Redmond (WA) – After a series of delays, Microsoft has released the Service Pack 3 for Windows XP late Tuesday. The 544.9 MB update can now be downloaded from Microsoft’s servers.

Thanks to our reader Anthony Lien for letting us know that the much anticipated update is finally available to the public. The download was originally planned to go live on April 29, but decided to delay the rollout due to a discovered incompatibility  “between Microsoft Dynamics Retail Management System (RMS) and both Windows XP SP3 and Windows Vista Service Pack 1 (SP1)”.

SP3 is a cumulative update for all x86 versions of Windows XP (the x64 update was covered by Windows Server 2003 SP2), which means that it requires users to install SP1 and SP2 first.  

If you have downloaded all security updates and patches for Windows XP, there is no urgency to download this latest service pack, at least if you aren’t desperate for a handful of new features, which, according to Microsoft, are not “adding significant Windows Vista functionality to Windows XP”. In fact, the average Windows XP users may not even notice the enhanced feature set.

Overview of the new features delivered through SP3:

- Network Access Protection (NAP) to help organizations that use Windows XP to take advantage of new features in Windows Server 2008
- Improvements to black hole router detection (detecting routers that are silently discarding packets)
- The Security Options control panel in Windows XP SP3 now has more descriptive text to explain settings and prevent incorrect settings configuration
- In System Center Essentials for Windows XP SP3, Administrator and Service entries will be present by default on any new instance of policy
- Microsoft Kernel Mode Cryptographic Module, which is a FIPS 140-1 Level 1–compliant, general purpose, software-based, cryptographic module in the kernel mode level of the Windows operating system
- 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

Windows XP SP3 does not include Internet Explorer 7.

WMP

May 06, 2008 23:05     

It doesn't include Windows Media Player 11 either
t0rek report abuse vote down vote up Votes: +0

Win XP SP3

May 06, 2008 23:26     

"SP3 is a cumulative update for all x86 versions of Windows XP, which means that it requires users to install SP1 and SP2 first." One-word: stupid
31415926 report abuse vote down vote up Votes: -6

Not sure about that...

May 07, 2008 01:57     

Direct qoute from SP3 overview. "SP3 is cumulative, so users can install SP3 on top of Windows XP SP1 or SP2." This seems to indicate that you don't have to have SP2 installed. Though i could be wrong :) guess we'll find out when i get off of work. Oh, and we had to wait one more day! Looked all over for it yesterday for a fresh install and finally broke down and just did SP2... oh well.
Aaron report abuse vote down vote up Votes: -1

2 versions

May 07, 2008 07:13     

the one under windows update is just the added netwrok stuff, and is much smaller. The redist is everything from SP2 to today. I wish there was a way to just have one SP that goes from an origional install to today, but thats not how it goes this time arround. But even an SP2 install isnt too bad so long as you tell it not to do a syste backup first.
Caeden report abuse vote down vote up Votes: -1

Cumulative...

May 07, 2008 09:22     

Gheez. You DO NOT need SP1 and SP2 installed first. From MS's release notes/overview: "SP3 is cumulative, so users can install SP3 on top of Windows XP SP1 or SP2." Also, "You can run the SP3 update package on any edition of Windows XP SP1 or SP2." That info's available to the public on MS's website...
Philstuf report abuse vote down vote up Votes: +1

Cumulative.. yes

May 07, 2008 18:11     

Well said Philstuf. Some people do not research before they post. Obviously the case with 31415926. You can apply SP3 on: Windows XP; Windows XP Home Edition ; Windows XP Home Edition N; Windows XP Media Center Edition; Windows XP Professional Edition ; Windows XP Professional N; Windows XP Service Pack 1; Windows XP Service Pack 2; Windows XP Starter Edition and Windows XP Tablet PC Edition. As to Windows media player 11... I'm not fond of it. I use winamp instead.

tobago report abuse vote down vote up Votes: +0

RE: cumulative... again

May 07, 2008 18:32     

Apologies on a mistake I made above. SP3 can be deployed on all versions of Windows XP with SP1 and above installed. The exception is embedded editions of XP. Again, my apologies.
tobago report abuse vote down vote up Votes: +1

Overview of the new features delivered through SP3

May 23, 2008 11:04     

Do not forget DRM; this SP3 will "update" XP to some other Vista standards.
GIM report abuse vote down vote up Votes: +0