what is the latest OEM XP Home available?

[hello moto]

I remember years ago, the OEM editions once have SP1 and SP1a (i have no
idea the difference between them).
Later, there's SP2
Now, what is the latest OEM edition for XP Home?
SP3? SP3a? SP3b?

I want to buy the latest OEM XP Home and would like to make sure that it's
the final release with all patches included.
that means, after i installed the XP, i would have minimum Windows updates
required.

Another question...
It seems to me that installing an original XP then apply SP3 and patches
manually, the result is not as good as installing latest XP edition with
built-in SP3

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

I remember years ago, the OEM editions once have SP1 and SP1a (i have no
idea the difference between them).

The Microsoft Virtual machine was removed in SP1a, for legal reasons.
Read here: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/813926

Later, there's SP2
Now, what is the latest OEM edition for XP Home?
SP3? SP3a? SP3b?

SP3. There are no such things as SP3a or SP3b

I want to buy the latest OEM XP Home and would like to make sure that it's
the final release with all patches included.
that means, after i installed the XP, i would have minimum Windows updates
required.

Another question...
It seems to me that installing an original XP then apply SP3 and patches
manually, the result is not as good as installing latest XP edition with
built-in SP3

Not correct. The results are identical.

 

[Guest]

Moto,

SP1 was brought out quickly to address issues with the XP release. It came
out soon after the rush release of XP

SP1a included SP1 files and a lot more bug fixes (more comprehensive). This
is what people know as SP1

The latest version is SP3. A simple Google search showed many shopping sites
with that info. The part number is: N09-02216

 

[Patrick Keenan]

I remember years ago, the OEM editions once have SP1 and SP1a (i have no
idea the difference between them).
Later, there's SP2
Now, what is the latest OEM edition for XP Home?
SP3? SP3a? SP3b?

I want to buy the latest OEM XP Home and would like to make sure that it's
the final release with all patches included.
that means, after i installed the XP, i would have minimum Windows updates
required.

Another question...
It seems to me that installing an original XP then apply SP3 and patches
manually, the result is not as good as installing latest XP edition with
built-in SP3

Probably SP2. But, you should be able to slipstream SP3 on without any
problems.

HTH
-pk

 

[Big_Al]

Patrick Keenan said this on 4/16/2009 2:47 PM:

Probably SP2. But, you should be able to slipstream SP3 on without any
problems.

HTH
-pk

My older motherboard purchased in 2004 requires drivers that are not in
SP2. So an installation with a SP2 CD requires all the driver CD's
after the install. I slipstreamed the XP CD and then reloaded a few
months back and had a wonderful experience as the system came up with
all drivers found. I can only attribute it to SP3 on the CD. I did not
slipstream any of the drivers.

So I like Patrick's slipstream idea and just add that it might just
possibly have a side benefit you would not have thought about.
Everyone is so interested in saving HD space, but this was better.

PS. most slipstream tools also allow you to slipstream drivers too. If
they are needed that is. ...and don't ask me how to tell...

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

Moto,

SP1 was brought out quickly to address issues with the XP release. It came
out soon after the rush release of XP

SP1a included SP1 files and a lot more bug fixes (more comprehensive). This
is what people know as SP1

That is *not* correct; it is *not* what SP1a is. As I said, please
read here: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/813926 which explains that
"Windows XP SP1a is the same as Windows XP SP1 except that the
Microsoft virtual machine (VM) is removed in SP1a."

 

[Patrick Keenan]

Patrick Keenan said this on 4/16/2009 2:47 PM:

My older motherboard purchased in 2004 requires drivers that are not in
SP2. So an installation with a SP2 CD requires all the driver CD's
after the install. I slipstreamed the XP CD and then reloaded a few
months back and had a wonderful experience as the system came up with
all drivers found. I can only attribute it to SP3 on the CD. I did not
slipstream any of the drivers.

So I like Patrick's slipstream idea and just add that it might just
possibly have a side benefit you would not have thought about.
Everyone is so interested in saving HD space, but this was better.

PS. most slipstream tools also allow you to slipstream drivers too. If
they are needed that is. ...and don't ask me how to tell...

The problem with slipstreaming drivers is apparently that this can prevent
you from doing another slipstream with that CD, and I understand that this
is why the early Dell XP CDs could not be slipstreamed.

-pk

 

[Big_Al]

Patrick Keenan said this on 4/17/2009 2:58 PM:

The problem with slipstreaming drivers is apparently that this can
prevent you from doing another slipstream with that CD, and I understand
that this is why the early Dell XP CDs could not be slipstreamed.

-pk

Interesting to hear you say that. I've done a lot of slipstream, but
I've never slipstreamed a slipstreamed CD. I always go back to square
one and start anew. More of a "I'm not sure what I did, oh heck,
start over" thing. Guess I've skirted the issue by accident! wow!.