Windows XP Service Pack - which one do I have?

Question

I'm trying to figure out which XP service pack was included with my computer when I bought it. I've done all the suggested Windows Updates since I bought it, so I know what it is now is not what was on the CD when I bought it.

The reason is, I want to get a new HDD, but I want to know if I can get one larger than 137 GB and format the whole thing right at initial install with the disk Dell provided with my system, or if I'm going to end up with one 137 GB partition, and one that is the remainder. I need XP SP1 or later to have the 48-bit LBA enabled, and thus be able to handle larger drives.

I have an OptiPlex GX260 that I bought Nov. 25, 2002. I see on Microsoft's website that they released XP SP1 in September 2002. What are the chances that SP1 was included on my Dell Windows XP CD when I bought it two months later?

I tried looking at the CD and at the label on my computer case and couldn't find the info in either of those places.

Does anybody out there have any ideas ... aside from trial and error. I'd like to know before I buy the new drive.

Thanks.

Denny Denham · Answer

fredikium,

That question is simply too hard. Dell began shipping Windows XP with SP1 in November of 2002. Whether your CD contains SP1 or not is a matter of conjecture, as the actual day it was shippped may make the difference. In order to be perfectly safe with your new hard drive, your best bet is to create a slipstreamed CD including SP2. See the instructions here.

fredikium · Answer

Nuts. I figured it would be something like that, but I still hoped maybe they switched in Sept/Oct so I would know for sure.

That slipstreamed CD thing is SUH-WEET though. Never heard of it. Best advice EVAR! :smileytongue: I'll give it a try.

Thanks for the help, Denny.

Denny Denham · Answer

fredikium,

Right-click My Computer and select Properties. The service pack installed will be reflected on the window that opens.

You say you have installed all the Windows Updates. If that is so, then by definition you have SP2.

Message Edited by Denny Denham on 01-21-2005 09:25 AM

fredikium · Answer

Thanks for the quick reply - not quite what I was asking though.

What I'm asking is what service pack is on the CD included with my system. I've had the computer for two years, and I've done all the updates that came down the pipe from Microsoft (including SP2), so that won't be accurate anymore.

I want to know if I drop in a new HDD over 137GB, boot from the CD, and format/install from the XP CD Dell included, if it will be SP1 and will recognize the full drive size.

As I said, SP1 was released Sept. 2002, I bought my computer in Nov. 2002. Would Dell be using new XP CDs by then?

Thanks again.

jmwills · Answer

The disc will have printed on it, SP1 or SP2.  If your's has netiher, then you have the basic version with no service packs on the disc.  Slipstreaming your old CD with SP2 is the best method.

fredikium · Answer

I followed the slipstream instructions exactly as shown here:

Elder Geek XP2 Slipstream Instructions

When I got to the step where you actually run the update on the files you copied from the disc, I got the following error:

"This Service Pack cannot be integrated into a destination that also has integrated Software Updates. Consult the Service Pack documentation for more details about supported integration scenarios."

After some hunting around, I found the following on the Microsoft site:

Microsoft Article 887412

There's nearly zero help there, but it did tell me that there was apparently something already integrated in my copy of the disc from Dell. I did some hunting around in the copy of the disc and found references to SP1, but it seemed it was done in a way that Windows was installed, then SP1 was installed after.

Under the I386 folder, there was a folder called "SVCPACK", with a bunch of (20) "Q######.exe" files. These files were copied again under the I386 folder, and there was a .inf file called SVCPACK.inf that seemed to install them, but I couldn't figure out when or how.

Anyway, when I removed all these files and the folder from the I386 directory, then I could successfully slipstream with SP2.

I burned exactly as The Elder Geek described with Nero, and that seemed to work fine too.

When I got to actually installing, everything booted properly, but right at the start when its loading all the files before you get to partitioning a new drive, I got an error saying "usbehci.sys" was corrupt and it restarted. Tried again, same thing.

Put my old drive back in, booted, and created a new disc burned with Roxio in case the burn was bad. Tried to reload, and again it failed on the same file, so I guess its not the burning, but the files themselves that are bad.

I don't know if this is due to the slipstreaming or not, but its frustrating. Feels like such a waste of a day.

Any thoughts?

Sorry for such a long post.

JRosenfeld · Answer

http://vbdotnet.home.comcast.net/XP_SP2.htm   tells you what to do about the svcpack, though it seems you worked that out for yourself.   For usbehci.sys is corrupt after slipstream SP2, I found this googling     http://www.msfn.org/board/index.php?showtopic=23866   Hope it helps.

Windows General

Windows XP Service Pack - which one do I have?

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