SP3 update dangerous?

I spent about 50 minutes getting the SP3 pack and right before I was to apply
the updates; a warning said I must back up all data and the system.
1. How would I do a total backup in the middle of updating? I can't do a
system backup while I'm doing the upgrade.
2. Do I really need to do a full backup of everything? Does SP3 have
problems & destroy data and files?

Jim
Thu Jun 26 16:22:35 PDT 2008


"Miklos" <Miklos@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:58CD9FF5-6CCE-437F-98C3-EB361F8CFCD8@microsoft.com...
>I spent about 50 minutes getting the SP3 pack and right before I was to
>apply
> the updates; a warning said I must back up all data and the system.
> 1. How would I do a total backup in the middle of updating? I can't do a
> system backup while I'm doing the upgrade.
> 2. Do I really need to do a full backup of everything? Does SP3 have
> problems & destroy data and files?
1. You make the backup before you start installing the update.
2..All updates can cause problems. It is better to be safe than sorry.
If, like myself, you have your data on a separate disk drive, you merely
disconnect the drive.
Jim

Miklos
Thu Jun 26 17:29:00 PDT 2008

My point was Microsoft should tell you before starting the hour long update
where the warning appears after 50 minutes.

Also I haven't been able to clone my C: drive because I have a Sata
controller card and Ghost 10 could never see the drivers.
I bought Acronis True Image 11 but haven't tried a clone backup of the OS on
C:
I did do some Office updates today.
I read that SP3 might have problems updating Office.


"Jim" wrote:

>
> "Miklos" <Miklos@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:58CD9FF5-6CCE-437F-98C3-EB361F8CFCD8@microsoft.com...
> >I spent about 50 minutes getting the SP3 pack and right before I was to
> >apply
> > the updates; a warning said I must back up all data and the system.
> > 1. How would I do a total backup in the middle of updating? I can't do a
> > system backup while I'm doing the upgrade.
> > 2. Do I really need to do a full backup of everything? Does SP3 have
> > problems & destroy data and files?
> 1. You make the backup before you start installing the update.
> 2..All updates can cause problems. It is better to be safe than sorry.
> If, like myself, you have your data on a separate disk drive, you merely
> disconnect the drive.
> Jim
>
>
>

Patrick
Thu Jun 26 21:33:25 PDT 2008

"Miklos" <Miklos@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:6B90CAD4-D4C4-4259-94A1-2684D21F5668@microsoft.com...
> My point was Microsoft should tell you before starting the hour long
> update
> where the warning appears after 50 minutes.

Frankly, this is ordinary and basic good practice. You should always do a
backup prior to any significant system change (aside from the backups that
you should be doing anyway).

I never use Windows Update for major service pack installs. I always
download the "IT" or "network install" version, burn it to CD, and install
from that. I find it overall faster and much more reliable.

> Also I haven't been able to clone my C: drive because I have a Sata
> controller card and Ghost 10 could never see the drivers.

Well, that's a good reason to shift from that product.

But, see if you can shift card to a "legacy" or "compatibility" mode from
AHCI mode, which will reduce performance but should remove that problem.

If you install the imaging software on another system, and host the drive
using SATA/USB or IDE/USB adapters or drive cases, you should not have these
problems at all. The adapters can be had for around $20, and are very
useful tools.

> I bought Acronis True Image 11 but haven't tried a clone backup of the OS
> on
> C:

To be clear for what I refer to below, a clone is copying one disk "right
now" to another physical disk. Imaging is creating a single-file
representation of a drive that you can restore at another time to another
drive.

I regularly use TrueImage to clone and image SATA drives, though my systems
do not use add-on controller cards. I have no problems at all with this; I
expect that you are running into this because Ghost wants to reboot to do
the clone. Often, TrueImage does not need to reboot to create an image,
though sometimes it does to clone one disk to another.


> I did do some Office updates today.

> I read that SP3 might have problems updating Office.

I haven't found any, personally. But, SP3 does not update Office, only the
XP OS.

