Did you use a program like Ccleaner for the disk cleanup, explain what the clean up involved.

Are these home builds or factory built computers?

Does the XP disk belonging to this computer come with SP3 or do you have SP3 on a separate disk.

You could run System File Checker, click Start click Run and type sfc /scannow - note the space after sfc and the double nn - be sure to visit the XP uodate site immediately after if you decide to use sfc. Google if if you wish an explanation lots of sites to give you detailed info.

Quote
"So I went to Add/ Remove programs to delete the program and add it again from Microsoft, only to find it listed using no space apparently and the listing not removable."

are you talking about SP3 here that you tried to remove from add remove programs? If so it sounds like it is not installed properly. You may want to try to do a re-install, to do that you can go to this site download the full sp3 to your desktop, then disconnect from the internet and turn off all your security programs including antivirus and firewall because they are known to interfere with sp3 installs. once that is done, go to the sp3 file on your desktop double click it to install, when done reboot a few times then reconnect to internet and turn on all security programs if they are not already on and go to windows update site for any additional updates.

I always advise creating a new system restore point prior to doing this kind of task.

Windows XP Service Pack 3 Network Installation Package for IT Professionals and Developers
pay no attention to it saying it is for IT professionals it is the full version of sp3 for everyone.

and just in case you should need this info
To learn if Windows XP SP3 is already installed

*

Click Start, right-click My Computer, and then click Properties.

If Service Pack 3 is listed in the System section, SP3 is already installed on your computer and you don't need to follow the instructions below.

Owbist,
I used the disc cleanup program installed in Windows as I always do. I use Ccleaner weekly.
The computer was built for me years ago, but I was given a Windows XP Home Edition operating system version 2002 CD to take home.
I don't know if SP3 is on it.

Ravencajun,
Yes, I did try to remove it, but couldn't. It was listed in Add/ Remove, but had no remove button, nor was any disc space listed. Odd.
The restore point the computer has already made itself is adequate.
I checked My Computer and its Properties. It says SP3 is already here.
Everything seems to operating fine. Should I leave well enough alone?

Steve

what happens when you go to the windows update site and let it scan your pc(select custom when it gives the option) does it say you have critical updates? if you are able to use windows updates and it says you have sp3 then I would think you probably do have it.
When you go to windows update page on the left is history where you can check what has been installed to the pc from windows update it should say sp3 in there if you got sp3 from windows updates.

Steve-
It's hard to tell for sure what is going on, but SP3 came out several years after that XP 2002 CD was made, so it's not on that disk. If I were you, I would just see if your computer continues to run properly without any more messing around. And I also suggest you stay away from using CCleaner. Some people like it and some people have had their registries screwed up with it. In any case, no computer needs disk cleanup weekly. I may defragment mine once every year or so, and that's about it; and I leave the registry alone unless I have no other choice. With computers I've learned the hard way to follow the rule of: "If it ain't broken, don't fix it."

This happen on my husband's Dell Desktop computer with XP Home Edition...when I went to update Sp3...it said the same thing to me..."insert Word 2002 Rom Disk 1......which I did...and it updated without a problem. His computer has sp3 now..

But my question is I have a Laptop with Vista...and it only has Sp2....and has never asked me to update Windows Sp3 to it. Why?? Does anyone have any information.

There is no SP 3 to Vista...Vista's last service package was number 2....XP only has a Service Package 3

you are talking about 3 different things there cricketm

Office and word has a totally different service pack has nothing to do with the service pack for the Operating system.

windows XP has service pack 3 and that is the last of them it is the last there will be

Vista has service pack 2 so if you have that you are up to date on it. It has not asked you to update to sp3 because there is no such thing yet for Vista.

lots of service packs and not all are the same so always make sure you differentiate which you are dealing with.

updating Word will always ask you to insert the discs so that it can determine it is real and you do have the install discs.

Service pack 1 for windows 7 will be out in the very near future at this time there is no service packs for it yet.

When I went to the windows update page over the weekend and it scanned for updates, there were no critical updates, so I'm good (he said hopefully).

I did it again, and no updates, but...

Not so. I just checked the History, and there 11 updates that failed, including SP3. I'll start looking them and try to install them again. Microsoft does not make it easy.

