XP SP3 Imminent
 

More details at http://news.zdnet.co.uk/software/0,1...9386036,00.htm

including the 'you're going to get it whether you want it or not' type message from M$.

How sweet.

The beta version has been around for a few months now, I've not heard of any adverse comments about it, so hopefully the shrink-wrapped version should be fine.

If you really don't want it then turn off automatic updates. Easy.

SP3 isn't a major OS overhaul like SP2 was, so there shouldn't be as many problems for people this time.

I personally prefer all the hotfixes and security updates rolled into one service pack rather than tons of individual ones from Windows Update.

I run IT Services for a large company 3000 PCs and we have only recently applied SP2 . Dont automatically take updates from Microsoft .

No probs here. I put it on a non mission critical machine & it dropped in hunky dory. Vista SP1 is the one I'm putting up the shutters against.

Are you using WSUS? If not, you should be. In conjunction with a Domain Group Policy, it lets you control what gets applied, and when, with the added benefit that each update gets downloaded once, and not 3000 times. :8

SP3 sounds good, but I'm a little concerned that MS may use it to stuff up XP installations in order to force folks onto Vista :yuk: (or at least to make Vista feel less awful).

I certainly wouldn't put it past 'em - they've done that sort of thing before.

Maybe my tinfoil hat is on too tight....

:ok:

Does the SP3 installation (I assume it is a single big .exe like SP2 was) check WGA?

SP2 didn't, and Office 2003 SP3 didn't check OGA either.

This is quite funny because people with systems which don't pass WGA (like that PC running a copy of XP from Amazon which turned out to be bootleg) don't get the auto updates.

The main advantage of SP3 will be the integration of all previous updates and hotfixes, some of which are WGA updates, so if MS won't activate your install, then it might be wise to avoid it unless you are prepared to pay MS to activate it.
Slipstreaming SP3 into the XP SP2 disk should still be possible, which will save a lot of updating time on future installs.

Hi,

Me think you must read more :)

Read on many forums beta users with problems from small glitches to BSOD ... and with the beta CR2 ... !

Cheers.

I was referring to comments from IT professionals who were trailing the beta copy. I'm afraid listening to people on forums is meaningless unless you know their capabilities............. Bit like on here really . :E

Thats not quite true as even systems that don't pass WGA can get critical security updates.
AFAIK, SP3 will only check for a number of blacklisted VLK keys, and will only refuse to install if it finds that your PC is using one.

There will always be problems with any service pack release, however I'll bet that SP3 has far less issues than when SP2 hit for the majority.

GG,

Thanks for that vote of confidence.

SP3 Beta did not work for me. The Beta version was about 370Mb whereas the release candidate was said to be a lot slimmer. I ran the install but the system then crashed. I had no need for SP3 so I reverted to SP2.

From what I was told, the only advantage of SP3 is for reinstalls as it sweeps up the earlier changes from SP1 and SP2 and the various patches since then. As it is patched to a recent standard reinstalls will be quicker.

If you have SP2 and are patched up to date then you are already at SP3 standard.

Well, that is what I was told.

Wader2 Nothing personal I assure you :O, there will always be someone who has problems with installing something or another. I agree with you that if you have auto updates on so that you're up to date with the security patches etc then you don't really need SP3.

SP3 has been "released to manufacturing" i.e. it's been locked down. It does contain a few new functions "which do not significantly change customers’ experience with the operating system". More details in the documents here.

Microsoft never forced a SP1 or SP2 download, so I have no reason to believe they'll force a SP3 download. What I expect they will do is make it a condition of getting other updates, eventually - like a year later. By then it'll be on magazine cover CDs, if that huge download will be a problem.

Maybe they didn't, but if you want the latest security updates from Microsoft, you can only get them if you have installed SP2. :8

Which makes sense. You draw a line from the previous service pack and start patching again. No point in keeping hundreds of individual patches available, some of which would be outdated anyway by now.

For those who keep their PC's updated through WU or AU, then SP3 wont be a big deal anyway, as ONLY the files still needed will be downloaded.
Its not going to be a 330mb download unless you're going from an unpatched XP RTM, SP1 or SP2 PC.

That's what I said, just in different words. My point was that they do that much later, not straight away. Plenty of time to get SP3 at your convenience e.g. from work, or off a magazine cover CD.

do not bin old Kit if it still works
 

Just to keep things in context, the M/C that I'm posting this msg on, has just been upgraded from ME to XP (SP2) two days ago - from a purchased disk WGA enabled - broad band Update of 92 fixes - 40 mis to do and no probs - 310 MB of ram & a 10GB hard disk - Norton 2008 installed this morning - works just fine and only prob is a slow boot sequence re swap file creation - takes 6 mins - otherwise no issues - if you have old kit like my little Compaq lap top consider upgraging to XP (specs permitting) while you can. PS Windows firewall & free AVG anti virus seems to work OK as well - if you need a backup M/C - consider this option.
:8

Your slow boot is probably that resource hogging pile o !!!!!e Norton tbh.

Hi,

"Official RTM release" already available at the Major Geek pages:

http://majorgeeks.com/

Cheers for now.

