AfterDawn: News

Windows XP SP3 coming next week

Microsoft's XP SP3 release manager Chris Keroack has announced that the long awaited Service Pack has been released to manufacturing channels and will hit OEM and enterprise customers by April 29th.

On that day the SP3 will also be available for download from the Microsoft Download Center but it will be an optional download, most likely in response to the company's recent debacle with the release of Vista SP1.



The key features of Service Pack 3 are "Microsoft's updated Management Console 3.0, which appears in Windows Server 2008 and Vista; the new Windows Installer 3.1; an update to Wi-Fi protected access; and support for Network Access Protection, the "health checking" component used by Windows Server 2008."

The official SP3 feature list is available here: Microsoft XP SP3 update list

Written by: Andre Yoskowitz @ 21 Apr 2008 14:44

• Previous article

• PS3 PlayTV goes up for pre-order

• Next article

• NBC Universal to experiment with sponsor-centric content

• 43 comments

• Sooner26c

  I installed one of the beta versions of SP3, and it does help the performance of the computer, in both versions of Windows XP. I highly recommend getting the official release of Service pack 3.

  21.4.2008 15:16 #1

• 21Q

  Well if it doesn't bog down my computer then hit me with it!

  21.4.2008 15:45 #2

• jetyi83

  do you think it will have drivers for sata drives? cause thats the only thing that sucks about xp right now.

  21.4.2008 16:55 #3

• joe777

  SP3? I highly recomend using Nlite and cut out all the nonsense. He he he. No am only kidding if you use xp for anything to do with networking then your beyond saving. I use xp cause my recording software and my audio card can only work on microshaft. Anyone for LINUX?

  21.4.2008 17:11 #4

• Moomoo2

  I'm interested.

  21.4.2008 17:38 #5

• tripplite

  wait......are you serious????? wow im actually happy with M$ for once.....LOL i was just about about to free up some HDD space and kill xp and give my entire HDD over to debian....maybe i'll wait a little while!
  

  
  

  21.4.2008 17:57 #6

• DXR88

  I got 5 dollars say's its riddled with DRM. depending on how many DRM'ed stuff they put on it the benefits may not be worth it.
  
  i will try' it but my hopes will not go up.

  21.4.2008 18:55 #7

• cyprusrom

  What's up with XP SP3? I thought Mslowft was planning on retiring XP altogether.
  
  http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080414/ap_on_hi_te/microsoft_save_xp

  21.4.2008 20:17 #8

• wolf123

  Originally posted by tripplite: wait......are you serious????? wow im actually happy with M$ for once.....LOL i was just about about to free up some HDD space and kill xp and give my entire HDD over to debian....maybe i'll wait a little while!Just got too know I have been on the internet a good 18 years at least not with my own computer but you mention this debain so I went and looked it up.
  
  They must of kept this thing a secret really good because it said it was around in 1993 and this is the first time I ever heard of it.

  21.4.2008 20:53 #9

• tripplite

  Quote:They must of kept this thing a secret really good because it said it was around in 1993 and this is the first time I ever heard of it.
  unlike ubuntu it doesn't have a huge amount of funding for playing around with advertisement, its quality is of a much higher caliber:P
  

  
  

  21.4.2008 21:22 #10

• varnull

  30th June 2008 XP becomes extinct. Whats the betting this update will work well until that date then start screwing about to "force" an upgrade to fista.
  
  Reports are about of this update bringing in a lot of drm features and the "mitherware" registration and activate crap from fista.. If you don't need it don't bother.
  

  
  
  Free open source software = made by end users who want an application to work....

  21.4.2008 21:38 #11

• tripplite

  Quote: Whats the betting this update will work well until that date then start screwing about to "force" an upgrade to fista.
  
  ...LOL now you've scared me, i thinks its wise to stay at SP2 now as well, i just hope that m$ doesn't included that in an auto- update....meh i'll just turn it off again...
  

