Why people say SP3 sucks?

[Joel]

It's SP2, but with several updates included in one central package.

And some application changes that you may not want.

[+BudMan MVC]

And some application changes that you may not want.

Like what exactly???

http://www.winsupersite.com/faq/xp_sp3.asp

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Q: What are these new features I keep hearing about?

A: Windows XP Service Pack 3 will not include any major new features, but it will include four minor new features that improve the system's reliability and security. Contrary to reports, Microsoft has been very up-front about these functional additions for quite some time now.

These new features include:

Network Access Protection compatibility. Announced years ago, this feature allows Windows XP machines to interact with the NAP feature in Windows Server 2008. This functionality is built into the RTM version of Windows Vista as well.

Product Key-less install option. As with Windows Vista, new XP with SP3 installs can proceed without entering a product key during Setup.

Kernel Mode Cryptographics Module. A new kernel module that "encapsulates several different cryptographic algorithms," according to Microsoft.

"Black hole" router detection algorithm. XP gains the ability to ignore network routers that incorrectly drop certain kinds of network packets. This, too, is a feature of Windows Vista.

And that's about it. Nothing dramatic, as promised.

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What exactly are these changes would a user not want you speak of? Can you please give at least 1 example of an "application" change in SP3 that a user would not want.

[giantpotato]

What exactly are these changes would a user not want you speak of? Can you please give at least 1 example of an "application" change in SP3 that a user would not want.

They removed the ability to have an address bar in the taskbar. This is something I use all the time.

[+BudMan MVC]

hehehe yeah ok, you got me there -- I mean would could live with out the addressbar on their taskbar :rolleyes:

If you just got to have it -- There is always someone to step up and provide when there is a need ;)

http://www.muvenum.com/products/freeware/

For Windows Explorer

MuvEnum Address Bar is the ultimate replacement for the missing address bar in Windows XP SP3. It recreates the experience of the original address bar with auto-completion while adding many new features that allow you to quickly open webpages, navigate to favorites, start programs, search the internet, and more from you Windows Taskbar!

[Joel]

Like what exactly???

The new RD application. And the fact that there still exists software that insists on SP2, no more and no less. And the wonderful idea they had of making you incapable of uninstalling IE7 after applying SP3, if you had applied IE7 first.

[Red Dragon]

People tell me that I shouldn't upgrade to SP3. They don't give a reason, they just say it's not good.

I would like to see what do you think, and what do you use.

I did a bit of research before hand, and discovered I had one of the HP's with a potential problem. The Intel power management. I fixed that and upgraded. No problems so far.

[+BudMan MVC]

The new RD application. And the fact that there still exists software that insists on SP2, no more and no less.

If you do not like the new Remote Desktop client -- then use the old one, there is nothing stopping you. But sure the Service pack will include that as an update.

As to "software" that insists on SP2 -- is this MS software? If not, then that's on them not MS.

As to IE7, well to me I could care less what version it is -- I don't use it, so does not really matter what version it is.. I can't uninstall the version that comes with the OS anyway, so what would it matter if I can not uninstall some updated version of it?

Sure you can complain that they did not put this info out well enough for you.. But this has been known before the release of sp3

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http://www.computerworld.com/action/articl...ticleId=9083318

The inability to downgrade to IE6 after installing XP SP3 was by design, said Maliouta, because the service pack includes newer versions of the old browser's files

Users who want to retain the ability to downgrade from IE7 to IE6 should uninstall the former before upgrading to XP SP3. Once Windows XP has been updated to SP3, users can then install IE7. That process allows for reverting to IE6 in the future.

--

And you could always uninstall the SP, then revert back to IE6, etc.. etc.. etc..

[Elliot B.]

This may help:

Service Pack 3

Windows XP Service Pack 3 (SP3) was released to manufacturing on 21 April 2008 and to the public via both the Microsoft Download Center and Windows Update on 6 May 2008.

