XP SP3 now available - again

Author: Gareth Halfacree
Published: 7th May 2008
Comments (22) Stumble
If you're still running Windows XP - and presuming you're not using RMS - SP3 is pretty much a must-have.

If you're still running Windows XP - and presuming you're not using RMS - SP3 is pretty much a must-have.

It's official – the wait for Windows XP Service Pack 3 is officially over, with the update finally making its way to a permanent home at Windows Update yesterday.

Although the issue which resulted in the update being withdrawn from the Windows Update site – a critical incompatibility with Microsoft's RMS point-of-sale software – has yet to be fixed, a filter has been introduced that prevents the service pack being downloaded if you are running software affected by the bug.

For the vast majority of users, Service Pack 3 should be a seamless install – at least, as seamless as major system updates ever are under Windows – which holds the promise of a ten percent performance boost on average, along with various security updates and bug fixes. If you're the anal retentive type, you'll also be pleased to find that the vast majority of entries in Add or Remove Programs for Windows updates also get tidied up into a generic Windows XP Service Pack 3 entry.

The update is also freed for installation via Automatic Updates, so if your system is configured to automatically download new patches expect a reboot in the near future as your Windows install gets automagically upgraded to the latest version.

This latest service pack for the popular Windows XP operating system is also likely to be its last, as Microsoft gently 'encourages' users to upgrade to its latest and greatest, Vista.

Was anybody waiting for the official download to be made available via Windows (and Microsoft) Update, or did we all install the standalone version from the link provided by phuzz? Share your thoughts over in the forums.
Quote p3n 7th May 2008, 08:26
Got the network distributable version, installed and working fine at home - will give it a while to bother updating the work machines tho!
Quote alastor 7th May 2008, 08:46
I was offered SP3 by automatic updates last night, accepted it and...nothing happened

Trying a manual installation now.
Quote icutebluezone 7th May 2008, 09:25
sweet was waiting for it and getting it right now. :P
Quote jazzzyj 7th May 2008, 09:46
anyone have slower ping times in games after the upgrade? or was that just me?!
Quote DriftCarl 7th May 2008, 10:34
Tried installing on 2 different laptops today at work. so far its 1 worked 1 failed i guess 50% isnt too bad for M$
Quote Paradigm Shifter 7th May 2008, 10:42
Well, I'll give it a shot at the weekend... if I can get my act together and order the bits I want for a rebuild...
Quote Icy EyeG 7th May 2008, 12:09
Quote:
Was anybody waiting for the official download to be made available via Windows (and Microsoft) Update, or did we all install the standalone version from the link provided by phuzz?

I had no choice but to wait for the official version, as I'm running Windows XP Portuguese.... I installed it yesterday and it works fine so far.
Quote stephen2002 7th May 2008, 12:22
Didn't install for me on 2 computers. Took a while to "prepare" for the download, downloaded, verified ... and then went back to downloading. Only instead of doing anything else it sat there for a while and then failed.
Quote proxess 7th May 2008, 13:41
Working fine for me... when i boot up windows, but i got the link that was posted a few days ago.
Quote Bauul 7th May 2008, 16:03
Installed it at home from the link Phuzz provided, noticed absolutely zero difference, although I haven't run any benchmarks. At least it didn't break anything.
Quote steveo_mcg 7th May 2008, 16:28
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bauul
Installed it at home from the link Phuzz provided, noticed absolutely zero difference, although I haven't run any benchmarks. At least it didn't break anything.

ditto.

Was there to be any improvements in this SP?
Quote HourBeforeDawn 7th May 2008, 18:16
Well my auto update works so far I dont see any real differences but I havent messed around much, I only have one system at work and one system at home that still has XP so its not as big of deal for myself.
Quote sunny_man 7th May 2008, 18:42
I cant' seem to get it through the website or through auto update.
Quote ssj12 7th May 2008, 18:44
I noticed major differences. My sisters laptop which used to crawl is now walking briskly. My desktop can now open photoshop cs3 in like 10 second.

Laptop: Centrino 1.6GHz, integrated intel gpu, 512 ram
Desktop: X2 4600+, 8400GS, 2GB ram.
Quote ssj12 7th May 2008, 18:45
@ sunny - make sure you install .net framework 3.0. It's the only way to get the update.
Quote Krikkit 7th May 2008, 18:46
-160 3DMarks here, about 1-2fps in CoD4:SP, other than that, no noticeable difference. Meh. :p
Quote Omnituens 7th May 2008, 18:56
I need to make a new slipstreamed disk now... sigh.
Quote pendragon 7th May 2008, 18:59
nice! I was waiting for this.. even if there's zero speed increase, a nicely packaged bunch of hotfixes is just what the doctor ordered ;)
Quote ssj12 7th May 2008, 21:13
@krik - it lowered your 3DMark score? Surprising as it increased the overall speed of the OS.

When is Bit-Tech going to have a comparison benchmark of SP2 vs SP3. Actually for laughs they should compare them both to SP1.
Quote ll.13 7th May 2008, 21:40
I got it through Automatic Updates, but doesn't seem to have done anything, as the icon has disappeared. :/
Quote CowBlazed 7th May 2008, 23:03
Any performance improvments can be attributed to the system files being refreshed, actual performance changes is within the -1/+1% ie margin of error. If you have all the Windows updates prior the SP3 it only changes 3 things (read Microsoft whitepaper), can't remember them exactly cause they don't effect me at all. I'll stick with SP2, SP3 after a format will help pack all the updates together, which is its only real purpose really.
Quote gzed 8th May 2008, 11:11
Could anyone post a link to get the exe file for slipstreaming. I can't seem to be able to get from windows update or microsoft website (I've only found the overview).
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