I’ve had more than one person mention to me that they’ve had trouble installing Service Pack 3 for Windows XP. While the Service Pack itself is safe, it’s quite a large download which can be fairly cumbersome to get via Windows Update. Those who have had trouble may want to try downloading the Service Pack 3 Network Install.
The network install versions of Microsoft’s Service Packs are released for people who are responsible for multiple computers. It’s a single file that can be put on a CD or USB Drive and installed on any computer running Windows XP. It’s much easier to install this way and should eliminate any problems you may be having.
Click Here to Download Windows XP Service Pack 3 Network Install
If any readers of this blog have had any trouble installing Service Pack 3, feel free to comment on this post and let me know. I’ll try to help as much as possible.
August 30, 2008 at 8:02 pm
Hi I have been trying to install service pack 3, now on my third time all unsuccesful. It gets to the point where it says “Running Process after install” and then it stalls out. Any advice?
September 3, 2008 at 9:10 pm
A few questions …
1. Have you tried to install before but had to end it? Sometimes if you start an install and don’t complete it something can go awry.
2. Do you currently have SP2 installed? Jumping from no SP to SP3 might take a bit longer than going from 2 to 3.
3. How long have you waited before canceling out the process.
SP3 can be a beast to install, even using the aforementioned network install. I’d actually give it a while to install … maybe even a couple hours. I’ve seen Windows related SP and Patches set for a while and trick you into thinking it’s idle and then go to 100% and finish abruptly.
September 15, 2008 at 9:15 am
I have tried 4 times to install Service Pack 3 from Window Updates unsuccessfully, I have also tried 4 times to install Service Pack 3 from Microsoft Website downloads unsuccessfully, I have now saved Service Pack 3 to a CD from this Network website and tried twice to install it unsuccessfully, every time it has stalled at “Running processes after install”. The last time I have left the computer on for over 3 hours and nothing is happening. Could you please advise what I can do.
Peter
October 13, 2008 at 4:07 pm
I do know that “Running processes …” can take quite some time to do but have never seen it take that long.
I’d advise downloading CCleaner from Priform. It’s a free system cleaner that has a good registry cleaner and will get rid of un-needed temporary files. I’m wondering if perhaps one of the bad installs of SP3 left some remnants in your registry that are preventing the install.
I have also never seen the network install totally fail. It’s usually the best way to go since Windows Update tends to be unreliable.
What type of computer do you have and does it already have SP2?
November 22, 2008 at 3:51 am
Does anyone know how long it should take to install SP3? It seems as if it is taking forever. It appears to be hung up on update 8 of 9. What do I do, just let my computer ride for hours on end or is it safe to just hard reboot? Any suggestions?
December 5, 2008 at 9:42 am
can you install sp3 on xp 64 bit? im having trouble with it.
December 16, 2008 at 4:18 pm
George – Microsoft has yet to issue a SP3 for Windows XP 64-bit. The under-the-hood stuff in x64 is quite a bit different than it is in x32 which is why the patch you currently have won’t work. MS has yet to mention when SP3 will be available for your version, sadly.
On the bright side, x64 is fairly solid due to its being based on Windows Server 2003. When the choose to release SP3 I will be sure to make a post.
December 16, 2008 at 6:37 pm
I am installing Sp3 about 2 hours now and it is saying me ”finishing installation” for about hour. is it idle, should i wait more?
I have Windows xp professional and i already have Service pack 2
December 18, 2008 at 3:59 pm
Joonas – Two hours seems a bit excessive but i’d give it a while longer. If you approach 3-4 hours then something is obviously wrong. A word of warning: some folks have trouble if an install is interrupted due to elements of SP3 being on their pc but not the whole thing.
I’d give it another 45 mins. or so and then end it and try again. Technically, the elements of the SP are supposed to be uninstalled if you end it but that’s not always the case. You know how it goes with Microsoft sometimes.