  
  

  21.4.2008 21:42 #12

• wolf123

  You know that xp will be supported until 2014 and this is from and official report I read.
  
  anyway by the time we get sick of xp nd we all will we know it then vista may be in better working order and anyway I heard they are already working on the next windows dew out in 2010.
  
  Maybe by that time M$ will get too the real problem all the crap they add too the os that's why people hate it.
  
  Hopefully too there will be alot more support for software on the linux because I tried ubuntu and it was fast.
  
  Although when I took it off it messed up my boot so I had to redo xp.
  
  

  It is too live life too the fullest then never lived at all.

  21.4.2008 22:03 #13

• DXR88

  Me an Varnull are on the same page.
  
  Yea tripp by what i hear it will be riddled. I'll try it but as i said if it so much as thinks drm its gone, ill freeze(Ghost) my system before i do the update.
  
  better safe then sorry. Word to the wise always keep auto-update off.
  they will slide you the poo if you keep it on.

  21.4.2008 22:04 #14

• DXR88

  Originally posted by wolf123: You know that xp will be supported until 2014 and this is from and official report I read.
  
  anyway by the time we get sick of xp nd we all will we know it then vista may be in better working order and anyway I heard they are already working on the next windows dew out in 2010.
  
  Maybe by that time M$ will get too the real problem all the crap they add too the os that's why people hate it.
  
  Hopefully too there will be alot more support for software on the linux because I tried ubuntu and it was fast.
  
  Although when I took it off it messed up my boot so I had to redo xp.Hopefully Windows 7 wont be the Suck cessor to Vista.

  21.4.2008 22:07 #15

• varnull

  So what.. They supported 98 until a year or so ago.. Didn't mean there were any updates or anything for it for close on half a decade.
  There was even what seemed to be a deliberate "kill 98 and hardware for it" by making xp drivers call (unnecessary) dll's which were never called by the 98 installer, and which would fail with a"wrong version" error forcing you to either upgrade or fund alternative hardware.
  
  All I am doing is reporting the views of some other bloggers.. even some pro M$ bloggers who don't seem very happy about some possible implications of what is being installed with this "update". Don't blindly follow the "I trust M$ to be working in my best interests" and just update..(all the guilty verdicts from the anti-trust lawsuits across the world prove otherwise).. Unless you have a pressing need or think you can get a performance improvement then by all means go for it, but make sure you can go back to what you had if it turns out to be not as rosy as certain people are painting it. Tripp knows where I'm coming from.. M$ have been shafting people and using shady tactics for years.. I don't like seeing peoples trust being abused..
  Don't forget.. Bill is gone now.. he was kind of "the conscience" of M$.. quite an ordinary guy who liked computers and thought everybody should have one they could use.... Those days are gone.. now they only see you as a source of $$$$ just like the mpaa/riaa do! {see the Creative Labs fiasco a couple of weeks ago to see where this is leading}
  
  I happen to think XP while not exactly great, is OK and just about "fit for purpose" unlike fista which is "broken by design" and being cynically used by hardware manufactures (with the collusion of M$) to get you to "upgrade" hardware to exactly the same thing you already have, with just a new revision number so old xp drivers refuse to work with it.....
  
  methinks we have turned up another paid pro-M$ poster. A couple of posts here look more like a press release than an opinion.
  
  [edit] I went looking for links, but finding random blogs is hard.. I'm sure all you good people can find plenty of examples of wary reviewers on your own.. and this took so long to write that 3 or 4 more posts happened. XD
  

  
  
  Free open source software = made by end users who want an application to work....

  21.4.2008 22:23 #16

• joe777

  Originally posted by varnull:
  Don't forget.. Bill is gone now.. he was kind of "the conscience" of M$.. quite an ordinary guy who liked computers and thought everybody should have one they could use.... Those days are gone.. now they only see you as a source of $$$$ just like the mpaa/riaa do! {see the Creative Labs fiasco a couple of weeks ago to see where this is leading}
  XDDid slick willy (bill gates) not more or less steal / con someone out of MS Dos? and never created a dam thing, but took the credit. Anyone for a look at the movie " Pirates of silcone valley "
  Slick willy for the people? Your having a stefi graaf matey (that is a laugh). For the people, PMSL, Dillusions Of Grandeur. Willy didn't become the richest man in the world because he was greedy and wanted to take the piss out of everyone eh!!!To right he did. Windows neptune was good, but never got released to the public, I wonder why?

