PLEASE help this lil' o' lady

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.help_and_support (More info?)

Updates such as Service Pack 2. SP2 comes with a firewall, and if you do not
install this firewall before connected to the internet, you are vulnerable to
hackers, viruses, etc.
If you can find the SP2 file on your computer, burn it to a CD. If not,
download it, and then burn it to a CD.
When you have done this, it is safe to reformat the hard drive (right-click
on the drive in "My Computer", and select "Format".
On your newly formatted hard drive, install SP2 from the CD you burned it
to, and then you can connect to the internet safely.

"searchless" wrote:

> hi guys n'gals,
>
> i don't have a clue how to do this stuff, but i can't afford to hire it done.
>
> Background: I must reformat and start again. I have recovered what i could
> of what i lost. [computer info below]
>
> in my wandering around in webland today i saw the following somewhere [maybe
> michael MVP] , "When clean installing or reinstalling XP, do not connect to
> the internet before applying the latest critical updates and enabling a
> firewall. Updates not included on the XP CD used for the repair install will
> need to be reapplied and should be executed before connecting to the
> internet. Updates can be downloaded and burned to CD media prior to the
> Repair Install or clean install"
>
> now i am afraid to reinstall w/o doing this, but... What updates? From
> where? How do i do this?
>
> thank you sooooooo much!
> lil' o' lorain
>
> OS Name Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition 2002
> Version 5.1.2600 Service Pack 2 Build 2600
> OS Manufacturer Microsoft Corporation
> System Manufacturer Dell Computer Corporation
> System Model Dimension 8300
> System Type X86-based PC
> Processor x86 Family 15 Model 2 Stepping 9 GenuineIntel ~2992 Mhz
> BIOS Version/Date Dell Computer Corporation A05, 2/23/2004
> SMBIOS Version 2.3
> Total Physical Memory 512.00 MB
> Pentium(R) 4 CPU 3.00GHz
> File System NTSF
> Size 74.46 GB
>

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.help_and_support (More info?)

Thanks, Don.

UGGG! as i read about this SP2 in here there are a lot of problems with
it... almost like a virus. Is there a place where i can find instructions of
how to work with it to deal with all the problems before/after i load it? i
don't want to corrupt this new OS i'm loading.

thanks again, lorain

"Don Karnia" wrote:

> Updates such as Service Pack 2. SP2 comes with a firewall, and if you do not
> install this firewall before connected to the internet, you are vulnerable to
> hackers, viruses, etc.
> If you can find the SP2 file on your computer, burn it to a CD. If not,
> download it, and then burn it to a CD.
> When you have done this, it is safe to reformat the hard drive (right-click
> on the drive in "My Computer", and select "Format".
> On your newly formatted hard drive, install SP2 from the CD you burned it
> to, and then you can connect to the internet safely.
>
> "searchless" wrote:
>
> > hi guys n'gals,
> >
> > i don't have a clue how to do this stuff, but i can't afford to hire it done.
> >
> > Background: I must reformat and start again. I have recovered what i could
> > of what i lost. [computer info below]
> >
> > in my wandering around in webland today i saw the following somewhere [maybe
> > michael MVP] , "When clean installing or reinstalling XP, do not connect to
> > the internet before applying the latest critical updates and enabling a
> > firewall. Updates not included on the XP CD used for the repair install will
> > need to be reapplied and should be executed before connecting to the
> > internet. Updates can be downloaded and burned to CD media prior to the
> > Repair Install or clean install"
> >
> > now i am afraid to reinstall w/o doing this, but... What updates? From
> > where? How do i do this?
> >
> > thank you sooooooo much!
> > lil' o' lorain
> >
> > OS Name Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition 2002
> > Version 5.1.2600 Service Pack 2 Build 2600
> > OS Manufacturer Microsoft Corporation
> > System Manufacturer Dell Computer Corporation
> > System Model Dimension 8300
> > System Type X86-based PC
> > Processor x86 Family 15 Model 2 Stepping 9 GenuineIntel ~2992 Mhz
> > BIOS Version/Date Dell Computer Corporation A05, 2/23/2004
> > SMBIOS Version 2.3
> > Total Physical Memory 512.00 MB
> > Pentium(R) 4 CPU 3.00GHz
> > File System NTSF
> > Size 74.46 GB
> >

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.help_and_support (More info?)

In article <B1892A10-9483-4BF4-BE37-B068AB76D6CF@microsoft.com>,
DonKarnia@discussions.microsoft.com says...
> Updates such as Service Pack 2. SP2 comes with a firewall, and if you do not
> install this firewall before connected to the internet, you are vulnerable to
> hackers, viruses, etc.
> If you can find the SP2 file on your computer, burn it to a CD. If not,
> download it, and then burn it to a CD.
> When you have done this, it is safe to reformat the hard drive (right-click
> on the drive in "My Computer", and select "Format".
> On your newly formatted hard drive, install SP2 from the CD you burned it
> to, and then you can connect to the internet safely.
>
That SOUNDS like good advice. But on second reading, I note some
things:
1) It is not possible to format the system drive from within Windows,
such as you advise. Attempting to do this will return an error.

To reinstall the OS cleanly,
First disconnect any Firewire, USB, or Zip drives. Also, disconnect any
USB devices, including printers and cameras (except for your USB mouse
and keyboard, of course). It is necessary to physically disconnect USB
or Zip drives so that they will not "steal" the "C:" drive designation.

