Windows XP Service Pack 3, DOWNLOAD and INFORMATION
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DOWNLOAD windows XP SP 3 HERE
This is a legal download direct from Microsoft
DOWNLOAD OFFICIAL MICROSOFT INTRODUCTION
(WHITEPAPER) TO SP 3 HERE
Highlights of Windows XP SP3
| Change/Feature | Details | Impact/Benefit |
| Revised Network Stack | "Black Hole" router detection; WAP2 Wi-Fi security support; NAP (Network Access Protection) support | Improved performance; works with newer wireless security standards; policy-based protection of network against unhealthy PCs |
| Internet Explorer 7.0 | Latest version of Microsoft’s Web browser | Tabbed browsing; phishing filter; better standards compliance |
| Windows Media Player 11 | Latest version of Microsoft’s audio/video playback application | Bug fixes and security improvements; supports broader range of media types |
| Performance Improvements | Better throughput at a variety of business productivity tasks | Gives IT shops one more incentive to stay with Windows XP |
SP3 for Windows XP speeds up the whole system
Windows XP Service Pack 3 (SP3), the update scheduled to release next year, runs Microsoft Corp.’s Office suite 10% faster than XP SP2, a performance testing software developer reported Friday. Devil Mountain Software, which earlier in the week claimed Windows Vista SP1 was no faster than the original, repeated some of the same tests on the release candidate of Windows XP SP3, the service pack recently issued to about 15,000 testers. “We were pleasantly surprised to discover that Windows XP SP3 delivers a measurable performance boost to this aging desktop OS,” said Craig Barth, Devil Mountain’s chief technology officer, in a post to a company blog Friday. According to the Office performance benchmarks, Windows XP SP3 is also considerably faster than Vista SP1. ”
None of this bodes well for Vista, which is now more than two times slower than the most current builds of its older sibling,” said Barth. Microsoft has at times struggled to wean users from the six-year-old Windows XP and get them to migrate to Vista. During 2007, for example, it made several XP concessions, including adding five years to the support lifespan of the Home edition and extending OEM and retail sales of XP through June 2008, as it recognized that customers wanted to hold on to the older OS. That’s definitely good news for all users like me who decided to stay with not so problematic Windows XP. I guess Vista will become usable too, but it will take few Service Packs…
Source: PC World
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Test Center Guide to the Vista and XP Service Packs</WEBHEADLINE _extended="true">
As you read this, Microsoft is getting set to deliver the final bits of what has become an increasingly controversial patch cycle. Windows Vista Service Pack 1, which went "gold" a few weeks back, was finally made general available via Windows Update yesterday. Meanwhile, Windows XP Service Pack 3 is nearing its final release, with the RTM drop rumored to be making an appearance sometime this week.
The controversy stems from the relatively lukewarm reception of Vista in the enterprise. The vast majority of IT shops will be sticking with Windows XP for the foreseeable future, giving Service Pack 3 a higher profile than would normally have been afforded to a set of patches for a now (according to Microsoft) "obsolete" OS. At the same time, Service Pack 1 for Vista has been drawn, measured, and found wanting, putting yet another nail in the coffin of the would-be replacement for XP.
As we wait for that next Service Pack to drop, let’s take a look at what you can expect from Windows XP Service Pack 3 and Windows Vista Service Pack 1.
Windows XP Service Pack 3
Windows XP Service Pack 3 has been the recipient of copious undue attention. After all, it’s just another compilation of patches and minor tweaks – for an obsolete OS, no less. However, with so many shops bypassing Vista, the release of Service Pack 3 has taken on new levels of importance: This may be the last Service Pack they see for their chosen platform before Windows 7 arrives in late 2009.
Fortunately, SP3 manages to deliver. For starters, there’s the usual roll-up of fixes. Currently, Windows XP SP2 users face a deluge of "high priority" patches when they first connect to Windows Update. Maintaining a current installation image – with all of the required patches "slipstreamed" into the mix – has become a job function in and of itself. Having SP3 as a starting point will reduce the support hassle and minimize the security exposure for newly minted (and, as yet, unpatched) systems.
