Where is SP2?

I downloaded SP2 and now can't find it on my computer. Where does it reside?

 

Hi Barb

How did you download it? Where it is depends on your answer.

Another question: did you do a System Restore to a restore point prior to the download? I dimly remember a post by you of a panic attack and SP2 - can't find that post.

Regards - Charles

 

Hi Charles,

Yes, I did do a restore but when I turned my computer on the next day it said my restore didn't work... but the features of SP2 I had for the short time are gone.

I downloaded it from the link given on this page. I used OPEN instead of SAVE so not sure where it went. I did a search for SP2 but it brought up nothing. I suppose the file has a different name or something. I am not sure if I want it or not but I'd like to see if it is still there incase I decide I do want it. I'm watching this board and reading everything I can about it.

 

Hi Barb,

I used OPEN instead of SAVE so not sure where it went.

If you didn't save it, it's not on your system. Download it again whenever you want to try it. This time SAVE to a folder - Downloads or a new folder of your own making. After the install, burn it out (save it to a cd) and delete from the HD.

You can also order a cd from Microsoft or go to a Staples store and they will give you one.

Regards - Charles

 

If you used " OPEN " instead of " SAVE " I think you will find that SP2 was INSTALLED. not just downloaded.

That may well be the reason for ;

And also the reason why you had some pf the SP2 features. You would not have had these if SP2 was just downloaded ( saved ).

What do you think Charlesvar ?

BillyBob

 

Yes, I think you're right BB. But besides that, if the Restore Point is before the download, saved or not, it would be gone anyway.

Barb, System Restore didn't work because SP2 is so big, the saved SP2 state - that option on the SR panel that says undo my restore - there wasn't any room in the space allocated to SR, defualt 12% of the Hard Drive, hence the message you got.

Its late for me, so let me continue this tommorrow.

Regards - Charles

 

Barbee, look in Add & Remove Programs, found in Contro Panel, to see if SP2 shows up there. If so, it is most likely installed on your system.

 

Hello bmartin,

Do still think it's there? I'm sure parts of it are still, but as a practical manner, it's gone, which is what she wanted, isn't it?

Regards - Charles

 

Hi Barb,

Continuing with System Restore and what happened:

By defualt, the space allocated to SR is 12% of the Hard Drive size - that is the max size. In my case, XP is on a 40 GB drive, SR's max alotted space = 4.576 GB - GB means Giga Bytes and = 1000 MB (Mega Bytes).

Appox every 24 hrs, SR creates a Restore point. The size of that restore point depends on the size of Windows and the size of any changes made to Windows. So on a day to day basis, SR points are not that big, relatively speaking. When SR fills up, the oldest restore points are deleted, or after 90 days, whichever comes first. Almost certainly you had restore points going back to 90 days.

SP2 is huge, and balloned Windows up. So the Restore point created with SP2 was large with a correspondly large restore point. When you restored to pre SP2, the system saved a "picture" of XP with SP2 - very large, that's what makes possible the "undo my restore" option. The restore worked, but not without protest

If you go into My Computer > System Restore tab > settings, you'll see that you can play with the allocation size via the slider. So if you ever run into something like this, first shrink SR's size, that way some of the oldest points will be deleted, then go back into the the settings and move the slider to the max size again. Or you can delete all the points by checking "Turn of Monitoring on all Drives ", reboot, and then uncheck that box. The System will then create an initial restore point.

For information on System Restore, type in System Restore into the Help & Support search box. It's not going tell you what I just wrote about, but will give lots of basic info on how it works.

Regards - Charles

 

I think we need to be a bit cautious here.

OK. I do not think it will be. But even if it is is I would be EXTREMELY CAUTIOUS about using it due to the quote above by BarbeeGee which says the SR DID NOT work properly. Because the way I see things right now the system may be be a cross between XP and XP SP2.

I think ( think only--) the better thing to do now would be to see about re-installing SP2. How to go about that I would have no idea.

BillyBob

 

Hi BB,

I think ( think only--the better thing to do now would be to see about re-installing SP2. How to go about that I would have no idea

Yes, it will have to be re-installed when Barb wants to do that. We went thru that last night. The reinstall will probably take a lot less time and done the same way it was done the first time. How else? There isn't another way.

Regards - Charles

 

To find out if SP2 is installed, right click on my computer and look on the general tab. It'll show up there. The add>remove programs route works too but you never know if the user may have accidently or purposely chose to not keep a backup during the installation. If a person did that, SP2 would be installed but it wouldn't show up in the add>remove programs list.

 

The add>remove programs route works too but you never know if the user may have accidently or purposely chose to not keep a backup

Hi Zander,

Is "backing up" something you're asked to do? I wasn't asked aside from the usual blurb about backing up files and do have the Add/Remove entry. I installed from a disc. Is that the difference?

Regards - Charles

 

I installed from Windows Update and I do not recall being asked about making backups. Other than what charlesvar mentioned.

BB

 

Christer, you just jogged my memory, the answer is yes, you will be asked about the uninstall file. Now I know what Zander meant.

Which isn't all that relevant to Barb actually. She says the SP2 "features" are gone. And yes maybe there are elements of SP2 in Windows, that's also moot. In order to have full functionality, SP2 will have to be installed again. Which condition is what Barb wanted, no SP2. And as long as the system functions w/o problems, which only Barb can answer, when she wants, she'll reinstall it.

Regards - Charles

 

Charles, I'm not sure what Barbee did, other than to install SP2. I just thought if it is showing up in Add & Remove she would know it's is there and if it is not working right for whatever the reason, she could uninstall and try it again from the the microsoft update website.

 

I'm not sure what Barbee did, other than to install SP2.

This is what she did. AFTER downloading ( installing ? ) SP2.

Again I think. It might be very damaging to use even if the Un-install did show in the add/remove.

I do not think there any real HONEST way to really tell what is actually on the machine. I firmly believe it is a halfa##ed system somewhere between XP and XP2. And anything other than a re-install ( and hoping it goes right ) of SP2 could be very damaging to the system. Or maybe a repair install of XP might work.

That may be true BUT can we be sure that they are still there after the Attempt at SR. ? And even if they are, are they ACCURATE and safe to use ?

These are my thoughts anyway when trying to look at the whole picture.

BillyBob

 

Anoother thought.

IF she had done an un-install from add/remove then did the SR it could be a different story.

But unless I read wrong she did the SR without un-installing SP2 first. That makes a whole different story. Because I belive that some of the things that SR needs would be GONE.

BillyBob