Windows 2000 Service Pack 2, Service Pack 3, and Service Pack 4 Installation Information

Windows 2000 SP2, SP3, and SP4 Installation Configurations

You can install Windows 2000 SP2, SP3, or SP4 by using several different methods. These include the CD-ROM installation, Express installation, and the network download.

CD-ROM Installation

Windows 2000 SP2, SP3, and SP4 are available on CD-ROM. However, the CD-ROM layout has changed because there is no longer an I386 folder with the expanded service pack folders. In its place is a compressed, self-extracting W2ksp2.exe, W2ksp3.exe, or W2ksp4.exe .cab file. This is the same file you receive if you perform a network download from the Microsoft Web server. At a minimum, this means that a larger working space must be available for the service pack to uncompress its files before installation.

Note If you want to install the service pack from an expanded folder on a CD-ROM, the folders and files can be uncompressed to a temporary folder by using the w2kspN.exe -x command (where N is the service pack version number).

The service pack can then be installed by double-clicking the Update.exe file in the I386\Update folder.

Express Installation

This installation method, also known as binary patching, requires the least hard disk storage space. The Express installation detects the system components and installs only those updates that are necessary. This method is best for customers who want to reduce their download time. The Express installation is the fastest way to install Windows 2000 SP2, SP3, or SP4 on a single computer, but it does require an Internet connection during the installation.

Network Download

This installation option downloads the W2kspN.exe file to your computer (where N is the service pack version number). This option provides an ideal mechanism for administrators who want to set up a network distribution share for deployment. Note that the network download is not designed to install the service pack during the download process, as is the case with the Express installation (although it can be installed in this manner if Run this program from its current location is selected during download). After the download is complete, you can install the service pack by double-clicking the W2kspN.exe file, or you can expand the files to a network distribution share by using the w2kspN.exe -x command. The service pack can then be installed by opening the \\server name\sp share\I386\Update folder and double-clicking the Update.exe file.

Note If you click Run this program from its current location instead of Save this program to disk during a network download, the W2kspN.exe file is downloaded to the Internet Explorer Temporary Internet Files folder and run from there. The file remains in the Internet Explorer Temporary Internet Files folder until it is deleted. Note that the temporary file can consume up to approximately 130 megabytes (MB) of hard disk space. To free this space, start Internet Explorer, click Internet Options on the Tools menu, and then click Delete Files.

Steps for a Typical Windows 2000 SP2, SP3, or SP4 Installation

The following steps provide a simplified outline of the processes that occur when you start an installation by using the W2kspN.exe file:

1. A section of code first verifies the integrity of the W2kspN.exe file.
2. The code then uncompresses the service pack files to a temporary folder.
3. The code then runs Update.exe from the temporary folder, and this begins the actual service pack installation process.
   
   Note If installation parameters or switches are used with W2kspN.exe, they are appended to the Update.exe file when it runs.
4. The service pack installer first starts taking an inventory of system files. It determines which files must be updated, which files must be downloaded, which files are needed from the source path, and which are available. During this process the End User License Agreement (EULA) is displayed.
5. The Windows 2000 Service Pack (SP) EULA is displayed. The user must select the option to accept the license agreement, or cancel the installation. The user can also select whether to back up files that are required to remove the service pack in the future. Note that this is the last opportunity to safely cancel an installation.
6. The installer examines and inventories the Windows 2000 configuration.
7. The $NTServicePackUninstall$ folder is created, and all the files that are marked for update are copied into it.
8. The installer updates the system files with new updated files. If the files are locked (in use), the installer names the new file with a temporary name and adds it to the "file rename pending log." These files are updated during the restart.
9. The installer parses applicable .inf files to update registry hives.
10. Rundll32.exe is run against a number of processes.
11. The system restart process is started and temporary files are removed from the system.
12. The file rename process finishes running when the computer is restarted.

Files That Are Added by Windows 2000 SP2, SP3, and SP4

Windows 2000 SP2, SP3, and SP4 add several new files and folders in addition to those that are installed by Windows 2000. These include the following.

Sp2.cab, Sp3.cab, or Sp4.cab

The Sp2.cab, Sp3.cab, or the Sp4.cab file provide updates to Microsoft drivers that are included with Windows 2000. This file is stored in the %SYSTEMROOT%\Driver Cache\I386 folder together with the original Driver.cab file.

Important Microsoft does not include updates to third-party vendor drivers in service packs. To obtain the latest driver from a third-party vendor, contact the vendor, or check the vendor's Web site.

Note Less drive space is required to upgrade Windows 2000 to Windows 2000 SP2 than is required to first upgrade Windows 2000 to Windows 2000 Service Pack 1 (SP1) and then upgrade Windows 2000 to Windows 2000 SP2. When Windows 2000 SP2 is installed "on top of" Windows 2000 SP1, a number of Windows 2000 SP1 files are not updated but remain on the system. The Sp1.cab file is an example of this. If drive space is critical on a new installation of Windows 2000, do not first upgrade Windows 2000 to Windows 2000 SP1 and then upgrade the Windows 2000 SP1 installation to a later service pack. Instead, upgrade Windows directly to the latest service pack.

