(Approx. 978 words)

Get Ready for XP and Vista Service Packs 925
By George Whitesell, a member of the Sarastoa PCUG, Florida
www.spcug.org
pcug(at)Comcast.net

Obtained from APCUG with the author's permission for publication by APCUG member groups.

Service Pack 1 for Windows Vista and Service Pack 3 for Windows XP are going to be released soon, perhaps even by the time you are reading this.  I recommend not being one of the first on your block to install either of the new service packs.  Let others discover any problems with the installation of the final versions of the Service Packs!

What are service packs?  They are a compilation of all critical updates released since the initial release of an operating system or the last service pack. They often contain new features or enhancements as well.  Service Pack 2 for Windows XP contained a number of security improvements and was arguably the most significant Service pack ever released.  I think it was only because of the negative publicity Microsoft was receiving over weak security that led them to release it as a free Service Pack and not “Windows XP Second Edition” which they would have charged us for.  You will not see any major changes or additions to XP in Service Pack 3 but you will still want to install it.  Service Pack 1 for Vista is reported to have sped up some aspects of the operating system.

There is an article at http://support.microsoft.com/kb/935796 listing 11 programs that are blocked, do not run, or have a “loss of functionality” after the installation of Service pack 1 for Vista.  Three of the programs listed are Zone Alarm, BitDefender AntiVirus or Internet Security and the New York Times Reader.  Check the list before you install the service pack.  Personally I will wait at least one week (maybe more) to make sure there are not any other problems that are affected by the final release of either new service pack.  If you have been installing all Microsoft updates as they were released, you already have most of the service pack installed.

Here are some general guidelines for the installation of any service pack:
	1. Run complete scans of your computer for viruses and spyware.  A majority of the problems people encountered while installing Windows XP Service Pack 2 were caused by viruses and/or spyware on their computer.  Service packs replace or update a number of system files.  You want to make sure your computer is free of any malware.
	2. Fix any hardware or software problems.  If you are experiencing frequent lockups or system crashes, or extremely slow performance, resolve those problems before trying to install a service pack.  Many people assume the installation of a service pack will clear up problems they may be experiencing.  This usually is not the case.  This is another frequent cause of service pack installations failing or causing more problems.
	3. Create a System Restore point.  If you found any viruses or spyware delete all of your old Restore Points and then create a new one.  If you have a problem and use a System Restore point prior to the time you removed any viruses or spyware, guess what happens?  That’s right; you reload the viruses and/or spyware!  Instructions on deleting System Restore points are at the end of this article.
	4. If you installed a beta version of a service pack, uninstall that version before you install the final service pack.
	5. NEVER attempt to abort the installation of a service pack (or any program).  If you have started the installation and then decide you do not want to continue, allow the installation to complete; reboot the computer; and then uninstall the service pack (or program).
	
Follow the steps below if you need (or want) to delete all System Restore points:

Windows XP

1. 	Click the Start Button.
2. 	From the Start menu click Control panel.
3. 	Click on “Switch to Classic View” in the upper left portion of the Control Panel window.
4. 	In Control Panel double-click the “System” Icon.
5. 	Click the “System Restore” tab.
6. 	Check the box next to “Turn off System Restore on all drives”.
7. 	Click “Apply” at the bottom right corner.
8. 	Click “Yes” in the warning box asking if you want to turn off system restore.
9. 	Click “OK” and close all windows.
10. Reboot the computer to clear all System Restore points.
11. To re-enable system restore repeat the above steps; this time removing the check in the box next to “Turn off System Restore on all drives”.
11. Reboot Again.

Windows Vista

1. 	Click the Start Button.
2. 	From the Start menu click Control panel.
3. 	Click on “Classic View” in the upper left portion of the Control Panel window
4. 	In Control Panel double-click the “System” Icon.
5. 	On the Left of the System properties window you will see a list of Tasks, click on the “System protection” link.  
6. 	Click “Continue” on the ‘User Account Control’ box if it appears.
7. 	In the System protection window remove the “check”' mark for the drive you want to disable system restore on. A message will now appear asking: ‘Are you sure you want to turn System restore off'.
8. 	Press the “Turn System restore Off” button. System Restore will now be turned off permanently on that particular drive.
9. 	Click “OK” and close all windows.
10. Reboot the computer to clear all System Restore points.

To re-enable system restore repeat the above steps, but click the box next to the drive you require system restore to monitor ( a check will appear in the box), then click the Apply button and system restore will resume monitoring the drive.

This article has been provided to APCUG by the author solely for publication by APCUG member groups. All other uses require the permission of the author (see e-mail address above).