Problem upgrading to XP Pro

Kathleen,

I have installed SP2 onto my three Gateway computers:  A 700XL (non-Gateway
XP Pro), a 300S (Gateway-supplied XP Home) and this notebook, a 200X
(Gateway-supplied XP Pro).  None has had any problem running or running any
application software.  This includes, in the case of the 300S, application
software that is written by non-professional developers.

Go for the upgrade.  I would suggest you do as other posters have
recommended and use the "full" SP2 package.  I used Windows Upgrade in all
three computers to save time, but I think it would be best for you to start
with the whole package.

Good luck,

    Turner

SP2 is a wonderful upgrade, but for a very small number of reasons,
about 10% of people have serious problems with it.

You are in the best possible position, in that you have a clean install
with no installed software.  In that case, I would definitely install
it, since you can remove it if you have a problem (removal should be
done via control panel add-remove software).

If you have a choice, use the full 270 megabyte version do the install.
  Problems are more common when using "Windows Update" to install it.

[snip]

There isn't a consensus regarding SP2, but I would suggest staying with
SP1 and all the latest updates without installing SP2 yet. I have
installed SP2 on this laptop, and the firewall is much weaker than
stand-alone ones. It does not significantly imrpove Windows security,
while having that annoying new security applet that is always trying to
bring up suggestions (I actually disabled it in services). SP2 also
introduces incompatibilities with a lot of software, including MS's. The
reason I gave it a try is because this laptop is used only for web
browsing and emails, but if I were to reinstall it, I wouldn't run SP2
on it.

On my desktop, where I do all my work, I am still running SP1.

Cosmin

I'd disagree that there isn't a consensus.

The "problems" that people have with SP2 generally fall into the
following categories:

1.  People using the wrong version.  Some people are downloading
"subset" versions on one PC, trying to use them on another version.
Using the full 270 megabyte version resolves this problem; subset
versions downloaded by Windows update are "machine specific" to the
particular machine on which they were downloaded, and can't be used on
other machines.  ONLY the full 270 megabyte version can be used on a
machine other than that on which it was downloaded.

2.  People with "Prescott" CPUs and the wrong microcode in the
motherboard BIOS.  This is not a Microsoft problem, the motherboard
makers need to offer a BIOS with the correct microcode, and the owners
need to update the BIOS.

3.  People with firewall issues.  These people don't really have a
problem, but they do need to configure their operating systems to
support the software that they are using.  It's a matter of a few mouse
clicks to tell Windows that it's "OK" for that particular program to do
something that looks, to the operating system, suspiciously like a
security problem.

4.  Software programs -- not Windows, but the applications -- that are
genuinely badly written and that need to be re-written.  This is the
problem of the software publishers, not Microsoft.  Examples include
software that execute code from the data segment (thus violating "data
execution protection" in new processors).

I'm not aware of any problems that anyone is having with SP2 that
doesn't fall into one of these categories.

Well, I finally got this to work - I had to do a clean install and even that
stalled once, but turning it off and back on did the trick.

So, my next question is: what's the general consensus on XP SP-2? This
laptop has wireless, and I've read a number of postings in the
microsoft.public.windows.netwo­rking.wireless that SP-2 blew away their
wireless connection. I'd like a firewall for those times I'm not connected
through my router, but I've used ZoneAlarm on my other laptop and I have no
objection to installing it on this laptop.

Kathleen
(from central CT where it is an absolutely gorgeous day today)

Check out how many apps are incompatible, many of them Microsoft's own
apps.  The list is a bit shorter now than it was about a month or so
ago, so if that isn't a good enough reason to wait a while before
installing SP2, I don't know what is.

http://support.microsoft.com/d efault.aspx?kbid=842242

Cosmin

I had no problem updating with SP2 on my HP ZD7000 series and my old Compaq
1800T. I've also updated 3 desktops without a hitch. I have read reports
that people sometimes do have problems. Now would be a good time to do it as
you have nothing to loose on your machine except the install of XP you just
did. Check on the Gateway site for any cautions about updating first though.
They may have updated drivers or other software that needs to be installed
before the SP2 update. I recommend downloading the whole 266 MB SP2 file to
do the update. You can burn it to a cd and use it on other machines also.

70 degrees and sunny here in Litchfield county, couldn't be any better!
Bob

I ran Belarc Advisor on the PC before I started the upgrade - the BIOS
version is the latest according to the Gateway web site.

I am upgrading the existing XP Home to XP Pro SP-1a - I've done a similar
upgrade in the past on a SONY desktop and it was successful.

If you are doing it on top of XP Home, have you run

No, I didn't. I was going to do that after I got XP Pro running.

No, I don't think they would support it, would they, if I didn't purchase XP
Pro from them?

I need IIS.