  22.4.2008 06:57 #17

• jetyi83

  Originally posted by joe777: SP3? I highly recomend using Nlite and cut out all the nonsense. He he he. No am only kidding if you use xp for anything to do with networking then your beyond saving. I use xp cause my recording software and my audio card can only work on microshaft. Anyone for LINUX?tried nlite. wouldnt work. tried ubuntu. couldnt get all the drivers to work

  22.4.2008 13:08 #18

• locobrown

  I've been a microsoft operating system user since MS-DOS. I just about had enough, Vista just killed everything I expected from microsoft. Don't get me wrong XP is the best to date and the only one I'll ever run. I'm thinking of switching over to MAC, one disappointment over another. The console is top notch, but until a more user friendly OS is released I'll run a newer one.

  22.4.2008 13:11 #19

• joe777

  Quote:Originally posted by joe777: SP3? I highly recomend using Nlite and cut out all the nonsense. He he he. No am only kidding if you use xp for anything to do with networking then your beyond saving. I use xp cause my recording software and my audio card can only work on microshaft. Anyone for LINUX?tried nlite. wouldnt work. tried ubuntu. couldnt get all the drivers to workYou are also having a Stefi Graaf.
  Try google for "tutorial using Nlite" or if you cant be bothered or cant follow the tut, then look for (if you already have a valid licience for XP) windows xp lite from a group called Experience(which of course is short for XP)and install. Look somewhere in sweden for the groups releases, you can use your original licience key to activate. Please use only if you have a valid licience key. Yeah thats the disclaimer from me.
  But whatever you say, dont say Nlite doesnt work for you. Thats just a silly and foolish statement to make.
  Stay lucky.

  22.4.2008 13:51 #20

• wolf123

  I ran vista and I don';t get the anger towards it except for a few added extras too it and menu replacement why is everyone angry at vista.

  22.4.2008 14:37 #21

• jimbob91

  i already have service pack 3 and theres nothing to get excited about

  22.4.2008 15:20 #22

• SProdigy

  SP3 is basically a rollout of updates your system likely already has installed (if you use Automatic Updates.) From what I hear, IE7 is not embedded into SP3, and likely WMP11 isn't either (but I haven't read any clarification on that.)
  
  MAC and Linux distros like Ubuntu are fine if you just browse the web, but Apple really has a racket going on. Try installing a newer version of iTunes, Safari, etc. on some of the "older" OS X systems, such as Jaguar and even Panther. Some of these systems won't run Tiger and Leopard, and even if they did, it's not a free upgrade: you have to shell out $100+ for the next "feline" in the chain. At least MS doesn't try to eat you alive by charging for SP2.
  
  Vista can be pretty horrid if you deal with archiving files, file transfer to external drives or over a network. Compared to XP on the same system, some of the aspects are actually faster and more streamlined, but overall it's a dog. Windows Defender is a joke. Why include a spyware app that doesn't block anything, but still exclude antivirus? Also the firewall leaves much to be desired. And why does the disk defrag program have no graph to show progress? That's absurd!
  
  For anyone looking for an alternative, Ubuntu is excellent for the average user, but only if you're into the whole web experience. It's not as user friendly or as easy as Mac OS X, but the default installation gives you all of the basics, and you won't have any headaches with viruses or malware. And from personal experience, Ubuntu seems to keep ahead on driver support, even for older hardware. I was quite impressed to run the live CD on my laptop and see my wireless card supported after the previous versions did not.
  
