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Windows XP SP3 released to manufacturing, downloadable 4/29

By Scott M. Fulton, III, BetaNews

April 21, 2008, 1:50 PM

In a post to Microsoft's TechNet Forum minutes ago, a Microsoft official announced that Service Pack 3 of Windows XP has released to its manufacturing channels, in order to reach OEM and enterprise customers by the late-April deadline.

Microsoft's XP SP3 release manager Chris Keroack wrote that Web availability of the final service pack for Windows XP will begin on April 29, through the Microsoft Download Center. Confirming many users' suspicions, the company will wait until "early summer," Keroack stated, before enabling SP3 to be downloaded through Automatic Updates, perhaps in light of the company's recent debacle with Windows Vista SP1.

The news effectively confirms the information from a leaked memo that made its way around enthusiasts' blogs last week, which clearly stated April 29 would be the initial release date. At the time of the leak, Microsoft spokespersons had officially declined to confirm that date, or the authenticity of the memo, to BetaNews.

The key features of Service Pack 3 include Microsoft's updated Management Console 3.0, which appears in Windows Server 2008 and Vista; the new Windows Installer 3.1; an update to Wi-Fi protected access; and support for Network Access Protection, the "health checking" component used by Windows Server 2008. With that latter component, a network server can check to make sure certain upgrades and security features are in place for XP-based clients as well as Vista-based, before those clients can be allowed to log onto the network.

A complete list of XP SP3 features appears in this document from Microsoft.

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By Friar Tuck

posted Apr 22, 2008 - 11:24 AM

I certainly hope it works better than the beta releases. I tried it twice and had to do a reload both times.

Once bitten, twice shy, not sure if I want to do another reload.

Score: 0

By the artist

posted Apr 21, 2008 - 11:08 PM

Any leaker...

the links?

in all languages?

Score: 0

By swattz101

edited Apr 22, 2008 - 4:23 PM

---edit---
Here is a link for RC2, I'm still looking to see if I can find a public link for the RTM.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
They closed down all the private news groups and cleaned out the section on connect when Vista SP1 came out. I think they should have kept them open, but what do I know, I'm just a customer. ;-P

http://www.microsoft.com...68A7&displaylang=en

You can read the info on the page, but First download link is a registry fix that will allow you to download it from Windows/Microsoft/Automatic update with the delta or whatever they call it that downloads just what you need. Second link is German, Third is full English and fourth is Japanese. Sorry, no other languages as far as I know.

HTH

Score: 0

By Tarun.

posted Apr 21, 2008 - 7:46 PM

Sweet, build 5512 is RTM/Final!

Score: 0

By robmanic44

posted Apr 21, 2008 - 4:51 PM

I can't imagine too many Vista users are going to flatten their systems to reinstall XP. I'm also certain that you can do better than Ubuntu if you're determined to run linux. I've had good luck with Mandriva and SimplyMepis. If you have the required knowledge, go with Gentoo.

Score: 0

By Jim

posted Apr 22, 2008 - 3:40 AM

Coming from someone who's spend the last month trying a new Distro of Linux every couple of days, taking the time to slim down the kernel on most of them, including Gentoo, I've come to a conclusion others told me before I started. The developers spend to much time concentrating on its server-worthiness. The user-interface is sluggish at best, painful in attempts to get use to, and extremely problematic if you try to enable compiz/beyrl. It may run well on a nicer system, but my point is to compare it with windows on the same machine.

Either way, I don't think there's any point to SP3 unless your trapped by business policy to use xp, or your machine doesn't meet the realistic requirements for vista (dual-core, 2gb ram, 7.2k rpm hdd, and a 3d card nicer then a riva tnt2).

Btw for those interested I think my favorite right now is Sabayon.

Score: 0

By GrantTLC

posted Apr 22, 2008 - 8:13 AM

Ooo, brave choice. Sabayon is very well put together, but the whole Gentoo thing of compiling your own stuff eventually proved too difficult for this noob to master.

"The user-interface is sluggish at best, painful in attempts to get use to, and extremely problematic if you try to enable compiz/beyrl"

I would disagree with this. I've been using Mandriva for a couple of months now and have found it laughably simple getting compiz working through their fab control center. And I've not noticed any real sluggishness in the UI, although it's not noticeably better than than windows either (sans compiz bells and whistles).

Oh, and this IS comparing it to windows on the same machine.

Score: 0

By technologyaddict405

edited Apr 21, 2008 - 4:31 PM

SP3 is not designed for performance enhancement. It simply allows the mentioned forward compatibility and fixes any problems or security issues. I'm currently on the 5503 Release, which has not crashed once.

