Latest thinking on SP3?

[Poster Matt]

Windows Gurus,

What's the latest thinking on SP3? I got advise when it first became
available that I should wait a while till the bugs got ironed out and
fixes were made for any security flaws.

I'll be installing XP SP2 on a new PC this weekend, should I install SP3
from the auto-update at the same time or would this be premature?

What about on my -work critical- machine?

Thanks guys, you lot know a lot more about the ins-and-outs of the OS
than this humble programmer does.

Cheers.

 

[JS]

Most people have not had problems but there are some that do.
I still plan to hold off installing SP3 for a while.

Also if I where to install SP3 I would choose to download the
file and not use Automatic Updates.

I would also create an"Image Backup" of my drive prior
to installing SP3 just in case you do have problems.
Don't have any Image Backup software:
Try "True Image" (has a 15 day trial version available)
http://www.acronis.com/homecomputing/products/trueimage/

How to obtain the latest Windows XP service pack
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/322389

How to prevent SP3 from being installed on your PC
(Windows Service Pack Blocker Tool Kit)
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/...7A-5267-4BD6-87D0-E2A72099EDB7&displaylang=en
(Works for 1 year from date SP3 was released)

Windows XP Service Pack 3 Overview
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/...ad-bc34-40be-8d85-6bb4f56f5110&displaylang=en
Be sure to download and read the file titled 'Overview of Windows XP Service
Pack 3'
Note: "You can run the SP3 update package on any edition of Windows XP SP1
or SP2."

The hard disk space requirements for Windows XP Service Pack 3
Discusses the hard disk space requirements for installing Windows XP Service
Pack 3 (SP3)
(For a PC on which Windows XP is already installed)
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/947311/en-us

Installing Windows XP Service Pack 3 (SP3)
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/windowsxp/cc164204.aspx

Release notes for the Windows XP Service Pack 3
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/936929/en-us

List of fixes that are included in Windows XP Service Pack 3
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/946480/

Steps to take before you install Windows XP Service Pack 3
Recommends steps to take before you install Windows XP Service Pack 3.
Also includes troubleshooting information.
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/950717/en-us

Post Installation Cleanup:
http://aumha.net/viewtopic.php?f=62&t=33827

How to troubleshoot an unsuccessful installation of Windows XP Service Pack
3
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/950718/en-us

Free unlimited installation and compatibility support
(Via Email, Chat or Phone support)
http://support.microsoft.com/oas/default.aspx?ln=en-us&prid=11273&gprid=522131

Install SP3 in 'Clean Boot' mode:
How to configure Windows XP to start in a "clean boot" state
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/310353

Where to download SP3
SP3 file download:
(File is large but will only install components that you PC requires)
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/...a8-5e76-401f-be08-1e1555d4f3d4&DisplayLang=en

ISO image - used to create install CD:
(You must have CD burning software that can use an ISO as source)
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/...ce-b5fb-4488-8c50-fe22559d164e&DisplayLang=en

Availability of the .NET Framework 1.0 post-Service Pack 3 hotfix
Describes the .NET Framework 1.0 post-Service Pack 3 hotfix rollup package
for the Mscorwks.dll, Mscorsvr.dll, and Mscorlib.dll files.
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/896061/en-us

JS

 

[ANONYMOUS]

The advise given to you was wrong. SP3 has been the best service pack
ever to come out from Microsoft. I have installed SP3 in almost 1000
mission critical systems in a university and have seen or heard of any
problems thus far!

Go ahead and install it. I suggest download the full package from here:

<http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/...A8-5E76-401F-BE08-1E1555D4F3D4&displaylang=en>

HTH

 

[Poster Matt]

Most people have not had problems but there are some that do.
I still plan to hold off installing SP3 for a while.

Also if I where to install SP3 I would choose to download the
file and not use Automatic Updates.

Thanks for your highly comprehensive reply JS. If you're going to hold
off installing I'll follow suit.

