Can't update wXP to SP3

WHY I DESPISE MICROSOFT:

OK, for various reasons, I'm trying to set up an old copy of Windows XP on a virtual machine. I have the original XP install CD. I have the appropriate licence codes.

So I install it onto the VM. No problems. But ... it needs to be upgraded to the latest service packs -- RAW xp is quite a bit old. So fine.

Go to microsoft's web page for service packs, get the latest "all in one" SP3 update.

Well, no, that's not enough. SP3, despite being supposedly "all in one" requires/presumes that SP **ONE** has to be installed.

*sigh* No problem, go ahead and download that.

Page Error.

It seems the version of IE which is on this machine is unable to access those pages...

So... upgrade IE to an older, but still more recent, version so it can access those pages.

No, sorry, this version of *IE* requires SP3 to run.

>:-/

EVERY single XP SP1 link I've found on M$'s site shows page errors of some sort which prevent you from downloading SP1, due to the older version of IE/XP that I'm using.

Now, this is not, and should not, be a problem for other companies -- they aren't IN CHARGE of the basic software. And it shouldn't be a problem for MOST Microsoft web pages -- Just go update. -- But M$ haven't even bothered to check to see that their UPDATE PAGES are vaguely compatible with the very versions of the software they're there to provide updates for, so someone can actually update. >:-/

No, there's no excuse for this. These pages should be created with the same kind of base-level tools they need to be accessed from, not from the latest freaking M$ web creation software. They SPECIFICALLY need to be created that way. Just to make sure they are ACCESSIBLE. Because if they aren't accessible, they might as well not even exist.

BUT WAIT, there's more.

So I download an older version of firefox that is still compatible with this version of XP and somewhat newer than the version of IE installed on this crufty version of XP.

So...

Download an "xpress install" of xp sp 1.

n.....ooooo.

They've (presumably) shut down whatever server was handling that process . Understandable, but I CAN'T FIND ANY OTHER VERSION OF #$^%$@^$@&^@^% XP SP1 ON THE #$^$%@&@$&! SITE.

So they've essentially made it impossible to update a version of xp to make it in compliance with their support policies. So unless you happen to have a CD that installs XP SP2 or better, you don't actually HAVE a copy of XP any more.

I repeat, I HATE microsoft.

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Can someone please connect me to a legitimate copy of SP1 or better that will update the BASE version of XP?

 

The idiot CD image that M$ has released with SP3 quits and whines if you do not have AT LEAST sp1 installed. It does NOT update from any prior SP level. Yes, it SAYS it's a "full roll-up". It lies.

The trick is obtaining SP1, since M$ appears to have shut down the server that handles "express" installs, and that also appears to be the ONLY SP1 installation link still there at M$.com. There is no single-file sp1 update anywhere to be found on M$'s website, that I have been able to locate.

Note that the difficulty also exists of even getting to THAT point, since the version of IE which is on the SP "base" install is too old to access 95% of M$ various pages you encounter trying to find out what you need to have to update to sp1 have major page errors. Someone needs to point out to Microsoft that, while most of M$.com can be done with the latest tools, anything legacy oriented which is designed to be accessed in order to bring you UP to current levels needs to be maintained to reflect the lowest reasonable levels of access, not upper ones. The pages that get you to XP SP3 level of access need to handle the IE that was released with XP "sp0" itself.

(Hint: You can get older versions of firefox from mozilla.org which are still compatible with "XPbase". There are still page errors but not as many and not all of them so bad such that proceeding further is impossible.)


Thanks to another thread here, I found a Fileplanet link at the bottom of a CNet discussion which works at the moment, but someplace like this forum should probably obtain a copy of the SP1 complete file and make a link available for it, since something at the top of File Planet says it's a dead site and in the process of being archived:

Which suggests even THAT link will not be in service too much longer.

It appears to have been adequate to the task. The SP3 ISO installed just fine, following the SP1 installation. I'd rather have kept to Microsoft-only installation sources, but FilePlanet is/was run by IGN so I'm assuming it's a reputable source.

 

please read my reply here

 

To all in this thread:

HOW TO DOWNLOAD SP3 FOR XP
http://www.computing.net/howtos/sho...ervice-pack-3-sp3-after-april-8-2014/916.html

sp3 is no longer carried at the microsoft download center