  In summary: if you own a PC and only use it to go on the web, wipe your system and install Ubuntu. It will run MUCH faster on your hardware than Windows XP. If you are looking for a new computer to go on the web, maybe play with photos and some video, a Mac may be the way to go if you have the extra money to purchase it over a PC. And if you do anything else that involves power computing, more than likely the software is for Windows only and in that case, get some good protection and XP. Stay away from Vista unless you buy a Quad-Core system with 3gb of ram that doesn't support XP!

  22.4.2008 16:30 #23

• DXR88

  Quote:Stay away from Vista unless you buy a Quad-Core system with 3gb of ram that doesn't support XP!then Id install Windows 2000 Server just to stay away from vista.
  
  The only reason i bother with MS is because of the DirectX support and Game support, Still think OpenGL is 100 times better than DirectX.
  
  But when i can't even game with Vista, there's somthing wrong.

  22.4.2008 17:55 #24

• tripplite

  Quote:The only reason i bother with MS is because of the DirectX support and Game support,
  am just about to say good bye for ever to MS on my laptop, but i can't say good by to XP on my gaming computer, alas linux wasn't meant for the gamer?? LOL
  

  
  

  22.4.2008 18:24 #25

• varnull

  Tripp... keep the pressure on at the game makers. Some brilliant things are starting to happen to open source gaming as the aiglx drivers mature.
  
  Ain't it funny to hear my personal views on Bill? I can't help it.. I quite like the guy.. and having a mac on the desk behind him in the fista publicity shots taken in his office is just classic.
  
  I remember him on the message boards way back when it was still called Micro-Soft ffs. Helping people make exe's from unix apps, and being active in the minix bbs with the window manager software.. He's a normal geek.. believe.
  
  While Billy was in total control of M$ it was a different company to what it has become now. Yeah he may have stolen everything from everybody else.. that's probably why M$ under his control while patenting everything under the sun (things like drop down menus.. unix/minix c.1978 and concurrent windows.. whirlwind 1955) they have never tried to enforce any of them .. prior precedent would make them a laughing stock anyway.. I'm going to patent the human reproductive cycle and get a $10 royalty for every baby born. By the time my patent expires I will have ALL the money on the planet ten times over.!!
  
  I noticed that when Bill said he was standing down to do other stuff.. and gave that idiot Ballmer control suddenly people started being accused of piracy of software, and WGA arrived in force.
  Bill didn't seem to care that much where you got it from, or if you had actually paid for it.. so long as you used it. Great way to build a near monopoly, and a good marketing strategy.. "use our stuff.. pay for it if you are too stupid to steal it. It doesn't cost us anything if you steal it because we get our money from business, and hey.. next PC you buy will have it pre-installed so we will get your cash then anyway"
  
  So yeah... I like Bill.. I wish him the best with his work trying to do what western moneybags governments have failed to do.. Help Africa.
  
  Back to sp3.. the best performing xp machines I see are clean installs of sp2. The performance can be kept there with dilligent use of maintenance tools.. requires regular servicing. sp3? Can't see any point unless there is some hidden agenda. Why didn't they roll out these updates before fista was released.. It isn't new work because the xp team was effectively mothballed last year.
  Just use some caution.. and report if anything seems strange.
  

  
  
  Free open source software = made by end users who want an application to work....

  22.4.2008 20:56 #26

• DXR88

  I nice Tool made by MS would have to be Tweak UI, they also have some other power user tools that are free And usefull.
  
  And varnull i have to agree with you on that ever since bill took the back seat its been down hill for MS.
  
  Games on Unix/Linux that would be sweet, I just dont see a reason it cant be done. you can run the BattleField Series & HalfLife:Source based games and some other ones for linux.Why not all games, the reason hase eluded me for some time.
  
  if all games came out for linux that would be the end of MS for me.

  22.4.2008 22:39 #27

• SProdigy

  Originally posted by varnull: Ain't it funny to hear my personal views on Bill? I can't help it.. I quite like the guy.. and having a mac on the desk behind him in the fista publicity shots taken in his office is just classic.But don't forget that Microsoft is the oldest and longest running software maker for the Mac platform outside of Apple themselves!

  23.4.2008 09:11 #28

• sandeep14

  Is it possible to order the CD instead of downloading the update from the site?
  