Good find thanks. :ok:

No doubt it will follow the current trend of providing nothing at all of use to the average user, but concentrate on increasing the squeeze of their DRM.

Ha!

from the Microsoft Website (my bolding, Microsofts words):

Feckers!

Microsoft results hit by weak Windows sales

http://news.zdnet.co.uk/software/0,1...9405244,00.htm


He said IF !?

Ballmer: Microsoft may keep XP if users demand it

http://news.zdnet.co.uk/software/0,1...9405240,00.htm

- it needs everyone to DEMAND XP on new machines - then they may get the message. You will always have the 'upgrade option'.

You will find if you 'turn down' the Vista deal most companies will 'find a way'. Funny that - they need the sale!

I was talking to a chap from a smallish software company last week who, after the latest 'we're going to chop XP' date announcement from MS, got on the blower to Dell (who provide all their computer hardware) and sought some reassurance, in strongly worded terms, that they would continue to support XP (pre-installed on new hardware and support services).

He got the assurances that this would be forthcoming until at least 2010, as there's a huge amount of demand for it. Of course, this is for business clients but still, shows if you shout loud enough you get.

According to Ballmer MS are aiming to get Windows 7 (the Vista replacement) out the door by the end of 2009 now; I'm not surprised they wish to move on from this episode as soon as practical and am quite sure you'll be able to get XP until Windows 7 is bedded in - I suspect a large proportion of people upgrading to that version will be doing so directly from XP.

Polikarpov,

I think a lot of companies are looking to stay with XP for as long as they can, especially as the main driver is getting Office 2007 out there which XP will support.

XP SP3 is mainly aimed at getting XP ("Windows 5") & Vista ("Windows 6") systems to co-exist peacefully so that home & business users won't have the excuse against Vista to the effect it won't talk to legacy PCs with XP on them.

Personally I'm not holding my breath for Windows 7 - it is a major change for Windows and the early developer presentations that have whispered in hushed tones about the Windows 7 kernel (if you're intrested there is something useful on InfoQ, but under the guise of Windows virtualisation futures) but it's a long way from user ready.

Reading between the lines, Windows 7 is looking like an attempt to build an "all things for all men" release that could be made small enough to go on the new super-PDAs, yet big enough to cover the mega-gaming PCs. End 2009 looks very agressive for Windows 7 development to meet the necessary QA standards - I would like to be proved wrong here.

I would suggest that we keep watching MS Towers, there could be a play to use the new Windows 2008 kernel for a desktop release. Win 2008 is already starting to be packaged as we suspect Windows 7 will be, and it's not beyond the wit of man to suspect that MS might push for a desktop version (like they did with Windows 2000).

Ok I bit the bullet and downloaded SP3, it took 5mins to download and 10mins to install it and so far it has not caused any problems (I did make a restore point before install). I will let you all know if there are any problems that arise :ok:

Same here, except it took about 10min to download, 20 min to install. No problems at all so far, except that it is no longer an option to uninstall IE7, should you want to.
For those that want to retain the ability, uninstall IE7 before installing SP3.
I saved SP3 to a folder, installed from there, so if I ever have to reinstall Windows, I can just slipstream the service pack on to it, or at least install it following the reinstall.

In my case the install offer was an update between 66Mb and 332Mb. In the event it was 66Mb.

The setup took about 5-10 minutes but the install took nearer 40 with one item failed and one still to install before I had to go to work.

Now when they just upgraded the work machines to SP2 - yup, we got SP2 last week - we also got Java errors and a couple of other errors one of which pops up a Kernel32 error every few minutes :)

Wader did you download the SP as a program and then run it or did you allow the auto upgrade system to install it?

GG, I used the auto install routine. Although I got a file not installed message the only file I could find not installed was Framework 1.1. The system now reports XP SP3.

I found a 'strange' icon in my Control Panel, something to do with notecards, I didn't note the name or check it out. I also found two new folders in the Programs folder. Both empty and I have no recollection or recognition of them.

I will need to browse my backups pre-sp3 to see if they were there before the upgrade.

I know it says that if you are using a home computer allow the auto update to install SP3, but I think that's where most peoples problems arise from. I would suggest that downloading the file and then installing it is probably a safer option.

You may want to read this before installing XP SP3

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/05...boots_crashes/

Well, I certainly won't be installing SP3 on my main laptop until I've had a chance to check it first on the back-up!

Both Dells, so I hope that this AMD thing won't be a factor!

The AMD problem seems to stem from OEMs that have used their Intel XP images on their AMD machines.

This isn't the fault of Microsoft. It would work if the OEM used a separate image for their AMD machines, instead of being lazy and using one image for all.

Formerly working for an OEM myself, I'm all to aware of the problems a 'one size fits all' type of image can lead to.

That said, I've so far updated 5 custom built (by me) PC's with SP3, and all have been successful.

Are you saying, Hurn, that if my machine is an AMD based self-build with XP Pro installed by me from XP CDRom I should be OK?:eek:

Assuming you installed the correct drivers in the first place... :}

SD

Well, I have installed SP3 on my own AMD X2 3800+ system which was self built and had Windows installed from scratch and it worked just fine.
No problems whatsoever, so yes you should be ok.

However, with any major upgrade, you should always have your data backed up just in case.