re-installing windows

Hello there: I have a pc that currently has win xp home sp2 installed however I will be reinstalling windows sometime over the weekend and was told the best way to install sp3 was to do it during a fresh install of windows. I'm just wondering whats the trick to doing this. Will I need more memory or any other hardware currently there is a total of 512 mb of ram, it's got a pentium 4 cpu 3.00GHs ( not sure if all that matters or not.) I have heard when sp3 first came out that there was all sorts of bugs and such in it and at the time was reaking havic on some pcs anyone know if MS has sorted this out or not.? I don't really want to waste my time if there are still problems with sp3. Cheers.

If you need to create a Windows install disc then slipstreaming SP3 into a bootable disc using something like nlite (for example) can be an excellent idea .See here for nlite
http://www.nliteos.com/guide/
SP3 is a good service pack and if you install it correctly there should be little scope for error.

Iin your case it will be just as quick to use your regular SP2 Microsoft Windows XP install disc and then install SP3 afterwards, together with all your updates.
When you have finished the install and all your applications are set up together with your internet/emails etc then consider making a disc image with either free imaging software or paid for versions like Ghost, Paragon or Acronis etc then in the event of serious trouble, that cannot be resolved in a timely or cost effective way by the usual means, you will be able to re-image back to your "perfect set up" in less time than it takes to walk the dog…. Once you have made your disc image verify for accuracy,keep it safe on removable media (an external USB hard drive is suitable) and make a bootable CDRom so you can reimage in the event that Windows will not start…
Free imaging software available from here:
http://www.thefreecountry.com/utilities/backupandimage.shtml
Regards
paws

G'day paws when you say to use the regular sp2 MS install disk. All I have is the restoration disks (5) that came with the pc when bought new which was done before sp2 came out, I have to manually DL sp2. So if I was to use nlite which I'm guessing will include sp2 in any fresh windows install done from here on out. Now being that sp3 isn't installed on this machine am I able to DL and just save it so nlite will include it on any other installation in the future? If the machine that I'm reinstalling windows on has some sort of problem deep in the registery which programs such malwarebyte and so on isn't finding and use nlite to make a restoraton disk will that problem be included or no? The reason I'm asking this is because not long ago the machine was infected with malware which WTT team helped clear up but none the less the machine is still really slow and all scanner progs I have been directed to use isn't finding any infection. Cheers.

Hi , a slipstreamed SP 3 Win XP installation disc is a useful thing to have, especially if you are going to use it many times…I.E use it to install Windows on a number of different machines. iI also has other advantages as if you want a custom disc then its possible to include things like the SATA drivers and any other drivers applicable to your particular machine…. it can also come in handy when running the Windows Protected "system file checker" tool (SFC). However if you just want to reinstall Windows on one machine and you have the manufacturer's restore disc then its Ok to use that to reinstall Windows. The install of Windows XP using a Microsoft Windows XP installation disc following a format takes approx 45 minutes…you will then need to use Windows updates as usual to bring your install up to date. The reinstall using the manufacturer's restore disc is generally quicker….. you will still need to do the Windows updates afterwards. (remember these can be time consuming…….. up to 8 hours or so depending on the size and number of updates required and the speed of your computer and the Internet connection you are using. If you use either method and that disc already includes Service Pack 1 it is sometimes possible to download and install Service Pack 3 without having to download and install Service Pack 2….this can save a bit of time…. Whatever you do , do not attempt to connect to the Internet until you have at least SP2 installed and your firewall and antivirus installed……….. and then only for the pupose of downloading essential updates…… no surfing or emailing until everything is secure….. Make sure also that you have all your required drivers and application discs or executables and your WIN XP product serial key (25 alpa-numeric in 5 groups of 5) together with all your application serial keys/licence numbers and a full back up of your data files, pass words emails, address books etc from your existing installation before you start the format and reinstall process. Good luck and post back if you have any questions. Regards paws

It would also be a good idea to download the distributable version of SP3 and put on CD or a flash drive before doing the reinstall. Then as soon as the reinstall is done, immediately install SP3 (forget about SP2, it's included in SP3).

You can get it here: Windows XP Service Pack 3 Network Installation Package for IT Professionals and Developer

Ok well that seems to answer my questions I'll give it a go over his comming weekend now that I have all the information I was looking for. either way I'll return and let yas know how it all went. However I am wondering 1 last this at the moment. When Paws said something about the SFC… where is this at and how useful is it to run? Wouldnt win xp home alreay have sp1 included.? To respond to Ztruker's post… are you saying I can reinstall windows , fully update it to the point where MS wants to give me sp2 and put sp3 in then without having to go through sp2 installation? I can understand your point about sp3 already having 2 in it. After reading the link Ztruker provided.. I may just install sp2 then go for 3. I'm getting a bit confused over that ….the site says DO NOT CLICK DOWNLOAD IF YOU ARE UPDATING JUST ONE COMPUTER. So can one of ya clear this up for me please. Please don't get me wrong I do understand your instructions, its just that I'm a bit confused over having to go with sp2 first and 3 or just go 3 once all updates are installed upto the point when MS wants to install 2.

Hi, 1 if you reinstall with a MS XP installation disc with SP1 included then you can go straight to SP3 without having to do any intervening updates, and without having to install SP2. 2 Depending on the age of your MS XP installation disc it may have no SPacks at all included in it (it would need to be a very early one for this) it could have SP1 or SP1A or Sp2 or the latest version with SP3 3 Even if you install with a disc with SP3 included in it you will still need to do all the Windows Updates since SP3 was released ,and this is getting on for a hundred or so. Hope this clears it up for you Regards paws

G'day paws That sums it up for me pretty much. When I bought this machine I did not recieve a MS windows installation disc only 5 restoration discs, I do not know whats included on them as far as the service packs go, If I remember correctly the machine was bought somewhere back around 2000 to 2002. With that said, my guess is I should probably install sp2 then 3? unless there is a way for me to be able to look at the restoration discs and find out if there are any SPs on them. I did have to ring and order the restoration disc about a year or so after I bought the machine ( someone faild to include them in my pc package). As I said before I'll be restalling over the weekend thats my only free time. At the moment I'm hunting information/instructions as I wont have net access until everything is done. Cheers Paws and have a good day.

G'day there Paws and Ztruker I'm pleased to let yas know that the restallation went well, I followed Ztruker's advise in the end D/L sp3 to a disc, slipped it in at the MS update point when I saw sp2 being offered. Anyways so far so good and the machine is runnin like a dream. Cheers for your help.

Glad its all working Ok Well done Now to finish things off don't forget to make a disc image, keep it safe on removable media and make a bootable CD so in the event of serious trouble that cannot be fixed in a timely or cost effective by the normal means, you will be able to reimage back to this fast and sweet running state in less time that it takes to walk the dog! Regards paws