%SYSTEMROOT%\ServicePackFiles Folder

The ServicePackFiles folder is created during the Express installation and when you run Setup by double-clicking the compressed W2kspN.exe file. Installations from CD-ROMs or from network distribution shares do not create a ServicePackFiles folder because their installation source path is recorded in the registry. This folder contains binaries for optional components such as services, plug-and-play drivers, and other Windows 2000 SP2-versioned files, SP3-versioned files, or SP4-versioned files that are required if new hardware or services are added to the computer after the service pack is installed. When a device or service is added, Windows 2000 SP2-versioned files, SP3-versioned files, or SP4-versioned files are installed from the ServicePackFiles folder. Therefore, you do not have to reapply the service pack.

Note The ServicePackFiles folder can be deleted from the local hard disk and placed on a network share as soon as the service pack is installed. However, note that the ServicePackFiles folder is unique to each version of Windows 2000 that is being installed (Professional, Server, and Advanced Server). For example, the ServicePackFiles folder on a Windows 2000 Server does not have all the compatibility updates that would be in the ServicePackFiles folder for Windows 2000 Professional, nor would it have the binary files that are required to install the Clustering services on a computer that is running Windows 2000 Advanced Server.

For additional information about the procedures for relocating the ServicePackFiles folder to a central network share, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

271484 Files and Folders Are Added to Your System After Service Pack Is Installed

%SYSTEMROOT%\$NTServicePackUninstall$ Folder

When you install the service pack, W2kspN.exe provides the option to create a backup of the files and settings that the service pack installer changes and saves them in the %SYSTEMROOT%\$NTServicePackUninstall$ folder.

Note You can delete the $NTServicePackUninstall$ folder, but it is best not to do so without careful consideration because without this folder, you cannot remove the service pack.

Sp2.cat, Sp3.cat, or Sp4.cat

The Sp2.cat, Sp3.cat, or Sp4.cat file stores the file signatures for all Windows 2000 SP2, SP3, and SP4 files. This file is located in the %SYSTEMROOT%\system32\CatRoot\{F750E6C3-38EE-11D1-85E5-00C04FC295EE} folder and it is required for Windows File Protection.

Svcpack.log

When the service pack is installed it creates the Svcpack.log file in the %systemroot% folder. This file may be used to troubleshoot problem installations.

Spuninst.log

This log file is created when the service pack is removed.

Note Although these log files take little drive space, they may be safely deleted as soon as the service pack is successfully installed or removed. The log files will be re-created during a subsequent installation or removal.

Variables That Affect Disk Space Usage When You Install Windows 2000 SP2, SP3, or SP4

The hard disk space requirements for installation of Windows 2000 SP2, SP3, and SP4 depend on the type of installation method that is being used and the variables that are associated with those installation methods.

For more information about the disk space requirements for Windows 2000 SP2 or SP3, view the Readmesp.htm on the Windows 2000 SP2 or SP3 CD-ROM.

For additional information about the space requirements for Windows 2000 SP4, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

821258 Recommended Space Requirements for Windows 2000 Service Pack 4 Installation

Transient Space

Transient space is typically affected by the number of services that are currently running on the computer. When the service pack is installed, it updates many of the existing files with newer versions. If a file that is to be updated is in use by the system, the service pack installer cannot copy over it. In this case, the installer copies the file to the system with a different name, updates a file-rename-pending log, and upon restart, renames the new files and deletes the old. For example, if the existing Ntoskrnl.exe file is 300 kilobytes (KB) and the updated Ntoskrnl.exe file is 400 KB, the installer would calculate that 700 KB is required because it must have both files in place until restart.

Note To minimize the amount of transient space that is required, shut down all services that you do not need before you install the service pack.

Working Space

This is space that is required for the service pack to perform pre-installation operations and post-installation operations. For example, a temp folder is required to uncompress the W2kspN.exe file when you install the service pack by double-clicking the W2kspN.exe file. Setup uses an algorithm to determine where the temp folder will be created. Normally, the installer will select the hard disk partition with the most available space to put this temporary folder. Setup might create the temp folder on a mapped drive if that is where the most space is available.

Important The installer deletes the temp folder as soon as the Restart button on the Service Pack Completion dialog box is clicked. Because of this, you must click Restart to restart the computer. If you restart the computer some other way, the temp folder is not deleted.

Note To minimize the working space that is required on clients or servers, expand the W2kspN.exe file to a network distribution share, and then install from that share. By doing this, you do not have to expand the files in the W2kspN.exe file to a temp folder during pre-installation operations.

For additional information about how to reduce the hard disk space that is used by Windows 2000 SP2, SP3, or SP4, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

290402 HOW TO: Remove the Service Pack Restore Files and Folders in Windows