Out of interest what are the advantages of installing SP3? SP2 is very
stable with the software I've got running and I believe quite secure,
and I've a small and sweet version of Linux running on my router called
OpenWRT, and this makes my PC v. secure.

Thanks again.

 

[Poster Matt]

The advise given to you was wrong. SP3 has been the best service pack
ever to come out from Microsoft. I have installed SP3 in almost 1000
mission critical systems in a university and have seen or heard of any
problems thus far!

Can you tell me what advantages I will gain from installing it?

Thanks.

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

Windows Gurus,

What's the latest thinking on SP3? I got advise when it first became
available that I should wait a while till the bugs got ironed out and
fixes were made for any security flaws.

Not very good advice, in my view.

You should install SP3. In my view one should always keep up with the
latest critical updates and service packs for Windows.

Whenever everything new comes out, there are always some people with
problems. But in fact, the enormous majority of those who have
upgraded to SP3 have had no problems at all with it,

If you're reading about problems *here*, this where people come with
their problems, not with their successes. You get a very distorted
view of what's going on in the real world here; as someone once said,
"hang around a transmission shop and you will think that all cars have
transmission problems."

Most problems, by far, that people report here--whether or not they
are SP3-related--have nothing to do with defects in the software. They
result from people's ignorance, from bad or inadequate hardware, from
old drivers, from viruses, from spyware, and so on. And except for
very rare situations, they always get a fix for their problems, and in
most cases, that fix is a very simple one to implement.

But read here first: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/950717

I'll be installing XP SP2 on a new PC this weekend, should I install SP3
from the auto-update at the same time or would this be premature?

What about on my -work critical- machine?

Just as with taking any other big step, you should always make sure
you have a backup of anything critical, so you're not up the creek
even if something unlikely happens.

 

[Unknown]

A big advantage-----You'll be up to date.

Can you tell me what advantages I will gain from installing it?

Thanks.

 

[JS]

As far as advantages I have not heard of any, except that by about April of
2009 I believe SP2 updates will no longer be available and I expect to be at
SP3 long before that date.

To quote Microsoft:
"Windows® XP Service Pack 3 (SP3) includes all previously released updates
for the operating system. This update also includes a small number of new
functionalities, which do not significantly change customers' experience
with the operating system. This white paper summarizes what is new in
Windows XP SP3."

I am getting ready to run several tests on a PC with SP2 installed and then
installing SP3.

JS

 

[Poster Matt]

A big advantage-----You'll be up to date.

That's an outcome, not an advantage!
The advantages are... what?

Cheers.

 

[Thee Chicago Wolf]

Windows Gurus,

What's the latest thinking on SP3? I got advise when it first became
available that I should wait a while till the bugs got ironed out and
fixes were made for any security flaws.

I'll be installing XP SP2 on a new PC this weekend, should I install SP3
from the auto-update at the same time or would this be premature?

What about on my -work critical- machine?

Thanks guys, you lot know a lot more about the ins-and-outs of the OS
than this humble programmer does.

Cheers.

It's safe and I've already installed on well over 35 machines that
I've fixed. The only odd-ball thing I've dealt with are PCs that never
had the Intel Chipset Software Installation Utility installed. I've
installed it on a few AMD-based PCs fine. There have been close to 75+
post-SP3 hotfixes released now so if there is something that trips up
some specific thing, it's likely been addressed already. Some have
also said to remove Antivirus and other anti-malware / anti-spyware
apps. I've not run into any blue-screen or other show-stoppers on any
PCs running older apps. I would suggest making sure such apps are as
updated / patched-up as possible as a precaution. I have it running on
500+ production machine at my location since the beginning of May with
zero issues. It is a worthy update with the standard precaution: back
up what you really need; if you have an AMD-based PC, install the AMD
"pre-SP3 patch" from Microsoft.

- Thee Chicago Wolf

 

[Poster Matt]

Thanks. --See my reply to Ken.

As far as advantages I have not heard of any, except that by about April of
2009 I believe SP2 updates will no longer be available and I expect to be at
SP3 long before that date.

