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Where to download Windows XP Service Pack 1&2?


planex

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It's a long story, but my mom really likes her Windows XP machine. After some issues with the HDD I'm reinstalling XP for her. It seems that "Windows Update" no longer works on the XP OS, so I'm having to go out and find SP1 and SP2 manually. So far I've found this site and this site. I want to make sure that the downloads from both of those sites are accurate and legitimate before I install them. The one from soft32.com is particularly sketchy to me. If someone could help me out I'd really appreciate it. Or if anyone has links to trusted sites where I can d/l SP1 and SP2, I'd really appreciate it.

 

Also, if anyone knows of any other things I'll need to reinstall, such as dotnet framework, I'd apprecaite the heads up. Thanks!

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Service Packs (SP) are cumulative.  That means SP2 contains all updates in SP1 and SP3 contains all updates in SP1 and SP2.
 
Windows XP Service Pack 3 Network Installation Package for IT Professionals and Developers ( ~ 316MB)

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Thanx for that TidBit Porthos.
 
Whether planex will need SP1a will depend on what he is using to install Windows XP.  Is it Windows XP Gold or is it Windows XP SP1 ?

If it is Windows XP Gold (first distribution, no service packs) then planex will need SP1a

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Thanx for that TidBit Porthos.

 

Whether planex will need SP1a will depend on what he is using to install Windows XP.  Is it Windows XP Gold or is it Windows XP SP1 ?

If it is Windows XP Gold (first distribution, no service packs) then planex will need SP1a

 Even with SP! you need 1a to skip 2.

 

 

To make sure that your installation is successful, follow these steps to check the status of your computer:

  1. Windows XP Service Pack 3 (SP3) can be applied only on a 32-bit version of Windows. To determine whether your system is 32-bit or 64-bit, click the following article number to go to the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
    827218 How to determine whether a computer is running a 32-bit version or 64-bit version of the Windows operating system
  2. Windows XP Service Pack 2 (SP2) or Windows XP Service Pack 1a (SP1a) must already be installed before you install Windows XP Service Pack 3 (SP3). To determine which service pack is currently installed on your computer, click "here". To install previous Windows XP service packs, use one of the following options:
    • Click here to download Windows XP Service Pack 2 (SP2).
    • Click here to download Windows XP Service Pack 1a (SP1a).
  3. To install Windows XP Service Pack 3 (SP3), use one of the following options:
    • Click here for the steps to fix the problem automatically.
    • Click here to download and install Windows XP SP3 manually.
    • Click here to order Windows XP SP3 on a CD.
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 Even with SP! you need 1a to skip 2.

 

 

To make sure that your installation is successful, follow these steps to check the status of your computer:

  1. Windows XP Service Pack 3 (SP3) can be applied only on a 32-bit version of Windows. To determine whether your system is 32-bit or 64-bit, click the following article number to go to the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
    827218 How to determine whether a computer is running a 32-bit version or 64-bit version of the Windows operating system
  2. Windows XP Service Pack 2 (SP2) or Windows XP Service Pack 1a (SP1a) must already be installed before you install Windows XP Service Pack 3 (SP3). To determine which service pack is currently installed on your computer, click "here". To install previous Windows XP service packs, use one of the following options:
    • Click here to download Windows XP Service Pack 2 (SP2).
    • Click here to download Windows XP Service Pack 1a (SP1a).
  3. To install Windows XP Service Pack 3 (SP3), use one of the following options:
    • Click here for the steps to fix the problem automatically.
    • Click here to download and install Windows XP SP3 manually.
    • Click here to order Windows XP SP3 on a CD.

 

 

Check again. The link to SP2 download is actually a link to a DOC about SP2 and the Business Server update. There is no download for SP2 on that page as far as I can tell.

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  • Root Admin

Well that's up to you but then you can expect for your computer to be infected sooner or later. SP3 incorporates hundreds of fixes for exploited code as well as fixes to correct features that are simply broken or not working correctly in the product. Then after SP3 there are hundreds of other security updates to again deal with exploited code. What exploited code is often used for is to bypass security by taking advantage of a known weakness in the software to infect your computer.

There is no Expert on the planet Earth that would suggest not running Service Pack 3 without having their "expertise" heavily questioned by real experts.

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In addition to what Ron stated, MS will not offer any new updates that are available before the April end of life with out SP3 installed.

 

 

To be honest, I am on the the replace/upgrade side of the XP debate all together for security/stability reasons.

 

 

But just to please you SP2 is available as an download directly from MS.

 

http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=28

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about SP3 and "rumor control" ...

i installed SP3 about two weeks after it became available ... i have experienced no "problems" that you allude or made reference to .

in addition to what advancedsetup and porthos have stated , as i recall there was *something* about the need to install SP3 in order to run some programs .

this has/had to do (to the best of my recollection) with a .net framework version and a couple of other items .

the proof of this happened when i tried to install the newest version of some programs (the old versions were no longer supported) a pop-up informed me that i had to install SP3 .

there was also a similar "ping" about the need to install SP2 with "upgraded" programs (some time after SP2 was released) .

(most likely ron and a couple of others here can expand upon/clarify my commentary)

 

there was one occasional problem that happened when installing SP3 ; windows updates would choke .

the best way to avoid this (but not a 100% fix) is to step through the service packs and do not run any kind of file/registry cleaner while doing so .

the fix for the update choke is documented and (as i recall) there is a "mr. fixit" solution to the problem .

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Supposedly Windows Update DEMANDS that WinXP SP2 already be installed for it to work the last time I worked on my two granddaughters' (since replaced with a new Win7) computer. I (used to) have an ISO of WinXP w/SP2 burned into a bootable CD just for working on her old, handed-down piece of cr*p. :)

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  • 4 years later...

. . . No need for SP1 and SP2 . . . Once you install SP3 you should find Windows Update will work.

False.  SP3 won't install, unless you have SP1 or SP2 installed.  I don't think you can find SP1 today, so go with SP2, because it contains SP1.

I can say that at least this "soft32" page is ok.  I downloaded SP2 from it, scanned it with Avast (it was ok), and it installed with no issues:

Download Windows XP Service Pack 2 Free . .

https://windows-xp-service-pack-2.soft32.com/free-download/

 

Edited by AdvancedSetup
Please don't post to old ancient topics
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