# Anybody have any Service Pack 3 problems? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [August 21, 2008, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-have-any-service-pack-3-problems/460744 "2008-08-21T00:05:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![diggleblop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ac91a4/32.png) [@diggleblop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/diggleblop)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2008, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-have-any-service-pack-3-problems/460744/1 "2008-08-21T00:05:05Z")
I have turned off automatic updates on my computer, yet the damn thing is still trying to install it. I’m wondering if I should just go ahead and do it. But I remember last time a lot of people had trouble with SP2. Has anyone installed this yet and if so, any trouble? ---
**Author:** ![Caught\_Work](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/919ad9/32.png) [@Caught\_Work](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Caught_Work)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2008, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-have-any-service-pack-3-problems/460744/2 "2008-08-21T00:21:02Z")
Automatic updates suggested I do it. I let it download it, apply it, reboot me and there has been no issue at all. I was very, very surprised after the fun and games of SP2 and my various wireless connections. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2008, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-have-any-service-pack-3-problems/460744/3 "2008-08-21T00:42:04Z")
My custom skinning program quit working but that’s about it. ---
**Author:** ![LurkMeister](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/3da27b/32.png) [@LurkMeister](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LurkMeister)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2008, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-have-any-service-pack-3-problems/460744/4 "2008-08-21T00:45:22Z")
I had been having a problem with my desktop after I set it up at my new place. The monitor apparently was not always getting a video signal from the computer; When I would boot up the screen would stay black while the computer made all the appropriate sounds, and if I turned the monitor and and then back on it would say “no signal received”. I would have to reboot several times before whatever was wrong would fix itself. I tried all the obvious solutions (double-checking the cable and connections, and even reinstalling the video driver. Nothing worked. Then I got the automatic update to install Service Pack 3. When it finished installing I got the message I was dreading - Computer must be restarted to complete installation. Restart now? I clicked Yes, and waited for the expected blank screen when the computer restarted. Instead, the monitor showed the preliminary and setup screens the first time. Since then, I have restarted and even completely turned off the computer with no problem. I can only assume that SP3 fixed whatever the problem was. ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2008, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-have-any-service-pack-3-problems/460744/5 "2008-08-21T00:47:34Z")
I reinstalled XP on my Mac after moving to a larger hard drive and it downloaded SP3 instead of 100+ updates to SP2 and I haven’t noticed anything odd. ---
**Author:** ![Landshark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/77aa72/32.png) [@Landshark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Landshark)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2008, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-have-any-service-pack-3-problems/460744/6 "2008-08-21T00:50:16Z")
No preexisting problems on either my home or work computers before installing SP3, and no problems afterward. ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2008, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-have-any-service-pack-3-problems/460744/7 "2008-08-21T02:00:44Z")
I had a problem with it seeing my firewire external drive after installing SP3. I uninstalled and reinstalled SP3 a few times, and it was clearly only a problem with SP3. I went ahead and took the plunge to Vista, which has no problem with the drive. ---
**Author:** ![An\_Arky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/87869e/32.png) [@An\_Arky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Arky)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2008, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-have-any-service-pack-3-problems/460744/8 "2008-08-21T22:15:55Z")
I downloaded and installed it the other day (yes, I’m sure), and now it’s asking me to do it again. I sent a customer support email asking about that, so I’ll see what happens. BTW, they seem to be offering free support for SP3. ---
**Author:** ![Noelq](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/noelq/32/16438_2.png) [@Noelq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Noelq)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2008, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-have-any-service-pack-3-problems/460744/9 "2008-08-21T22:39:43Z")
I’m fully confident in SP3. We’re installing it gradually on all our machines at work, and (A) have had no issues, and (B) its fixed some snarky little problems that just wouldn’t go away. Go for it. ---
**Author:** ![Uncle\_Brother\_Walker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/f08c70/32.png) [@Uncle\_Brother\_Walker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uncle_Brother_Walker)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2008, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-have-any-service-pack-3-problems/460744/10 "2008-08-22T02:06:15Z")
:eek: Say it ain’t so… I just started the download… :smack: ::digs through closet for abacus:: ---
**Author:** ![diggleblop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ac91a4/32.png) [@diggleblop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/diggleblop)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2008, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-have-any-service-pack-3-problems/460744/11 "2008-08-23T00:18:04Z")
thanks guys ! ---
**Author:** ![An\_Arky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/87869e/32.png) [@An\_Arky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Arky)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2008, 12:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anybody-have-any-service-pack-3-problems/460744/12 "2008-08-23T12:15:33Z")
I’ve got it installed now…apparently, it failed the first time, but I got no indication of that, other than the little yellow shield asking me to do it again. If you want to make sure it installed, you can go Start\>Run\>winver and it should say blahblahblah SP3.