Next Coming Monday:

[Guest Reimar]

Microsoft To Release XP SP3 Next Week

Now that Windows Vista service pack 1 has been released, all eyes have shifted to Microsoft (NSDQ:MSFT)'s plans for Windows XP service pack 3, the final package of updates for the trusty OS.

And, according to at least one source, Microsoft will roll out XP SP3 next Monday.

As of Wednesday afternoon Pacific time, the BitTorrent search engine Mininova listed a 568.73 MB Windows XP Professional SP3 5503 file available for download. The file, which had 112 seeds and 417 leeches, had been downloaded 2083 times since it was posted Tuesday, according to the listing.

According to the file description notes, Microsoft will release the final version of XP SP3 on March 24, but the 5503 test build passes all Windows Genuine Advantage checks and is able to download Windows updates that previous XP SP3 builds weren't able to, which suggests that it could, in fact, be the final RTM build.

When Microsoft released Vista SP1 in February, the final RTM code was identical to the Vista SP1 Release Candidate (RC) 1 Refresh 2 test build that was released to a group of 15,000 testers two weeks earlier.

A Microsoft spokesperson, perhaps weary from the months-long barrage of Vista SP1 related inquiries, said the final version of XP SP3 is still on target to be released the first half of calendar year 2008, and the XP SP3 5503 build was a minor interim build released to address one specific issue for a subset of private beta testers.

"This build was not intended for public release, and anyone who has that build and is not part of the private beta is working with bits that Microsoft can't verify the integrity -- it's possible the bits may have been modified with malware or other bad code that Microsoft hasn't tested," the spokesperson said in an email.

XP SP3 was originally slated for release in 2006, but Microsoft has delayed it on numerous occasions since launching XP SP2 in August 2004. In February, Microsoft released XP SP3 Release Candidate 2 through its Download Center to users running PCs with XP SP2 installed.

[Lopburi99]

Although I would like to, I hesitate to do an upgrade to XP SP3 because my PC (getting old now - got it in 2002) is a Fujitsu notebook having only 512KB memory. (Boo to Fujitsu, 512KB is the maximum! My CPU is fine, a 1.6, but not being able to increase to 1MB memory may prematurely make my PC ready for retirement ). Anyway, I am afraid my performance may further suffer from SP3 changes/enhancements.

Have you heard if SP3 will consume more resources?

Thanks

[Guest Reimar]

Although I would like to, I hesitate to do an upgrade to XP SP3 because my PC (getting old now - got it in 2002) is a Fujitsu notebook having only 512KB memory. (Boo to Fujitsu, 512KB is the maximum! My CPU is fine, a 1.6, but not being able to increase to 1MB memory may prematurely make my PC ready for retirement ). Anyway, I am afraid my performance may further suffer from SP3 changes/enhancements.

Have you heard if SP3 will consume more resources?

Thanks

Not really! As far as I know, the XP's running SP3 (until now the Beta or RC) running faster with SP3 than without!

Why not take a check? Download the SP3 from MS download and install it manually, NOT get it with Windows Update! Used the full download, let you uninstall completly if you don't like it while the install within Windows Update didn't let you do that!

Cheers.

[briley]

Is Lopburi99 related to Lopburi3?

Do wonder when I last had a computer with only 512kB of memory - the Beeb in 1981 with only 32kB?

Did once have to pay an awful lot to get a memory expansion to 640kB once, 25 years ago?????

[BigSnake]

Yeah can't wait

[crockett]

I would not bet on it. Here is a very different story ...

http://www.thehotfix.net/index.php?option=...72&Itemid=1

[Niloc]

My XP system is a complete virgin, it has never seen a service pack. Where should I start and can I get an update without comitting myself to eternal prompts from Microsoft to 'update' to Vista etc??

[quiksilva]

Never seen an update to vista prompt on XP, ever.

If its a virgin install you need to get all those service packs installed asap, as they include vital security patches.