To quote Microsoft:
"Windows® XP Service Pack 3 (SP3) includes all previously released updates
for the operating system. This update also includes a small number of new
functionalities, which do not significantly change customers' experience
with the operating system. This white paper summarizes what is new in
Windows XP SP3."

I am getting ready to run several tests on a PC with SP2 installed and then
installing SP3.

JS

 

[Poster Matt]

Not very good advice, in my view.

You should install SP3. In my view one should always keep up with the
latest critical updates and service packs for Windows.

Whenever everything new comes out, there are always some people with
problems. But in fact, the enormous majority of those who have
upgraded to SP3 have had no problems at all with it,

If you're reading about problems *here*, this where people come with
their problems, not with their successes. You get a very distorted
view of what's going on in the real world here; as someone once said,
"hang around a transmission shop and you will think that all cars have
transmission problems."

Most problems, by far, that people report here--whether or not they
are SP3-related--have nothing to do with defects in the software. They
result from people's ignorance, from bad or inadequate hardware, from
old drivers, from viruses, from spyware, and so on. And except for
very rare situations, they always get a fix for their problems, and in
most cases, that fix is a very simple one to implement.

But read here first: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/950717

I must admit to being somewhat confused now, getting replies that
suggest the opposite of each other.

JS says there are no real advantages according to Microsoft:

To quote Microsoft:
"Windows® XP Service Pack 3 (SP3) includes all previously released
updates for the operating system. This update also includes a small
number of new functionalities, which do not significantly change
customers' experience with the operating system. This white paper
summarizes what is new in Windows XP SP3."

He also says:
"As far as advantages I have not heard of any, except that by about
April of 2009 I believe SP2 updates will no longer be available and I
expect to be at SP3 long before that date."

But Ken implies that to not update my mean I'm missing a critical
update, is that right? I'm up-to-date with all critical updates unless
there are some which are SP3 only:

"You should install SP3. In my view one should always keep up with the
latest critical updates and service packs for Windows."

My principle fears are that it might cause problems with my system and
that there are security flaws, or hardware conflicts. Of course I'll
have the system properly backed up before an install (it always is
anyway). But it would be a major hassle if I had problems.

I think I'll err on the side of caution and leave off for a while,
unless someone can give me a good reason to install SP3. So far I've
been told I should because 'it's always best to' but with no specific
reason why. Is the security better, is it more stable (I do get the
occasional system crash), am I missing something useful?

Thanks for your replies and I'd really like a response to the paragraph
above.

Cheers.

 

[Unknown]

When the next SP3 security update is released you'll be ready.

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

I must admit to being somewhat confused now, getting replies that
suggest the opposite of each other.

That's life, I'm afraid. You can find people with opposing views on
almost anything. You'll have to decide for yourself to to believe.

By the way, although I basically disagree with JS, I *completely*
agree with him when he says "I would also create an"Image Backup" of
my drive prior to installing SP3 just in case you do have problems."
That is certainly the prudent thing to do.

JS says there are no real advantages according to Microsoft:

To quote Microsoft:
"Windows® XP Service Pack 3 (SP3) includes all previously released
updates for the operating system. This update also includes a small
number of new functionalities, which do not significantly change
customers' experience with the operating system. This white paper
summarizes what is new in Windows XP SP3."

You can read that as there being no advantages, or you can read that
as there being no disadvantages. It's basically a rollup of all the
fixes that came before, so should not cause any problems.

Regarding that "small number of new functionalities," if you've kept
up with all previous updates, you already have everything except
those. If Microsoft has released that "small number of new
functionalities" as a normal update, rather than realesing SP3 which
included them, would you have installed it? An answer of yes to that
question, but no to the question of installing SP3 makes no sense.
They are essentially the same.

He also says:
"As far as advantages I have not heard of any, except that by about
April of 2009 I believe SP2 updates will no longer be available and I
expect to be at SP3 long before that date."

It is also possible (perhaps even likely) that future upgrades will be
based upon SP3, and such upgrades may not be installable if you don't
have it. That's wht I think you should always be current.

