For some unearthly reason, I opted to try Windows Live OneCare - the trial version. When it installed, it asked, and I agreed, to load SP3.

Since then, my PC has run like a slug.

I have seen on some other threads that SP3 is bad and uninstalls ended up with reformats!!! Is this what will happen if I try to uninstall?

I think maybe I ought to uninstall OneCare as well and go back to using AVG or something similar.

If I back up the system prior to starting this, then SP3 will still be there if I have to reformat and reinstall. What would be the best (safest) approach to this. My data will be safe as it is on another drive.

Advise please.

I have installed XP service pack 3 on 2 computers so far, Both Compaq's with AMD processors and have and have had a 50% success rate so far (I still have two more with an AMD and one with an Intel to go). The one I had problems with was resolved with a little bit of time spent on the phone with Microsoft and is now up and running smoothly (except for the sound which has nothing to do with SP3 - a pre-existing condition). Neither computer I've completed are running any slower then before, so if I was a gambling man and if the only changes you made were installing Windows Live OneCare - the trial version and SP3, I would have to say it is Windows Live OneCare - the trial version. From talking with the microsoft techs and and some independent techs I know SP3 is for the most part a culmination, or a rehashing of all the updates that have been issued since SP2 came out. There are a few minor new items in it but very little from what I have been told.
Hope this helps and I wasn't too long winded.
DLWilson61

Thanks DL, I think I will uninstall OneCare and monitor performance for a while. And no, it's not a longwinded answer. The more information, the better.

thanks

Good Luck and happy browsing

Well, I uninstalled OneCare which of course removed any virus checking s/w.

I then loaded AVG 7.5 and AVG AntiSpyware which I had in my download folder. After a few minutes I realised why I had uninstalled them before, They would stop Office apps from running until the file that I was opening had been checked. No joke when it happens everytime you open a doc or spreadsheet.

So I uninstalled them and reverted back to Windows Defender and SUPERAntiSpyware. Now everything is running a lot faster.

SP3 is still installed so that was not the issue. It appears that OneCare was the culprit.

Thanks for your help.

There are are couple of programs you can run that are free that won't slow your system down, they just take you update regularly. You can get Adaware2007 as long as you don't want auto update and Spybot - Search & Destroy. You can get both of these programs along with many other handy tools at MajorGeeks.com. I also run an up to version of Nortons and Super-ad-blocker, which are both pay programs on all my PC's, but then again I have kids and you never know what they will get into.

I heard that Norton and McAfee are memory hogs. Is that true. What's your opinion?