XP service pack 3, now worse than ever

[The Doctor]

I was satisfied with XP until about a week ago, when update 3 hit. Now she locks up more than ever. Anyone else got the service pack 3 blues?

[MichaelPaladin]

I was satisfied with XP until about a week ago, when update 3 hit. Now she locks up more than ever. Anyone else got the service pack 3 blues?

Well I've got sp3 on two different desktop and one laptop and have not seen any major problems.

Computer lockups can come from different things. One is heat, if certain parts get to hot it will cause a lockup. If this is on a desktop, open the side and make sure all the fans are working.

Another thing that can cause lockups, is having a hard drive that is badly fragmented. The solution for that is to run the defrag program.

Also you can have some non-compatable drivers, so that would mean you need to make sure all your device drivers are up to date.

And mostly Windows get really wonky after a being on a machine for a long time. Especially when you add and remove programs alot. The registry after a while gets real bloated and that in itself will cause problems. Personally I wipe my hard drives and reload the Windows operating system fresh at least once a year.

[JRINJAX]

I do know that Dell did have some issues with SP3 on some models. Why don't you uninstall it?

[thorton]

I was satisfied with XP until about a week ago, when update 3 hit. Now she locks up more than ever. Anyone else got the service pack 3 blues?

Hi Doc: I have had no issues with service pack 3. I do know that when Microsoft alerted me about installing this update, it took about 3 tries on different days to get it installed on my computer. I was a bit worried about that, however, like I alreadey stated, no issues with it.

thorton
_______________________
Not knowing something is normally a
milestone on the way to knowledge

[PaysonHVAC]

If it's causing problems you can uninstall SP3 if that is an option. Or maybe try system restore.

The best thing would be to dump that antique operating system for Vista.

You wont look back.

[JRINJAX]

Payson,
Many people are going back to XP or making their macines Dual-Boot XP/Vista [easy to do].

Vista is great for people who need "Dazzle".

Xp is more like a Timex watch.

[PaysonHVAC]

Payson,
Many people are going back to XP or making their macines Dual-Boot XP/Vista [easy to do].

Vista is great for people who need "Dazzle".

Xp is more like a Timex watch.

It's more like the other way around! If XP is a Timex, Vista is an atomic clock!

I have about 8 computers all with Vista.
I even have it on older "incompatible" machines with bare minimals and it never crashes.

It's on my lap top that I'm using right now.
I rarely even restart this laptop. It gets put into Hibernation many times a day, day after day and always comes back on just where I left it.


XP never worked this good.

And yes, the eye candy and extra feattures are a lot better too.

My 13 yr old and 11 yr old even use it on their approx 4 yr old AMD based computers and minimal RAM. My 11 yr old is always online. If she can't break it, nothing will!

Usually, I've found that the people who don't seem to like it, have never even had it!

Don't fall under the spells of the MAC vs PC commercials!

[JRINJAX]

We will eventually have to change our XP workstations/Sequel 2005/Win 2003 Server backbone, just due to future support issues. A lot of the complaints on Vista come from "Black Belt" friends with the DOD who prefer XP for non media tasks.

[ldmth44]

I have four laptops: mine has Vista Ultimate, the others have XP SP3 on them. Never had any issues with either since I keep my Anti-virus software up to date on all four (two have Norton Internet Protection and the other two have McAfee). Of course I don't get loads of spam on mine because I have the system setup to flag the junk, my wife's on the other hand, gets about 30 junk emails a day. She likes to look at stuff, just like the brochures you get in regular snail mail. I try to tell her not to open everything she gets unless it is a good site, but that is like trying to tell the mailman that I'll take only this and not that.

I use the older laptop for work related issues since I can take it with me and it already has scratches and such. It uses XP SP3 with Norton.

[The Doctor]

I bet I need to wipe the hard drive out and start over. I have XP on this laptop as well and it does have not problemslike that desktop.

...been using McAfee on the lap and the desk and only had one major system restore situation due to operator error, uh, yeah don't click that link again...and it runs great. The wifey uses that one mostly (desk)so maybe it's time to flush it all away and reinstall.

On another topic, an associate friend is patiently extolling the virtues of non-windows OS, such as ...well, he has his fav, but I could choose a different one just for grins.

Any suggestions from youse guys/gals?

[amd]

An operating system which wastes 25%+ of the processor's clock cycles to make sure that you're not doing something illegal with "premium content" can't be good.

I set up a laptop (not for me) which came with Vista pre-installed; it was slow as hell in spite of having 2Gb of ram and a dual core processor; I wiped the disk and put XP on.

Vista would probably turn my Athlon 2500+ into a 486 if I installed it.

"Vista Premium Ready"
Processor 1 GHz
Memory 1 GB RAM
Graphics card DirectX 9.0 capable DirectX 9.0 capable and WDDM 1.0 driver support
Graphics memory 128 MB RAM supports up to 2,756,000 total pixels (e.g. 1920 × 1200) or 512 MB+ for greater resolutions such as 2560x1600[54]
HDD capacity 40 GB
HDD free space 15 GB

XP Recommended requirements...
Processor 300 MHz or higher
Memory 128 MB RAM or higher
Video adapter and monitor Super VGA
Hard drive disk free space 1.5 GB or higher
CD-ROM drive or DVD drive

Now, which OS is more efficient? - you decide.

We all know how microsoft underestimates system requirements (They claimed that a 386 with 4Mb RAM could run Win9x when it barely runs on a 486)

[PaysonHVAC]

An operating system which wastes 25%+ of the processor's clock cycles to make sure that you're not doing something illegal with "premium content" can't be good.

