Memo to self: read the whole thread before replying. Nevertheless, failure to install SP2 for this long on a PC running Windows, with it's terrible security problems, is just asking for trouble.

To rescue your data, use another machine with your trashed drive slaved in as a second drive. Any competent computer technician could do that for you in less than an hour.

After rescuing the data, take a Windows CD - it needs to be the same version as the one you hold a liccence for, there are only 4 (XP Home & Pro, both in OEM and upgrade = 4 in total) - wipe the drive, and install off that. Be sure to use your own product key number.

yes true
 

Yes this is true as
Microsoft is now donwloading a licence checker in to your computer and if you have a bad licence it tell microsoft and kill the program

so beware of the hide's of bill gates :(

Not strictly true, it simply stops further updates and keeps nagging you to buy a legit licence. You can still use windows

automatic up

helllo stephen

the can you please tell then how sp2 got in my computer as I did not put it in as I did not what it or put it there
I have norton internet security installed it had turn on microsoft Automatic update which in turn uploaded SP2

AND my computer started going wacky

I try to system restore to remove SP2 but all my back date's had gone
so I had to do it manually remove SP2 and turn off automatic update
now norton keeps nagging to turn automatic update it back on

yours Oillieowlus

It looks as though you've completely trashed your set up, I suggest the only way out of your predicament is to re-boot your computer with Windows XP (Home or Pro edition) and SP2. First of all, you need to back up all your files and photo's, make sure you have all the up to date drivers you need for your hardware, then format your hard drive, re-install Windows along with SP2 and all your other software. You need to install SP2, many software programs now rely on it and may not run properly without it, as you've found out with Symantec Norton, you can of course choose not to install it, but then you will be limiting yourself to only operating with old software. Incidentally, you don't have to run Norton with Windows automatic update swithched on, I have Norton and SP2 on my computer and it runs quite happily without automatic udate switched on!

nirofo.

You can always try to back date the registry to the day before the updates were installed, this may get you out of trouble.

Search - Help - Registry in WXp and follow the instructions.

Brian

It's all fixed now, thanks. My son has sorted things, no data lost.

Pol

hello Nirofo

no my computer has not been trashed
since I have taken SP2 out and switch off auto update's off and taken some update out it's running very nicely and faster
plus I always backup all I wish to keep On dvd as one of my job I had to backup all the days data it made me do it all the time

I am beging to think that auto update are mainly to slow your computer down so so you think something is to old and slow and go out and buy a new one
so BILL GATES get even more filthy rich and we all stay destitute

your ollieowlus

I'm no lover of Bill Gates and the "evil empire" ;) but have to say that I agree with Tannin that to run windows without all the security updates which plug some of the holes is asking for trouble. Good luck!:)

hello miketoll
I did not say take all the patches out but you should check what they do before letting them in
to find out what they do type there number i:e kb828741
to google or your browers address bar there are lot of people out there that will
let you know what it do'se
P.S thats one's a security patch that close's the back on hackers so I keep it.

have fun ollieowlus ;)

I also have found a web page you may wish to read

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2006/06...a_phones_home/