mVPstar,

Thank you for using the Dell Community Forum.

Here is a link I found from Google that may help you or give you some information on installing SP4.

http://www.microsoft.com/windows2000/downloads/servicepacks/sp4/spdeploy.htm

That link does give me info on how to install SP4 but it doesn't really mention anything about the problems or issues users may have after installing it. I'm really looking for an explanation on why these problems would occur and ways to prevent these problems. I don't want to install SP4 and then find out that I can't log in.

mVPstar,

Try searching Google for win2k sp4 problems. You'll find this is a widely discussed topic.

Jim

http://www.winntmag.com/Windows/Article/ArticleID/39644/39644.html

Ummm, I'm not sure if I even want to attempt installing this service pack. In that article, there was even a mention about someone's Dell8100 having problems. I have a Dell 8200. But then again, my school had installed the service pack without a problem. So right now, I'm not sure what I should do because I really don't want to have to reinstall my whole machine because I just did that a month ago to completely clean out my pc.

mVPstar,

That's a good article! I hadn't seen so many problems pulled together in one place before.

It certainly supports my thinking on SP4: NO, except for new installations!

Jim

Except for new installations? Well, I did just recently reinstall my whole computer. I haven't yet applied any patches and I'm currently (default) at SP1. As for anything important for software, I have running NAV and NPF 2003, an MS router, IE 6, and IIS.

Except for new installations?

I'd count a complete reinstall (format drive, start over) as a new installation. But once a system has been in service for as little as a few days, there's a considerable investment in software installations, and user data and settings that could potentially be lost, or at least would need to be recovered from a backup, if a failed installation of SP4 rendered the machine unbootable.

Best to find out that there are (or aren't!) problems like that at the very beginning.


Jim

And I was thinking of doing the upgrade immediately after I reinstalled Windows..But then I had to setup many programs because of a big project on the same week.

mVPstar,

The key is minimizing the time invested. Tough call, almost always. Sounds like you made the right decision, given the situation you faced.

We do have one C840 running SP4, but it was accidental. The user was prompted to go to the Windows Update site by Microsoft Access, and, since the default selection is the "most critical" one, SP4 got installed. Sigh. Fortunately, it worked. And after it did, the update that Access wanted was successfully installed.

Had it not, there would have been easily 24 hours worth of reinstallations required.

Jim

Is there any direct reason for installing SP4 though? I have excellent protection with my router hardware firewall and my software firewall, and I doubt anyone would want to bother trying to get through anyways, I have nothing of importance on my computer. Does SP3 hav any problems with installation like SP4 does?