@amirman: your a good man :) I coverted last year but still unfortunalty have a laptop with 3 years left on it's 200 dollar warranty and ubuntu would void it so i think i'll put sp3 on it

superbryant88

I've had a few issues on fresh installs. I didn't have any problems on the machines I already had updated through normal use.

On the fresh installs, however, I would run it directly after installing XP. However, then I couldn't install IE7 for some reason, and sometimes Windows Update won't work at all.

You might want to install IE7 first, then SP3, on a fresh install. Haven't tested that myself, but it may help.

I also haven't gotten around to making a slipstreamed disc, either.

ares139

too late, i already converted to ubuntuism.

amirman

So does SP3 include SP2 or do you need to install both?

raintheory

Sure would love to hear some comments from real-world XP users about this service pack. I have a couple of PC's at the house, and about 40 here at work.

ElvisFrisbee

The link given references MSKB article 936929. The title of that article is, "Release notes for the Windows XP Service Pack 3 Release Candidate".

I'd wait.

[support.microsoft.com]

Floobtronics

seriously why the hell is M$ dragging their heels about SP3 it's been ready since RC2 in my opinion.

it's not going to win them any more vista licenses

Gonzie

Sorry airman I meant that comment to be @Wingmanjd.

Freaktech

@amirman: Me too. Ubuntists unite!

monster79

amirman: Why would installing Ubuntu void your warranty. That's like saying installing Photoshop would void your warranty. Just because you decide to install a new OS does not void you hardware warranty. The manufacturer may not support the OS, but is certainly does not void the warranty.

Freaktech

@raintheory: When I was using the release candidates, I patched from SP1 straight to SP3. You will not need to patch to SP2 if you have this file.

Wingmanjd

@TheClone: Hey, I like cheese too! We're awesome and rebellious!

Liquidmantis

@amirman: then your comment is worthless...

holymogwai

@TheClone: Actually, your comment has a bit more helpful. Now I know I'm not the only one with a brown sofa.

Spaztrick

I have a brown sofa and I like cheese.

(This post is just as helpful as the I like ubuntu comments. This site needs a comment rating system or a block comments from user feature.)

TheClone

@Frost Face: That is beyond FUD. SP3 is supposed to loosed the WGA restrictions.

While I hate putting the huge load of patches into place each time I install XP at work I am glad Microsoft did a lot of testing in the wild. I will be doing some test installs in the next week, but we won't be updating anyone for at least a month.

Bob Brown

What is the deal with all the "HAY GUYZ EARLY SP3 L@@K!!!11" links to the release candidates every other day on every other blog?

Daniel-Bham

I'd wait. Personally I'm a bit scared of SP3 since it has WGA. If the apocalypse comes and you need to use your PC you better have a connection to the M$ servers to keep your activation in-tact or a fresh, handy ubuntu install or you won't be able to do much at all with your pc ;).

Frost Face

If you run the Zune XP theme, it will be disabled.

Das-Crackbaby

Installed it and menu/program access is snappier...I know, it's like you wash your car and it runs better but it's true...they are snappier. I'll have to read the release notes to see what has changed but so far no ill effects

WildWild

Seems like the more updates, the more nanny stuff. Will sp3 turn my computer into Vista? Not to mention sp2 locked up one of my computers deader than a doornail, apparently that microcode issue that affected 1% of computers.

I've become disillusioned with updates since viruses seem less annoying and destructive.

Capone

@TheClone: I like cheese too! We should form a support group or something.

myotheralt

Just a note - currently running IE8 Beta and it appears that I cannot search a webistes page...hitting next does nothing. This is after SP3 is installed....

WildWild

this is still just the last release candidate, i would just wait until it becomes available on windows update...

krunk1988

@raintheory: You should only need SP3.

buffalo2001

This is confusing. Microsoft has two download links for the official SP3 download and the one link on this article is 316 MB and the other link is 315 MB([download.microsoft.com])

Both links work so whats what? Why is it different sizes? I'm confused.

MasterChi!?!