Ubuntu is definitely the best choice for a computer, although I'm locked into XP thanks to my wireless card. I'm waiting for more drivers to be included with Ubuntu.

I suppose there's always Windows 7...

Score: 0

By mjm01010101

posted Apr 21, 2008 - 7:14 PM

SP3 includes mutithreading improvements in the explorer shell, which WILL improve performance for most people with a computer made the he past 5 years...

Score: 0

By bourgeoisdude

posted Apr 22, 2008 - 9:34 AM

SP3 includes mutithreading improvements in the explorer shell, which WILL improve performance for most people with a computer made the he past 5 years...

Where are you getting that information? I've read the pdf and I don't see that mentioned anywhere.

Maybe...well, if it is an included hotfix, chances are many people already have it via windows updates. I don't recall any hotfixes for that though.

Where are you getting this information, mjm?

Score: 0

By preinterpost

posted Apr 21, 2008 - 4:39 PM

Why don't you replace the card if want to be taken seriously?

Score: 0

By PC_Tool

edited Apr 21, 2008 - 7:29 PM

Why replace a perfectly good piece of hardware (assuming it's a b/g card)?

Score: 0

By fewt

posted Apr 22, 2008 - 12:04 PM

NDISwrapper probably works with it.

Less than ideal, but if determined to switch it can probably be made to work.

Then again, why switch if you don't need to.

Score: 0

By PC_Tool

posted Apr 22, 2008 - 12:27 PM

Then again, why switch if you don't need to.

What?

Non-fanaticism? Here?

I must have been redirected, this can't be BetaNews....

Score: 0

By fewt

edited Apr 22, 2008 - 12:39 PM

meh, you know me. heh

Back in the day when XP was swiss cheese (pre SP2) I'd argue for switching every time, but now that they've cleaned it up and done a decent job with Vista there really isn't any need to switch just for the sake of switching.

Just try them all and stick with the one that fits.

Score: 0

By PC_Tool

posted Apr 22, 2008 - 1:11 PM

Just one? ;P

Score: 0

By fewt

edited Apr 22, 2008 - 1:32 PM

stick with the # that fit. :-P

Score: 0

By preinterpost

posted Apr 22, 2008 - 10:45 AM

The original author made a point of this holding back the install of the beloved Linux dist. If I had this dilemma I'd get a new card... Since I don't have this dilemma the situation an argument against using Linux.

Score: 0

By tscar13

posted Apr 22, 2008 - 9:28 AM

Good Point PC. I expect he/she is locked into one of those 2 year contracts and has to sign away their 1st born to get out of the contract:)

Score: 0

By Tenoq

posted Apr 21, 2008 - 9:10 PM

Why wouldn't you? It's the same argument people make for Vista: "Why don't you just install more RAM?"

Score: 0

By PC_Tool

posted Apr 22, 2008 - 9:03 AM

*laughs*

I knew someone would throw that out.

My response?

What's another b/g card got that his current one doesn't? No new features, no benefits for the cost. If he wants "n", the whole issue is moot, he'll have to upgrade no matter what.

Score: 0

By WeezulDK

posted Apr 21, 2008 - 3:02 PM

I wonder if 5503 was in fact the final build number.

Score: 0

By mfarmilo

posted Apr 21, 2008 - 5:50 PM

No, build 5508 was publically released for testing around a month ago.

Score: 0

By ConceptJunkie

posted Apr 21, 2008 - 2:05 PM

This is great news. XP has been great, and from what I've heard SP3 adds some serious performance improvements. I'm glad XP is going strong... for now... because after that, I'm going to Ubuntu on the rest of my machines (most run it already).

Score: 0

By dvferret

posted Apr 21, 2008 - 3:40 PM

Not sure what your talking about there. Ive heard no such thing about performance gains.

Score: 0

By Tenoq

posted Apr 21, 2008 - 9:11 PM

It's beem benchmarked at 10% faster than SP2 in Office apps.

Score: 0

By lazarus98

posted Apr 21, 2008 - 3:27 PM

I have been using the 3311 build and I saw no performance enhancement at all. I doubt that build 5503 didn't anything else. So don't count on anything being better or faster. just more stable and less bugs. I still prefer it over Vista, even if Vista is supposed to be more secure.

As far as Unabtu... I'm still looking for something better there too!

Score: 0

By NunjaBusiness

edited Apr 21, 2008 - 5:09 PM

What an absolutely ignorant statement.
Of course there is a difference between build 3311 and 5503. I have been running 5503 for more than a month and it makes a noticeable difference.

