This always puzzled me and I could never get a difinitive answer.

I've "Heard" that windows service packs for vista and xp contained all patches prior to the service pack. If this is true, when you do a clean install of windows, why can't you just install the service pack instead of the 60+ updates prior to it.

If It is true why does windows update always dl the previous updates first. TIA

What OS in particular?

XP SP3 requires SP2 to be installed prior.

I am uncertain as to the requirements of Vista SP1.

vista premium

Originally Posted by jephree

What OS in particular?

XP SP3 requires SP2 to be installed prior.

I am uncertain as to the requirements of Vista SP1.

With XP I always found it best to create a slipstreamed CD/DVD.

Here is the same info in regards to Vista SP1:

Vista SP1 Slipstream Installation DVD - Vista Forums

This also will be dependent on your recovery/install media. Are you using a retail DVD or a manufactured computer? (Dell; HP; etc.)

When you reinstalled and went to Windows Update was not SP1 the first option?

Of course there have been additional updates past SP1.

I thought that XP SP 3 only required at least SP 1? The system requirements page doesn't even list SP 1 as being required but the SP could always require an updated component for installation then what come with the installation CD like a newer version of windows installer. Depending on what MS puts in it Service packs might not be cumulative and therefore require all previous service packs and perhaps some updates.

Give it a try.