Some Windoz SP3 details

[W1nTry]

Vistarism...

Windows XP SP3 goes Vista-ish
Contains Vista material
By Nick Farrell: Monday, 08 October 2007, 8:40 AM

THE next service pack for Windows XP contains bits and pieces from Vista.
According to NeoSmart Technologies, which is among those who have received the first version of Windows XP SP3 build 3205 as part of the Windows Server 2008/Windows Vista SP1 beta program, SP3 has more than 1,073 patches/hotfixes including security updates.
Among these are a few things that have been backported from Vista including the new Windows Product Activation model, Network Access Protection modules and policies.
There is also the new Kernel Mode Cryptographic Module so that the kernel now includes an entire module has access to multiple cryptographic algorithms and is available for use in kernel-mode drivers and services. It also has the " Black Hole Router" detection so that Windows XP SP3 can detect and protect against rogue routers that are discarding data.
Looks like XP is becoming a much better alternative to Vista, again. µ

[Fkacn_tt]

hope it don't freeze up my comp like SP2, but looks like a good addition.

[Spazosaurus]

I guess its a waste to hope somehow they could sneak dx10.1 in XP. My lord if that happens, ill rn out and buy XP sp3 cd immediately.

[Arcmanov]

'new Windows Product Activation model'?
Hmmmm.....

*watches SP3 with a cuteye*

[W1nTry]

'new Windows Product Activation model'?
Hmmmm.....

*watches SP3 with a cuteye*

My sentiments EXACTLY!

[beek0p]

'new Windows Product Activation model'?

way 2b gay

[Prowl]

Screw microsoft,

Linux FTW!

[Prowl]

xp Beta 3 is out, look for it,

[W1nTry]

Microsoft lets everyone try Windows XP SP3
The release candidate for the final upgrade to Windows XP will be made available to all on Microsoft's download site Tuesday evening


By Gregg Keizer, Computerworld, IDG News Service

December 18, 2007

Microsoft announced Tuesday that it would post the release candidate of Windows XP Service Pack 3 to its download site this evening at approximately 6 p.m. Eastern time.

The move marks the first opportunity for all users of the six-year-old operating system to try out its final upgrade. Previously, several thousand users were given access to test builds of SP3 only by Microsoft's invitation.

According to a company spokeswoman, the version that debuts Tuesday, dubbed a "release candidate" to note progress from earlier betas, will be available from the Microsoft Download Center. She was unable to say when the service pack would post to Windows Update so users can download and install it with the company's update service, however.

The final version of Windows XP SP3 remains slated for delivery sometime in the first half of 2008, the spokeswoman said. She also warned off casual users from trying the preview. "As this is a release candidate, we strongly encourage only those who are comfortable installing prerelease code to download Windows XP SP3," she said.

Recently, Microsoft has been downplaying the significance of Windows XP SP3. In a white paper posted to its Web site last week and also Tuesday, the company praised Windows Vista at XP's expense, reminding users that "Vista provides the most advanced security and management capabilities of any Windows operating system."

"Windows XP SP3 does not bring significant portions of Windows Vista functionality to Windows XP," the spokeswoman said.

According to the white paper, the Download Center version of XP SP3 will weigh in at about 580MB; the version downloaded and installed via Windows Update, however, will be much smaller, typically around 70MB.

Windows XP debuted in October 2001 and was last updated as SP2 in August 2004; SP3 will be the final major upgrade of the operating system.

[Spazosaurus]

To those of you who are interested, the (RTM=final final build) is out. While it wont be available through Microsoft directly for another week or so, of course its available at the usual sources. Already got me a copy and its chugging along happily on my system.

Read all about it here and be sure to read the comments at the end and have a good laugh. Also take a more in depth read as well.

[SeaTurtle]

I am going to wait and see until whole world discover and M$ fix majority of the bugs in SP3. Hopefully, it doesn't have WGA glitch version 2.

* here is ANOTHER service pack coming out 13 of May. It's the fourth and final service pack for windows. It's called Fedora Core 9. * That's a good one.

[TrinireturnofGamez]

i tried one of the beta versions a few weeks back , worked noticeably faster , especially when doing something RAM intensive like playing a game + using photoshop at the same time.
   Had to uninstall it cause it hated my onboard sound , my sound hardware kept 'disappearing' and the system would tell me i had none installed . 
     If it can deliver the same experience with no bugs , it will be an amazing update.

[Spazosaurus]

Bugs like...? I havent seen any so far.

[SeaTurtle]

I can't say what kind of bugs.  But I have a history of  personal  surprises with M$ products, I am saying this not to knock M$ down. I will wait and see what users say. May be will install in the next 2-3 months.  It's time consuming to deal with unsupported hardware, software issues, glitches and look for tweaks, patches and solutions.
Personal experience:
- Windows SP2 couldn't be installed on some OEM versions. When installation failed and gave you blue screen, you have to start from scratch original OEM installation (may be there was a workaround);
- Infinite reboot with Vista SP1 (ever got that one? had lots of fun with it);
- WinHelp file unsupported by Windows Vista, please convert to newer .chm files (very nice, ever heard of backward compatibility?)
- MS VC++ 6.0 is no longer supported on Windows Vista (or is it now? again no backward compatibility)

Glad to hear you have good experience, that's promising.

[Philosophical45]

i'm downloading this as i type.. will install this and see waddup.

[Fkacn_tt]

i'm downloading this as i type.. will install this and see waddup.

how are you getting this, by the usually underground methods or by MS update

[Philosophical45]

"underground method" as you put it, just gettin it from demonoid..

[Philosophical45]

just installed it, so far so good...

[Fkacn_tt]

hey phillbert lol, is that your real name and have you noticed any stability or speed improvements/deterioration

[Philosophical45]

well when i booted it kinda took long to move from the log on screen to windows desktop, but i believe that would have been normal. I haven't noticed that much performance improvement yet, but i have to say, windows is moving a bit snappier. and i have never seen firefox open so quickly. That could just have been my mind playing tricks on me or hypnotism from microsoft's subliminal wallpapers, but seems like u have nothing much to lose if u get SP3.