SP 3 is back

[Broni]

Microsoft releases Windows XP SP3 to Windows Update and Microsoft Download Center:
http://blogs.zdnet.com/hardware/?p=1806

[iamtonsoffun247]

I read up a little about it.  If i dont use anything that it says it is meant for, should I bother downloading it?  I have SP2

[Broni]

Well, service packs always fix some issues, so, sooner, or later you'll have to get it. No rush, though.

[Computer Hope Admin]

Checked http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com/ and it sure was back again. Need to reboot my computer today so figured I'm going to install it now. So if I go missing for a few days that's why.

[michaewlewis]

I've had no issues with it since I installed it last week.

[Sidewinder]

Had no success with the version pushed out by Windows Update . Software was downloaded but the installation never started.

Finally decided to download the SP3 Network Installation Package (316MB). The install was flawless and took about 45 minutes. I have other machines to do, so in this situation a single large download may actually save time.

Had this same problem with SP2 where the Windows Update version gave me problems but the much larger Network Installation Package was fine.

 

[soybean]

I downloaded the SP3 Network Installation Package and will burn it to a CD, same as I did with SP2 a long time ago.  I haven't installed it yet.

[Computer Hope Admin]

Ran the update on primary machine through windowsupdate.microsoft.com and locked system while downloading. However, to be fair I had about 30 other things going at the same time. So reboot and ran update without running any other programs and went smoothly.

Have it running on a laptop here too, unfortunately it has 5400RPM drive and it's sooo slow, but looks like it should also complete from windowsupdate with no issues as well.

[michaewlewis]

someone posted this in a /. thread....................

Ok, I installed SP3 and my external HDD died, I know it's about 4 years old and makes a grinding sound, but it was SP3 that did it.

My friend installed SP3 and his system crashed. Apparently it had some kind of virus on it, and upgrading to SP3 caused it to crash, Microsoft should make SP3 compatible with his virus. I'm starting a letter campaign.

My boss installed SP3 and his network stopped working. Granted, the cable fell out, but it's obvious that SP3 must have caused the problem.

Someone I know installed sp3 and their dog got run over by a car, RIGHT after he rebooted. It's obviously SP3 at work.

Thousands of people have installed sp3 and at least 100+ are having problems, this is obviously sp3's fault, because no one ever screws up their computer.

[Sidewinder]

I haven't seen this documented anywhere, but the pagefile seems more stable with SP3.

Pre-SP3 my pagefile always had scores or even hundreds of fragments. Occassionally this fragmentation would cause a fault in the pagefile addressing and result in a BSOD. Just as occassionally I would defrag this file with the System File Defragger and life would go on until next time.

Ever since installing SP3 the pagefile has not gone above 1 fragment. Maybe it's coincidence or righteous karma.

 

Note: The first boot after installing SP3 resulted in, wait for it, a BSOD from a page fault.

[Calum]

SP3 seems to be working fine for me, I've been using it for a few days and have no issues.

[michaewlewis]

me too, there was just an article on /. about all the people who ended up getting unstable systems because they installed sp3. I think the number was in the hundreds..... out of tens of thousands.

[Soviet_Genius]

No problems here yet either....lets hope it stays that way.

[CBMatt]

I think I might wait until it hits Automatic Update.  I might not be as weary about it by then.

[Computer Hope Admin]

Aww where's your sense of adventure.