Microsoft Windows XP Service Pack 3???

[AndyT]

Ì did the usual aupdates today for Windows and low and behold it comes up with a screen saying installing Windows XP service pack 3 I have never seen this mentioned anywhere only Service pack 2 is the latest one okay to load or does anyone know of any Gremlins with it??? I'm just a bit cautious thats all

MAny thanks in advance

Andy

 

[bustupbiker]

My laptop did the update last night also, not noticed any problems
SO FAR

 

[ovenpaa]

XP SP3 has been out a few months now and seems quite stable

 

[Achim]

SP3 has a bug that slows down EVERYTHING on your computer. I sent a complaint to Microsoft and got the following reply back from India:

Dear Achim,
<o></o>
As per the problem description computer is slow after installing service pack 3 on the computer.
<o></o>
This could due to the updated system files. Service pack 3 will update, modify and create new system files on the computer. If there is any third party software is using the system files, it will not find the same system files after updating service pack 3 and will not work properly. This may give you some unwanted results.
<o></o>
Please follow the steps mentioned below which can help us resolve/diagnose the cause of the issue.
<o></o>
ACTION PLAN:
<o></o>
1.Update all the software on the computer, specially the security software.
2.Click start-> Click Run and type these item one by one, each will open up a folder delete all the file in those folders.
TEMP, %TEMP%, PREFETCH
3.Run a Full service pack scan from www.safety.live.com and remove any unwanted programs from the computer.
4.Restart the computer 3 time after following every step.
<o></o>
Please let us know about the results as we will be more than happy to analyze them and work on further technical action plan.
<o></o>
I would like to take this opportunity to thank you once again for choosing Microsoft.
<o></o>
<o></o>
Yours sincerely,
​

<o></o>
<o>I then looked around on the internet and discovered that the solution was a hotfix. Microsoft know about the problem but chose to roll out the "update" anyway. To save my time, I'm quoting from my reply to Microsoft's message above:</o>

<o></o>

Thank you very much for your helpful response. I had to laugh when I got to point 4, especially when I realised that Microsoft are serious about this.

In the meantime I have downloaded a hotfix off the Microsoft website (after searching long and hard). It was the one that fixes problems after the SP3 download goes wrong.

This problem has cost me approximately eight hours of time. I ended up with a black screen and thought my laptop had given up the ghost. I had to reinstall Outlook. I wasted more time waiting for XP to get its act together, which it never did until I fixed it.

In April 2007 I bought a new Dell PC which came with Vista. It was a nightmare to set up and the administrator privileges never worked properly. Four weeks after delivery the motherboard blew up. Dell repaired it but we (Dell Support and I) never got the full administrator privileges to work. Dell sent a new computer. Same problem. Then Dell offered to install Windows XP.

In the end I got my money back and bought an iMac. What a difference: it just works! No faffing around with an operating system that is unfinished business.

Now I have Vista-like problems with XP. This experience made me decide that my next laptop will be a Macbook. Many of my friends and colleagues feel the same. We live in the 21st Century but Vista and XP SP3 remind us of Windows 3.1 in the way that they rely on the user to run properly.

I will never buy another computer with a Microsoft-based operating system. Life is too short! Feel free to forward this feed-back to Bill Gates.

Yours sincerely,
Achim

​

If I were you, I'd stay away from SP3 - unless you want to spend a day fixing your machine afterwards.

Achim

 

[AndyT]

Whooaa.... juyst cancelled the update to Service pack 3 That sounds like something I could do without ..

AndyT

 

[PhilM]

All 14 or so PCs at work have it, all running Xp Pro, no problems.
BUT, XP Home at home is not interested and won't even install it.
I think I read somewhere it needs a tweek in the registry to cure that but I can't be bothered.

 

[ovenpaa]

I have only ever tried in XP Pro and have not seen any problems in maybe 20 installs.

Like everything it be great for some people and break for others. Maybe they should call it SP1200?

 

[davedyer]

...Feel free to forward this feed-back to Bill Gates

Psstt - Bill has retired from Microsoft.

 

[motobiker]

My computer is getting on for 4 years old now.. so horribly out of date. However I installed SP3 when it was offered a few months ago and its had no detrimental effect at all.