Thanks for all of the help.

Steve

I would suggest doing them one at a time and reboot after each one. if you do sp3 please do it as I recommended in the post above and use the link to the stand alone download rather then the one from windows update you may have better success and for sure disable all security programs for sp3 install.

Have you run an updated malwarebytes scan because there are some infections that can cause that to happen so try doing that asap.
Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware (Win) - Detecting and Removing Malware

I scanned with Superantispyware on Saturday before the disc cleanup. I will scan with Malwarebytes next.

Does it make sense, before reloading SP3, to restore to last Friday and then check the updates history to see if the installations are still failed?

Steve

you can try it I don't think it will work though.
Be sure to do the malwarebytes scan first

I quote kudzu9

"And I also suggest you stay away from using CCleaner. Some people like it and some people have had their registries screwed up with it. In any case, no computer needs disk cleanup weekly. I may defragment mine once every year or so, and that's about it; and I leave the registry alone unless I have no other choice. With computers I've learned the hard way to follow the rule of: "If it ain't broken, don't fix it."

Is this true???...my Computer Technician gave me free Ccleaner with the red C and brush and ATF Cleaner and told me to clean my computer at the end of each day of temp files and cookies, etc. ....plus... I never fool around with the registry ever.....I do defrag about every two months ....So many different opinions you don't know what you are doing right...That is why I like to visit this forum...I learn alot but I am still confused.

genes...I did not know that..thank you...Vista only needs sp 2....I learn something new every day on this forum.

Cricket, you mention 'so many different opinions' - and that is exactly what they are, opinions. All are no doubt given with the best of intent and on the users own experience.

Ccleaner has never ever given me problems but I have only used it with the default settings. Forget the daily use recommendation, that is pure foolishness. However the frequency of use is totally the choice of the individual, myself I use it perhaps every 6 months or less, always before doing a backup. I am not a clean freak in that sense.

You note you use Vista, you do not need to defrag that computer as it does it automatically on a schedule. I am sure the schedule can be changed to suit but not having Vista I would not know where to look to set times.

Kudzu9's theory of "If it ain't broken, don't fix it" is excellent advice. Too many people seem to feel the need to 'cleanup' even if they have no idea of what to clean. Often this gets to the point that things fail to work

Owbist....what you say makes good sense...Thank you for being here....I appreciate your comments. I maintain two Dell Desktops with Windows XP and my Dell Laptop with Vista..so I am always reading the posts for computer information.

ccleaner and ATF are both very good legit programs however you can over do things, and with ccleaner there is the possibility to mess with the registry which I never ever advise. As stated if you use it in the default setting and only use the cleaner feature you are ok but daily use is over kill for sure. ATF is not as big a risk since it does not have the registry cleaner feature so it is the one I more often suggest using.

In the old versions of windows defrag and clean up were pretty important in the new versions much of that is automated and extra work is not nearly as essential.
what I would suggest one spend more time on is making sure all the essentials are updated because these days so many infections are coming in through holes in some of these apps. So use the secuina tool every few weeks or so and make sure you stay fully updated.

Secunia Online Software Inspector (OSI)
and running a malwarebytes scan every few weeks (update it first) is a definite. Plus if you do not have spywareblaster in my book it is a must have, no scans to do just update it once a week then hit enable all protection so the shield is green and it sits there protecting you.

SpywareBlaster

Thanks for giving me the courage to go ahead and do things on the computer.

There were no threats detected by Malwarebytes. Secunia suggested some threats from programs like Adobe and Java which I removed. I later reinstalled the Java to do another search with Secunia.

I reinstalled SP3. The computer says the installtion was completed though no disc space is noted in Add/ Reomve programs as before, nor can it be removed.

So all is apparently well, he said relieved.

Thanks again,

Steve

you need to be sure you do your updates on Java and Adobe they are often finding security leaks in them and put out patches and updates. If you installed the latest version of Java it now has an updater in it and will pop up and tell you when there is a new update available, or you can always go to control panel double click on the java icon then select update.
If you choose not to use Adobe reader for your PDF reader this is the one I use instead it is free and works well.
PDF-XChange Viewer 2.5.191