you're talking about 200 million
customers, even half a percent of fouled-up installations is a heck of a
lot of unhappy campers.
These horror stories leave a lot of people in an upsetting bind. They're
afraid to install SP2 because they've heard of the potential for
problems, yet they're afraid to leave their computers unprotected by its
advances.
I spent more time on today's e-mail newsletter than any I've ever
written. It's a step-by-step prep guide for a problem-free SP2
installation. I wrote it up with the assistance of Windows experts,
Windows book authors and, for final verification, Microsoft's own
Service Pack 2 product manager.
Following these steps makes the upgrade take longer, but will greatly
reduce the likelihood that you'll run into trouble with SP2. Clip, save
and pass around.
Seven Steps to a Smooth Service Pack 2 Installation
The best way to avoid problems is to be slow and methodical BEFORE you
install SP2. Proceed through this checklist with all the care of an
archaeologist unearthing a skeleton.
Step 1: Check your hard drive for free space
You need at least 500 megabytes of free space, or SP2 won't even
install. (For the speediest installation, defragment your hard drive
first, if you know what that means.)
Step 2: Remove spyware
Spyware (software that you don't realize you have because it piggybacked
on something else you downloaded, like Kazaa) can gum up the works of an
SP2 installation. Scan your hard drive using a free program like
Ad-Aware (www.lavasoftusa.com) or Spybot Search & Destroy
(www.safer-networking.org) to make sure your PC is free of these
programs.
Step 3: Uninstall your virus and firewall programs
Installing Service Pack 2 on top of outdated utilities can produce two
different unpleasant side effects. First, the new Security Center
doesn't recognize older versions of these programs. Second, your PC
might not even be able to start up after the installation - which is,
you have to admit, something of a drawback. (Later, after the
installation, put your virus and firewall programs back - updated
versions, if possible - one at a time.)
Step 4: Visit the Web page of your PC manufacturer
Search for information regarding SP2. It may turn out that your PC won't
work with Service Pack 2 unless you first update your BIOS (the built-in
software that controls your keyboard, screen, disk drives,
communications, and so on). In that case, you would find, at
www.dell.com or www.gateway.com (for example), a BIOS updater program
that you're supposed to download and run.
Step 5: Back up your stuff.
If you can back up your entire hard drive, do so; but at the very least,
make safety copies of your photos, email, music, documents, and so on.
Think of it this way: Your PC is going in for brain surgery.
Step 6: Visit the Windows Update Web site
A preliminary visit to www.windowsupdate.com is an important
prerequisite. This Web site will actually interactively inspect your PC
to see what condition your copy of Windows is in. If you're missing
pieces, they'll be filled in for you - an important step before the big
Service Pack 2 installation.
Click the Express Install link to begin. After a moment of computation,
you'll see a list of updates that Microsoft thinks you need, under the
heading High Priority Updates. Installing them now will ensure that,
when Service Pack 2 comes along, your copy of Windows will be everything
the installer expects.
Step 7: Log off everyone but yourself
In other words, if you have Fast User Switching turned on, make sure all
the other accounts have been signed off. You should now be ready to
install SP2 successfully, whether from the Windows Update Web page, a CD
that you've ordered, or from the Automatic Updates dialog box that
appears on your screen one day.
Finally, another tip, courtesy of author David Karp, my own personal
Windows XP guru: If your PC is your life - or your job, at least - you
may want to take one additional, advanced step: Install a SECOND copy of
Windows XP. This arrangement, known by geeks as dual-booting, takes some
technical expertise. But it means that you can install SP2 on the
duplicate copy of Windows to test your most essential programs. That
way, you'll know about any potential crises before committing your
"real" copy of Windows to SP2.
