SP2 with Inspiron 8500

Hi,
I have a Dell Inspiron 8500, P4M 2.50 GHz, 512 MB RAM.

A couple of years ago, shortly after getting the laptop, I tried to update to Service Pack 2, which completely locked-up my laptop.

Luckily, I still had a warrantee at that point, and I also encountered one of the new Dell reps., in India, who was the most helpful, polite, and knowledgable tech. person whom I've ever dealt with - he showed me how to get into the laptop so that I could uninstall SP2.

I'm leary of having anything to do with SP2 again, but I am also worried about leaving my computer open to security problems. I have read in detail the advice on both the Dell and Microsoft homepages about preparing computers for SP2, and to be honest, I don't trust this advice without hearing about others' experiences.

So, I would be grateful if people here could give me some information and advice that might either help me to continue to work 'safely' without using SP2, or that would help me install SP2 without crashing my system.

I no longer have a warrantee.

Thanks,

Tottington1

 

<blockquote id='quote'> quote:<hr height='1' noshade id='quote'>Originally posted by Tottington1

 

hey, it's rather odd/unlucky that SP2 would do such a thing to your system, but if you did it once and such a thing happened there's obviously good reason to be leary. A really great way to be able to back yourself out of trying to install SP2 would be using Norton Ghost to get an image of your system how it currently is:

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B0002RQ5AU/qid=1114267541/sr=8-1/ref=pd_csp_1/103-7359281-2490228?v=glance&s=software&n=507846

And then trying the SP2 install. If the SP2 install works, then great, if not you can use the Ghost Image to go back to exactly what you had before. I know this software is a bit pricey, but it's worth it if the alternative is a lot of lost time or a laptop that doesn't work!

DigitalCameraReview.com | BargainPDA.com | TabletPCReviewSpot.com

 

tottington1,

If you "only" tried this once around two years ago when SP2 was just released then try it again. You shouldn't have tried that originally because it was causing major problems when it was first released.

If that was the only time you attempted to download it and your system is working now ! Is it ? Was that the only time you downloaded service pack 2 ??? If yes to both of these then try again (you do have system restore also ...dont you)?

Microsofts homepage and every other page makes it all seem so confusing. For preperation it tells you to check this and that with every manufacturered part, drivers,etc...on your computer. It's ridiculous how they want you to prepare.

I chose to let it slowly download and if there were any compatibility (I think I spelled that wrong, sorry) issues ,they popped up and told me to upgrade my ATI video card or whatever. I was so afraid it was going to cause a mess. I still have my doubts once in a while.

Or change operating systems might be something you would like and enjoy. I definitely understand not wanting to do this again...but if it was during the initial release, it was a disaster for so many people! It was a "typical " thing to happen. It's my opininion with so much research because it was such a "huge" thing! I don't agree with Abaxter ( I'm not trying to be rude, Abaxter) saying that it was "odd". Unlucky, absolutely!

Heart [ ]



Karma,It'll Get You!

 

Hi Abaxter and Heart,
Thanks for the suggestions.

Abaxter, I will look into Norton Ghost.

Heart, I have considered different OS's over the years, and for various reasons - too long and boring to go into here - have rejected that idea; but thanks for suggesting it.

Just to give a bit of background, when I originally tried SP2 many people had installed it with no problems. However, it turned out that my computer (Inspiron 8500) was one of several specific models (Dell and others) that had problems with SP2.

That fact was just beginning to emerge at the time, and wasn't really 'known'. I think that it's easy in hindsight to say one should have done one thing or the other re. something that subsequently becomes a known problem, but it's often not as simple as that before this is known.

Given that I no longer have the relative safety net of Dell customer support, I am doubly wary of installing SP2 again - gradually or otherwise - without taking some significant precautions (either specifically, or the equivalent, of what Abaxter suggests).

So, thanks once again for the replies: I really do appreciate people's contributions because they add to my knowledge of what is going on, and what is possible.

 

<blockquote id='quote'> quote:<hr height='1' noshade id='quote'>Originally posted by Tottington1

 

Tottington1,

This is hours later than my last post to you. SP2 quickly and effectively (along with having/using appropiately a good firewall,antivirus, adaware and spybot ) just saved me from a huge problem that would have infected my entire computer...maybe my network (I don't know enough about the network part of it).

Do what ever you have to try to get SP2 back on your computer !!! If "Ghost" is the way you want to go , then get started ASAP. It is worth it!

Notice my signature "karma" ! It happens!

Best Regards.
Heart [ ][ ][ ]

Karma,It'll Get You!

 

Hi Heart,
You said, in part,that you'd like to have the questions in the following paragraph answered, so I'll do my best.

"I still wondered if you did it only once, if it was during the beginning of It's release, do you have system restore w/your operating system, if your PC works perfect now and how long has SP2 been uninstalled ( I would assume almost 2 yrs shortly after it was originally installed) ???"

1. Yes, I only downloaded SP2 once. What happened was a near total system lock-up so that I couldn't get into Safe Mode, nothing. All I could do was get to the point at which the Dell logo displayed, I think.

A Dell Tech. Support rep. had me go through a pretty complicated procedure (which I've made an MSWord file of) to make the computer accessible, and I think that then he took me through the uninstall process for SP2.

2. I do have System Restore, and have used it once or twice, however, I couldn't get anywhere near it because of the almost total lock-up that I described above in 1.

3. Yes, my computer has been working perfectly ever since: I have had the odd virus that has got through my anti-virus software to the extent that I have had to 'quarantine' them, as opposed to being able to 'heal' or 'destroy' them, but that's par for the course, I think.

As I mentioned in another thread, the problem of not being able to edit captured MiniDV pre-dated the SP2 stuff, so I think that they are unrelated.

4. Yes, I suppose that SP2 has been uninstalled for almost 2 years, although (see next point)

5. I keep getting 'Updates Are Ready for Your Computer' messages to download SP2, and I very diligently and carefully click out of them.

6. I will definitely keep you posted on further developments.

Hope that that answers your questions. I'm nowhere near making the decision to try SP2 again yet. I might try to talk to a notebook technician, if I can find somebody whose opinion I trust. I had my ThinkPad repaired a couple of times, and might ask at that store.

Tottington1

 

By the way, Heart, re. your signature,
"Instant Karma - it'll get you" !!!
John Lennon

Tottington1

 

<blockquote id='quote'> quote:<hr height='1' noshade id='quote'>Originally posted by Tottington1