Will Windows XP SP3 be listed on updates list?

[The Old Fart]

Is Windows SP3 come up on the list of updates that the Windows update
function' offers for download? I have my machine set to be notified
about updates & then I decide what to download. But so far I haven't
seen SP3 on the list. Is it officially released or is it still just a
BETA version?

 

[Shenan Stanley]

Is Windows SP3 come up on the list of updates that the Windows
update function' offers for download? I have my machine set to be
notified about updates & then I decide what to download. But so
far I haven't seen SP3 on the list. Is it officially released or
is it still just a BETA version?

Why would you see it?

When Windows XP SP3 is officially released to the public as a final version,
you'll know. Even if you don't - worrying over it gets you nothing
worthwhile. ;-)

 

[Patrick Keenan]

Is Windows SP3 come up on the list of updates that the Windows update
function' offers for download? I have my machine set to be notified about
updates & then I decide what to download. But so far I haven't seen SP3
on the list. Is it officially released or is it still just a BETA
version?

It is not officially released and is still Beta. You haven't seen it
because it isn't available on the regular WU site. You'll probably hear on
various news sites when it is released.

When it is released, it will appear. If you have Windows Update set to
notify only, it will only notify you. You can then choose your course of
action. MS will also make available blocking tools, so that it can't be
"accidentally" installed.

My suggestion would be to watch for its release, but not accept the online
install. Instead, download the entire SP3 file and burn it to CD, and
store that CD with your XP install CDs. And then, run the SP3 installer
from the CD or the saved copy on the hard disk, rather than the online
installer. I find this approach to be more reliable and less intrusive.

If you're in an area without high-speed internet, find a source that has it,
such as an internet cafe or an office, and make an arrangement to have them
download the file and burn it to CD. Or, order the update on CD from MS.

This approach may not be faster the first time because of the download size
(expect a few hundred megabytes), but it does also give you a saved copy so
that if you need to reinstall, or update other systems, you don't need to
re-download.

HTH
-pk

 

[VanguardLH]

in message

Is Windows SP3 come up on the list of updates that the Windows
update function' offers for download?

Yep, just like all the service packs before it. How did you get the
previous service packs installed?

I have my machine set to be notified about updates & then I decide
what to download. But so far I haven't seen SP3 on the list.

Because it has not been released yet. If you configure Windows Update
to show beta product then you might see it. Of course, why bother
seeing a list of products when you have no intention to install
betaware?

Is it officially released or is it still just a BETA version?

Learn to use Google.

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

Is Windows SP3 come up on the list of updates that the Windows update
function' offers for download? I have my machine set to be notified
about updates & then I decide what to download. But so far I haven't
seen SP3 on the list. Is it officially released or is it still just a
BETA version?

Still beta--not released yet. It should be released soon.

 

[The Old Fart]

Still beta--not released yet. It should be released soon.

I had heard about this update a while back but didn't know if if was
officially released so I did a Google search. Near the top of the
search results sere some links to Microsoft's web site. Nowhere on
these links did it say that it was a beta version.

 

[Shenan Stanley]

I had heard about this update a while back but didn't know if if was
officially released so I did a Google search. Near the top of the
search results sere some links to Microsoft's web site. Nowhere on
these links did it say that it was a beta version.

A lot of people use the term beta for ANY software that has not been
released as a finished product. Others get more specific in defining what
is 'beta' and what is not...

In any case...

Being a pre-release product - there really is not a direct support
option available. You have a few options, however:

Start here:
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/windowsxp/0a5b9b10-17e3-40d9-8d3c-0077c953a761.aspx

Which can lead you:
http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=103822

and the forums set up specifically for the pre-release product:
http://forums.microsoft.com/TechNet/ShowForum.aspx?ForumID=2010&SiteID=17

And of course:
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/...2b2-aab1-b969a62c68a7&DisplayLang=en#filelist

Where you can download it in different languages OR download a script that
sets a registry key on your system so you can get Windows XP SP3 Release
Candidate 2 from the Windows Update web page directly.

I do not recommend installing the pre-release (release candidate 2) on any
machine you are not willing to rebuild from scratch.

Hope that helps!

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

I had heard about this update a while back but didn't know if if was
officially released so I did a Google search. Near the top of the
search results sere some links to Microsoft's web site. Nowhere on
these links did it say that it was a beta version.

The latest version is what's called a "Release Candidate." It's
pre-release software, with testing not completed, and not yet released
because Microsoft doesn't yet consider it ready to be released.

If you don't want to use the word "beta" for a "release candidate,"
that's fine with me. I don't care what you call it, as long as you
understand that it's pre-release, and still a test version.

 

[VanguardLH]

in message

A lot of people use the term beta for ANY software that has not been
released as a finished product. Others get more specific in
defining what is 'beta' and what is not...

"Preview" and "pre-release" were names used by Microsoft to hide that
the software was still beta, or worse. "Beta" has a negative
connotation so Microsoft hid it under a different name. If it isn't a
GA (general availability) release then it is something less, like
beta, alpha, pre-alpha or internal-only (no customers get to help work
out the kinks), development, or planned. All the pre-release and
preview versions of Microsoftware *is* betaware! Being a 2nd, 3rd, or
later revision cycle within beta by calling it a pre-release, preview,
or candidate version doesn't alter that it is just one of multiple
versions in beta status. Microsoft, and other companies, want to make
their beta versions more attractive by staying away from "beta" in the
version in the hopes that enough end users will volunteer their time
and system stability to test their product and also hope that some of
them will be useful defect reporters.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Software_release_life_cycle

A rose by any other name would still smell as sweet.
A beta by any other name still stinks as bad.