Windows XP Service Pack Upgrade Roadblocks

Hello, I'm caught in a technical glitch that has been costing me hours. Any help you can offer is most appreciated.

Basically I run Windows XP Professional. However, the autoupdates were not turned on. So I'm now at Service Pack 2.0 - YEAR 2002. I'm trying to get to Service Pack 2.0 YEAR 2003, however every time I do that it will not install saying, "The version of

Windows you have installed does not match the update you are trying to install". Why don't I just go right to Service Pack 3.0 and bypass this? Well because that install doesn't work because I'm not originally on 2.0 - 2003, only 2.0 - 2002.

I need to be on Service Pack 3.0 in order to communicate with my new ATT smartphone and that is how this was discovered. The tech there and I found a blog saying the problem of above was due to me running Internet Explorer 8.0 and that the effective cure

was to remove the version and be on 6.0. I did all that so far and again same error message.

I know Windows XP will be out of service next year, but I don't have the $$$ to spare buying all new software now. Any answer to this would be gold to me. I can't believe this issue it is so crazy. Do I need to get a 2003 Windows XP professional to

replace the 2002? Doing that seems stupid because in 11 months none of it will be supported. What do I get now? Windows VISTA, 7? 8? 9? etc. all these revisions are making my head spin. I am just seeking some reliabiliy. My system frequently hangs

up on this operating system. I am very tempted to just get rid of all of it and buy an Apple MAC to be on a closed architecture system vs. open here on Windows/ PC (IBM - based Clone).

Do I have a chance getting to Service Pack 3.0 level?

Thank you again.

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