Can I uninstall SP2 for professional?

[Splint Eastwood]

So I got a couple of Antivirus programs and I wasnt happy with anyone them, Now I use Kasperspy, but I fudged with the Windows Firewall, and now i cant turn it on, but i also cant connect with some programs that use Java, like Limewire or Azureus. Bitcomet, Firefox, my IMs, everything else works, but I like limewire and azureus. Is there a way to fix it? I would prefer to just uninstall SP2, since I dont like much of the other things it did to my beloved compy.

[NaelAmer]

Go to control panel > Go to Add or Remove Programs

now look up there you will find a check box called show updates, check that box, you can see all windows XP updates now to uninstall.

Choose Service Pack 2 or any update u want to uninstall

[Splint Eastwood]

I tried that. I tried the hidden folder in windows. I dont use system restore so i cant use that. As far as I know, i uninstalled it rather badly a while back and forgot. that sounds like me. So im just going to re-install a download and uninstall that. worst that could happen is i need to reinstall Xp. Well, worst that could happen is that it gets wet and zaps me dead. ..yeah, that sounds worse to me.

[nitroshift]

SP2 will NOT appear in you Add/Remove list, even if the box "Show updates" is ticked. And I don't think you can uninstall it as such because upon installation it rewrites (quite) a few files in your windows directory.

[NaelAmer]

u can uninstalled from add or remove programs when u check that box, anyway this is a link from microsoft it may help

http://support.microsoft.com/KB/875350

[Takeshi]

There's no definitive answer to your question, because you didn't say if XP came slipstreamed with SP2 or you installed SP2 yourself.

Trying to uninstall SP2 when it looks like Windows is all screwed up is not really the most sensible, logical or systematic approach.

MS is stopping support to XP SP1 in October, for your information.

BTW, if you manually installed SP2 and chose the option to uninstall, then it does appear in Add or Remove Programs.

[TheFlash428]

I agree with Takeshi, this problem is more serious than just an SP2 uninstall.

First, to confirm your question, SP2 is un-installable via add/remove programs, but only if you installed it as an update to an original (pre-SP2) installation. If you XP was installed with a disk that had SP2 included, then you cannot uninstall it.

Here's what I would do (esspecially if your using apps like Limwire): setup my PC in a way that having to re-install the OS is as pain-free as possible. Get your XP disk (I recommend following the guides on this site and using NLite to fully update your installation disk with all the current service packs and hotfixes, drivers for your system, and customizing your options and setup--but that is not 100% necessary).

Back up your system, copy any files you want to keep to a different storage disk.

Re-install windows. If you haven't already done so, create (at least) two partitions on your primary disk during the setup. I usually like to have about 15GB for the system partition (where XP will be installed), and then leave the rest of the disk space for the second partition.

You may have to go into disk management (from computer managment console), to format and access the second partion once windows boots up.

Use the second partion for all your file storage, etc., and the primary partion for the OS install and application files.

The next time your system becomes hosed and you have to re-install, you can safely then reformat and install XP on the one partition without harming all your files on the second one, making the process faster and less of a hassle.

If you keep your XP installation disk up-to-date create an unattended setup (such as I do), you can literally go from hosed system to rebuilt and ready to go system in less than an hour.