  I ordered a copy of Serivce Pack 2 a few years ago.

  23.4.2008 11:46 #29

• TSRSteve

  Does this mean they will possibly support Directx 10 in XP?

  23.4.2008 14:35 #30

• DXR88

  (@sandeep14) i would think so but why would you need a cd, unless your on dial-up. If they dont i could US mail you one.
  
  (@TSRSteve)No not necessarily, i think DirectX 10.0 Use's the same Api as DirectX 9.0c. not including DirectX 10.0 in future releases of WinXP was more a push to get people to upgrade to Vista. there's was never a real reason givin as to why its impossible for XP to run DirectX 10.0. to tell you the truth I've seen little diffrence between DX9 & DX10.
  
  BTW if you trying to play a DX10 game and it wont run try the (+dx9)switch in shortcuts.

  23.4.2008 15:03 #31

• sandeep14

  Originally posted by DXR88: (@sandeep14) i would think so but why would you need a cd, unless your on dial-up. If they dont i could US mail you one.
  
  (@TSRSteve)No not necessarily, i think DirectX 10.0 Use's the same Api as DirectX 9.0c. not including DirectX 10.0 in future releases of WinXP was more a push to get people to upgrade to Vista. there's was never a real reason givin as to why its impossible for XP to run DirectX 10.0. to tell you the truth I've seen little diffrence between DX9 & DX10.
  
  BTW if you trying to play a DX10 game and it wont run try the (+dx9)switch in shortcuts.i just dont want to download it, id rather have a hard copy. thats all.

  24.4.2008 07:39 #32

• cart0181

  I can't wait for SP3. This has been a long time coming, it will save me soooo much time. There are 92 critical updates AFTER SP2. Oh yeah, and then there's the IE7 updates after that. You have to reboot about 3 or 4 times to get them all in. Now we can get them in one shot. I'm sure you'll have to download IE7 and WMP11 separately though.

  24.4.2008 13:08 #33

• wolf123

  Quote:i just dont want to download it, id rather have a hard copy. thats all.
  Well hello make a hard copy yourself and tuck it away for a stormy night dude .
  
  I mean really unless you use dial-up or don't have some kind of recorder your computer is way too old.
  
  Most people are using dsl and cable for internet so it won't take you long too download the pack by itself and you know you can.
  
  Also you could download SP2 and SP3 then burn them too a disk and thats your hard copy.
  
  Now go smoke some 4:20 and have a 6pack on me because I am.

  24.4.2008 14:44 #34

• sandeep14

  Quote:Quote:i just dont want to download it, id rather have a hard copy. thats all.
  Well hello make a hard copy yourself and tuck it away for a stormy night dude .
  
  I mean really unless you use dial-up or don't have some kind of recorder your computer is way too old.
  
  Most people are using dsl and cable for internet so it won't take you long too download the pack by itself and you know you can.
  
  Also you could download SP2 and SP3 then burn them too a disk and thats your hard copy.
  
  Now go smoke some 4:20 and have a 6pack on me because I am.
  1. Continue to damage your health why don't ya?
  2. I dont want to download it
  3. I dont want to burn it
  4. I'd rahter have the cd from microsoft themselves as i did with SP2.

  24.4.2008 17:09 #35

• wolf123

  Quote:Quote:Quote:i just dont want to download it, id rather have a hard copy. thats all.
  Well hello make a hard copy yourself and tuck it away for a stormy night dude .
  
  I mean really unless you use dial-up or don't have some kind of recorder your computer is way too old.
  
  Most people are using dsl and cable for internet so it won't take you long too download the pack by itself and you know you can.
  
  Also you could download SP2 and SP3 then burn them too a disk and thats your hard copy.
  
  Now go smoke some 4:20 and have a 6pack on me because I am.
  1. Continue to damage your health why don't ya?<-----DO NOT UNDERSTAND WHY WOULD THIS DAMAGE MY HEALTH, PLEASE EXPLAIN.
  2. I dont want to download it
  3. I dont want to burn it
  4. I'd rahter have the cd from microsoft themselves as i did with SP2.

