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Any glitches to expect w/Vista SP2 install?
Hi:
New to the forum (and not very good at this forum thing).
Trying to nip in the bud any issues with updating to Vista SP2....
Have XPS 420 (Intel Core 2 Q6600(2.4 Ghz) & 8MB cache, 375 PSU; 4 GB DDR2 SDRAM @ 800 Mhz), 640 GB SATA HD (7200 RPM), AMD Radeon HD3450 256 Mb PCI-Express X 16 RV620; 20" Ultrasharp 2009W Monitor; 16X DVD-ROM and 16X DVD+/-RW) built 01/2009, running OEM Vista Ultimate SP1 (32 bit), with all drivers current. OEM McAfee Security Center.
System now stable after a period of MAJOR TDR issues (Timeout Detection and Recovery) with the video display, necessitating warranty replacement first of system memory and then the entire video card. (Known issue with Vista and both ATI and NVidia cards, apparently). LONG and SORDID story! (http://forums.amd.com/game/messageview.cfm?catid=260&threadid=104677&enterthread=y)
After dealing with the video display problems for several weeks, I've been reluctant to jump right in on SP2, even though I am told there are some patches contained in SP2 that may further help stabilize the system for these video issues. So, I've waited until today to install it via Windows Update (I'm otherwise fully patched).
I understand that, though it's not mandatory, it's advisable before installing SP2 (according to McAfee Forum (http://community.mcafee.com/showthread.php?t=230866) as is customary, to:
A) temporarily disable the firewall and AV functions of the McAfee suite and,
B) close down as all applications and many services (such as screensavers) as possible, and
C) OF COURSE, perform a complete system backup to an external hard drive or online backup.
McAfee also recommends temporarily enabling the WINDOWS firewall during download and install, I assume in order to provide some firewall protection during the process, but with less risk of a conflict than might occur with the McAfee firewall.
I've also been advised that the installation can take quite a long time (upwards of 40 minutes), so it's important to be patient (many folks who have had unsuccessful installs have, in general, grown impatient and incorrectly tried to reboot their system while the installation was still in progress).
All of which gets me to my questions:
1) Aside from the steps listed above, is there anything anyone else recommends for a trouble-free installation process?
2) For those of you who installed via Windows Update (which I think only installs the changed files, rather than the entire 350 Mb), approximately how long did it take?
3) What types of problems did you encounter during installation?
4) Did you have any issues with loss of functionality after installation? (I am aware that one needs to configure Firefox 3 to run in Vista SP2 compatibility mode)
Thanks very much in advance!
Daledoc1
Daledoc1
11 Posts
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June 2nd, 2009 06:00
Thanks, Rick.
It's reassuring to know that it CAN proceed uneventfully! :emotion-5:
I'll let you know how it goes....
DELL-Jesse L
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June 2nd, 2009 06:00
Daledoc1,
Thank you for using the Dell Community Forum.
Here are a couple of informative post from 2 of our forum members.
Red Dawns Post:
http://en.community.dell.com/forums/t/19276672.aspx
Bugbatters Post:
http://en.community.dell.com/forums/t/19276804.aspx
rettenhu
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June 2nd, 2009 06:00
I have a Studio XPS 435T and upgraded to SP2 without any problems at all. I did not disable McAfee firewall during the process. I did update thru Windows Update and I do believe the update was in the 350MB range and probably took the 40 or so minutes you mentioned although I did not time it and actually was away from the computer for a while while it was downloading and then installing. No issues post update.
Rick
Daledoc1
11 Posts
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June 2nd, 2009 06:00
Thanks, Jesse:
I think I had found my way to those posts a few days ago, but didn't save the links.
So, it was helpful to be able to re-read them.
Thankfully, I'm not running any of the 3rd party apps (esp the security apps) on this system.
So, aside from changing the Firefox settings to SP2 compatibility mode, I should be OK with my software/browsers, etc.
Let's hope so (I've had more than enough misery and down time b/c of the video display issues, so I hate to rock the boat, now that the system is stable).
I'll let you know how it goes....
Thanks again,
Daledoc1
Daledoc1
11 Posts
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June 2nd, 2009 10:00
Yippee!
Though I'm probably jinxing myself and will experience some BSOD in the next 5 minutes , it all seems to have gone just fine.
I did take the trouble to temporarily turn off McAfee , turn on Windows Firewall, turn off all tasks, turn off screensaver, and disable a few other apps from the startup menu, just to play it safe for the reboots.
With my HSI connection the entire process (including restoring all my settings and programs) took less than an hour.
Everything seems to be working OK.
For now.
I think.
Thanks for your assistance and advice. "If I need ya, I'll call ya. If I don't need ya, I won't call ya."
Daledoc1
mfitzz
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September 21st, 2009 15:00
I have an Inspiron 1525., I had it set up to automaticly download WIndows updates and back in June downloaded the beta verson os Service pack 2. This caused HUGE issues with McAfee.
Part of security software just disappeared. I couldn't reload McAfee because according to their install software I already had it running on my machine, but when I tried to un-install it did not appear on the menu. I litteraly spent 37 hours over four days on the phone with McAfee and Dell support while one tech or another took remote control of my laptop. One of the things I was told at the time was that Dell did not recommend installing Service Pac 2. Both the Dell and McAfee tech folks told me it had caused the problem and I needed to un-install it. In the end I had to completely wipe my machine and reinstall everything.
I don't want to go through that again.
So, now I'm suddenly getting a notice every time I turn on the laptop telling me I have important windows update, which it turns out is Service Pac 2, but I'm scared to try and install it incase I run into the same issues I did back in June.