SP3: plus & minus of various ways of applying it?

I ordered the SP3 CD from Microsoft and slipstreamed it yesterday into a new setup CD using my original MS XP Pro SP2 setup CD.

Three ways that I can see of applying it (and maybe there are more I don't see):

a) just applying it from the SP3 setup CD
b) doing a clean install using the slipstreamed CD
c) doing a repair install using the slipstreamed CD

First, are there additional ways to install SP3, and
second, what are the pluses and minuses of each method?

I have two hard drives: 0 & 1 partitioned as follows 0 = C:, D:, E:, and 1 = H: & I: (G: is my CD RW drive.)

Everything of a non-OS nature and not-installed (setup) programs and driver sources are on drive D:, everything "installed" is on C: including Documents and Settings, although I tried to minimize what programs placed there but it wasn't always possible to do so. When I could I had the programs use D: instead of C:. Drives E:, F:, H: and I: are used for father/son backups of C:, the System State and D: using Acronis True Image.

Currently I am leaning towards a clean install. My "up-to-date" XP Pro was initially installed in 2005 and has only been updated since, never have I re-installed it.

Any help would be very much appreciated.

 

Thanks for the reply, Steve.

I guess should have mentioned that I have a finicky 24K dialup connection at best so doing it directly from Windows Update is really out of the question. Because of the connection (if you want to call it that) I do custom updates so I can bite off small pieces even though it will resume a download now-a-days. Not so in my 98SE days.

I agree a fresh install is a lot of work and I usually subscribe to the "if it ain't broke, don't fit it" philosophy. And my OS is (knock on wood) running really well. I did a new install when I went from 98SE to XP Pro. That is why I make such a heavy use of my drive D: instead of everything being on C: I'd like to think I planned ahead for this type of situation. I had figured on having to do a fresh install of XP long before this but it has been so stable I'm afraid to even mention it. Surely Murphy is listening.

 

Any more opinions on my second and most important question: What are the pluses and minuses of each method?

Again, any help would be very much appreciated!!!

 

Thanks, Steve!

I have never installed a service pack before as my retail copy of the XP Setup CD came from Microsoft with SP2 already slipstreamed.

 

well I have done 2 slipstreamed SP3 Repair installs and found it to be very easy with no problems at all.
hawk22

 

On a related note - should I install SP3 if I have installed all the patches which are integrated into SP3 ?

 

personally I don't think you would need to, but if you happen to do a repair install you save yourself a lot of work if you have a slipstreamed SP3 XP.
But that is just my opinion.