Then
1) Set boot order in BIOS to boot from CD instead of HD
2) Place XP install CD in drive, then reboot machine. It is not
necessary to boot from the HD or floppy if you have a legitimate XP
install disk, since it is bootable. This is true for most modern
computers.
3) Immediately after the POST (the memory self-test, display of disk
volumes, etc.)finishes, a message will flash on screen asking you if you
want to boot using CD. Immediately press any key to boot from CD(you
will only have about 5 seconds to press a key, else your installation of
Windows on the HD will start. If this happens, reboot again. Repeat
until the XP install program begins.
4) During Setup, you will be able to delete and recreate partitions,
then format them. The setup program is pretty self-explanatory. Just
read the words carefully, and follow directions exactly.

--
Donald L McDaniel
Please post reply to original
Newsgroup, so that threads may
be kept intact.
=====================================================

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.help_and_support (More info?)

I don't know guys...

i'm smart, but don't know all this lingo. It seems everytime i get a reply
~ helpful as they are ~ i think, "WHAT are they talking about!" next thought
- "i won't be able to do this alone."
for instance:
"Set boot order in BIOS to boot from CD instead of HD"
HOW?

I dunno... can i call anybody to get live instructions?
dell sent me the reload-for-dummies set of 4 disks with EVERYTHING
[original] on it.
Or is that a rediculously unsafe thing to do in this Kali Yuga?! I'm old
and raised to help neighbors and not be afraid of ...whatever... pretty
nieve in these times, i guess.

oh yah, computers... in the mean-time, i'll take Don's advice and start
looking for [uhh, WHAT "latest critical updates" was he talking about
[besides the SP2]? spybot, norton, windows, dell, microsoft,...??? when he
said, "do not connect to the internet before applying the latest critical
updates" which i am supposed to get fron the web before starting the
reinstall.

ok, to sum it up:
HOW? "Set boot order in BIOS to boot from CD instead of HD"
can i call anybody to get live instructions?
WHAT "latest critical updates"

thank you guys and gals soooooooooo much.
love & peace, lorain

OS Name Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition 2002
Version 5.1.2600 Service Pack 2 Build 2600
OS Manufacturer Microsoft Corporation
System Manufacturer Dell Computer Corporation
System Model Dimension 8300
System Type X86-based PC
Processor x86 Family 15 Model 2 Stepping 9 GenuineIntel ~2992 Mhz
BIOS Version/Date Dell Computer Corporation A05, 2/23/2004
SMBIOS Version 2.3
Total Physical Memory 512.00 MB
Pentium(R) 4 CPU 3.00GHz
File System NTSF
Size 74.46 GB



"Donald L McDaniel" wrote:

> In article <B1892A10-9483-4BF4-BE37-B068AB76D6CF@microsoft.com>,
> DonKarnia@discussions.microsoft.com says...
> > Updates such as Service Pack 2. SP2 comes with a firewall, and if you do not
> > install this firewall before connected to the internet, you are vulnerable to
> > hackers, viruses, etc.
> > If you can find the SP2 file on your computer, burn it to a CD. If not,
> > download it, and then burn it to a CD.
> > When you have done this, it is safe to reformat the hard drive (right-click
> > on the drive in "My Computer", and select "Format".
> > On your newly formatted hard drive, install SP2 from the CD you burned it
> > to, and then you can connect to the internet safely.
> >
> That SOUNDS like good advice. But on second reading, I note some
> things:
> 1) It is not possible to format the system drive from within Windows,
> such as you advise. Attempting to do this will return an error.
>
> To reinstall the OS cleanly,
> First disconnect any Firewire, USB, or Zip drives. Also, disconnect any
> USB devices, including printers and cameras (except for your USB mouse
> and keyboard, of course). It is necessary to physically disconnect USB
> or Zip drives so that they will not "steal" the "C:" drive designation.
>
> Then
> 1) Set boot order in BIOS to boot from CD instead of HD
> 2) Place XP install CD in drive, then reboot machine. It is not
> necessary to boot from the HD or floppy if you have a legitimate XP
> install disk, since it is bootable. This is true for most modern
> computers.
> 3) Immediately after the POST (the memory self-test, display of disk
> volumes, etc.)finishes, a message will flash on screen asking you if you
> want to boot using CD. Immediately press any key to boot from CD(you
> will only have about 5 seconds to press a key, else your installation of
> Windows on the HD will start. If this happens, reboot again. Repeat
> until the XP install program begins.
> 4) During Setup, you will be able to delete and recreate partitions,
> then format them. The setup program is pretty self-explanatory. Just
> read the words carefully, and follow directions exactly.
>
> --
> Donald L McDaniel
> Please post reply to original
> Newsgroup, so that threads may
> be kept intact.

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.help_and_support (More info?)

On Sun, 20 Mar 2005 08:01:01 -0800, "searchless"
<searchless1-delete-@yahoo.com> wrote:

>Thanks, Don.
>
>UGGG! as i read about this SP2 in here there are a lot of problems with
>it... almost like a virus. Is there a place where i can find instructions of
>how to work with it to deal with all the problems before/after i load it? i
>don't want to corrupt this new OS i'm loading.
>


You are reading about the people who have problems. The millions who
have installed it without problems aren't going to post anything
saying how good it went!

I have personally put SP2 on over 300 different types of computers and
had 2 desktop and 1 laptop problem. All three of the problem children
were cured by updating the systme BIOS. All three of the problem
children rolled back to SP1 automatically so there was no corruption.

While there are cases that I would be hesitant to install without a
little homework yours isn't one of them. Go ahead and install SP2 and
the security updates that have come out since then.

Steve B.