Feature-wise, XP SP3 is short on headliners (Windows XP Service Pack 3 changes table is at top) There’s the revised network stack with better Black Hole router detection (lower overhead, on by default). Some new cryptographic modules allow developers to better secure their driver code. And you’ll find Network Access Protection (NAP) support so that Windows Server 2008 environments can lock out unpatched PCs or systems that otherwise are not up to standards. There’s nothing earth-shaking here, just solid fixes to basic limitations in the OS core.
Randall C. Kennedy is a contributing editor of the InfoWorld Test Center, and he writes the Enterprise Desktop blog.
Windows XP Service Pack 3 Build 3300 RC2
Microsoft Windows XP Service Pack 3 (SP3) provides new proactive security technologies for Windows XP to better defend against viruses, worms, and hackers along with increased manageability and an improved experience for users.
Microsoft Windows XP Service Pack 3 fixes a range of bugs in Windows XP. It doesn’t matter what XP updates you have previously applied to your system, SP3 will update any unpatched, partially patched or completely updated system (it includes all previously released patches and updates).
XP SP3 fixes the security holes so you won’t get attacked.
Microsoft periodically combines updates, fixes, and other improvements into a single package - Service Pack. Microsoft develops updates, fixes, and other improvements that address issues reported by the company’s customers and partners. To make it easier for customers to get these updates and enhancements, Microsoft periodically combines them into a single package, and makes that package available for all Windows customers.
WHITE PAPER
Overview of Windows XP Service Pack 3 Abstract This is a preliminary document and may be changed substantially prior to final commercial release of the software described herein. The information contained in this document represents the current view of Microsoft Corporation on the issues discussed as of the date of publication. Because Microsoft must respond to changing market conditions, it should not be interpreted to be a commitment on the part of Microsoft, and Microsoft cannot guarantee the accuracy of any information presented after the date of publication. This white paper is for informational purposes only. MICROSOFT MAKES NO WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, IN THIS DOCUMENT. Complying with all applicable copyright laws is the responsibility of the user. Without limiting the rights under copyright, no part of this document may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise), or for any purpose, without the express written permission of Microsoft Corporation. Microsoft may have patents, patent applications, trademarks, copyrights, or other intellectual property rights covering subject matter in this document. Except as expressly provided in any written license agreement from Microsoft, the furnishing of this document does not give you any license to these patents, trademarks, copyrights, or other intellectual property. © 2007 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. Microsoft, Windows, Windows Server, Windows Vista, Windows Live, OneCare, MSDN, and the Windows logo and are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or other countries. The names of actual companies and products mentioned herein may be the trademarks of their respective owners. Microsoft Corporation • One Microsoft Way • Redmond, WA 98052-6399 • USA Contents Introduction ………………………………………………………………………………… 3 What Is In Service Pack 3 …………………………………………………………….. 4 Previously Released Functionality 5 New and Enhanced Functionality 6 Deploying Windows XP SP3 ………………………………………………………… 9 Summary …………………………………………………………………………………… 10 Service Pack Stability Updates Performance Updates Security Updates Introduction Microsoft works to continually improve the performance, security, and stability of the Windows operating system. As part of this effort, Microsoft develops updates, fixes, and other improvements that address issues reported by the company’s customers and partners. To make it easier for customers to get these updates and enhancements, Microsoft periodically combines them into a single package, and makes that package available for all Windows customers. These packages are called service packs
Windows XP Service Pack 3 (SP3) includes all previously released Windows XP updates, including security updates and hotfixes. It also includes select out-of-band releases, and a small number of new enhancements, which do not significantly change customers’ experience with the operating system. Windows XP SP3 provides a new baseline for customers still deploying Windows XP. For customers with existing Windows XP installations, Windows XP SP3 fills gaps in the updates they might have missed—for example, by declining individual updates when using Windows Update. Windows Vista provides the most advanced security and management capability, but for PCs that cannot be upgraded to Windows Vista right now, Windows XP SP3 ensures these PCs have all available updates and allows these PCs to leverage some new Windows Server 2008 capabilities, such as Network Access Protection (NAP). This white paper describes what is new in Windows XP SP3 and provides an overview of how customers can deploy the service pack.
