I work for a company who is telling me to install sp2 on every computer that we are removing virus's and spyware on. Yes that should be done but I'm being told to do that first on infected systems with no exceptions. I personally think this is very bad and will just end in disaster. I have always been told to install sp2 on a clean system and have seen many times an sp2 install go really bad on an infected system. Ive searched google far an wide and I'm proven right time and time again. I may loose my job argueing this fact. I dont want to mess someones computer up by doing this. Can someone send me official word from M$ that this is not good or can EVERYONE give me your opinion. I know there are times where theres a virus and installing sp2 can help, but when this is not the case sp2 should be on a clean system.. what do you guys think.. im being told that im crazy and feel like im in the twilight zone

i wouldn't recommend doing this, it might work but it all depends on what kind of virus/es you got there. today there are so many viruses, trojans, rootkits and malwares that you don't even know where to start when trying to describe what they might do to your system. and there is a good chance that they won't let you install sp2 or anything else for that matter.

so, convince them that you'd be better and safer of installing and running anti-virus apps first.
here are a few websites related to your issue:

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp [...] llsp2.mspx
^^^^^

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp [...] xpsp2.mspx

This has to convince them since these are links to official m$ site,
GL 8)

Whats going to end up happening is someones computer is going to get hosed.. then theyre going to sue us.. Here are some links stating to install on a clean system.. Id like to find a website that says other wise.. if anyone finds one please post it

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp [...] xpsp2.mspx

http://main.itac.ksu.edu/sp2.htm

http://forum.aumha.org/viewtopic.p [...] 6eab86bbdf

http://cc.jlab.org/docs/services/w [...] nstall.htm

http://www.crn.com/white-box/165600228

I agree that it should be installed on a clean system, however as an MCSE I have also heard the opposite argument. The idea is that because of the all-encompassing SP2 load, it overwrites such a large % of the files with SP2 versions that it only leaves 25% active files from pre-SP2 and few of them are very likely to be targeted by a virus writer because of how low usage/priority they are. I would argue that virus writers know which would not be overwritten making it more likely that they may be targeted. Look at it this way, ultimately it's not worth losing a job over and it may guarantee your services in the future.