sp3

Microsoft two weeks ago cut support for its Windows XP Service Pack 2 (SP2), essentially leaving millions of XP users without software updates to patch MS Windows from exploits (and hackers). However, a security researcher has revealed a new hack ... that can help SP2 users get access to the support many thought was forever lost. Microsoft's decision to cut tech support for SP2 was a controversial move, particularly when a shortcut flaw affecting the operating system emerged at the same time. SP2 users remain more exposed than users of Windows XP SP3 through Windows 7. (Source: neoseeker.com ) ... (view more)

A Service Pack (SP) is a collection of updates, fixes and/or enhancements to a software program delivered in the form of a single installable package. Many companies (such as Microsoft) typically release a service pack when the number of individual ... patches to a given program reaches a certain (arbitrary) limit. Installing a service pack is easier and less error-prone than installing a high number of patches individually, even more so when updating multiple computers over a network. Service packs are usually numbered, and thus shortly referred to as SP1, SP2, SP3 etc. They may also bring, ... (view more)

Microsoft has reportedly warned that users updating to Windows XP Service Pack 3 (SP3) won't be able to downgrade from Internet Explorer 7 (IE7) to IE6 without uninstalling Windows XP SP3. A post on Microsoft's IE Blog warns "If you choose to ... install XP SP3, Internet Explorer 7 will remain on your system after the install is complete. Your preferences will be retained. However, you will no longer be able to uninstall IE7. If you go to Control Panel, Add/Remove Programs, the Remove option will be grayed out." The inability to downgrade to IE6 after installing Windows XP SP3 was by design, ... (view more)

Microsoft released to manufacturers (RTM) the final code for Windows XP Service Pack 3 (SP3). The public version will be available for download from Microsoft on April 29, 2008. CNET reported that the upgrade will be effortless for most Windows XP ... users. Windows XP SP3 includes functionality previously released as updates. Other Windows XP SP3 updates relevant to home users include: Support for WPA2, the latest standards-based wireless security solution derived from the IEEE 802.11i standard. Improvements to black-hole router detection (detecting routers that are silently discarding packets ... (view more)

CNET has an interesting article article praising the release of Windows XP Service Pack 3 (SP3), encouraging Windows Vista users to upgrade to Windows XP. In comparing Windows Vista to utter "crap," the report details what a substantial and ... extremely helpful upgrade Windows XP SP3 is -- going so far as to exclaim that it creates the best windows experience the author has ever had. Windows Vista still receives, for the most part, a lukewarm reception from consumers, even less from businesses. Windows Vista SP1 will be released early this year in hopes of gaining a greater customer base, but ... (view more)

An article from Computer World says the Windows XP Service Pack 3 (SP3) beta, recently released to about 15,000 testers, runs Microsoft's Office Suite 10% faster than Windows XP SP2. Performance testing was done by Devil Mountain Software, with the ... results leading to further speculation that Windows XP is going absolutely nowhere. The tests were also performed with Windows Vista and Windows Vista SP1. Benchmarks from the tests show Windows XP SP3 to be more than two times faster than Vista SP1, which doesn't bode well for Windows Vista. Craig Barth, Devil Mountain's chief technology officer, ... (view more)

Since the introduction of Windows Vista, a lot of the emphasis has been on Windows Vista Service Pack 1 (SP1) and little has has been mentioned regarding Service Pack 3 (SP3) for Windows XP. It was originally assumed that Windows XP SP3 would simply ... be a rolled up collection of bug fixes and patches but there reportedly seems to be more to it than that. Recently, Microsoft released a beta of Windows XP SP3 to a select group of testers reportedly labeled as build 3205, weighing in at 334.92 MBs. Originally reported by NeoSmart , XP SP3 contains 1,073 hotfixes and patches released since XP SP2 ... (view more)

Just as Microsoft releases one of its most anticipated products of this season (Internet Explorer 7), the Redmond-based company has announced the delay of an important update for the Windows XP operating system -- XP Service Pack 3 (SP3). Even ... though Windows Vista is planned for mass release in November 2006 (business and corporate versions) and January 2007 (home editions), XP Service Pack 3 will not be officially launched until at least 2008. And now that the bomb has been dropped, speculation has begun. When XP SP2 was released in 2004, the last Service Pack essentially acted as a whole ... (view more)