Tuesday, May 6th 2008

Microsoft Windows XP Service Pack 3 (SP3) Released to Web and Windows Update

Today, Windows XP Service Pack (SP3) has officially hit the Release to Web (RTW) milestone. The third service pack for Windows XP is now available both on Windows Update and the Microsoft Download Center.
Windows XP Service Pack 3 (SP3) includes all previously released updates for the operating system. This update also includes a small number of new functionalities, which do not significantly change customers' experience with the operating system. This white paper summarizes what is new in Windows XP SP3.
DOWNLOAD: Network Installation (316.4MB) | ISO CD Image File (545MB).
Source: Ars Technica
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66 Comments on Microsoft Windows XP Service Pack 3 (SP3) Released to Web and Windows Update

#26
Haytch
Morgoth, you can right mousebutton on the taskbar, then left mousebutton on ' Toolbars ' & select Language Bar.

Enter the language bar settings which will appear on the bottom right next to the time, or up top, depending on settings. Add / Make changes appropriately.

I have installed the XP SP3 on 3 seperate systems, and i have not experienced any issues as yet.
I have noticed an increase in framerate performance using both the 3870x2 & 9800Gx2.

For those out there that are not sure whether to update or not, it simply means your not aware of the many security features now implemented with SP3. I highly recommend everyone has a read thru the white paper and becomes more familiar with the update.

I will continue to benchmark the 3 pc's ive installed SP3 on and i will submit results soon.

Please note, it has not effected my overclocking ability or stability.
Posted on Reply
#27
Morgoth
Fueled by Sapphire
cant find it
Posted on Reply
#28
imperialreign
HaytchMorgoth, you can right mousebutton on the taskbar, then left mousebutton on ' Toolbars ' & select Language Bar.

Enter the language bar settings which will appear on the bottom right next to the time, or up top, depending on settings. Add / Make changes appropriately.

I have installed the XP SP3 on 3 seperate systems, and i have not experienced any issues as yet.
I have noticed an increase in framerate performance using both the 3870x2 & 9800Gx2.

For those out there that are not sure whether to update or not, it simply means your not aware of the many security features now implemented with SP3. I highly recommend everyone has a read thru the white paper and becomes more familiar with the update.

I will continue to benchmark the 3 pc's ive installed SP3 on and i will submit results soon.

Please note, it has not effected my overclocking ability or stability.
that is great news to hear! After I had tried the SP3 RC, my whole XP installation went to shit in a heartbeat.

I've already downloaded SP3, but been a little leary of it after my ordeals with the RC; I'm going to backup the SYS in it's entirety tonight, and install SP3 tomorrow, I guess . . .
Posted on Reply
#29
Haytch
I had minor issues with all the Release Candidates i tried. There was always some minor issue and a way to work around it. Im glad to inform you that all the issues i had previously encounted and informed MS about were resolved.

I think MS did really well with the Release Candidates, and customer feedback helped ensure a quality but delayed SP3 release.



Morgoth : Goto ' START ' & then ' Control Panel '. Enter ' Regional And Language Options '.

1. Adjust Regional Standard and Formats accordingly.
2. Adjust your location accordingly.

Goto the ' Languages ' Tab located between ' Regional Options ' & ' Advanced '.
Select ' Details ' in the ' Text Services And Input Languages ' Section of the Regional Options TAB.

1. Select appropriate ' Default Input Language '
2. Add / Remove appropriate language service using the ' Add or Remove ' feature in the ' Installed Services ' Section of the Text Services And Input Options Settings TAB.

Apply, and OK.
Posted on Reply
#30
imperialreign
HaytchI had minor issues with all the Release Candidates i tried. There was always some minor issue and a way to work around it. Im glad to inform you that all the issues i had previously encounted and informed MS about were resolved.

I think MS did really well with the Release Candidates, and customer feedback helped ensure a quality but delayed SP3 release.
True - TBH, I found the RC to be very buggy, but I think that had more to do with having a relatively, somewhat new-to-the-market board, and partially out of date chipset drivers (to this day, ASUS provides a more current chipset driver package than Intel does on their website).

But I intend to give the official SP3 a go . . . just want to make sure my backup is shotgun proof first :laugh:
Posted on Reply
#31
niko084
Makes my job easier...

