SP3 took down our Dell desktop. We could barely get it to boot up in safe mode, and then couldn't do anything with it. It also killed our Restore, so there was no way to revert back. Fortunately I had backed up all our important data onto a second hard disk. Unfortunately, that hard disk was internal to the same computer, making it unavailable until we got XP back working. We had to format the main disk, which wiped everything out, then reinstall XP, then reinstall all the software. It took several weeks to try all the different recovery procedures that Microsoft had on their website and tech forums suggested. None worked.
We used to have Norton Utilities on the computer but switched to a different anti-virus. One theory out on the compugeek type forums is that the anti-virus and anti-spyware type of programs trigger the problem. They dig deep into the operating system, and SP3 was not compatible with those hooks. What SP3 did was wipe out the registry in a way that made it unrecoverable, which is one part of the OS that the anti-malware works with.
If you insist on installing SP3, back up everything to an external drive. Then make sure you have all the original disks and authenticity codes so that you can reinstall software and you can re-enable it. Uninstall completely any antivirus and anti-spyware software. Don't just turn it off, and don't use the Windows uninstall function. Go to the manufacturer's website and get their tool that supposedly completely and totally removes every trace of the software. Finally, go to Microsoft's website and be sure to read their information and instructions on installing SP3.
After recovering that computer, we gave it to our 12 yr old for his room. We disabled the Windows auto-update to avoid any and all Microsoft updates to XP. We disabled updates on the elderly XP laptop that I use for recording in the music room. My wife had problems with SP3 on her work laptop and was able to Restore, so she didn't have catastrophic problems but the computer ran super slow after SP3. She has also disabled all future Windows updates.
I think that tells you what I think of SP3. We will never install future XP updates.
In addition, we purchased two Apple computers. One is an iMac desktop for family use. The other is a laptop for our college student daughter. Her Windows Vista laptop, a year old, never worked right after installing a Vista update from Microsoft.
SP3 was the final straw for this family. I worked for IBM in the early and mid 80's, during their real heyday in the personal computer market. I do have fond feelings about IBM, so for me to become an Apple convert took a lot of prodding. I couldn't be happier with Apple products. Plug them in and they work. Period! The one and only problem is that GTP3 doesn't run on a Mac. Well, it could, but only if we installed Windows on the Mac, and the chance of that is ZERO.
post edited by FlySig - October 25, 08 8:22 PM