But Ken implies that to not update my mean I'm missing a critical
update, is that right? I'm up-to-date with all critical updates unless
there are some which are SP3 only:

"You should install SP3. In my view one should always keep up with the
latest critical updates and service packs for Windows."

My principle fears are that it might cause problems with my system and
that there are security flaws, or hardware conflicts. Of course I'll
have the system properly backed up before an install (it always is
anyway). But it would be a major hassle if I had problems.

I think I'll err on the side of caution and leave off for a while,
unless someone can give me a good reason to install SP3. So far I've
been told I should because 'it's always best to' but with no specific
reason why. Is the security better, is it more stable (I do get the
occasional system crash), am I missing something useful?

Thanks for your replies and I'd really like a response to the paragraph
above.

I don't agree that refusing to install a Microsoft update is "erring
on the side of caution," but it's your choice, of course.

 

[RJK]

Whenever everything new comes out, there are always some people with

problems. But in fact, the enormous majority of those who have
upgraded to SP3 have had no problems at all with it,

....and the ones that get problems, usually had a serious mess, and serious
problems lurking in there anyway,
....and are often the ones that say, after I've sat down in front of it and
literally done nothing other than press the ATX power up button on the
front of the case, which miraculously produces a BSOD, or a cyclic reboot,
or a device driver error, or a "clickety-click,
clickety-click,clickety-click,clickety-click, from the hard disk, and the
customer says, (all together now ,,,,,

"It was working okay the last time I used it"

regards, Richard

 

[WindPipe]

Yes Poster Matt, especially on your new PC. Just some install
recommendations to try and avoid the dreded "can't uninstall IE 7.0" after
an SP3 install. Try to install in this order, on your new PC;

- Windows XP SP2
- When that's done, go into Add/Remove programs and install the addtional
windows components you need, like IIS,... don't remove any.
- Install Windows XP SP3.
- Back to Add/Remove programs and remove Windows components you don't need
(**not** IE), like messenger if you don't require it.
- If your into Folder redirection to different disc, and page file
redirections and settings, **now** is a good time to do it.
- Install Mother/Main board chipsets, drivers,....
- Graphics Card driver
- Sound Card Driver.
- All other drivers.
- Windows Media Player 11
- *** Internet Explorer 7.0 ***, you will not have any problem removing it
if you need to later down the track.
- Go hell for leather on all other software.

On your work critical machines, assuming you don't have tonnes of them,
remove IE 7.0 if it is installed on them, install SP3, install IE7.0.

Hope this gives you some idea to assist you.


- WindPipe.

 

[Poster Matt]

When the next SP3 security update is released you'll be ready.

Ok, thanks.

 

[Poster Matt]

Ok, thanks for taking the time to reply at length Ken.

Cheers.

 

[Poster Matt]

Yes Poster Matt, especially on your new PC. Just some install
recommendations to try and avoid the dreded "can't uninstall IE 7.0" after
an SP3 install. Try to install in this order, on your new PC;

- Windows XP SP2
- When that's done, go into Add/Remove programs and install the addtional
windows components you need, like IIS,... don't remove any.
- Install Windows XP SP3.
- Back to Add/Remove programs and remove Windows components you don't need
(**not** IE), like messenger if you don't require it.
- If your into Folder redirection to different disc, and page file
redirections and settings, **now** is a good time to do it.
- Install Mother/Main board chipsets, drivers,....
- Graphics Card driver
- Sound Card Driver.
- All other drivers.
- Windows Media Player 11
- *** Internet Explorer 7.0 ***, you will not have any problem removing it
if you need to later down the track.
- Go hell for leather on all other software.

On your work critical machines, assuming you don't have tonnes of them,
remove IE 7.0 if it is installed on them, install SP3, install IE7.0.

Hope this gives you some idea to assist you.

It does, thanks WindPipe - I'll follow this procedure when installing XP
on the new PC this weekend.

Cheers.

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

Ok, thanks for taking the time to reply at length Ken.

You're welcome. Glad to help.