[Plus]

How virgin is a virgin? If you got a latest XP build it has all the patches up to the release date. There's nothing wrong with going to XP update center and downloading whatever is missing, in fact this is exactly what you should do.

Or go to http://windowsupdate.62nds.com/ and get your updates without going trough genuine windows validation process. You'll need Firefox or Opera to download them, though, not Internet explorer.

[Guest Reimar]

How virgin is a virgin? If you got a latest XP build it has all the patches up to the release date. There's nothing wrong with going to XP update center and downloading whatever is missing, in fact this is exactly what you should do.

Or go to http://windowsupdate.62nds.com/ and get your updates without going trough genuine windows validation process. You'll need Firefox or Opera to download them, though, not Internet explorer.

May you should think about that NOT every XP users having the latest CD build from MS! I for example have the originals from 2002 and to be able to keep using them I need to use the MS Update at every time I need to reinstall the OS again. That upgrade will need a long time. If I have the full Service Pack's downloaded once, I can just install from the file and do NOT need to go online, which saves a lot of time. Then for the latest upgrades I use Windows Update and that procedure is done in a short time.

Of course, if you own the latest CD you can go your way!

Again, once you had downloaded the files without to install them via MS Update, you have them as long as you don't delete them and there will be no need to re-download again,

OK, if you have to much time available or like to sit front of an computer with weak Internet connection may you like to spend the time for that. I don't want to waste my time for that.

It is everybody own decision which way to go and I don't mind about. For me I like to save time for the future, just download once what I need, save it on an save place and don't need to go again!

And if someone tells me that you don't need to reinstall Windows after it works correctly, that people should not forget that, if you connected to the Internet or use third party software to install, many "Bug's" around there which easy can crack your system. Even if you just need to run the full Repair from Windows CD, you'll need to reinstall all SP's and upgrades again. Here you can save the time if you had down;load them before.

But everbody should go the way they like, what I told here are just my two pennies.

Cheers.

[Niloc]

Well I went to http://windowsupdate.62nds.com/, it spent two hours downloading then told me to reboot. There was nothing changed I could see and Adobe still says I need SP2 to install...

I cannot find any place on the Microsoft site to download and install SP2 or SP3. It is just confusion with lots of stuff that sounds more like advertising than anything useful.

Please, anybody, where can I get Service Pack Two and how do I install it??

Help,

Colin

[Wolfie]

I had the option to download/install SP3 for my work laptop... so i choose to install it, installs some stuff, needs to reboot... reboots, goes to the windows logo, then to a setup type screen then just hangs - killed my windows install and i had to rebuild from scratch.

My advice, wait a while before installing this!

[stumonster]

I'd be interested in the Dual core improvements - but you can stick media player and exploder where the sun does not shine

I might wait till the service pack has been dissected and only the needed improvements are available

[Veazer]

...If I have the full Service Pack's downloaded once, I can just install from the file and do NOT need to go online, which saves a lot of time...

Unless you're using media center or tablet edition. I don't understand why MS won't allow them to use the full version of SP3, they must use Windows Update....at least until someone finds a way around that.

I feel the same as you, I much prefer to have a full service pack instead of waiting for updates to download. Or even better, using a slipstream version.

[Steve2UK]

Well I went to http://windowsupdate.62nds.com/, it spent two hours downloading then told me to reboot. There was nothing changed I could see and Adobe still says I need SP2 to install...

I cannot find any place on the Microsoft site to download and install SP2 or SP3. It is just confusion with lots of stuff that sounds more like advertising than anything useful.

Please, anybody, where can I get Service Pack Two and how do I install it??

Help,

Colin

Hi Colin,

Go to this link: http://www.softwarepatch.com/windows/xpsp2.html

Everything you need to know is explained on that page. When you click to download, the SP2 installation file (WindowsXP-KB835935-SP2-ENU.exe) comes from Microsoft - so it's safe. Microsoft (for their own reasons) prefer people to use the Windows Update route - but this version is what IT administrators use to update multiple machines....... i.e. (as Reimar described) it should work fine on yours. As you'll see, the download is 272Mb - so I hope you've got a good connection.

