Windows XP SP3

[wntsurfr]

I recently found a link to Windows XP SP3 release candidate 1.  You can do a Google search and MS is one of the links. 

I was wondering if you were (or planning to) take a look at this to see what, if anything, they have upgraded/improved/f***ed up.

I am not terribly impressed with Vista and actually, at least for now, prefer Windows XP.  If I could benefit from SP3, I would certainly install.  It is currently a 360+MB download.

Many who have installed it say it improves boot time as well as program load times.

Just curious.

BTW, I love this site, many thanks.

[Spawn]

XP Service Pack 3 is supposed to improve XP performance by 10%, I believe.  That's good because it is already a solid OS, so an improvement for an OS that old is just grand.  I would be leary, however, of installing it before an official release unless you have another machine to try it on.  The official release should be sometime in the first quarter of 2008.

Best Regards,

Spawn

[FLATLINE]

I would wait for the official release too but the way I understand it Service pack 3 is a compilation of updates we have already been getting so who knows if there would even be a problem. Can anyone clarify this Service pack 3 deal? Is what I heard right or am I way off?

[Black Viper]

I am currently messing with Vista SP1, so XP SP3 for me will still be a few more weeks away, but, yes, I will be updating my info for both mentioned ASAP.

[IH8U]

Service Pack 3 is a compilation of all previous updates and it will also include hotfixes that weren't released through Windows Update. SP3 will also change a few things like product activation. It will be similar to way Vista doesn't require a product key to install the OS. Also there should be some code optimization and small changes that supposedly will increase the performance of XP. Plus some additional security enhancements will be made.

For the official word from Microsoft check http://download.microsoft.com/download/6/8/7/687484ed-8174-496d-8db9-f02b40c12982/Overview%20of%20Windows%20XP%20Service%20Pack%203.pdf

[FLATLINE]

Thanks IH8U!

[wntsurfr]

Thank all of you for the replies.  I did install this on a spare machine I have and it did, at least, speed up the boot time.  I really haven't had time to play with it any more. 

I'm just glad M$ is still recognizing XP still has many users.  While I would put Vista on a new machine, and have, my laptop runs great with XP and I wouldn't dream of changing that any time soon.

Thanks again and I look forward to Black Viper's service configs on SP3 in the upcoming months.

[IH8U]

Thanks IH8U!

No Problem