I had some major hardware failures a few weeks ago, finally got everything back from RMA (or bought new items - no thanks to Asus), and reinstalled Windows XP SP1. (I don't have a copy of XP with SP2 on it.)
The first time, I reinstalled all of my software and drivers, downloaded & installed SP2. XP wouldn't even boot up in safe mode.
Figured I got unlucky, repeated, same results.
Tried a third time, this time without installing any software, and only installed the mobo & video card drivers so I could download SP2 and not have to use 800x600 (I really dislike that resolution). Same thing.
Tried a fourth time, installing only the LAN driver - so literally nothing loaded except XP SP1 & the LAN driver. No dice, again, XP failed to boot properly and wouldn't even load safe mode.
Any idea what the deal is? I upgraded to SP2 without hitch on the previous build of my desktop, as well as on my laptop (as well as on two lab computers and a slew of not-so-computer-savvy friends' systems).
It almost makes me wonder if upgrading to SP2 is really even worth it - I use an antivirus software designed by UMich's virus busters, based off of McAfee software, run ZoneAlarm Pro in addition to my router's firewall, regularly run (updated) AdAwareSE and SpyBot S&D. I do not use Internet Explorer and keep Java disabled. My email is filtered by my university's own servers, so infected email is a rarity. I'm also subscribed to a non-static IP assignation from my broadband ISP. From what I gather, SP2 was primarily a security upgrade. Did it really do a whole lot else (ie. improve drivers/performance)?
Thanks in advance for your advice!
The first time, I reinstalled all of my software and drivers, downloaded & installed SP2. XP wouldn't even boot up in safe mode.
Figured I got unlucky, repeated, same results.
Tried a third time, this time without installing any software, and only installed the mobo & video card drivers so I could download SP2 and not have to use 800x600 (I really dislike that resolution). Same thing.
Tried a fourth time, installing only the LAN driver - so literally nothing loaded except XP SP1 & the LAN driver. No dice, again, XP failed to boot properly and wouldn't even load safe mode.
Any idea what the deal is? I upgraded to SP2 without hitch on the previous build of my desktop, as well as on my laptop (as well as on two lab computers and a slew of not-so-computer-savvy friends' systems).
It almost makes me wonder if upgrading to SP2 is really even worth it - I use an antivirus software designed by UMich's virus busters, based off of McAfee software, run ZoneAlarm Pro in addition to my router's firewall, regularly run (updated) AdAwareSE and SpyBot S&D. I do not use Internet Explorer and keep Java disabled. My email is filtered by my university's own servers, so infected email is a rarity. I'm also subscribed to a non-static IP assignation from my broadband ISP. From what I gather, SP2 was primarily a security upgrade. Did it really do a whole lot else (ie. improve drivers/performance)?
Thanks in advance for your advice!
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