Is there a way to get around a Service Pack 2 check that some software performs prior to install? I have SP1 and do not want anything to do with SP2. However, when trying to install certain software, I get prompted "SP2 not installed. blah blah". Is there some registry setting or some other way to fake this out? To make the machine "appear" to have SP2 while in reality being SP1?

Why don't you want SP2? That service pack is a major upgrade. The software message you are getting is due to the fact that the software was tested on SP2. You could be asking for trouble if you try tricking installers into thinking SP2 is installed, even if iit can be done. Is your issue with WGA?

No, WGA is not an issue. I want my PC to run as fast as possible. My understanding is XP SP2 slows everything down, if you get it to install right in the first place. And SP2 does not provide any features that I need.

>> My understanding is XP SP2 slows everything down, if you get it to install right in the first place. << The thing to do is to install it right first time and that means reading the instructions. Boring I know, but these boring things have to be done from time to time. Life isn't all beer and laughs. Besides, XP2 doesn't slow things down. Thats what somebody ho hasn't installed it right has told you to disguise his own incompetence. SP2 does provide some considerable improvements on SP1, not least of all security enhancements not to mention those you cannot install becasue SP2 isn't installed. Stuart

"SP2 does not provide any features that I need". Seems ars though this isn't a true statement. You need SP2 to install and properly run the software you are installing. Don't believe everything you read. You didin't supply the basic system information required so I can't really speak to the speed issue. SP2 installs flawlessly IF your system isn't already crapped up. If it is wouldn't you like to know.

Thanks you all for your help. Love this forum. I don't need any security updates. I'm behind a hardware firewall, so SP2 would do anything for me. I don't need any driver updates, as all my hardware and OS (XP SP1) is functioning perfectly. This particular machine is not even HT or MP. It's just an old overclocked Northwood P4. It happens to have a really good video card (all my other machines are 2003 server and Linux with onboard video or no video at all) and I'm just trying to load Flight Sim. X demo on this one. Don't see how that could possibly need SP2...

Apparently gilA is smarter than all the rest of us? Hmmmm, maybe I'll break out my original pre-SP1 XP disc & use that from now on. I bet my system will be really fast without ANY SP's installed! I'm behind two hardware firewalls, a software firewall, plus I have antivirus, so I'm sure I'll NEVER have ANY problems. Oh yeah, I'll stick with old drivers too. Older is faster, right? BTW gilA, what software company makes Flight Sim X? http://www.microsoft.com/games/pc/f...