December 25, 2008 at 2:17 am
Hi my problem is when it’s been installed and the computer needs to restart for SP3 to take effect, the computer booting up period at the start never opens up windows, it just keeps restarting and never goes past the couple of black screen at the start…. Message pops up to choose safe mode and other option because it can’t load it up due to changes to software or hardware in the computer…. so i go to safe mode remove/uninstall SP3 and then computer works fine.. but i know that there are alot of updates that SP3 offers and i want to install but can’t get it to boot up after installation…
(yeah it takes like 45 mins to an hour to install SP3 and it takes just as long to uninstall/remove it…. i’ve done this more then 6 times….)
January 2, 2009 at 7:58 pm
When downloading SP3 the process stops 1/2 way through then I get a message says install cannot be completed. Why?
I’ve tried installing SP3 qo times and each time it stops about 1/2 through telling me installation cannot complete.
January 5, 2009 at 8:18 pm
husker – are you logged in as a limited user or administrator? it might prevent you from installing if you’re not an admin. Also, let me know if you’re getting some sort of error message during the install process or if it just ends abruptly.
Dee – Sounds pretty serious! Are you installing through the network install or the traditional Windows update? Are you going from SP2 to SP3 or SP1 to SP3? Your problem sounds like one that would be difficult to solve without being in front of the machine. As much as I hate saying it, you might need to put in a call to Microsoft about it.
January 5, 2009 at 8:25 pm
Dee – One thing you might try is installing all the available updates offered by Microsoft but SP3. Once you have them, then try the SP3 install again.
Service Packs are supposedly clusters of updates you don’t have and roll-ups of ones you do but there may be something Windows feels it needs to have before you can successfully install the pack.
Also, both you and Husker you might try to System File Checker. This is something built in to Windows that looks at the core system files of the operating system to verify none of them have become corrupt and fixes that ones that are. Corruption does often happen so that could be the source of both of your woes.
Here’s how to run the System File Checker:
1. Place your Windows XP CD in the drive.
2. Open up a Command Prompt by selecting Start, the Run
3. Type CMD in the Run Box
4. Finally, type sfc /scannow
This will run for a bit and then go away quietly. Once you notice it’s done, reboot. After that, try SP3 again and it could work. I just ran it on one of our library computers for a different reason and it was a breeze to do. It’s a built in Windows service.
January 6, 2009 at 12:00 pm
I just installed WinXP SP3 Network but i though nothing different with WinXP SP3 for single PC. I didn’t see anything about what IP’s I want to applied or what range of IP would be take effect.
So..what’s the different thing among these typical SP3??
Thank’s
January 17, 2009 at 3:51 am
I too have been getting a blank screen just after “Running Processes Before Install.” If anyone knows how to fix this, I’d thank you a thousand times!! I thought it might have had something to do with my internet connection at the time, but I’m on a good one now and the same problem still occurs – twice already tonight.
February 7, 2009 at 10:05 pm
Hi i have the same problem as Dee Kay exept even if i do select safe mode or any other option my windows doesn’t reboot into windows.Thinking about taking it to a tech.Please try to assist?
Thanks
February 15, 2009 at 11:18 am
is there a product key needed???
February 21, 2009 at 11:54 am
There is a simple solution to this problem. First you need to download and install a process manager called “Process Explorer” which has an option that “task manager” lacks. Run windows XP SP3 update up to the point that it hangs. At this point you need to run “Process Explorer” and look for update(r).exe. Below it you see it’s child process – shmgrate.exe – which in this instance has crashed. You’ll need to highlight and right-click on shmgrate.exe selecting restart on the pull-down menu. This will allow data migration to complete the updater installation. The installation and usage of “Process Explore” is strongly recommended.
April 9, 2009 at 10:47 pm
For me, it seemed to be the Windows Out of Box Experience subtask (oobe). I used Process Explorer to attempt to restart it, it said do you want to kill OOBE and I said yes. After that, progress resumed.