I just wrote about how the SP3 update not only turns on the Windows Firewall but they renamed the service so that group policies and explicit do not start rules will not apply.

I just created a workaround for the test group and so far so good.

Other than that i have noticed a new remote desktop client and a BIG improvement in memory handling.

Oh and I will not include the link due to some previous issues but feel free to browse to my profile and follow the link to my site.

Warm geeky regards to all!

Anyone else?

AskTheAdmin

I'm going to wait a while to see what fallout there will be, if any.

jharbert

@TheClone:
My couch is red, and I'm lactose intolerant but otherwise I agree whole heartedly!

This article is tagged; "Windows Xp" "Download" "Windows" "Top" and "Updates" not sure which of those confused those vocal linux users but…

Boter

@Das-Crackbaby: I use the zune xp theme and it absolutely still works. No other problems I've seen since installing it over the weekend:

[greasypc.blogspot.com]

greasypigstudios

I did the SP3 install the other day. I ran into problems because I have alcohol 120% installed and it chokes on backing up atapi.sys, and windows installs have been doing this since w2k. Anyhow, I did have a few issues to iron out afterward because I was getting an svchost.exe application error only on a safe boot. Oops. It turned out to be caused by gamexp which is a "tweaking" utility that I, in a moment of rashness, installed after reading about it on LH. Once I rolled back the "tweaks" all was fine. SP3 is solid so far. But I would definitely make a full restorable image of your system drive before installing. That's just common sense though.

philosopher_dog

SP3 is perfectly stable. Has been since RC2

Adds three new services (you can find them in services.msc) They're for NAP, black-hole thingy and that third thingy

Didn't get a chance to see how WGA works differently here as my install is genuine

As far as "disabling themes" goes, no SP3 does not disable any SIGNED themes. It will revert back to Luna or Royale if you've installed UNSIGNED VISUAL STYLES after patching uxtheme.dll. That's because, SP3 replaces many system files with newer versions, uxtheme being one of them. The patch for SP3 version of uxtheme (it's different) has been out for a while.

Personal experience with SP3 RC2 has shown a 50MB drop in RAM usage from SP2. A few lines of description have been added to Security Center. Haven't checked out MMC 3 yet. I was rather hoping Microsoft would push out Windows Installer 4.5 with this/ Vista SP1, but we'll just have to wait and watch.

_||_

@TheClone: Ha! My blue sofa is obviously superior to your stupid "brown" one!

edosan

Windows XP SP3 Delayed
[www.crn.com]

Exactly why you shouldn't report on it until it's official.

"Microsoft has decided to hold off on releasing Windows XP service pack 3 through Windows Update and Microsoft Download Center due to a glitch that affects one of its Dynamics products."

prospero

I got an access denied error twice. No more experiments for now.

SmartyCZ

id love to convert to ubuntu but i have plenty of software for windows...I would hate not to be able to install them...but anyways....im DLing SP3 and installing...

4DoorSkyline

Yeah i knew that this would happen. Think i will wait a little bit until update mine.

ChambrasWeed

@prospero: They pulled it due to a compatibility issue with Microsoft Dynamics Retail Management System (RMS) if you use this hold off on the update but no other issues have been detected...

SO FAR!

@_||_ I have seen almost a 100mb decrease in ram usage (96 mb to be exact)

AskTheAdmin

STAY AWAY from SP3 until it's officially released. I installed it today and now I get nothing but BSOD on startup.

gwoodroof

@Freaktech:

My delightful husband bought me a sweet new HP laptop for Christmas, and it came pre-installed with Vista. The user manual clearly states that the warranty is void if Vista is not present if something goes wrong. Eff that anyway I said, then I immediately rolled back my new toy to XP. (it wasn't easy; HP discourages doing so.)

But anyway, you're incorrect if you think companies don't void a warranty over an OS.

Cornflakes

This is why being an early adopter is not a lifehack.

This site should not encourage people to pursue this type of behavior, same with exhorting people to install beta versions of web browsers (e.g., Firefox 3).

Deprong Mori