Service Pack 3

[R. McCarty]

I could be mistaken but doesn't an XP disk require SP2c to have
the support for the new Product Keys ? Maybe the source disk
has to be at that level before slipstreaming SP3.

I've installed SP3 to 6 machines and had no real issues. One thing
that surprised me is the benchmarking score obtained after applying
Sp3.

Prior to SP3, the machine scored 3263 on the PCPitstop tests. I
applied SP3, booted several times and ran a ProcessIdleTasks to get
an optimized defrag - after retesting the same machine scored 3459.
Suppose I need to test several more before making a claim that Sp3
improves performance but it certainly seems like it does.

Only issues for me are the recreation of some shortcut icons I don't
use and SP3 attempts to start Universal Plug-&-Play Device host
that I had disabled in my SP2 setup. Otherwise no issues, the time
to install SP3 is averaging around 18-minutes per machine.

 

[Colin Barnhorst]

No. Anyway the "c" is just a designation for XP SP2 OEM cds that have
recent updates included so that customers who buy a new system aren't faced
with a hundred new updates as soon as they first run the system. They are
exactly the same as an SP2 installation that has had updates applied via WU.
It is a convenience item only.

The testers in the SP3 TechBeta consistently reported a perf improvement of
around 5% to 10% so your test results sound valid to me.

 

[MikeSD]

finally worked out what the issue was, I used a xp pro sp2 retail disk to
make the slipstream then tried to install it on an oem machine using the oem
serial.
Have since redone the slipstream using an oem sp2 and no problems.

 

[Colin Barnhorst]

Glad you got it resolved.

finally worked out what the issue was, I used a xp pro sp2 retail disk to
make the slipstream then tried to install it on an oem machine using the
oem
serial.
Have since redone the slipstream using an oem sp2 and no problems.

 

[Robert Pendell]

I guess the Technet version is "tweaked" to only use TechNet keys.

I will validate that myself later. I just downloaded Service Pack 3 RTM
from Technet as well.

--
Robert Pendell
(e-mail address removed)

"A perfect world is one of chaos."

Thawte Web of Trust Notary
CAcert Assurer

 

[Robert Pendell]

However I just signed into MSDN and search for SP3. No matches found.
That or my subscription died last week.

I think it is only to technet subscribers right now. Here is the blog
entry that was for Technet.

http://blogs.technet.com/technetplu...windows-xp-sp3-is-available-for-download.aspx

--
Robert Pendell
(e-mail address removed)

"A perfect world is one of chaos."

Thawte Web of Trust Notary
CAcert Assurer

 

[Shenan Stanley]

I guess the Technet version is "tweaked" to only use TechNet keys.

I will validate that myself later. I just downloaded Service Pack
3 RTM from Technet as well.

SP3 is SP3 is SP3. What determines what product key you can use is what CD
you integrate it into.

- If you integrate into an MSDN/Technet CD that accepts MSDN/Technet keys
now - it will still only accept MSDN/Technet keys later.
- If you integrate into an OEM CD that accepts OEM keys now - it will still
only accept OEM keys later.
- If you integrate into a Retail CD that accepts Retail keys now - it will
still only accept Retail keys later.
- If you integrate into a VL CD that accepts VL keys now - it will still
only accept VL keys later.

etc...

That has been the way integration has worked since you have been able to do
it with Windows XP.

Now - nothing says you cannot change a few other things (setupp.ini) and
cause the CD to accept other types of keys... ;-)

 

[Shenan Stanley]

<lots snipped>

However I just signed into MSDN and search for SP3. No matches
found. That or my subscription died last week.

I think it is only to technet subscribers right now. Here is the
blog entry that was for Technet.

http://blogs.technet.com/technetplu...windows-xp-sp3-is-available-for-download.aspx

MSDN subscribers can download it as well - since the day Technet subscribers
have been able to. It's in the Top Subscriber Downloads area.

 

[Big Al]

I finally found it, persistence pays off.

<lots snipped>





MSDN subscribers can download it as well - since the day Technet subscribers
have been able to. It's in the Top Subscriber Downloads area.

 

[Shenan Stanley]

<lots snipped>

MSDN subscribers can download it as well - since the day Technet
subscribers have been able to. It's in the Top Subscriber
Downloads area.

However I just signed into MSDN and search for SP3. No matches
found. That or my subscription died last week.

I think it is only to technet subscribers right now. Here is the
blog entry that was for Technet.

http://blogs.technet.com/technetplu...windows-xp-sp3-is-available-for-download.aspx

The rest of us can get it at Majorgeeks.com and avoid the horrible
gridlock that will occur when it's released by "official" sites.

I still don't know if I would trust a third party site like that
(MajorGeeks - I like - but this is a full-on Operating System overhaul.)
There is nothing so critical that says you have to have SP3 installed on
April 29, 2008.

Patience.

If you are an IT person for some company - hopefully you have other
knowingly legitimate means to get something like SP3 "early" (other friends
in IT, MSDN or Technet subscription - or IT friends with said subscriptions,
etc.) Otherwise - waiting until April 29 or May 13, 2008 - is unlikely to
cause any great issues with anything (and who knows - may save you from a
few for whatever amount of time you are patient and let others 'test drive'
for you.)

 

[Colin Barnhorst]

As far as I know, MSDN and TechNet images and cds are simply retail cds.
The product keys are also classed as retail keys but with the number of
concurrent activations set for ten. I have used MSDN media with standard
and upgrade product keys many times. The cause of this problem must be
something else.

One known problem like this results from slipstreaming on Vista. There are
reports of the resulting media appearing to be the wrong version for the
product key in use. Vista should not be used as the platform for running
the slipstream procedure. It should only be done on XP.

 

[Tom [Pepper] Willett]

I downloaded mine from MSDN last night. It's listed under favorite
downloads.

Tom

:
: I think it is only to technet subscribers right now. Here is the blog
: entry that was for Technet.
:
:
http://blogs.technet.com/technetplu...windows-xp-sp3-is-available-for-download.aspx
:
: --
: Robert Pendell
: (e-mail address removed)
:
: "A perfect world is one of chaos."
:
: Thawte Web of Trust Notary
: CAcert Assurer

 

[Colin Barnhorst]

If you trust the security of the Major Geeks download area, then use the SP3
there if you want. It is the final and I am having no problems with it on
my test box and in one of my XP virtual machines.

 

[Robert Pendell]

<lots snipped>





MSDN subscribers can download it as well - since the day Technet subscribers
have been able to. It's in the Top Subscriber Downloads area.

Right. I was just agreeing with the mass majority of everyone else. I
knew MSDN had it too. I only linked to a technet blog posting anyways.

--
Robert Pendell
(e-mail address removed)

"A perfect world is one of chaos."

Thawte Web of Trust Notary
CAcert Assurer

 

[abseh1]

Downloaded SP3 from Technet home page, slipsteamed it into xp sp2, all went
fine.
Proceded to install it to customers PC and got to the point where it asks
for the product key, entered the one from the sticker on the case, and it
comes back numver invalid. Tried a number from another sticker with same
result.

Any ideas?

If you have a valid license...you can read it from your computer with
a key finder....many are free downloads...just do a google search for
product key finders
http://pcsupport.about.com/od/productkeysactivation/tp/topkeyfinder.htm