I have modified my Windows XP Home and Windows XP Pro install guides to include the following important information:
Before the install/reinstallation of Windows XP, I highly recommend that you download Service Pack 2 "for multiple computers" and burn it onto a CD. The download is approximately 272MB. If you choose not to do this step, your system could become infected with a virus or worm exploiting the vulnerabilities that Service Pack 2 fixes. I also recommend that you do NOT have your system connected to the Internet until after the installation of Service Pack 2. This means that you cannot activate your XP installation during setup, but you can accomplish that task following a reboot after Service Pack 2 is installed.
I have modified my Windows XP Home and Windows XP Pro install guides to include the following important information:
Before the install/reinstallation of Windows XP, I highly recommend that you download Service Pack 2 "for multiple computers" and burn it onto a CD. The download is approximately 272MB. If you choose not to do this step, your system could become infected with a virus or worm exploiting the vulnerabilities that Service Pack 2 fixes. I also recommend that you do NOT have your system connected to the Internet until after the installation of Service Pack 2. This means that you cannot activate your XP installation during setup, but you can accomplish that task following a reboot after Service Pack 2 is installed.