What Is In Service Pack 3 Windows XP SP3 includes all previously released Windows XP updates, including security updates and hotfixes, and select out-of-band releases. For example, the service pack includes functionality previously released as updates, such as the Microsoft® Management Console (MMC) 3.0 and the Microsoft Core XML Services 6.0 (MSXML6). Microsoft is not adding significant functionality from newer versions of Windows, such as Knowledge Base article 936929 lists all other all Knowledge Base articles associated with updates that are included in Windows XP SP3. The following sections also provide a high-level description of the functionality included in Windows XP SP3. Previously Released Functionality The functionality that Table 1 describes is already available for Windows XP in stand-alone updates. System administrators must choose to install each of these updates, however. Windows XP SP3 includes them by default. 
Windows Vista, to Windows XP through XP SP3. For instance, Windows XP SP3 does not include Windows Internet Explorer 7, although Windows XP SP3 does include updates to both Internet Explorer 6 and Internet Explorer 7, and it will update whichever version is installed on the computer. One notable exception is that, SP3 does include Network Access Protection (NAP) to help organizations that use Windows XP to take advantage of new features in the Windows Server® 2008 operating system. For more information about Internet Explorer 7, visit http://www.microsoft.com/windows/products/winfamily/ie/default.mspx.
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Table 1. Previously Released Functionality Functionality
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Description
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Management
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MMC 3.0
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MMC 3.0 is a framework that unifies and simplifies day-to-day system management tasks in Windows by providing common navigation, menus, toolbars, and workflow across diverse tools. Microsoft Knowledge Base article 907265 describes this functionality in detail.
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MDAC
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MSXML6
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MSXML6 provides better reliability, security, and conformance with the XML 1.0 and XML Schema 1.0 W3C Recommendations. It also provides compatibility with System.Xml 2.0.
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MSI
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Microsoft Windows Installer 3.1 v2 (3.1.4000.2435)
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Windows Installer 3.1 is a minor update to Windows Installer 3.0, which Microsoft released in September 2004. Windows Installer 3.1 contains new and enhanced functionality. Additionally, Windows Installer 3.1 addresses some issues that Microsoft found in Windows Installer 3.0. Microsoft Knowledge Base article 893803 describes this functionality.
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Networking
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Background Intelligent Transfer Service (BITS) 2.5
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BITS 2.5 is required by Microsoft System Center Configuration Manager 2007 and Windows Live ™ OneCare™. BITS 2.5 helps improve security. If you use BITS to transfer data, the new features also improve flexibility. Microsoft Knowledge Base article 923845 describes BITS 2.5. |
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IPsec Simple Policy Update for Windows Server 2003 and Windows XP
This update helps simplify the creation and maintenance of IPsec filters, reducing the number of filters that are required for a server and domain isolation deployment. The Simple Policy Update removes the requirement for explicit network infrastructure permit filters and introduces enhanced fallback to clear behavior. Microsoft Knowledge Base article 914841 describes this previously released update in more detail.
Digital Identity Management Service (DIMS)
DIMS makes it possible for users who log on to any domain-joined computer to silently access all of their certificates and private keys for applications and services.
Peer Name Resolution Protocol (PNRP) 2.1
This update enables Windows XP SP3–based programs that use PNRP to communicate with Windows Vista programs that use PNRP. Microsoft Knowledge Base article 920342 describes this previously released update.
Wi-Fi Protected Access 2 (WPA2)
This update to Windows XP provides support for WPA2, the latest standards-based wireless security solution derived from the IEEE 802.11i standard. Microsoft Knowledge Base article 893357 describes this update.