I've searched and searched both manually and using the search function and can't find an answer to this question. Using the search function, "SP3" is too short a search term for it even in conjunction with other words, and I couldn't find an answer using popular build numbers either (5508, 5503, 3311...).

Will XP SP2 installations that I've removed components from update to SP3 safely?

I remember that it was said that with vLite and Vista SP1 that if components were removed that SP1 wouldn't install, so I didn't know if the same applied to nLite and XP.

Thank you in advance.

P.S. I realize that if I removed enough of some very important things from SP2 I'm sure SP3 would have problems installing, I'm just looking for the short answer without going into full details. Examples of removed components including System Restore service, Windows Messenger, MSN Explorer, Alexa ("spyware").

Also, if it is necessary for me to test this scenario myself in VMWare Workstation with removed components from SP2 and the Windows Update SP3 (RC2 Refresh build 5508) registry hack, I can and report back here for others' benefit. Just let me know if I should answer my question my own self.

Even if I do test the scenario myself I would like to know what the official response is.

Thanks again.

sp3 installed fine on my sp2 install.
but bad thing is that sp3 added back components that were removed (e.g. windows messenger, etc). so i recomend that u slipstream sp3 into a gold xp and then use the same preset on the source.

Thanks, boooggy. Oh, I definitely will slipstream SP3 once it's RTM. That's unfortunate news about SP3 adding things back in which were previously removed.

This is a customer's computer so I didn't want to "dominate the dalmation" by removing components if that kept it from updating to SP3 once it's done. This is a semi-speedy computer so I could just leave all components in, if they're going to be re-added eventually anyway.

I've been putting off re-installing this customers' computer in hopes that SP3 would RTM but I'm sure MS will wait until right after I finish working on this computer.

I hate to think of all the old computers I've worked on which I removed components enough to speed them up now going to slow down again with the re-added components.

I'm going to do a test now and see if it re-adds System Restore. If it doesn't, then there'll be at least some hope for those old computers.

A question and some good news, boooggy. Was it the full SP3 installer you used which re-added the removed components? I just tried the Microsoft supplied registry hack to enable SP3 through Microsoft Update and installing SP3 build 5508 this way didn't add anything back. No Windows Messenger, MSN Explorer or System Restore anyway.

yes i used the full installer not the one provided by wu via registry hack.....

Cool, good to know. Thanks!

-- hmmmmm. Correct me if I'm wrong, but, it is my understanding that in order to update to the "next" beta or to the final "RTM" of Sp, the previous version "MUST" be uninstalled. If you slipstream today, the customer will not be able to update by themselves.
Just a word of caution.
Good luck

That is precisely correct. That is why I said that I would definitely slipstream SP3 once it RTM'd, and why I was wondering if SP3 would install correctly (once it RTM'd) if I had removed components from XP SP2 with nLite, because I've reinstalled an innumerable amount of customer's computers over the past couple of years with nLite and I wanted to know how they would react once SP3 came out.

Not only what you mention but the fact that all betas/RCs of SP3 are "supposed" to have a timebomb so that they will quit working eventually (I believe six months after the date of that particular beta/RC).

Thanks anyway. If I hadn't known about the slipstreaming and updating issue, I would have wanted to know.

Did you know that nLite is not for commercial use?



You are really taking a risk by using nLite illegally on consumers PC's.

No, I didn't. I guess I'll stop using it for other people's computers.

Thanks for letting me know.

I'm a company of one person, so please don't sue me.

Okay, where's the link to the user license information?

I can't find the link through the nLite website, and through google for "nlite eula" all I can find is links like this which lead to a EULA from 2007 which doesn't mention what you found and says it's for v0.x. Not concerned about the version number, just couldn't find any similar statement to what you found about business use.

If I google for "5. nLite is free for personal use only, you cannot use it for any company or business purposes at this time.", then I find a Word document in which someone is quoting this exact phrase as well.

Shouldn't this license information be easier to find? Am I looking right past it on the website?

I've also tried googling for "nlite license agreement", but again all I can find is links either to this forum or elsewhere where that phrase is quoted.

I believe you, of course, I just wanted to find the license myself.

it's in the nlite installation directory.

Also you see it and are supposed to read it during installation.

Okay, thanks. Sign, sign, everywhere a sign...