When To Reapply Your Service Pack
Last Updated: 03 Apr 2005
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*** PLEASE NOTE: Link(s), If Provided, May Be Wrapped ***
On Windows NT systems, the installation of new hardware or
software can be cause to reapply the currently installed
Service Pack.
The quick rule on determining if your problem would be
resolved by reapplying the latest SP is simple:
If the hardware or software installation makes
use of the original NT CD, then you will have to
reapply the SP in order to get those components
up to date.
With Windows 2000 and beyond, there is no longer a need
to directly reapply the Service Pack after installing
a new component from the original CD, as the OS will
request the updated files (if you used a CD to install
the SP) or simply copy the appropriate file (if you used
a network share to install the SP). This functionality
exists even without slipstreaming...
CURRENT WINDOWS SERVICE PACKS
• Windows NT4 ............ SP6a
• Windows 2000 ........... SP4
• Windows XP ............. SP2 (Released Aug 2004)
• Windows 2003 ........... SP1 (Released Mar 2005)
CORPORATE WINDOWS UPDATE SITE (WINDOWS CATALOG)
• http://v4.windowsupdate.microsoft.com/catalog/en/?site=corporate
• http://support.microsoft.com/directory/worldwide/en-gb/windowsupdate.asp
SERVICE PACK ROADMAP
• http://www.microsoft.com/windows/lifecycle/servicepacks.mspx
WHEN TO REAPPLY SERVICE PACKS
• http://support.microsoft.com/?KBID=196269
• http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/winxppro/maintain/winxpsp2.mspx
• http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/sp2/
• http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/pro/downloads/servicepacks/sp1/
• http://www.winnetmag.com/windowsnt20002003faq/Article/ArticleID/14799/
• http://www.microsoft.com/Windows2000/downloads/servicepacks/sp4/
• http://www.microsoft.com/windows2000/downloads/servicepacks/sp3/spdeploy.htm
• http://www.microsoft.com/windows2000/techinfo/planning/incremental/sp2guide.asp
• http://www.microsoft.com/windows2000/techinfo/planning/incremental/sp1guide.asp
OBTAINING THE LATEST SERVICE PACK (NT and later)
Whenever possible it is highly advisable that you choose
the Network Installation of the Service Pack to install
on your systems, rather than the Express Installation
via Windows Update.
Occasional problems have been observed with the Express
Install that do not occur with the Network Install. Plus,
it's just easier if you want to upgrade multiple systems
without spending hours online.
You can also obtain Service Packs via CD from Microsoft.
• http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/windowsserver2003/servicepack/
• http://www.microsoft.com/windows2000/downloads/servicepacks/
• http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?SCID=FH;EN-US;SP
• http://support.microsoft.com/?KBID=322389
• http://support.microsoft.com/?KBID=260910
• http://support.microsoft.com/?KBID=152734
• http://labmice.techtarget.com/ServicePacks/
CURRENT SERVICE PACK CDs
• http://www.microsoft.com/windowsserver2003/downloads/servicepacks/sp1/cdorder.aspx
• http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/downloads/updates/sp2/cdorder/en_us/
• http://www.microsoft.com/windows2000/downloads/servicepacks/SP4/ordercd.asp
• http://www.microsoft.com/security/protect/cd/order.asp
UPDATED SUPPORT TOOLS
• http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=6EC50B78-8BE1-4E81-B3BE-4E7AC4F0912D
• http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=49ae8576-9bb9-4126-9761-ba8011fabf38
• http://www.microsoft.com/windows2000/downloads/servicepacks/SP4/supporttools.asp
• http://www.microsoft.com/windows2000/downloads/servicepacks/SP3/supporttools.asp
INSTALLING HOTFIXES
• http://support.microsoft.com/?KBID=816915
• http://support.microsoft.com/?KBID=184305
• http://support.microsoft.com/?KBID=249149
VULNERABILITY SCANNERS
• http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/tools/mbsahome.mspx
WINDOWS 2000/XP/2003 SERVICE PACK SLIPSTREAMING
Win2K provides the ability to slipstream service packs
into the network installation point, eliminating the
need to reapply Service Packs after installing new
components -- a particular frustration of NT 3.xx/4.0
Here's how it works:
* XP install source ..... C:\XP\i386
* XP SP source .......... C:\XP-SP\i386
The command to use for slipstreaming would be:
Pre XP-SP2:
C:\XP-SP\i386\update\update.exe /S:C:\XP
XP-SP2 and later:
C:\XP-SP\i386\update\update.exe /integrate:C:\XP
Notice that you leave the trailing "i386" off of the
source directory. The update command automatically
appends an "i386". This means that you MUST store your
OS setup files in an 1386 folder.
