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Ready or Not, Windows XP SP3's Coming to Automatic Updates - New Tips Added

Posted 07/09/08 at 03:47:06 PM  by Mark Edward Soper

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Windows XP SP3 distributed automatically starting 10 July 08

InfoWorld reports that Microsoft will release Windows XP SP3 to Windows Update starting Thursday, July 10. If you don't have SP3 installed and Windows is configured to use the default Automatic (recommended) settings, you'll be upgraded to SP3 on Thursday or shortly afterwards (as usual, Windows Update uses a staggered schedule).

What to Do if You Absolutely, Positively Don't Want SP3

If you absolutely, positively don't want SP3 right now, you can put off automatic delivery of SP3 by installing the Windows Service Pack Blocker Tool Kit. Using the blocker will delay the automatic download of SP3 until April 2009.

What to Do if You're Worried About Installing SP3

Worried about installing SP3? You're not alone. We've provided plenty of help for Windows XP SP3 upgrading, so if you're still running SP2, take time to read our suggestions before SP3 comes knocking on your door.

If you don't want it delivered automatically, but don't want to install the SP blocker, here's a simple alternative: change your Windows Update configuration away from Automatic to a setting that informs you of updates, but doesn't install them automatically, as we suggest here.

(Update: 10:40PM CDT, July 10, 2008)

Reader pcfxer recommends updating your Windows Installer to version 3.1 before installing SP3 (see comments below for details). If you're not offered Windows Installer 3.1 via Windows Update, get it here.

How About You and SP3?

If you're already running SP3, how do you like it? Did you have any problems? Any suggestions for latecomers to the SP3 party? Give us your thoughts.

COMMENTS:7
TAGS: windows, microsoft, operating system, Windows Update, automatic updates, Windows XP SP3, service pack 3
COMMENTS
avatarSP3 works fine

Submitted by M1K3Z0R on Sat, 07/12/2008 - 4:56pm

Installed SP3 on several machines, as well as my own home ones, and It seems to work, nothing broken, but I dont see any noticable improvements either.

Anything's Hot Swappable if you're fast enough...

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avatarIt would seem that a fresh

Submitted by Shalbatana on Thu, 07/10/2008 - 6:26am

It would seem that a fresh install is the way to go. I slipstreamed SP3 into a fresh install (thanks Murph) and y computer is running very happy and healthy. In fact, It gave me USB 2 support (prior to this I didn't have SP2 and my old via chipset needed it for 2.0 for some reason), and more importantly, it solved all the issues I was having with my HD2600XT AGP card.

 I know this is the result of a clean install, and not directly SP3, but it's still a great feeling, and SP3 gave me all the security updates to boot. It's still early, but no issues so far.

_______________________________

"There's no time like the future."

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avatarI have had to reinstall

Submitted by pcfxer on Wed, 07/09/2008 - 2:29pm

I have had to reinstall Windows on two machines thus far. Both machines used wireless (a laptop and my media center), however, I think that is irrelevant. I do know that both systems were fresh installs updated from SP1 up to SP2, then to SP3.

 Issue: Computer was unable to login to Windows in safe mode and in regular modes. The errors exclaimed that Windows was unable to allocate sufficient resources to create the user profile (and some other vaguity). 

 
The apparent solution (I haven't upgraded these machines to SP3, laptop is running Windows Server/PC-BSD) is to ensure having Windows Installer 3.1 or above prior to updating SP3. One must chose custom, obviously and select Installer, deselecting SP3 of course. If Installer 3.1 is not visible to Update, then one must search Microsoft's Download site for the executable. I haven't tested this, but others whom I have e-mailed report the same exact problem and the above appeared to solve their issues.

Good luck!

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avatarmore specific....

Submitted by Naw-yi on Wed, 07/09/2008 - 1:23pm

all games would freeze, cod all, hellgate, farcry, bf1 and 2, online games americas army operations, combat arms it didnt matter.

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avatarstalled 3 times

Submitted by Naw-yi on Wed, 07/09/2008 - 1:20pm

had a problem running all games with sp3 installed 3 times, everytime i updated all drivers and still no good, got xphome sp2 running w/no problems.  good enough for me.

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avatarSame here. I've been running

Submitted by shellpc on Wed, 07/09/2008 - 1:18pm

Same here. I've been running it in Windows XP Professional 32-bit for a month now and no issues.

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avatarno problems

Submitted by hermsherm on Wed, 07/09/2008 - 1:05pm

I installed SP3 once it was available as a stand-alone download, and had zero issues. 

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