Windows XP Service Pack 3 FAQIt's time to say goodbye to an old friend. Windows XP Service Pack 3 (SP3), due in the second quarter of 2. XP service pack , according to Microsoft. It can't come a moment too soon: XP SP2 (see my review) shipped over three years ago at this writing, and the company has since shipped hundreds of hot- fixes for the OS, giving users a painful updating experience, with multiple reboots.

Windows XP Service Pack 3 FAQIt's time to say goodbye to an old friend. Windows XP Service Pack 3 (SP3), due in the second quarter of 2. XP service pack , according to Microsoft. It can't come a moment too soon: XP SP2 (see my review) shipped over three years ago at this writing, and the company has since shipped hundreds of hot- fixes for the OS, giving users a painful updating experience, with multiple reboots.

XP SP3 will consolidate all of these fixes into a single package and, surprisingly, add a few new features, including some that- -go figure- -debuted first in XP's successor, Windows Vista. Here's what I know about Windows XP Service Pack 3. Q: What is Service Pack 3? A: Windows XP Service Pack 3 (SP3) is the final Windows XP service pack, a collection of previously- released fixes and product enhancements, as well as a few new features that are unique to this release.

Q: Does SP3 include everything from SP1 and SP2 or do I need to install those first? A: Though XP SP3 aggregates all of the previously- released XP fixes, Microsoft now says that you will need to install at least SP1 on XP before installing SP3. The company recommends installing SP2 first as well, though that is not required. Q: What versions of Windows XP will work with SP3? A: You can apply Service Pack 3 to Windows XP Home Edition, Professional Edition, Tablet PC Edition (any version), or Media Center Edition (any version). Q: What about Windows XP Professional x.

Edition? A: SP3 does not apply to the x. Windows XP. Instead, that operating system is updated via service packs aimed at Windows Server 2.

The latest Windows 2. SP2. Q: Windows XP SP2 was released over three years ago. Why the delay on SP3? A: While Microsoft is an enormous company with over 7.

For example, while a large team of developers, product managers, and program managers are involved during the ramp- up to any major OS release, Microsoft then pushes the product into its support organization for follow- up development in the form of hot- fixes, service packs, and so on. Other teams work on out- of- band updates that are typically shipped via the Web and, eventually, a new or existing team is constituted to work on the next major release and the entire process begins anew. With Windows XP, however, Microsoft was forced to temporarily halt development on XP's successor, Windows Vista, in order to complete XP SP2. That's because this release, though provided to customers for free as a typical service pack, was in fact a major OS upgrade and was developed outside of the company's support structure, a first for any service pack release. After XP SP2 was completed, the people involved with that project moved onto other things, typically Vista or Windows Server 2. In the case of Windows XP SP3, Microsoft simply dedicated every available employee it could to completing Windows Vista, which by that time was years behind schedule.

So it's only been since the beginning of this year that anyone turned their attention back to XP's next and neglected service pack. 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 2.

As we all know Microsoft has released the final version of Windows. Windows Vista Service Pack 1 is an update to Windows Vista that addresses key feedback from our customers. SP1 addresses specific reliability and performance issues.

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 .

Windows XP Service Pack 3 free download. Get the latest version now. Windows XP Service Pack 3 Build 5512 FINAL. DEFAULT ~ What Bill G. From Microsoft: The Windows XP startup disk allows computers without a bootable CD-ROM to perform a new installation of the operating system. The Windows XP startup. Microsoft Windows Vista was one of the least well received Windows operating systems released by Microsoft. While for the most part corrected in later patches and.

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. Q: That's it? Is there anything else?

Nothing major. Some features have actually been removed, like the taskbar- based Address Bar option. Q: Why is Microsoft even bothering to release this update? Isn't everyone moving to Windows Vista? A: Given the relative security, stability, and reliability of XP with SP2, and the subsequent release of Vista, XP SP3 may seem like a pointless update, but nothing could be further from the truth. Many businesses will roll out new XP- based PCs in the coming years, and as anyone who's had to update an XP SP2 system can tell you, the 1. Microsoft has shipped since SP2 can be a nightmare to deploy. If you're already running XP and have been regularly updating your systems all along, the release of XP SP3 will be a minor event.

