Thread: Hard disk space requirements for Windows XP Service Pack 3

To install Windows XP Service Pack 3 (SP3) Hard disk space is essential from a shared folder on the system, the Windows XP SP3 CD, or from the Microsoft Download Center. This article is planned for an intermediate user.

1. Windows XP Home Edition
2. Windows XP Home N
3. Windows XP Home Edition K
4. Windows XP Home Edition KN
5. Windows XP Media Center Edition 2004
6. Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005
7. Windows XP Pro Edition K
8. Windows XP Pro Edition KN
9. Windows XP Professional
10. Windows XP Professional N
11. Windows XP Tablet PC Edition
12. Windows XP Tablet PC Edition 2005

The initially the computer free hard disk space for system partition is 30 MB. Disk volume is the first primary system partition that contain the hardware specific file that are required to start window.Ntldr File, Boot.ini file, and Ntdetect.com file are the example of the primary system partition.

Windows XP installing your pc following method you can pick for installation. Each method required different space depending on the position from which you want to install the service pack.

• Universal Naming convention(UNC) method can be used install window XP SP3 on many PC over a local network .You can keep the hard disk space which is necessary to remove Windows XP SP3 files on the local PC using the UNC mode to install Windows XP SP3.

The list the hard disk space that is essential to install Windows XP SP3 on one PC is given in the following table. Space necessities mainly depending on the location from where we download or install service pack, and whether you enable or disable System Restore.

If you install Windows XP SP3 from a shared folder on the network you necessary required at least 1500 MB of Free Space.

You can install Windows XP SP3 on a PC out of 1500 MB only 700 MB of free hard disk space on the active part and remaining 800 MB of free hard disk space exists on some other partition on the PC, this partition stored temporary folder that contains the extracted service pack files.

Using Universal Naming convention (UNC) technique you can be install window XP SP3 on various PC over a local network.


Following step are used to install Windows XP SP3 by using Universal Naming convention (UNC) technique.

• Copy the contents of the Windows XP SP3 CD to a shared folder on the network.

• Click Start, click Run.

• Type cmd, and then press ENTER.

• At the command prompt, type the following command, and then press ENTER:windowsxp-kb936929-sp3-x86-enu.exe /x:shared folder name

• In the shared folder on the network, locate and then double-click the Update folder

• Double-click the Update.exe file to install Windows XP SP3