OS-Windows-XP-Install

Installing XP from CD is non-trivial if you want a fully patched system. Windows update no longer works with a default install, and even installing SP3 will not result in a system that can be updated. The following steps are needed:

Getting Windows Update to work on a new Install

• Install XP

  The install used while writing this was for XP Home Edition.

• Install SP3

  WindowsXP-KB936929-SP3-x86-ENU.exe : It is downloaded from here.

  MD5 Sum : bb25707c919dd835a9d9706b5725af58 WindowsXP-KB936929-SP3-x86-ENU.exe

  • When SP3 is finished installing, let it reboot the system. Be patient. It can take a few moments, but the reboot will be automatic if the checkbox related to rebooting is set correctly.
  • When the system reboots, decline automatic updates (Red Shield) as they will not work anyway, then click Next.
  • A DOS Window briefly appears.
• Install a newer Windows Update Agent

  WindowsUpdateAgent30-x86.exe

  It is downloaded from here.

  File Version : 6.2.29.0 (SRV02_QFE.031113-0918)

  MD5 Sum : f723820b8656e82958fa7ed854a7eefe WindowsUpdateAgent30-x86.exe

  • At this point, Windows Update no longer errors out.
• On the Windows Update site, click Install New when the "Get the latest Windows Update software" notice appears.
• At this point, manual Windows update still might not work. Clicking the Express button, at least in some cases, will not produce results.
• On the screen where the Express button is, turn on Automatic Updates. Be sure to configure a time in the near future. This step involves a responding to a number of dialogs. New software is installed by the process.
• Wait for Automatic Updates to pull in updates. A Gold shield icon appears in the system tray. In September, 2013, after leaving the system on most of a day, 125 updates were loaded.
• Support installation of the updates. I just used the Express Install.
• Allow the system to reboot as it will want this done after the install completes.
• At this point, going into Windows Update results in a message that indicates Windows Validation is required to receive updates:

  Support ID: 0x8DDD1001

  To get updates, you must first validate your Windows software. Validation assures that you are using an authentic and fully licensed copy of Windows.

• Press the Continue button.

  Note: While these instructions were being written up, Windows had not been "activated" yet.

  There is some potential that this is part of why the Windows Update difficulty persists.

  For now, continue, but soon activation must occur to proceed.

• Additional software will install. Allow the installation to proceed.
• After installation, if Windows has not been activated, a message indicates this fact. A Gold shield icon in the system tray appears, and some more updates are installable.
• Support installation of the updates. I just used the Express Install.
• Allow the system to reboot as it will want this done after the install completes.
• From this point on, any attempt to use Windows Update will result in the validation notice, and no updates will install:

  Note: While these instructions were being written up, Windows had not been "activated" yet.

  There is some potential that this is part of why the Windows Update difficulty persists.

• Activate Windows.
• Windows Update now works as expected. Attempting an Express install, shows no high-priority updates are available. This seems to mean possibly activation was not preventing installation of updates.
• This is the first point at which it appeared possible for device drivers like High Definition Audio interfaces to become available through Windows Update. Attempts to allow the Found New Hardware Wizard to get drivers from Windows Update failed until this point.