HTH
-pk


>
> "Jim" wrote:
>
>>
>> "Miklos" <Miklos@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
>> news:58CD9FF5-6CCE-437F-98C3-EB361F8CFCD8@microsoft.com...
>> >I spent about 50 minutes getting the SP3 pack and right before I was to
>> >apply
>> > the updates; a warning said I must back up all data and the system.
>> > 1. How would I do a total backup in the middle of updating? I can't do
>> > a
>> > system backup while I'm doing the upgrade.
>> > 2. Do I really need to do a full backup of everything? Does SP3 have
>> > problems & destroy data and files?
>> 1. You make the backup before you start installing the update.
>> 2..All updates can cause problems. It is better to be safe than sorry.
>> If, like myself, you have your data on a separate disk drive, you merely
>> disconnect the drive.
>> Jim
>>
>>
>>

TaurArian
Thu Jun 26 21:55:46 PDT 2008

Release notes for Windows XP Service Pack 3
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/936929

The hard disk space requirements for Windows XP Service Pack 3
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/947311

Steps to take before you install Windows XP Service Pack 3
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/950717

Some third-party programs may experience a change in functionality after you install
Windows XP Service Pack 3
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/947309

--

TaurArian [MVP] 2005-2008 - Update Services
http://taurarian.mvps.org
======================================
How to ask a question: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/555375
Computer Maintenance: Acronis / Diskeeper / Paragon / Raxco



"Miklos" <Miklos@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:58CD9FF5-6CCE-437F-98C3-EB361F8CFCD8@microsoft.com...
|I spent about 50 minutes getting the SP3 pack and right before I was to apply
| the updates; a warning said I must back up all data and the system.
| 1. How would I do a total backup in the middle of updating? I can't do a
| system backup while I'm doing the upgrade.
| 2. Do I really need to do a full backup of everything? Does SP3 have
| problems & destroy data and files?

David
Fri Jun 27 07:13:10 PDT 2008

Backing up before a major update is common sense, I don't see how it's
Microsoft's responsibility to tell you to back up your important data. What
happens to your data if you have a hard drive crash and no backup? Would you
blame the hard drive manufacturer for the data loss because they didn't tell
you to backup?

--

----
Crosspost, do not multipost http://www.blakjak.demon.co.uk/mul_crss.htm
How to ask a question http://support.microsoft.com/kb/555375



"Miklos" <Miklos@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:6B90CAD4-D4C4-4259-94A1-2684D21F5668@microsoft.com...
> My point was Microsoft should tell you before starting the hour long
> update
> where the warning appears after 50 minutes.
>
> Also I haven't been able to clone my C: drive because I have a Sata
> controller card and Ghost 10 could never see the drivers.
> I bought Acronis True Image 11 but haven't tried a clone backup of the OS
> on
> C:
> I did do some Office updates today.
> I read that SP3 might have problems updating Office.
>
>
> "Jim" wrote:
>
>>
>> "Miklos" <Miklos@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
>> news:58CD9FF5-6CCE-437F-98C3-EB361F8CFCD8@microsoft.com...
>> >I spent about 50 minutes getting the SP3 pack and right before I was to
>> >apply
>> > the updates; a warning said I must back up all data and the system.
>> > 1. How would I do a total backup in the middle of updating? I can't do
>> > a
>> > system backup while I'm doing the upgrade.
>> > 2. Do I really need to do a full backup of everything? Does SP3 have
>> > problems & destroy data and files?
>> 1. You make the backup before you start installing the update.
>> 2..All updates can cause problems. It is better to be safe than sorry.
>> If, like myself, you have your data on a separate disk drive, you merely
>> disconnect the drive.
>> Jim
>>
>>
>>

Miklos
Fri Jun 27 15:39:00 PDT 2008

How do I go to AHCI mode?
I want to do an exact clone of my C: drive and then replace it with the new
drive I copied it to.


