No SP2 for you!

August 6, 2008 10:52 AM

Why does my Dell laptop refuse to download SP2

I have a 5 yo Inspiron 2650 that I just reinstalled XP on, from the original disks. Since this is pre-Service Pack 2, I have to do extensive updates. I have done this before several times, and it has always gone well.

This time, everything is fine until I actually try to dowload SP2, and the "preparing for installation" box come, it hangs up, then times out, and then reports a failed download.

I have tried this over wireless, then over my home network via ethernet cable, and finally at work over a T1 (or whatever the hell this fast connection is) with the same failed result.

The machine is still very serviceable, but I am not able to download any good spyware or virus programs until I put SP2 on it and it's not happening.

Anyone else had that happen?

posted by Danf to computers & internet (9 comments total)

Download from Microsoft

I also find SP2 will hang at the "cleanup" stage; don't worry, it's already installed when it gets to that point.
posted by Dark Messiah at 10:57 AM on August 6, 2008

Seconding the direct download. Every now and then Microsoft Update will not install updates for one reason or another so i just download them manually and install them one by one.
posted by aGee at 10:59 AM on August 6, 2008

Thank you Dark Messiah. I has not installed, in that every time I check for updates, it tells me that I still need SP2, and I can't install other programs, because I don't have it.

But I'll try this link when I get home.
posted by Danf at 11:03 AM on August 6, 2008

Also, SP3 full install.

Service Packs contain all the updates previous to their release (so SP3 includes everything in SP2, plus updates after that, pluse a few new "out of band" features).

Next time, you can just go straight for the latest service pack, then do Windows Update to catch patches that came after. You don't have to do individual patches first and then install a service pack.
posted by tracert at 11:16 AM on August 6, 2008

Be careful, the SP3 "full update" actually doesn't include SP1. I learned that the hard way doing a reinstall a few months ago from my pre-SP1 XP disk. I was having similar problems and found that accessing the MS web site with Firefox got me to a non-IE download page, which worked for me. You might try that too.
posted by COD at 11:37 AM on August 6, 2008

"Windows XP Service Pack 3 (SP3) includes all previously released updates for the operating system."

This means every patch from RTM (initial release) to SP3, but minus patches that are superseded by other patches, or have been revised. It might not actually say "SP1" or "SP2" anywhere, but if your version number says SP3 (you can type "winver" in the run bar to see what your build number is), then you are close to up to date. There are, of course, patches between the release of SP3 and right now that you will need also.

You don't need to go back and try to collect other Service Packs or anything like that. Installing the latest Service Pack regardless of initial state will always bring you to that new baseline (unless something goes wrong!). This is the point of Service Packs.

You can only use Windows Update with IE because it needs ActiveX to scan your system, and also because Microsoft sucks.
posted by tracert at 12:09 PM on August 6, 2008

But I'll try this link when I get home.

Try doing a clean boot, too. Start > Run, type "msconfig", then uncheck the "Load Startup items" box on the main screen. Close, reboot, then install SP2.

Just undo that change afterward; I follow this process any time I install anything major.
posted by Dark Messiah at 12:33 PM on August 6, 2008

They updated windows update to not allow pre-SP2 users from using it. You have to download SP2 directly (with link above), then install it. Then you can run Update and it will download and install SP3.
posted by ijoyner at 1:16 PM on August 6, 2008

SP3 network download here. 315megabytes.
posted by damn dirty ape at 1:30 PM on August 6, 2008