getting SP2 after format??

I beleive that soon we won't be able to get sp2 from microsoft right?? When will that be??

I am going to be formatting my drive and using my toshiba recovery disk to bring it back to how it was when I first bought it (almost 5 years ago). I haven't used the recovery disk before and I will have to download a TON of updates.

Should I be downloading any updates to disk or whatnot before I format to be sure there aren't any problems?

Also, are there any special tools you would recommend that I run before or after the format and reinstall to test my memory or hard drive for errors?

 

Microsoft has publicly committed to replacing Service Pack 2 with Service Pack 3 in the second half of 2007: http://www.microsoft.com/windows/lifecycle/servicepacks.mspx

Note:

Translated, this means that support for Service Pack 2 will continue through at least the second half of 2008.

 

Ok...so if I format in the next few weeks (was going to do today, but backups are taking FOREVER!!), I can still get SP2. Someone told me that as of October of this year, I wouldn't be able to download SP2 anylonger. I guess they were wrong.

 

Support for Service Pack 1 and Service Pack 1a ends on October 10, 2006 This has nothing to do with Service Pack 2.

http://support.microsoft.com/gp/lifean19

 

Stupid question, but I'm new to laptops. How do I find out the manufacturer of the harddrive? All I found in Device Manager was something from Intel, do they make HDs?

Also, I ran the windows memory diagnostic tool and nothing happened at startup. It appears to read my floppy, but doesn't run any program...

 

raingirlIT ...

I have an IBM/Lenovo laptop, and Device Manager shows that the Disk drive (hard drive) is made by Fujitsu.

Either Belarc Advisor or Everest Home Edition (now discontinued) will give you all kinds of information about your system, including the maker of your hard drive.