Kathleen

I had that problem once on a laptop...just turn it off  with the power
switch. If the machine has gotten hot that could cause the problem ( if it
ran all night it's probably very warm) . I'd let it cool down just in case
that contributed to the problem and then turn it back on making sure it has
plenty of ventilation. After turning mine back on the upgrade process
started up again ( went very quickly to where it had stopped, at the 34
minute mark left on mine also)  and finished with no errors.
HTH,
Bob

That's what I just did - I really didn't know what else to do. When I turned
it back on, I told it to boot from the CD, it detected an install was in
progress and asked me if I would like to continue it and I said Yes.

It's back in the install process "Installing Windows - Installing Devices"
with 35 minutes to go.  I'm keeping my fingers crossed   :-)

If this doesn't work, I guess I'll turn it off again, boot from the CD and
try a clean install.

Kathleen

Kathleen,
Hang in there ( no pun intended!)...mine seemed to be not responding after
the restart so I went and did other things ( a watched pot!) and when I
checked in on it , it had 7 minutes left and finished up with no problems at
all.
Good luck..
Bob
 From NW CT where the fall foliage show will soon be underway ! ( my
favorite time of year!!!)

It's SP-1.

It's SP-1a.

At this point, I am willing to do that, I just don't know how to stop the
upgrade process.

Kathleen

It finished the task it was stuck on (Installing devices) and now it's stuck
on Installing Network with 32 minutes to go - and it's been that way all
night.

How do I reboot while it's in the middle of an install?

There's no data on the PC to worry about backing up - it's brand new.  I am
upgrading from XP HOme SP-1 to XP-Pro SP-1a.

Thank you,

Kathleen

Since the install process is stuck, there isn't much you can do to
resume it. Try to reboot the system. In some cases the XP install just
resumes from where it left off, hopefully without a crash this time
(this happened to me a few times, but they were fresh installs, not
upgrades). If the install does not resume, the laptop may still boot
into XP Home or into XP Pro. You may get some errors, but you should be
able to pull off data that needs to be backed up.

If your system fails to boot at all (somewhat unlikely) and you still
have data that isn't backed up, then you may have a problem. You'll need
to remore the hdd from the laptop and connect it to a desktop (either
through an IDE adapter or through a USB external enclosure) and retrieve
your data that way. Once you are done with that, install XP Pro from
scratch.

Cosmin

Just had that with a 366MHz Thinkpad. Removed a stick of RAM and the
install went fine. This was with a 3 year old BIOS, but a clean
install.

------------
When your PC gives a little they give a lot.
http://www.dslreports.com/foru m/disco

|I am upgrading a new Gateway M405 laptop that came with XP Home to XP Pro.
| It is stuck with 34 Minutes of Setup Time Remaining. I found a KB article
| (316386), but it applies to upgrading a Sony VAIO PCG-FXA portable
computer
| from Windows Millennium Edition to Windows XP Professional, and says you
| must install updated drivers before you upgrade your computer to Windows
XP.
| I've looked on the Gateway site - none of the downloads are XP Pro
specific.
| What should I do?
|
| --
| ~ Kathleen Anderson
|

Hi Kathleen -

Has your Windows XP Home installation already on the computer been updated
to SP1 and/or SP2?

Does your Windows XP Professional CD include SP1/SP2?

If your Home installation has been updated to SP1 and/or SP2 and your Pro CD
doesn't match the Service Pack release level, you'll have problems with an
upgrade installation.

Your best bet would be to perform a clean installation of XP Pro.
Alternatively, you could slipstream your XP Pro CD to match the Service Pack
release level of your Home installation - search on the web (or at
Microsoft's website) for instructions on slipstreaming.

Jef

In comp.sys.laptops Kathleen Anderson <spiderwebwo @mvps.org> wrote:
: I am upgrading a new Gateway M405 laptop that came with XP Home to XP Pro.
: It is stuck with 34 Minutes of Setup Time Remaining. I found a KB article
: (316386), but it applies to upgrading a Sony VAIO PCG-FXA portable computer
: from Windows Millennium Edition to Windows XP Professional, and says you
: must install updated drivers before you upgrade your computer to Windows XP.
: I've looked on the Gateway site - none of the downloads are XP Pro specific.
: What should I do?

A couple of things.

First of all, make sure you upgrade the laptop's BIOS to the latest
available version.

Also, are you doing a clean install of XP Pro or are you trying to do
an upgrade install on top of your existing XP Home (not even sure you
can do this)?  If you are doing it on top of XP Home, have you run
Windows Update to get the latest/greatest updates of everything from
MS before attempting the install?

Have you contacted Gateway to try to find out if they have any
feedback on such an upgrade?

And out of curiosity, why are you upgrading to XP Pro?

Andrew
--
----> Portland, Oregon, USA <----
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 ----> http://www.bizave.com  <---- Photo Albums and Portland Info
 ----> To Email me remove "MYSHOES" from email address
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Here's a pretty comprehensive article on performing a XP slipstream with
SP2.

http://www.theeldergeek.com/sl ipstreamed_xpsp2_cd.htm

The biggest drawback is you have to download the entire 270-some bazilla
megabyte network install package of SP2 from Microsoft.

Jef