• http://www.winsupersite.com/showcase/windowsxp_sp2_slipstream.asp
• http://www.neowin.net/articles.php?action=more&id=94
• http://www.msfn.org/articles.php?action=show&showarticle=49
• http://berns.cae.wisc.edu/pages/wincdman.asp
• http://www.windows-help.net/WindowsXP/winxp-sp1-bootcd.html
• http://www.willowhayes.co.uk/windows2000/custom.doc
• http://www.thetechguide.com/articles/slipstream.html
• http://www.thetechguide.com/win2kbootcd/
• http://www.liquidninjas.com/reviews.php?op=showcontent&id=21
• http://www.svrops.com/svrops/documents/slipstream.htm
• http://www.tacktech.com/display.cfm?id=160&object=article.cfm
• http://support.microsoft.com/?KBID=271791
• http://support.microsoft.com/?KBID=263125
• http://support.microsoft.com/?KBID=258868
• http://www.winnetmag.com/windowsnt20002003faq/Article/ArticleID/15359/
• http://www.winnetmag.com/windowsnt20002003faq/Article/ArticleID/15358/
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NOTE: In SP2 for XP, the command to slipstream has been
changed slightly from "/S:" to "/INTEGRATE:"
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PATCH/SLIPSTREAM AUTOMATION TOOLS
• AutoPatcher ............ http://www.autopatcher.com/
• SlipStreamer XP ........ http://www.softnews.ro/public/cat/12/2/12-2-96.shtml
• XP Create .............. http://greenmachine.msfnhosting.com/XPCREATE/faq.htm
DELETING SERVICE PACK ARCHIVE FOLDERS
• http://support.microsoft.com/?KBID=290402
WHITEPAPERS & TECH DOCUMENTS
• http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/Windows2000Pro/maintain/w2kmngd/17_2kupd.mspx
• http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/topics/patch/secpatch/
• http://www.wininformant.com/Articles/Index.cfm?ArticleID=39823
• http://www.winnetmag.com/articles/index.cfm?articleid=39383
• http://www.winnetmag.com/articles/index.cfm?articleid=39545
• http://www.unc.edu/itswin/susconfig.htm
• http://www.susserver.com/FAQs/
• http://news.zdnet.co.uk/0,39020330,39162970,00.htm
PERSONAL NOTES
• Mar 2005: SP1 for 2003 has been released
• Aug 2004: Updated info for XP-SP2 and Support Tools
• XP SP1a is a re-release of SP1 with the Microsoft JVM
removed. SP1b will be a subsequent re-release with
the SUN JVM added. This is in compliance with the
latest ruling in the SUN vs Microsoft Java dispute.
• Whatever else you do, be sure to return your CPU and
any peripherals to stock speeds prior to installation
of Service Packs (or other critical system components)
That is, unless you like having a flaky system...
• Whatever else you do, be sure to disable, or even
uninstall any AV software prior to installation or
of Service Packs (or other critical system components)
That is, unless you like having a flaky system...
• ALWAYS test a new Service Pack or Hotfix on a
few test systems prior to wide deployment in
your organization.
• ALWAYS read the "Before You Install" documentation
prior to deploying any patches.
• You can download all fixes at the Corporate Windows
Update Site
• It's always a good idea to wait a week or so before
even trying to download the most recent service
pack, since the download sites are always pretty
busy immediately after a release.