It began being automatically pushed out to Automatic Update users on 10 July 2008. A feature set overview which details new features available separately as standalone updates to Windows XP, as well as backported features from Windows Vista has been posted by Microsoft. A total of 1,174 fixes have been included in SP3. Service Pack 3 can be installed on systems with Internet Explorer versions 6 or 7, and Windows Media Player versions 9 and above. Internet Explorer 7 is not included as part of SP3.

New features

• Turns black hole router detection on by default
  
• Network Access Protection client
  
• Windows Imaging Component
  
• Credentials Security Service Provider
  
• Descriptive Security options in Group Policy/Local Security Policy user interface
  
• An updated version of the Microsoft Kernel Mode Cryptographic Module that is FIPS 140-2 certified
  
• Installing without requiring a product key during setup for retail and OEM versions
  

Slipstreamed retail and OEM versions of Windows XP with SP3 can be installed and run with full functionality for 30 days without a product key, after which time the user will be prompted to enter a valid key and activate the installation. Volume license key (VLK) versions still require entering a product key before beginning installation.

Although service packs have, until now, been cumulative, installing SP3 on an existing installation of Windows XP requires that the computer must at least be running with Service Pack 1 installed. However, it is possible to slipstream SP3 into the Windows XP setup files at any service pack level?including the original RTM version?without any errors or issues. Slipstreaming SP3 into Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005 is not supported.

Service Pack 3 does contain updates to the operating system components of Windows XP Media Center Edition (MCE) and Windows XP Tablet PC Edition, and security updates for .NET Framework version 1.0, which is included in these Windows XP SKUs. However, it does not include update rollups for the Windows Media Center application in Windows XP MCE 2005. SP3 also omits security updates for Windows Media Player 10, although the player is included in Windows XP MCE 2005. The Address Bar DeskBand on the Taskbar is no longer included due to legal restrictionProblems

For computers with local hard drive size limitations (such as the Eee PC) the 1 GB of space required on the local hard drive during download and installation of the service pack is preventing installation and forcing unlimited downloading by the automatic updates, as the service pack is continuously redownloaded after each unsuccessful attempt. A workaround for this has been found, which involves downloading SP3 from the Microsoft download site and installing from an external drive. Then moving the ServicePackFiles folder to another drive and using Regedit to edit the Service Pack Source Path in the registry.

On certain non-Intel machines, SP3 can trigger a stop error which prevents Windows from booting. This happens in cases where the manufacturer wrongly set up a non-Intel machine using an image from an Intel machine. As a result, a key in the registry incorrectly indicates an Intel processor, thus causing SP3 to erroneously attempt to load the intel driver during startup. Microsoft has posted multiple methods for resolving this problem.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windows_XP#Service_Pack_3

[MrKuro]

With SP3 I've noticed no change in apparent speed. It was SP-2 that slowed things down dramatically.

for me each service pack has been better than the one before it

sp3 > sp2 > sp1

[Joel]

If you do not like the new Remote Desktop client -- then use the old one, there is nothing stopping you. But sure the Service pack will include that as an update.

It's not that easy; we have a client who uses the TSWEB feature, which now doesn't work with the new RDP client.

As to "software" that insists on SP2 -- is this MS software? If not, then that's on them not MS.

Great. If you had a functioning software before SP3, would you care whose fault it was that it broke? If there's no new versions of a piece of software, and there isn't one expected, why break what you have?

As to IE7, well to me I could care less what version it is -- I don't use it, so does not really matter what version it is.. I can't uninstall the version that comes with the OS anyway, so what would it matter if I can not uninstall some updated version of it?

Because many companies use IE as a frontend for a custom application ,maybe?

Sure you can complain that they did not put this info out well enough for you.. But this has been known before the release of sp3

--

http://www.computerworld.com/action/articl...ticleId=9083318

The inability to downgrade to IE6 after installing XP SP3 was by design, said Maliouta, because the service pack includes newer versions of the old browser's files

Users who want to retain the ability to downgrade from IE7 to IE6 should uninstall the former before upgrading to XP SP3. Once Windows XP has been updated to SP3, users can then install IE7. That process allows for reverting to IE6 in the future.

