SP3 again

[Skybird]

With a delay of one week, SP3 is out now, since yesterday. However, there are two ways to go:

IT developers and network adminstrators are recommended to download the full 300+ MB package.

However, private users and persons wanting to update just one single computer, are advised to use the windows update function instead, where an altered version of SP3 with just 66MB will be installed.

Most of the SP3 is binding together all patches since SP2, however, small additonal components not previpously released are included as well.

Since it is part of the regular windows update now, you probably will not/can not avoid it endlessly anyway, and some basic system functionality is being changed by it.

Those of you daring to try it early: post your - hopefully non-existent - issues and experiences here so that others can learn from it! Is there any software incompatability like it was with SP2?

P.S. Those of you downloading the full 300MB package - careful, there is still the relase candidate from Decembre 2007 out there, and available from the Microsoft website. Make sure you get the one with the correct date saying 06. May 2008.

[bert8for3]

Originally Posted by Skybird

... and some basic system functionality is being changed by it. ....

I noticed SP3 availability just earlier today when I went into MS update to see if there was anything, just on a routine check. Fortunately (imho) I have my system set NOT to d/l and install automatically. Personally, I'm not touching it with a bargepole until there's enough reports that it doesn't cause problems. Wouldn't exactly be the first time that MS cranks out a lousy product.

[SUBMAN1]

I installed it on a laptop yesterday. Works fine. No problems that I've seen yet. I haven't noticed what changed yet though. Still looking at it.

-S

[Konovalov]

Originally Posted by SUBMAN1

I installed it on a laptop yesterday. Works fine. No problems that I've seen yet. I haven't noticed what changed yet though. Still looking at it.

-S

Agreed. Only one day in but haven't come across any probs yet. Fingers crossed.

[XabbaRus]

OK so what is the difference between the 300MB SP3 and the 66MB SP3 via windows update?

[longam]

I need to test it myself on my work station before letting WSUS distribute it.

FYI: windows update give you the 2 language version.

[AVGWarhawk]

Originally Posted by XabbaRus

OK so what is the difference between the 300MB SP3 and the 66MB SP3 via windows update?

I believe the 300MB is SP2 and SP3 updates combined.

[kiwi_2005]

Originally Posted by AVGWarhawk

I believe the 300MB is SP2 and SP3 updates combined.

More like an enchanced verison of SP2

Techs get the SP3 sent to them from MS on cd

Microsoft has an overview of what's new in SP3. SP3 contains no major new features; it's primarily a rollup of fixes since SP2, some new fixes.

Two new minor features are being highlighted by Microsoft.

"Black Hole" Router Detection -- Windows XP SP3 includes improvements to black hole router detection (detecting routers that are silently discarding packets), turning it on by default.

Network Access Protection (NAP) -- NAP is a policy enforcement platform built into Windows Vista, Windows Server 2008, and Windows XP SP3 with which you can better protect network assets by enforcing compliance with system health requirements. Using NAP, you can create customized health policies to validate computer health before allowing access or communication; automatically update compliant computers to ensure ongoing compliance; and optionally confine noncompliant computers to a restricted network until they become compliant.

There have been some reports of as much as a 10 percent performance increase in XP after installing SP3, but I haven't seen that in my installations of it. In fact, XP after installing XP3 looks remarkably like XP with SP2. Nothing to see here, folks, move along . . .

As for me winxp updates tells me a new update is available - 317mb SP3.... Dont know if its worth updating when XP is running fine as it is.

[Skybird]

I could imagine that the download size via Windows Update varies - depending on the updates the user already has installed over the past years.Since I run update once a month, I probably belong to the group with the smallest need for stuff from SP3 - thus my smaller offered download size than Kiwi's.

[goldorak]

Installed SP 3 from the iso directly and the installation went smooth as silk.
The only problem I had before SP3 I still have after SP 3 and I'm still my head on it. :hmm:

[3Jane]

Installed on XP home, everything seems o.k so far. All the applications seem to work as before etc.

[McBeck]

SP3 was supposed to increase performance...any sign of that?

[3Jane]

Originally Posted by McBeck

SP3 was supposed to increase performance...any sign of that?

Hard to say, perhaps a little. But my system performance seemed to vary anyway depending on what mood it was in.

[Carotio]

I noticed that msmsgs.exe was suddenly in the tasklist, it seems SP3 reinstalled the old messenger again, though I had it removed.
I googled "remove messenger 4.7", run the code and it was uninstalled. Windows had to reboot and it was gone from the tasklist. However, when I then started Windows Live Messenger a installation window for WLM popped up. I don't hope I have to see that one each time, I wanna log on WLM. Maybe a manual deinstall and reinstall is necessary then...

Otherwise, I haven't noticed anything good or bad so far...

[AVGWarhawk]

I loaded it up. Took a bit to complete. When done and rebooted I had a windows media player icon on the desktop. Oh well.