As of June 2007 If I get a new Dell PC pre-installed with Windows XP Pro Service Pack 2 I have to install 43 Updates and IE7 via Windows Update.

If I am rebuilding a Dell using the Windows XP Pro Service Pack 2 OEM Media (a CD) I have a whopping 80 updates from Windows update (see pic above).

The person I feel sorry for is one trying to update the original Windows XP Pro to Windows XP Pro SP2 fully updated.

Its about time for Windows XP Pro Service Pack 3 and the Media to install it from.

The issue of creating Slip Streamed Windows XP SP2 install media is slightly more complicated when using Dell’s OEM media as the source, The windows is pre-activated  (I assume its also tied to the oem bios) and the media is already slip streamed to SP2, minus the latest updates.

This problem is only going to get worse as I know I will still be rebuilding Windows XP Pro machines well into the 2008 to 2010 time frame.

If anyone knows of a legal and legitimate way to create Windows XP Pro SP2 Fully Patched from Dell OEM Media let me know.

This entry was posted on Thursday, June 21st, 2007 at 11:03 am and is filed under DELL, Microsoft, Windows XP Problems. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.