sp2/sp3 for ibm thinkpad t43 laptop

[magreen]

I'm getting contradictory information on this when I search on the web.

I just bought the ibm thinkpad t43 from buy.com for $299. It comes with xp pro, no service packs. I'd like to update it to at least sp2. I don't really care a whole lot if it gets sp3 or not (from what I've heard about sp3). I don't mind getting sp3 also, as long as it works.

Now, I've read in a couple of places that you can't install sp3 over a regular xp installation -- you need sp2 or at least sp1 for it to work -- even though in theory, sp3 should be standalone and should work all by itself.

So what do I do? You can't even download sp1 or sp2 from microsoft anymore (unless I'm really missing something)! Will it work if I just use the sp3 iso install over the RTM xp pro I'm getting?

thanx.

 

[chusteczka]

I currently have WinXP SP3 installed on an IBM Thinkpad T43 and it works fine. It was updated from SP2.

I also regularly rebuild WinXP systems. After installing WinXP, I install SP2, then SP3. Here is the link for SP2.

You will probably also want to install the .NET Framework updates: 1.0, 1.1, 1.1 SP1, 2.0, 2.0 SP1, 2.0 SP2, 3.0, 3.0 SP1, 3.5, 3.5 SP1. Then install the MS Updates. Now that is a mess to contend with.

 

[magreen]

Originally posted by: chusteczka
I currently have WinXP SP3 installed on an IBM Thinkpad T43 and it works fine. It was updated from SP2.

I also regularly rebuild WinXP systems. After installing WinXP, I install SP2, then SP3. Here is the link for SP2.

You will probably also want to install the .NET Framework updates: 1.0, 1.1, 1.1 SP1, 2.0, 2.0 SP1, 2.0 SP2, 3.0, 3.0 SP1, 3.5, 3.5 SP1. Then install the MS Updates. Now that is a mess to contend with.

Excellent, thanks for the link to sp2. I saw that link, but figured it's only for installing over a network, since it says "This installation package is intended for IT professionals and developers downloading and installing on multiple computers on a network. If you're updating just one computer, please visit Windows Update," and "DO NOT CLICK DOWNLOAD IF YOU ARE UPDATING JUST ONE COMPUTER." I take it those are just warnings to try to save bandwidth, but really you can use this link to update just one computer?

 

[chusteczka]

Originally posted by: magreen

Originally posted by: chusteczka
I currently have WinXP SP3 installed on an IBM Thinkpad T43 and it works fine. It was updated from SP2.

I also regularly rebuild WinXP systems. After installing WinXP, I install SP2, then SP3. Here is the link for SP2.

You will probably also want to install the .NET Framework updates: 1.0, 1.1, 1.1 SP1, 2.0, 2.0 SP1, 2.0 SP2, 3.0, 3.0 SP1, 3.5, 3.5 SP1. Then install the MS Updates. Now that is a mess to contend with.

Excellent, thanks for the link to sp2. I saw that link, but figured it's only for installing over a network, since it says "This installation package is intended for IT professionals and developers downloading and installing on multiple computers on a network. If you're updating just one computer, please visit Windows Update," and "DO NOT CLICK DOWNLOAD IF YOU ARE UPDATING JUST ONE COMPUTER." I take it those are just warnings to try to save bandwidth, but really you can use this link to update just one computer?

I do not know of any other way to obtain WinXP SP2. You do need SP2 to install SP3. SP1 is not needed to install SP2. If Microsoft makes such crazy patch convolutions, then go ahead and use their server. It is a 260 MB download that is not all necessary for each individual computer. It makes sense that MS does not want everyone to download the whole 260 MB for single computers since any specific computer probably only needs 60-80Mb. However, at this time, if you are stuck, then go ahead and download it to fulfill the need to update your computer.

Alternatively, you could download and install SP1, then run Automatic Updates to obtain SP2, then download and install SP3. Although, I am unable to find WinXP SP1 on Microsoft's server.

 

[magreen]

Right. Hey, as long as it works, I'm fine with it, since as you said, this stuff isn't available any other way. So I downloaded the sp2 package from your link. Thanks.