How to upgrade Windows xp to SP2

computer remained in storage. How upgrading to sp2

If WinXP SP2 is not installed, you cannot have a functional application of the antivirus installed & the computer must NOT be connected to the internet!

Personal data backup (which none should be considered 100% reliable at this point) then format the HARD disk and do a clean install of Windows.  Please note that a repair installation (upgrade AKA on-site) won't fix this!

HOW to do a clean install of Windows XP: see method 1 and http://michaelstevenstech.com/cleanxpinstall.html#steps in http://support.microsoft.com/kb/978307

NOTE: If your computer came with a set of disks, there is a hidden partition restore (not to be confused with the restoration of the system) you would use to do the clean install (AKA a "destructive recovery").

After the new installation, you will have the equivalent of a "new computer" in order to take care of EVERYTHING on the next page before connecting the machine to the internet or one local network (i.e. other computers) AND BEFORE to plug in a flash, SD card, or any other external drive to the computer otherwise:

4 steps to help protect your new computer before going online
     http://www.Microsoft.com/security/pypc.aspx

Other useful references include:

HOW to get a computer that is running Windows XP Gold (no Service Pack) fully patched (after a clean install)
http://groups.Google.com/group/Microsoft.public.windowsupdate/MSG/3f5afa8ed33e121c

HOW TO get a computer that is running Windows XP SP1 (a) or SP2 fully patched (after a clean install)
http://groups.Google.com/group/Microsoft.public.WindowsXP.General/MSG/a066ae41add7dd2b

Tip: After completing the computer fully patched, download/install KB971029 manually before connecting any player external to the computer: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/971029

VERY IMPORTANT! =>  No matter what Norton or McAfee free trial which is preinstalled on the computer when you bought will be reinstalled (but invalid) when Windows is reinstalled. You MUST uninstall the trial for free AND download/run the removal tool appropriate prior to installing the updates, Windows Service Packs or IE upgrades AND BEFORE installing your new anti-virus application (which will require WinXP SP3 must be installed).

Norton Removal Tool
     FTP://ftp.Symantec.com/public/english_us_canada/removal_tools/Norton_Removal_Tool.exe

McAfee Consumer product removal tool
     http://download.McAfee.com/Products/Licensed/cust_support_patches/MCPR.exe

If you need additional assistance with the clean install, please start a new thread in this forum: http://social.answers.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/xprepair/threads

If these procedures look too complex - and there is no shame in admitting this isn't your cup of tea - take the machine to a local, good reputation and stand-alone computer (that is, not BigBoxStoreUSA or Geek Squad) repair facility.

Good luck!

~ Robear Dyer (PA Bear) ~ MS MVP (that is to say, mail, security, Windows & Update Services) since 2002 ~ WARNING: MS MVPs represent or work for Microsoft

Tags: Windows

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