  24.4.2008 17:17 #36

• gehx

  sandeep14, what's your agenda, I want in ;)
  
  Quote:Quote:Quote:Quote:i just dont want to download it, id rather have a hard copy. thats all.
  Well hello make a hard copy yourself and tuck it away for a stormy night dude .
  
  I mean really unless you use dial-up or don't have some kind of recorder your computer is way too old.
  
  Most people are using dsl and cable for internet so it won't take you long too download the pack by itself and you know you can.
  
  Also you could download SP2 and SP3 then burn them too a disk and thats your hard copy.
  
  Now go smoke some 4:20 and have a 6pack on me because I am.
  1. Continue to damage your health why don't ya?<-----DO NOT UNDERSTAND WHY WOULD THIS DAMAGE MY HEALTH, PLEASE EXPLAIN.
  2. I dont want to download it
  3. I dont want to burn it
  4. I'd rahter have the cd from microsoft themselves as i did with SP2.
  

  I don't Usenet, it uses me.

  24.4.2008 21:40 #37

• DXR88

  (@sandeep14)i understand what you mean, Sometimes a hard copy is the best to have.
  
  (@wolf123) Is that really necessary, He was just stating That a 6pack & 4:20 is bad for your health in general. im sure it was not an personel attack of any sort. So wolf be a pal and leave'em alone wold'ya please.

  24.4.2008 21:59 #38

• wolf123

  Originally posted by DXR88: (@sandeep14)i understand what you mean, Sometimes a hard copy is the best to have.
  
  (@wolf123) Is that really necessary, He was just stating That a 6pack & 4:20 is bad for your health in general. im sure it was not an personel attack of any sort. So wolf be a pal and leave'em alone wold'ya please.Lmfao hello it was a joke hello

  25.4.2008 01:22 #39

• Bozobub

  Quote:Originally posted by varnull: Ain't it funny to hear my personal views on Bill? I can't help it.. I quite like the guy.. and having a mac on the desk behind him in the fista publicity shots taken in his office is just classic.But don't forget that Microsoft is the oldest and longest running software maker for the Mac platform outside of Apple themselves!Actually, Microsoft WROTE the original ("flat Mac" as apposed to "fat Mac" LOL) OS for the Macintosh. That's a bi-i-ig part of the reason for the "look-&-feel" lawsuit Apple slapped M$ with when Windows came out, esp. '95; Their position wasn't so much that M$ had copied the interface itself but had done so improperly, often with the SAME DAMN CODE as the Apple OS work they'd done! In other words, the claim was that M$ had used their previous work for Apple unfairly, by legal stadards, to harm Apple.

  25.4.2008 16:36 #40

• goodswipe

  Off topic, but so what I'm bored and so is this thread..
  
  
  Quote:So wolf be a pal and leave'em alone wold'ya please.
  What about ntsc?
  
  
  Quote:That a 6pack & 4:20 is bad for your health in general.Beer is good for your health and 4/20 is defiantly not bad for you. ;)
  
  
  Quote:The definitive study of the long-term health effects of marijuana to date was done by Kaiser Permanente. They surveyed the health records of 65,000 patients over a long period of time. They found no significant differences in the health records of pot smokers versus people who did not smoke pot.
  Quote: A pint of beer may help protect against heart disease more effectively than red wine or spirits, researchers have found.
  IN OTHER NEWS
  
  No way am I about to install this..
  
  
  Mr. Swipe
  

  
  
  "look honey, it said goodswipe! oh wow, that's amazing."

  25.4.2008 17:24 #41

• gehx

  Originally posted by goodswipe: Quote:What about ntsc?LMFAO!!!!!!!!!!!!
  

  I don't Usenet, it uses me.

  25.4.2008 18:09 #42

• DXR88

  Goodswipe i feel violated by your comment.
  
  are you replying that NTSC is better Than wolf PAL.

  25.4.2008 18:59 #43