[hp8000]

And if someone tells me that you don't need to reinstall Windows after it works correctly, that people should not forget that, if you connected to the Internet or use third party software to install, many "Bug's" around there which easy can crack your system. Even if you just need to run the full Repair from Windows CD, you'll need to reinstall all SP's and upgrades again. Here you can save the time if you had down;load them before.

Why not make images of your partitions after a fresh and clean install ? There are many free and non-free softwares available for it. I do it for my GNU/Linux and M$ OS and it save me hours in case of something going wrong.

[Niloc]

Thanks Steve2UK, that is exactly what I wanted. I will download it tonight on Linux to avoid any virus it may contain, then I will burn it to a CD so I have it forever!!

I only use Windoze because I program in Delphi which needs Windows to support it, I use Linux for everything else which works for me!!

Colin

[Steve2UK]

Thanks Steve2UK, that is exactly what I wanted. I will download it tonight on Linux to avoid any virus it may contain, then I will burn it to a CD so I have it forever!!

I only use Windoze because I program in Delphi which needs Windows to support it, I use Linux for everything else which works for me!!

Colin

Hi again Colin,

You're welcome. When SP2 was first released, that same file was on countless freebie CD-Rom's given away with computer magazines (in the UK, anyhow). It's beyond me why getting hold of it should be regarded by so many as an "in-the-know trick"confined to geeks, hackers etc - when the process is so straightforward and less variable than automatic updates. Incidentally, you may have noticed that that site also contains a lot of other useful update/patch files for various software & hardware drivers......... though I generally prefer to source new drivers from the manufacturers' own sites.

[Plus]

Well I went to http://windowsupdate.62nds.com/, it spent two hours downloading then told me to reboot. There was nothing changed I could see and Adobe still says I need SP2 to install...

I cannot find any place on the Microsoft site to download and install SP2 or SP3. It is just confusion with lots of stuff that sounds more like advertising than anything useful.

Please, anybody, where can I get Service Pack Two and how do I install it??

Your Windows CD must be really really old.

Follow the advice where to get SP2, but then you'd have to run updates again. Windizupdate should have installed a program, Autopatcher, on your computer, you don't need to download it again, just the updates.

Latest Windows SP2 builds with all the latest patches included are usually found on torrents, but they are illegal. I'm not really sure, but I believe you can run them in "update" mode from inside your windows and they won't screw with your original license in any way.

[Niloc]

Actually the CD is dated 23rd August 2001.

The download died after about three hours, I will try and pick one up on a CD in Chiang Mai when I am there next week... for 100 baht it would be worth taking the risk of being nabbed by the piracy police but what the hel_l...

Colin

[Steve2UK]

Actually the CD is dated 23rd August 2001.

The download died after about three hours, I will try and pick one up on a CD in Chiang Mai when I am there next week... for 100 baht it would be worth taking the risk of being nabbed by the piracy police but what the hel_l...

Colin

Colin,

If you're in CM next week, contact me and I'll give you a fresh copy of mine. Perhaps I should also have suggested getting & installing a download manager for a file that size e.g. Orbit [www.orbitdownloader.com] but there are others that do the same i.e. open multiple connections to pull down the file quicker and also resume if there's a break.

To Plus: I can't see where you're getting the idea that getting the SP2 install file as a stand-alone is illegal or affects the original licence in any way. The file itself [WindowsXP-KB835935-SP2-ENU.exe] is freely available from the Microsoft servers - just that they target it at "IT professionals & developers....... downloading & installing on multiple computers". See for yourself:

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details...;displaylang=en

Once you've got it, you just run it and it installs the update........... voila - you have fully valid XP SP2. I assume the same will apply to ("real soon now" ) SP3...........

Edited March 26, 2008 by Steve2UK

[Niloc]

Thanks Steve, I have sent you a PM to try and arrange to meet you...

Colin