Before Installing the Service Pack

Regardless of which update method you choose, you should first perform the following steps:

• If you use Fast User Switching, be sure all users are logged off. Then, log on as a Computer Administrator. Close any applications that are running.
  
  
• Update your Automated System Recovery disk.
  
  
• We recommend that you perform a full backup of the files that you keep on your computer.
  
  

  To learn more about the Windows Backup utility or the Automated System Recovery Utility, p. 1142.

  
  
• Check the Web sites of the manufacturers of your computer, your application software, and your antispyware and antivirus packages for updates or special instructions regarding SP2. Some programs may need to be updated to work with SP2.
  
  
• If you suspect that your computer may have viruses, spyware, adware, or other pestilential software, take steps to remove it before installing SP2. These programs can cause serious networking and Internet connection problems after installing SP2, and without a functioning Internet connection you may not be able to download the necessary clean-up tools.
  
  
• Disable any real-time virus scanners, because they can slow down and possibly interfere with the installation. You should disconnect from the Internet first, if you do this. (And be sure to reenable the virus scanners after you install SP2.)
  
  
• You will need 1100MB of free space on your hard drive if installing pre-expanded files from a network folder, or 1600 MB of free space if installing directly from a CD-ROM or downloaded file. (Microsoft Knowledge Base article 837783 gives a detailed description of the disk space requirements.)
  
  

Then, use one of the update procedures described in the next several sections.