But if you have planned XP deployments in the future, look very carefully at this release and consider it the baseline for your next generation of PCs. Or, you could always consider Vista, which will of course be updated with genuine new features far longer than will XP. Q: When will Microsoft ship XP SP3? A: Microsoft finalized Windows XP Service Pack 3 on April 2. Web on April 2. 9, 2. Here's the complete Windows XP SP3 release schedule: RTM (release to manufacturing): April 2. Windows Update (optional update): April 2.

Microsoft Download Center: April 2. MSDN/Tech. Net download: May 2 Q: Is it possible to slipstream or integrate SP3 with Windows XP? A: Yes! My complete Windows XP Service Pack 3 Slipstreaming Guide is now available.

Important Facts About Microsoft Windows Vista. Microsoft Windows Vista was one of the least well received Windows operating systems released by Microsoft.

• Windows XP Service Pack 2 free download. Get the latest version now. Microsoft Windows XP Service Pack 2.
• Description: The Windows XP Service Pack 2 (XP SP2) fixes a range of bugs in Windows XP. The file is a large download and can be applied to any version of Windows XP.
• The Visual Studio 2005 Service Pack 1 Update for Windows Vista addresses areas of Visual Studio impacted by Windows Vista enhancements. This update also applies to.
• Description: Windows XP Service Pack 3 (XP SP3) fixes a range of bugs and adds new features to Windows XP. The file is a large download and can be applied to any.

While for the most part corrected in later patches and updates for the operating system, several initial system stability issues plagued Windows Vista and was a major contributing factor to its poor public image. Windows Vista Release Date. Windows Vista was released to manufacturing on November 8, 2. January 3. 0, 2. 00.

Windows Vista is preceded by Windows XP, and succeeded by Windows 7. The most recent version of Windows is Windows 1. July 2. 9, 2. 01. Windows Vista Editions.

There are six editions of Windows Vista available but only the first three of them listed below are widely available to consumers: Windows Vista Ultimate. Windows Vista Business. Windows Vista Home Premium. Windows Vista Starter.

Windows Vista Home Basic. Windows Vista Enterprise. Windows Vista Starter is available to hardware makers for preinstallation on small, lower- end computers.

Windows Vista Home Basic is only available in certain developing markets. Windows Vista Enterprise is the edition designed for large corporate customers.

Two additional editions, Windows Vista Home Basic N and Windows Vista Business N, are available in the European Union. These editions differ only by their lack of a bundled version of Windows Media Player, a result of anti- trust sanctions against Microsoft in the EU. All editions of Windows Vista are available in either 3. Windows Vista Starter, which is only available in a 3. Windows Vista Minimum Requirements. The following hardware is required, at a minimum, to run Windows Vista. The hardware in parentheses is the minimum necessary for some of the more advanced graphics features of Windows Vista.

CPU: 8. 00 MHz (1 GHz)RAM: 5. MB (1 GB)Hard Drive: 1. GB free of 2. 0 GB (1. GB free of 4. 0 GB)Graphics Card: 3. MB & Direct. X 9 capable (1. MB & Direct. X 9 capable + WDDM 1.

Your optical drive will need to support DVD media if you plan on installing Windows Vista from a DVD. Windows Vista Hardware Limitations.

Windows Vista Starter supports up to 1 GB of RAM while 3. Windows Vista max out at 4 GB. Depending on the edition, 6.

Windows Vista support much more RAM. Windows Vista Ultimate, Enterprise, and Business support up to 1.

GB of memory. Windows Vista Home Premium supports 1. GB and Home Basic supports 8 GB. Physical CPU limitations for Windows Vista Enterprise, Ultimate, and Business is 2, while Windows Vista Home Premium, Home Basic, and Starter support just 1. Logical CPU limitations in Windows Vista are easy to remember: 3.

Windows Vista Service Packs. The most recent service pack for Windows Vista is Service Pack 2 (SP2) which was released on May 2. Windows Vista SP1 was released on March 1. See Latest Microsoft Windows Service Packs for more information about Windows Vista SP2. Not sure what service pack you have?

See How To Find What Windows Vista Service Pack is Installed for help. The initial release of Windows Vista has the version number 6.

See my Windows Version Numbers list for more on this. More About Windows Vista. Below are some of the popular Windows Vista specific tutorials and walkthroughs on my site: You can find most of my other Windows Vista tutorials on my Windows Vista How- To's, Tutorials, and Walkthroughs page.

If you're looking for something more than maintenance and troubleshooting help, which is my site's focus, please know that the About. Windows site is also available which is a fantastic resource for helping you get the most out of Windows Vista on your computer.