Windows XP SP3 Released To Manufacturing

mike_diack was one of many readers to send word that Windows XP SP3 been released to manufacturing. It will be available to OEMs and enterprise customers on April 29. Here is a summary of features and changes. The company will wait till "early summer" to enable SP3 downloads through Automatic Updates.

Comments

Re:So the bad guys will have MONTHS.

[edugeek-au]

Windows XP SP3 - detailed by channel schedule
Channel / Release Vector
Planned dates (US)


RTM (release to manufacturing) - Apr-21
OEM Channel - Apr-21
Windows Update - Apr-29
Download Centre - Apr-29
MSDN/Technet Download - May-02
Windows XP SP3 Fulfillment Media - May-19
VL Customers via download - Jun-01
Automatic Updates - Jun-10

Re:So the bad guys will have MONTHS.

[fyrewulff]

Uh, SPs are just packaged updates since the last major release. XP SP2 was the exception this time around. You already have most of SP3, if not all of it, if you've been staying up to date.

The most notable new feature of SP3 is that it allows more CD keys to be entered into it, since they are extremely close or have run out of new ones to print that XP, XP SP1 and XP SP2 will recognize.

The SP3 via automatic updates seems to mean to me that they are waiting that long to have a special SP3 download (like the massive 300MB or so SP2 offline installer)

Added "Features"

[Shikaku]

Windows XP SP3 also includes a small list of previously unavailable functionality, including NAP and an update of Windows Product Activation. I love the term "functionality" because it reminds me of the DRM things in Vista. Anyway, here's what they are adding besides all previous fixes:

"Black Hole" Router Detection Windows XP SP3 includes improvements to black hole router detection (detecting routers that are silently discarding packets), turning it on by default. Seems nice

Network Access Protection (NAP) More for enterprise/admins. See http://www.microsoft.com/technet/network/nap/napfaq.mspx.

Descriptive Security Options User Interface The Security Options control panel in Windows XP SP3 now has more descriptive text to explain settings and prevent incorrect settings configuration. Figure 1 shows an example of this new functionality. Cool I guess.

Enhanced security for Administrator and Service policy entries In System Center Essentials for Windows XP SP3, Administrator and Service entries will be present by default on any new instance of policy. Additionally, the user interface for the Impersonate Client After Authentication user right will not be able to remove these settings. More admin stuff. I'll skip some of it from the PDF

Windows Product Activation As in Windows Server 2003 SP2 and Windows Vista, users can now complete operating system installation without providing a product key during a full, integrated installation of Windows XP SP3. The operating system will prompt the user for a product key later as part of Genuine Advantage. As with previous service packs, no product key is requested or required when installing Windows XP SP3 using the update package available through Microsoft Update. Note The Windows Product Activation changes in Windows XP SP3 are not related to the Windows Vista Key Management Service (KMS). This update affects only new operating system installations from integrated source media. This update affects the installation media only and is not a change to how activation works in Windows XP. I'm not so sure about this though. WPA update... I wonder what Microsoft is sneak in on this.

Re:Update Rollups every 6 months please!

[Anonymous Coward]

I'm aware there are third party ways to update fresh builds of XP in a more straightforward fashion (or integrate the updates in to the install disc), but where is mighty Microsoft on this? Where is the value here?

Ummm, you don't need a third-party tool, microsoft provides lots of information on how to slipstream patches into xp before you install. This documentation has been available for years, and it is the same technique as win2000 and win2003 (dunno about vista).

You can also script your install (search google for winnt.sif or unattend.txt) so you just turn on the system and come back in 30 minutes with everything installed the way you like it. Go look at www.msfn.org.

Re:So much service!

[pizpot]

How to do your Windows/Ubuntu PC, with 2 hardrives:

drive 1,120GB (operating systems and windows programs)
drive 2 200GB+ (linux data)

partition drive 1 into four partitions of this size:

1. 20G - for XP (fat32)
2. 20G - for XP backup (fat32)
3. 60G - for windows data (fat32)
4. 20G - for ubuntu linux / (ext2)

partition drive 2 into 2 partitions:
1. 512 MB for linux swap
2. the rest for linux /home (ext2)

Google "hirens download" for a cd with partition and ghost programs.

Install XP on drive 1 partition 1 and patch it up and install all your stuff. Put games in a folder called "programs" on part 3. Make sure you have a router firewall so XP not get hacked right away.

Install Ubuntu linux (or whatever) to the 4th partition on drive 1, tell it to use the big partition on drive 2 as /home.

Then ghost XP to partition 2 for when it goes to shit. When that happens, just ghost it back from 2 to 1: 5 minutes beats an hour or two.

If you re-install windows, you will lose your boot menu that linux did for you. Just boot to the ubuntu cd, and click Apps, Terminal and then:
grub
find /boot/grub/stage1
-->it replies with (hd0,3)
root (hd0,3)
setup (hd0)
quit
exit

Re:So much service!

[pizpot]

been using it since it went out March 28th on MSDN... it is fine.

Re:I will slipstream it and add the driver pack to

[Gazzonyx]

Just wanted to say thanks; driverpacks.net has saved me so much time and hassle slipstreaming and integrating images for work. Between driverpack.net, RyanVM, WPI, nlite and msfn.org forums, I've saved countless hours. I would have spent all that time either collecting files, writing scripts, etc. or just going through a Dell 'clean' install (which, even at my fastest, takes about 3 hours to slim down and then install the company apps, and configure/add to domain). Your driver packs saved my bacon a few months ago when the Dell cd drive died and I had to use one off the shelf. I've also pulled raw infs from them on occasion when I've needed a driver that I didn't want to hunt down. Thank you!