I would not do the one through windows update and go online with out the protection especially since you said you had a problem with it when doing it that way before. The stand alone file you simply select to download it to your pc, to like your desktop or where ever you choose, then once you have the internet connection disabled and have your security programs off then go to where you downloaded that file to and double click it to begin the install of it. Yes you can remove IE8 through add remove before you do sp3 and it will go back to IE6, then as soon as you are back online (with your security programs back on) from the install of sp3 go immediately to your windows updates site and get any other updates and you should be offered IE8. the guidelines link Windows XP Service Pack 3 (SP3) Installation Guidelines where to download the stand alone sp3 file from, click the download button and save to your pc, ignore any info there saying it is for IT professionals and not for single pc, this is the only download and is the one everyone uses when not doing it through windows updates. Windows XP Service Pack 3 as to foxit reader, it is a much better choice than Adobe but you do have to make sure it is always updated to the latest version because it also has been targeted by the bad guys. Opening pdf files online has always been a bad habit that is not something new but now more are hitting it with some bad exploits. So whether or not you choose to continue opening them online would be up to you. Since you have foxit now have you removed the Adobe Pdf reader? if not you do still need to keep it updated because having any program on the pc that has not been updated can be a security risk.

When you were cleaning out the inside, did you bang any parts in there with a vacumn nozzle?? Start>All Programs>Accessories>System Tools System restore Or, why not just move the desktop icons back to where they were..Do you have the anti spyware program Malwarebytes on your computer..if not, suggest you download it, install it, update it, then run it...when googling for it, its Malwarebytes free download

Jane no doubt it will be an Apple commercial if it is not already! I saw one last night that could have been about this reboot over and over situation, have to admit those commercials are funny. IF you have your computers fully updated with all the windows updates and you do not want to tackle this now you do not have to (totally up to you), this is not a super critical update like sp2 was, it is rated moderate. There are some additional changes it makes to the system itself which microsoft would like people to install. But I know a lot of people have decided to at least wait some time to see if there might be some hotfixes that come out to handle some of the issues that are cropping up and there has been discussion in the microsoft forums that this time they may actually put out a hotfix for some of the problems prior to pushing out sp3 in auto update. So waiting is not a bad idea at this point. I would suggest though that you uninstall your IE 7 through add remove before you do install sp3, because if you do not you will not be able to do so at any time in the future and it also affects the ability to try to do fixes on IE7 should they be needed. You can just take it out, put in sp3 when you decide to, then put IE7 back. Or just stay as you are and continue getting your other regular critical windows updates. It is your choice. At this point in time they will not stop you from getting your windows updates just because you do not have sp3, so don't be concerned about that.

Thanks raven that was quite interesting. LOL his disclaimer was slightly daunting but he has to protect himself. I do always like those 'howto' pages that show numerous screenshots so that those who may be cautiously considering doing a task can at least 'see' the steps involved. I still have 'Slipstreamer' from when I did Win2K and XP so I imagine it will be still suitable. Interestingly he only used XP with SP2 but suggested going from SP1 to SP3 might work. I would suggest to anyone reading this and considering having a go to slipstream SP2 first then use that CD to slipstream SP3. Somewhere I read of issues where people had tried installing SP3 over SP1 only so why take a chance?