> But, see if you can shift card to a "legacy" or "compatibility" mode from
> AHCI mode, which will reduce performance but should remove that problem.
>
> If you install the imaging software on another system, and host the drive
> using SATA/USB or IDE/USB adapters or drive cases, you should not have these
> problems at all. The adapters can be had for around $20, and are very
> useful tools.
>
> > I bought Acronis True Image 11 but haven't tried a clone backup of the OS
> > on
> > C:
>
> To be clear for what I refer to below, a clone is copying one disk "right
> now" to another physical disk. Imaging is creating a single-file
> representation of a drive that you can restore at another time to another
> drive.
>
> I regularly use TrueImage to clone and image SATA drives, though my systems
> do not use add-on controller cards. I have no problems at all with this; I
> expect that you are running into this because Ghost wants to reboot to do
> the clone. Often, TrueImage does not need to reboot to create an image,
> though sometimes it does to clone one disk to another.
>
>
> > I did do some Office updates today.
>
> > I read that SP3 might have problems updating Office.
>
> I haven't found any, personally. But, SP3 does not update Office, only the
> XP OS.
>
> HTH
> -pk
>
>
> >
> > "Jim" wrote:
> >
> >>
> >> "Miklos" <Miklos@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> >> news:58CD9FF5-6CCE-437F-98C3-EB361F8CFCD8@microsoft.com...
> >> >I spent about 50 minutes getting the SP3 pack and right before I was to
> >> >apply
> >> > the updates; a warning said I must back up all data and the system.
> >> > 1. How would I do a total backup in the middle of updating? I can't do
> >> > a
> >> > system backup while I'm doing the upgrade.
> >> > 2. Do I really need to do a full backup of everything? Does SP3 have
> >> > problems & destroy data and files?
> >> 1. You make the backup before you start installing the update.
> >> 2..All updates can cause problems. It is better to be safe than sorry.
> >> If, like myself, you have your data on a separate disk drive, you merely
> >> disconnect the drive.
> >> Jim
> >>
> >>
> >>
>
>
>

whittier
Fri Jun 27 22:29:39 PDT 2008


Microsoft has stressed the importance of preparing for the SP
installation. This includes reading the release notes, backing up file
and ensuring that you have enough space on your hard disk. As th
previous posters noted, this is just sound practice for any majo
software upgrade.

The percent of users following this advice is probably in the singl
digits.

At this point, most of the unanticipated installation problems ar
known, so the primary cause of problems is users not followin
instructions such as disabling antivirus programs and softwar
firewalls

--
whittie
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
whittier's Profile: http://forums.techarena.in/member.php?u=5218
View this thread: http://forums.techarena.in/showthread.php?t=99271

http://forums.techarena.i

RSQ_d
Sat Jul 05 08:07:00 PDT 2008

Just a comment on your good advice on preparing for updates:

Microsoft also really stresses using automatic updates. Where the update
does not require user preparation or input for such things as disabling
anti-virus or firewall protection. And often happens without user knowledge.

I suspect this is the method chosen by most home users. Without knowing
precautions were needed, when one of these auto installs does go wrong, the
average user would get no hint except that his/her computer suddenly stops
working or perhaps now works erratically.

Personally I'd never trust auto updates for any OS, but most people I know
believe Microsoft's heavy promotion of this method. And most service pack
updates are just too large to be left to chance.


"whittier" wrote:

>
> Microsoft has stressed the importance of preparing for the SP3
> installation. This includes reading the release notes, backing up files
> and ensuring that you have enough space on your hard disk. As the
> previous posters noted, this is just sound practice for any major
> software upgrade.
>
> The percent of users following this advice is probably in the single
> digits.
>
> At this point, most of the unanticipated installation problems are
> known, so the primary cause of problems is users not following
> instructions such as disabling antivirus programs and software
> firewalls.
>
>
> --
> whittier
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> whittier's Profile: http://forums.techarena.in/member.php?u=52185
> View this thread: http://forums.techarena.in/showthread.php?t=992712
>
> http://forums.techarena.in
>
>