--

And you could always uninstall the SP, then revert back to IE6, etc.. etc.. etc..

That doesn't help the end user who clicks to install the Windows Updates their company lets them install.

All I'm saying is that SP3 is not for everyone because there are some bumps with it, depending on what you use. Forcing an upgrade of RDP to me is the worst offender, because it wasn't a critical update.

[motang]

People tell me that I shouldn't upgrade to SP3. They don't give a reason, they just say it's not good.

I would like to see what do you think, and what do you use.

I use SP3 on my machine and its good. No complaints here. :)

[Azusa]

Damn it that's the second time i read it as "Why people say PS3 sucks?"

[Zab]

I haven't upgraded to SP2 because where "my" computer is we only have Dial-up....

[asusfreak]

I haven't upgraded to SP2 because where "my" computer is we only have Dial-up....

You can request a CD from MS.

[Zab]

doesn't matter enough..... i can jsut do it if i bring my computer to somebodies hosue, plus i'm moving out soon to highspeed haha

[Dan~]

I've only had one problem with SP3 on my gf dad's laptop.

It had SP2, Installed SP3, plugged in Netgear usb dongle and it would restart :/ tried new software from Netgear, still done it, so I jsut went back to SP2, (luckily I imaged before and after)

might of been a problem with drivers for the machine itself, but it's not a named brand machine so no drivers and couldn't be bothered to look into the issue too much.

I've done 6 other machines, not a proper with them.

[demon6x]

I used to use SP2 but lost my cd and had to get OEM XP SP3. Most of the updates

appeared to be worthless, if it's not broken don't attempt to fix it and make it crippled.

Microsoft got tired of twiddling their fingers in there office writing patches for XP so then made Vista.

That was even more buggy than SP3. Got the blue screen of death a lot on that.

Now they've come out with Windows 7 which is said to just be a patched version of Vista.

It's all a bunch of marketing bull to get you to buy **** and "be up to date!" as they call it. $$$

All of the secuirity features are probably just anti-piracy features. The software companies are working

together to get their money. Even if it means an anti-virus company writing the viruses and offering

you the software at a price. Never judge a book by it's cover people, especially the media and hype.

SP2 ran smoother and faster in my opinion.

The End

[Fraud OS 11]

Don't believe them. Always upgrade to the latest Windows service pack when they come out. Maybe some people who advised you to stay on XPSP2 thought so because they didn't get it when people said "XPSP2 is better than Vista". They thought perhaps "XPSP2 is better". XPSP3 brings a host of benefits along with it: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windows_XP_SP3#Service_Pack_3

[splur]

What's wrong with SP3? Had it on my comps for since it came out, no problems.

[Roberticus]

You do know that you answered to a year old thread...?

"Oct 24 2008"

[Phantom Helix]

I used to use SP2 but lost my cd and had to get OEM XP SP3. Most of the updates

appeared to be worthless, if it's not broken don't attempt to fix it and make it crippled.

Microsoft got tired of twiddling their fingers in there office writing patches for XP so then made Vista.

That was even more buggy than SP3. Got the blue screen of death a lot on that.

Now they've come out with Windows 7 which is said to just be a patched version of Vista.

It's all a bunch of marketing bull to get you to buy **** and "be up to date!" as they call it. $$$

All of the secuirity features are probably just anti-piracy features. The software companies are working

together to get their money. Even if it means an anti-virus company writing the viruses and offering

you the software at a price. Never judge a book by it's cover people, especially the media and hype.

SP2 ran smoother and faster in my opinion.

The End

Nominated for "Most useless uninformed replying to a year old post one post wonder post of the year"

[+BudMan MVC]

Seconded, do we have a 3rd? So they can win the prize!

[zhangm Supervisor]

Seconded, do we have a 3rd? So they can win the prize!

Thirded.

[Draconian Guppy]

People say XP SP3 suck, the same reason people say vista suck, mac OS suck, etc...

By the end of the day, updating is usually a win/win situation, the only downside may be losing programs/hardware due to incompatibility issues.