Q: My computer just prompted me to install and update, 'Windows XP Service Pack 3' It says that before i install this update that i should back up my system, how risky is this? what is this? how exactly do i back up my files/system?
A: SP3 is in my opinion a little screwey... not sure exactly why, but I manage 6 XP units and almost every one gets varying degrees of glitches and driver issues, so, short answer: back up ALL your data files + drivers before you install. Actually, this should be done every couple of weeks as a standard operation. Do one baseline B.U., then do 'incremental' after that, and keep one copy (CD/DVD) near the unit, and one copy 'off site' in case of fire, or other disaster.