Must admit when I read stories like this I always think to myself 'What are they talking about?' - Same goes for the nightmare stories I read from people who have had problems with IE and then moved to firefox - I've never had a problem with IE.

I'm a firm believer in 'if it aint broke.....'

 

[Rushy]

Same goes for the nightmare stories I read from people who have had problems with IE and then moved to firefox - I've never had a problem with IE.

Seriously IE crashes at work occasionally but not enouhg for me to ask for something to be done about it. However on my home laptop which is a 2 yr old business spec Dell it crashes everytime I use it if i'm on for more than 30 mins and several times if I'm on for longer.

My 7 yr old old iMac upstairs which I haven't really used since buying the laptop has thrown a hissy no more than twice since I bought it.

I boguht the Dell cos it was cheap and althouhg the laptop is great I think MS are a bunch of tossers. I just couldnt afford a Macbook at the time

 

[motobiker]

yes... seriously.

I used to have problems with IE when it was part of windows 98... but since moving to XP - I can't remember a time when it's crashed horribly... I've never used the 'system restore' and now have it switched off.

This puter is a shop built generic... maybe thats the difference??

Previously I only ever had branded ones. Acer, Dell and HP. (and problems with them all) - regular fatal exceptions and the blue screen of death... or freezing up completely.

But with XP none of that nonsense.

 

[exeter_lad]

Hotfix?

Hi Achim. Do you have a link to the Hotfix please ? (or the adress of a good optician if iI missed it?)

 

[Achim]

Hi Achim. Do you have a link to the Hotfix please ? (or the adress of a good optician if iI missed it?)

Unfortunately I didn't keep the link or the Hotfix number (which is why I didn't post it before), I only kept the unzipped file. The file properties are as follows:

Description: Hotfix Package
Company: Microsoft Corporation
File Version: 1.0.0.0
Date Created: 30/10/2008 14:38
Size: 63.5KB
​

I'm not sure that this enables you to find it on the Microsoft website. Alternatively I could e-mail the file to you, although I'd understand if you were to decline...

I think I found it by entering the search terms "XP SP3 update problems" or something along those lines. If you do want the file, just PM me. I might be able to attach it to a PM - dunno - might need your e-mail address.

Achim

 

[Anonymous]

I must have installed XP SP3 on at least 50 work machines all running XP pro and have found no problems, in fact stability seems to be improved and performance increased in most cases. All machines are Dell.

I would recommend backing up the entire system before installation just in case!

I can't vouch for XP Home though!

If in doubt, definitely buy a Mac you won't regret it!

 

[Achim]

I must have installed XP SP3 on at least 50 work machines all running XP pro and have found no problems, in fact stability seems to be improved and performance increased in most cases. [...]
If in doubt, definitely buy a Mac you won't regret it!

All I can say is that it didn't work initially on my IBM ThinkPad T41 running XP Pro. Microsoft's comments to me seem to indicate that mine was not an isolated problem.

I fully agree with your assessment of the Mac: we have replaced the family PC with an iMac, and it's a brilliant machine.

Achim

 

[Bob1150GS]

SIMILAR PROBLEM

Hi to all the wizz kids, I have had a similar problem since SP3 Update, almost cured now but the one issue is not being able to print anything from the web. All that prints is page after page of small print obviously it's all code. I have this morning uninstalled the printer and reinstalled still the same. Any sugestions? I cant narrow it down on the MS site.

 

[john1215]

Hi,

I installed SP3, (well it installed on its own, I had very little part in the process). Since the installation I got a message box popping on the screen every 30 secs to say that there was a problem with Outlook Express. ( I don't use this program by the way)I found a lot of info on the web about the particular error but not a lot in the way of a fix. I run Windows XP Pro.
I used the system restore to get rid of the update file and everything is back to normal. I have since downloaded a small executable that prevents my computer from downloading unannounced SP's via Automatic updates.

My PC works okay without SP3 so I won't bother with it.

john1215

 

[trebor]

SP3 has a bug that slows down EVERYTHING on your computer. ....................

I then looked around on the internet and discovered that the solution was a hotfix.

My PC has been running slow lately, but not sure if it is down to SP3 or not, I installed it a while back. Can you give us a link to this Hotfix so we can check it out. I've had a seach on the MS support site but can find nothing

Bob