I don't know where got that crazy idea.
I've watched what's using the processor(s) and nothing is doing that.
Plus if it DID look for illegal software, shareware, etc... my sh*t would have quit a LONG time ago!

Most of my media is DOWNLOADS. Yet it will share, burn, you name it.
Yet people say that you CAN'T with Vista???

I set up a laptop (not for me) which came with Vista pre-installed; it was slow as hell in spite of having 2Gb of ram and a dual core processor; I wiped the disk and put XP on.

Vista would probably turn my Athlon 2500+ into a 486 if I installed it.

"Vista Premium Ready"
Processor 1 GHz
Memory 1 GB RAM
Graphics card DirectX 9.0 capable DirectX 9.0 capable and WDDM 1.0 driver support
Graphics memory 128 MB RAM supports up to 2,756,000 total pixels (e.g. 1920 × 1200) or 512 MB+ for greater resolutions such as 2560x1600[54]
HDD capacity 40 GB
HDD free space 15 GB

XP Recommended requirements...
Processor 300 MHz or higher
Memory 128 MB RAM or higher
Video adapter and monitor Super VGA
Hard drive disk free space 1.5 GB or higher
CD-ROM drive or DVD drive

Now, which OS is more efficient? - you decide.

We all know how microsoft underestimates system requirements (They claimed that a 386 with 4Mb RAM could run Win9x when it barely runs on a 486)

I get the OPPOSITE effect.
I have TWO cheap laptops that came with XP Home. They were $400 cheapo's. They were slow as fack when tnhey were new.
256 megs RAM. They are something like AMD 2800+ processors.
I had to put in at least 512 RAM (or Vista refuses to install) and eventually put in 750 megs (all used craigslist stuff) and Vista Ultimate.
Did my usual tweeks to turn off the User Access Control that is on by default.
These are way faster than stock.

One thing about buying computers preloaded with software is that all that sh!t is starting and running in memory. If you have Nortons or McAffee, those damn things have like 5 processes EACH!
AVG works just as good, uses less resources, and is FREE for non commercial use.
Before there was Vista. I had wiped these laptops and reinstalled with the XP discs that came with them and that right there made them faster.
When I went to Vista it disn't slow down. It actually became faster. Partially because of the RAM.
But they suggest 2 gigs of RAM and I only have 750 DDR and it's fine but not as snappy as two of my 6 PC's at home that have dual core machines with 2 Gigs DDR2.
I'm surprised the video graphics is descent in these $400 laptops. It's good enough to run the Vista screen savers, WMM, etc that my kids PC's can't.


The main thing with prepackaged PC's is to dump all that bullsh!t preinstalled garbage. If it's stuff you like, take it out of system startup.
Any of those systems will be faster when you reinstall, even with the exact same operating system.
I've never bought a new PC with Vista so I don't know how bogged down that could be.
I also know what to turn OFF in Vista to make it fast as possible.

Vista is HEAVILY supported in forums, etc and believe it or not, is EASIER to make changes to than about any other windows operating system so far.

The functions in it run circles around XP. I don't know why anyone would want to go back to XP. If it doesn't cause me problems with some of my mix n match PC's my kids use, security camers run on, etc at home, then it's got to be a pretty reliable operating system.

[PaysonHVAC]

I forgot to mention my old PC that runs my security camera at home is something like a AMD 2000+ with only 512 megs RAM and an old hard drive.
Yet it NEVER locks up and I can connect to it remotely to watch audio/video in real time from my house, etc.
They never need to be restarted.

And the home networking is also far superior.

I have had zero problems. And I just might be using the same Vista install DVD on ALL of my PC's somehow.

[gcastillo]

I agree that Vista is a more stable operating system and works very well with everything I do. Only time it restarts is after installing updates.

[PaysonHVAC]

I agree that Vista is a more stable operating system and works very well with everything I do. Only time it restarts is after installing updates.

It's very stable.

And I don't even let it do automatic updates.

[amd]

I agree when it comes to bloatware; brand name machines in general suck - too bad laptops can't be custom built.

[ct_hvac_tech]

the only reason I won't get vista is one reason only........all the copyright and DRM $hit that is built in to it. I hear it won't even let you copy a blu ray disc and have it be the same quality as the original one.

Not only that, but it is rumored that with vista one day you will not even be able to copy a CD or burn mp3's you ripped from a CD you bought more than X amount of times.

That aloe makes me not want it.

[electrajim]

Don't tell me you guys are HVAC pro's AND are MCSE certified to work on your own computers are you???

Computers are a lot like HVAC.
Anyone can mess with them,own one, but most don't know what they are doing, and don't have any formal training.
If they are setup wrong, or abused, they will run like crap, and you'll wish you knew a Geek Squad tech, (a qualified technician?) and call him over to fix your computer. (no charge of course)

devils advocate,
Jim

[amd]

With computers one does not have to run the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning, electrocution, or burning a house down. Bad analogy.

[electrajim]

I didn't mean to imply a death sentence is inevitable. chill However, they do have a Blue Screen Of Death, and both professions have hacks, as in computer hacker. (work with me here)Computer geeks need to make a living too.
See how pissed everybody gets when the payroll computer doens't start, or you need a laptop to communicate with a "mission critical" heating and cooling.
Didn't anyone tell the girls in the office not to shut off the computers daily just by useing ths switch on the outlet strip? LOLOL!!

IT's a better analogy than you think.

I think I'm going to go poke around the windows registry now.
You know, just because I want windows to run more efficiently.

Jim