Score: 0

By lazarus98

posted Apr 21, 2008 - 10:31 PM

While your casting your own moronic statements around, my doubting is not ignorance, it's just an negative inclination towards this particular SP. I'll believe it when I see it and test it on more than one simple machine.
But gee thanks for telling me that there might be a difference, like that wouldn't be expected. I just don't expect much...

Score: 0

By sjc001

posted Apr 21, 2008 - 3:55 PM

The newest version of Ubuntu (8.04) is due out this Thursday and has some big improvements.

Score: 0

By Grazer

posted Apr 21, 2008 - 6:25 PM

Will it recognize my SB X-fi w/o having to recompile the kernel?

Score: 0

By fewt

posted Apr 22, 2008 - 12:06 PM

http://opensource.creative.com/

There are the for your card, and no you don't need to "recompile the kernel" you haven't had to do that to install a driver in 10 years.

Score: 0

By PC_Tool

edited Apr 22, 2008 - 12:25 PM

Heh...

Not supported. Not recommended for use on anything but test systems, Digital-out doesn't function...

Well, you get my point. :p

Although, it *will* recognize it, so I guess it passes that test. ;)

Score: 0

By fewt

posted Apr 22, 2008 - 12:29 PM

Meh, I only buy supported hardware. I did a 5 second google search, if it doesn't work it doesn't work. Put Vista on it, or go buy supported hardware. :-D

Score: 0

By PC_Tool

posted Apr 22, 2008 - 1:11 PM

I should have added that most Creative cards on the market now have much of their functionality not, er...functioning...in Vista as well, so it's not just a Linux thing.

Sound cards are getting a bad rap up and down the block nowadays.

Score: 0

By Tenoq

edited Apr 21, 2008 - 9:12 PM

Go easy - the X-Fi hardly works on Vista either.

EDIT: it's also worth noting my soundcard worked in 7.04 Ubuntu, but it doesn't work in Vista. *sigh*

Score: 0

By PC_Tool

edited Apr 22, 2008 - 9:01 AM

Hell, tell me about it.

Lost my PCI port because my Video card fan assembly blocks it, so I lost my SB Live 24-bit (not really 24-bit, but it's Creative, didn't expect it to be), which actually worked quite well in Vista with the third-party Kx Drivers.

Stuck using the Integrated ADI stuff now....Vista won't give me 5.1 at all.

*sigh*

Going to have to buy a new mainboard with a few more PCI slots and get that HT Omega 7.1. Sounds like a good one. Never going with Creative again.

Score: 0

By robmanic44

posted Apr 22, 2008 - 9:58 AM

I've got a Auzentech Xplosion that came out of my old server. Drivers are readily available and it worked well with Sony 7.1 speakers. I'd give you mine if I knew how.

Score: 0

By PC_Tool

edited Apr 22, 2008 - 10:12 AM

Heh..
Thanks for the offer, but no room, remember? Damn mainboard only has 2 PCI slots. One is covered by the Ati 2900, and anything I put in the next slot blocks the fan on the Ati and gets extremely hot.

Since blocking the fan on the Ati=not a good idea, I'm out of options until I get a new mainboard. Thinking of getting the ASUS M2N-SLI.

I'll keep the Auzentech in mind though. They still around?

Score: 0

By robmanic44

posted Apr 22, 2008 - 4:10 PM

That's the mainboard that I have in my old server. I trust you know about the RAM limitations. Every computer I own has an ASUS mainboard, I wouldn't have anything else. I had to close my site. With my brain damage I just couldn't keep up with the maintenance. Extremetech recently had an article comparing the Auzentech to ASUS own soundcard. ASUS won by a hair.

Score: 0

By PC_Tool

posted Apr 24, 2008 - 8:39 AM

RAM limitations? Do tell. I haven't looked at the board that closely yet. It's still a month or two off.

Got a better suggestion in that price-range?

Score: 0

By tscar13

edited Apr 22, 2008 - 9:44 AM

Creative use to put out great cards. Had one in my old desktop and the media player was actually better than Windows so I use it. Ir was 5.1.

I do think both sound and video cards need to think outside the box and come up with a new approach especially since flat screens now dominate and don't have as good a refresh rate or dot pitch even with DVI hook-up, you are still limited by the Card.

And if you use a laptop as I do, do even think of wasting your money on a larger DVI screen. With the Sound and Video integrated on the motherboard, you still are limited to a dot pitch of, at best .25-.27 and a refresh rate of 60-90.

Score: 0

By bourgeoisdude

edited Apr 21, 2008 - 11:38 PM

Go easy - the X-Fi hardly works on Vista either.

Has worked fine on my Vista since May of last year...

Score: 0

By bourgeoisdude

edited Apr 21, 2008 - 2:05 PM

Awesome. It has been too long since the last service pack has been released.

Score: 0

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