No it wont with with xp x64 its an entirely different kernel.
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#32
NinkobEi
Sp3 froze on installing, so I went to safe mode did a system restore. then it froze again and I had to restore all over again. thanks microsoft.
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#33
eidairaman1
The Exiled Airman
best off installing it when you do a fresh format of your machine, thats how SPs usually are.
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#34
Haytch
eidairaman1best off installing it when you do a fresh format of your machine, thats how SPs usually are.
Totally agree! Must remember that most of us already have SP2 with basically every single update, so logically installing the SP3 would be worse off seeing as it is missing components and updates available beyond SP3, regardless of its extra features.

SP3 should be used upon the next format. As stated by Microsoft, it is a collection of a greater portion of updates made available from SP2 till now + added security features and ' read the white paper '.

Please note that removing every single update from the add/remove section, and getting XP back to basic SP2 standard and then installing SP3 is foolish, but i had to try it anyways. Dont do it.
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#35
timta2
So does anyone think we will see retail XP SP3 discs for sale? I mean with Vista being pushed so hard and all.
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#36
Nick89
"Windows Service Pack 3, an exercise in sodomy"
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#38
btarunr
Editor & Senior Moderator
No problems here...:)

...or should I say no changes/differences/increments/features here :(
Posted on Reply
#39
Temps_Riising
trog100so what exactly does it do.. does anybody have the faintest idea.. ???

trog

ps..just read the thingy.. pretty much nothing it seems so why bother..
I have been running SP3 for a week now, visually little difference but I have to say, things just seem a touch quicker and smoother, that maybe just me but my windows loading time has dropped by a couple of seconds and everything just seems a little better "balanced".
Posted on Reply
#40
Cybrnook2002
Temps_RiisingI have been running SP3 for a week now, visually little difference but I have to say, things just seem a touch quicker and smoother, that maybe just me but my windows loading time has dropped by a couple of seconds and everything just seems a little better "balanced".
Guys, just read the release notes link at the top of this page. SP3 is not a visual upgrade or anything like that. Its not supposed to make your PC faster. Its a major "security" upgrade. Things like NAP, and black hole router detection. Read the notes...........
Posted on Reply
#41
Deleted member 3
Nicksterrwhat is the diff b/t the network installation and the iso cd image file? the network installation is what was leaked everywhere...
Basically the ISO is an ISO with the network installaion on it. Perhaps some fancy autorun added and whatnot.
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#42
VroomBang
sp3 has been working fine for the last couple of weeks :)
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#43
Jess Stingray
It broke the family system. Tried to load Windows, restart in a continuous loop. I had to do a full reinstall.
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#44
Solaris17
Super Dainty Moderator
no x64 bit support for the major LOSS! :mad:

but i did try it for about 3 days on my 32bit install good stuff didnt notice a difff but she was crazy stable.
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#45
Dark_Webster
And in terms of gaming??? ANY performance increase or loss??
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#46
Solaris17
Super Dainty Moderator
nope neither well on the major games on older games i saw an increase less than 5fps though
Posted on Reply
#48
Unable
error

It's giving me error.. I tried in 2 pc's...

error: - File update.inf it's not correct
Posted on Reply
#49
newconroer
btarunrNo problems here...:)

...or should I say no changes/differences/increments/features here :(
Which is the key. I'm not interested in A)Reformatting my already master manipulated and perfected XP installation and/or B)Installing a service pack WITHOUT a format - for the sake of gaining nothing.

It's not worth the risk or any possible headaches, even if they turn out to be nill.

As for the security..well learn how Windows works, then learn something about security, then learn what YOU can do about it; that and stay away from shady sites. Such things should be fairly low priority for strictly gamers; and real network administrators should already know what needs to be done; they've been doing it before SP3 was even announced.
Posted on Reply
#50
Temps_Riising
Cybrnook2002Guys, just read the release notes link at the top of this page. SP3 is not a visual upgrade or anything like that. Its not supposed to make your PC faster. Its a major "security" upgrade. Things like NAP, and black hole router detection. Read the notes...........
And in contrast, almost everyone is reporting slightly improved benching with SP3, my 2006 score went up 120 points, exaxctly the same settings.
Posted on Reply
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