Back Up Your Windows Xp Patches And Service Packs

[Peaches]

Back Up Your Windows XP Patches and Service Packs

Rick Broida

If you're running Windows XP with Service Pack 2 or even Service Pack 3, what happens if you have to perform a system recovery using your original XP CD? Hassles, that's what.

Reader Ralph recently experienced that exact scenario, resulting in an awful lot of Windows Updating after the installation. That's because the old CD doesn't have all the patches and updates you've downloaded over the years. It could take hours or even days to re-download and reinstall all that extra stuff, during which time your PC is more vulnerable to viruses and outside attacks. (A lot of those patches tackle security issues.)

Consequently, Ralph wanted to know if there was some way to back up the Windows Service Packs so he wouldn't be in the same boat next time.

There is--you can download the Service Packs as standalone installers directly from Microsoft (here's SP3, for example)--but I propose a different solution: slipstreaming.

Slipstreaming is the process of combining your existing Windows XP CD and the latest Service Pack into a new CD. When you're done, you'll be able to install Windows XP with SP3 outright.

This is easier to accomplish than you might think, provided you've got your original CD and the aforementioned standalone Service Pack. However, I'm not going to repeat the details here; check out Lincoln Spector's Slipstreaming Service Pack 2 on an Old Windows XP CD. Just substitute SP3 for SP2 and you're golden.

More details at pcworld - http://www.pcworld.com/article/167036/back...vice_packs.html

[Peaches]

Create a windows CD for PC's that do not have one.

what can you do?

See full details at Pcworld - http://www.pcworld.com/article/136168/slip...dows_xp_cd.html

[irregularjoe]

Back Up Your Windows XP Patches and Service Packs

Rick Broida

If you're running Windows XP with Service Pack 2 or even Service Pack 3, what happens if you have to perform a system recovery using your original XP CD? Hassles, that's what.

Reader Ralph recently experienced that exact scenario, resulting in an awful lot of Windows Updating after the installation. That's because the old CD doesn't have all the patches and updates you've downloaded over the years. It could take hours or even days to re-download and reinstall all that extra stuff, during which time your PC is more vulnerable to viruses and outside attacks. (A lot of those patches tackle security issues.)

Consequently, Ralph wanted to know if there was some way to back up the Windows Service Packs so he wouldn't be in the same boat next time.

There is--you can download the Service Packs as standalone installers directly from Microsoft (here's SP3, for example)--but I propose a different solution: slipstreaming.

Slipstreaming is the process of combining your existing Windows XP CD and the latest Service Pack into a new CD. When you're done, you'll be able to install Windows XP with SP3 outright.

This is easier to accomplish than you might think, provided you've got your original CD and the aforementioned standalone Service Pack. However, I'm not going to repeat the details here; check out Lincoln Spector's Slipstreaming Service Pack 2 on an Old Windows XP CD. Just substitute SP3 for SP2 and you're golden.

More details at pcworld - http://www.pcworld.com/article/167036/back...vice_packs.html

Thanks Peaches.

I've been planning to reinstall XP SP3 on my desktop for awhile now. I have the XP CD and SP2 CD from M$, but of course there have been a gazillion updates since then. I'm going to try slip streaming.

Joe

Edited June 21, 2009 by irregularjoe

[bozodog]

We've already done that, but the updates are still painfully long when you consider other applications, like Java, Adobe...etc. Reloading is like watching paint dry.

[Pete_C]

I always download the service pack iso and burn it so I have it .

I also use it to make a slipstream cd so if I need to do a repair or reinstall it will be at least almost up to date. Not the issue it was in the days when all there was to get updates was dial up, but still it does not hurt to have the copy.

[casper0191]

Well what i under stand about system recovery is that you really restore the pass setup of your computer. So loosing many patches and other stuffs is really meant to happen. So the best thing that you can do when you perform it is to prepare every installer that you have installed last time. Well I know it's a hassle but that is meant to be done in order to have a well maintained System.