A couple of days ago, Windows Update finally notified me that it was ready to install Service Pack 2 for Windows XP. Yesterday I created a Restore Point on my compter, and this morning I told my computer to install the update.
I’m glad I created that restore point.
The Service Pack install failed partway through, with some error about a missing entry point in a DLL. I couldn’t get the computer to shut down cleanly, and ended up doing a hard power down. When it rebooted, it told me that the service pack had failed (duh), and that I needed to go to the Control Panel and uninstall it. So I did that. During that process, it disabled the drivers for my wireless keyboard and mouse. Fortunately, I do have a wired keyboard under the desk as an emergency backup, but navigating since then without a mouse has been a pain in the buttarkus.
Even after completing the service pack uninstall and rebooting, I still didn’t have wireless devices or networking. Currently, the computer is restoring information from my saved restore point. I’m posting this from my laptop, because every step I’ve had to take on my desktop seems to take 15 minutes.
Thanks for nothing, Microsoft!
I should take inventory and see if there’s really anything I really need Windows for. All I can think of offhand is Photoshop. But I could run that on the laptop or on my wife’s computer, if need be. It might be time for me to look at running Linux or FreeBSD as my primary OS again. Maybe after I get to a good project transition point…
Okay, the restore point thingy worked. I’ve got back my wireless keyboard/mouse and my networking. The computer did perform a spontaneous reboot a short while after I got it back up, but I’ve been having that problem for a while, and I suspect a hardware problem (memory or power supply maybe).
So, Microsoft gets back a couple of points for the Restore Point gizmo. But that doesn’t make up for the ten points they lost on the failed service pack install.
Now let’s be fair. There is much you can do with Windows. Such as…
Um… uh… err… it’s on the tip of my tongue… lemme get back to you later.
-A.R.Yngve
No comment. Switch to Apple.
Sorry to hear about your problems. But on the other hand, I’ve updated a half dozen machines (all of them completely different configurations) and only had one glitch (which I fixed after a quick Google search and reboot). I guess it’s not gonna work for everybody, though.
You could always learn to use GIMP in place of Photoshop and use Linux instead of Windows.
I understand that GIMP 2.0 is a great improvement over older versions. But I already have a significant investment (both financial and in knowledge) in Photoshop. And it’s an awesome tool, so I hate to give it up. Maybe it could run under WINE?
In any case, I doubt I’ll be switching my OS in the immediate future, anyhow — I need more hard disk space (I’ve only got 12GB). But if my system gets too unstable and I get to the point of reinstalling before I add more storage anyhow, I’ll probably go ahead and make it dual boot. I could just mount the Windows partition as /usr
Near as I can tell, all I got out of SP2 were:
-Security Center: useless anyway since I don’t need Windows to help me monitor my firewall or anti-virus. The only thing remaining are the automatic updates, which it monitored before…
-IE6 enhancements: worthless effort on their part. Just abismal
-Network connections not “plug and play”: Since SP2, if I unplug my LAN cable and plug it back it, I have to disable the connection and then reenable it for my computer to think the cable is plugged in again.
*clapclapclap*
Losing Plug and Play was the biggest problem for me.
I use a laptop and 5 USB devices (camera, scanner, printer, memory stick, pocket pc).
Seems the answer is to go to Control Panel; Administrative Tools; Services; (Extended or standard); Universal Plug & Play; Properties; General; StartUp Type – set to automatic
I hope that helps someone !
I have a dell dimension 4600, and after i installed SP2, my usbs dont recognize my printer and i cant print, my digital camera anymore OR my internal DVD player that came with the pc installed. Please help!!!! usmcommando@msn.com
Okay, after installing Service Pack 2 on my brand new system, on a reboot during the windows startup process, (the boot screen), my USB keyboard/Mouse get disabled. Once the computer boots to the log in screen, I can’t do anything because my kb/mouse are still disabled. What’s stranger is, I’ve already had service pack 2 on this system before and it didn’t do that.
every time I log on to xp it saves settings and logs off again immediatly.Happens in safe mode,last good config. no good either. Can I get logged on without using the welcome screen. Can’t find anything on microsoft web site. very frustrated. Mcafee did this to me tech support can’t help.