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XP SP3 and Vista SP1 Critical Security Patches

The latest Critical security patches for Windows XP Service Pack 3 and Windows Vista Service Pack 1 are available from Microsoft.
windows - comments - 13.8.2008

Microsoft patched critical Windows bug in XP SP3 early

The appearance and disappearance of a Windows XP installation snafu indicates that Microsoft patched a critical vulnerability in XP's still-unfinished Service Pack 3 (SP3) weeks before it fixed any other version of Windows.
windows - comments - 15.4.2008

9 Critical Errors in Installation of XP SP3 RTM Build 5512

Users looking to Service Pack 3 for Windows XP, as Service Pack 2's second coming and the perfect reason to avoid Windows Vista SP1, might need to reconsider their plans.
windows - comments - 10.5.2008

Microsoft Patches Critical Vista SP1 and XP SP3 Vulnerabilities

It's patching time yet again for Microsoft, as the software giant made available no less than eight security bulletins on December 9, 2008, designed to plug vulnerabilities in a range of products including Windows Vista Service Pack 1 and Windows XP Service Pack 3.
windows - comments - 10.12.2008

Critical security patch for IE released, Win 7 RC affected

Microsoft has released an out of band security patch (MS09-034) to fix remote exploits in Internet Explorer.
microsoft - comments - 28.7.2009

Microsoft Updates the Documentation Associated with XP SP3 RTM Build 5512

Microsoft has wrapped up Windows XP SP3 since April 21, 2008, when the Redmond company released the service pack to manufacturing.
windows - comments - 7.5.2008

New Non-Critical Windows Updates are Available

KB904942 - Install this update to resolve HTTP authentication issues in Windows-based systems that do not appear until Microsoft Internet Explorer 7 is installed.
windows - comments - 1.3.2006

Apple attempt to gatecrash Win 7 launch with product updates

Apple unveiled several new products today, some of which have been rumored for quite some time.
common - comments - 20.10.2009

Starting today, July 10, 2008 - Windows XP SP3 Is Live via Automatic Updates

The third and last service pack for the 32-bit version of Windows XP has debuted on the path to automatic distribution today, July 10, 2008. Initially, Microsoft was shy about pinpointing the actual deadline for XP SP3's availability through Automatic Updates, and only referenced an abstract "early summer" in order to give users a clue as to when they should get ready.
windows - comments - 10.7.2008

Critical Vista, IE 7 patches highlight MS security updates

This month’s batch of patches from Microsoft includes six bulletins covering at least 15 vulnerabilities, including several critical code execution holes in Windows Vista and Internet Explorer 7.
microsoft - comments - 13.6.2007

Windows 7 RTM Safe from Vista and XP Critical Vulnerabilities

When it launched Windows Vista back in January 2007, Microsoft made sure to emphasize added security as part of the Wow.
download - comments - 12.8.2009

Critical Security Patch for Windows XP Service Pack 3 Final

Windows XP SP3 was barely out the door, when Microsoft rushed to issue the first critical patch for the service pack. Concomitantly with the general availability of the last service pack for XP, Microsoft dropped the first critical security update designed to patch Internet Explorer 7 running on XP SP3 RTM Build 5512.
windows - comments - 8.5.2008

It's Time to Face the Ugly Truth, SP3 or No SP3, the Clock Is Ticking for Windows XP

As 2008 has kicked in, it's now time to face the ugly truth. The clock is ticking for Windows XP. And while Microsoft may view this as a natural stage in the evolution of a product introduced all the way in 2001, a healthy proportion of end-users and businesses will fail to see eye to eye with the company on this one.
windows - comments - 5.1.2008

XP: Get Updates No Matter What or Change your Product Key

If your windows installation has issues, or for some other unmentionable reason is unable to get updates from the windows server, this is what you need to do.
windows - comments - 27.3.2006

New Updates Available on MDC for Vista/XP/Server 2003

Microsoft have released a few updates on the Microsoft Download Center to resolve various issues in Vista/XP/Server 2003. Thanks to pacpis for this news.
download - comments - 25.7.2007

Updates and Task Manager Disabled by New Windows XP Worm

The Windows functions are always under attack because disabling a vital function of the operating system automatically means an open door for the hacker, who would be able to infiltrate into the computer and conduct his malicious activities.
windows - comments - 24.1.2008

Vista SP1 RC Leaves XP SP2 in the Dust, but What About XP SP3?

Although Microsoft has indicated a strong disapproval of benchmarking tests involving development milestones of Windows Vista Service Pack 1, the temptation is simply too big to ignore.
windows - comments - 17.1.2008

Microsoft Makes Its Own Vista SP1 vs. XP SP2, Leaves XP SP3 Out

Ever since the advent of Window Vista, at the end of November 2006 for businesses and in January 2007 for the general public, Microsoft has virtually invited the comparison between the two operating systems.
windows - comments - 8.5.2008

Microsoft Hands out XP SP3 beta – Final SP for XP

In an email sent to selected testers telling them they have been accepted to begin testing XP SP3, Microsoft has also informed them that this will be the final Service Pack for the now aging OS.
windows - comments - 5.10.2007

XP SP3 Does Not Support Windows XP

Believe it or not, but Microsoft does not support Windows XP with XP SP3. Well, maybe that's not entire true. But it is true nonetheless. End users will find they they are unable to deploy XP SP3 on top of XP. What is the catch?
windows - comments - 16.1.2008

Windows Update Remover - Uninstall and Remove Windows XP Updates

Many users tend to set their Windows XP Automatic Updates on so that the OS will routinely check the Windows Updates Web site for new high-priority Windows security patches, critical updates, hot fixes, service packs, etc to protect the computer from the latest security threats.
download - comments - 3.5.2009

The Only Way for Windows XP SP3 Is Down

SP3 will do nothing for XP, but still more than what SP1 will do for Vista - The third and final service pack for Windows XP will do little to nothing for the operating system, but will manage to deliver a superior boost to the platform's momentum in comparison to Service Pack 1 for Windows Vista.
windows - comments - 12.4.2008

Office XP SP3 Info

Office XP Service Pack 3 (SP3) provides the latest updates to Microsoft Office XP. SP3 contains significant security enhancements, in addition to stability and performance improvements. This service pack applies to any level of Office XP.
common - comments -

Sneak Preview of XP SP3?

An unofficial preview pack containing what purports to be Windows XP Service Pack 3 has been uploaded to The Hotfix web site. The Hotfix is an independently-run site that specializes in downloads and discussions of Windows patches and bug fixes.
windows - comments -

Microsoft Delays XP SP3

Bink has an interesting article up on his site concerning Windows XP SP3. Microsoft has apparently pushed back the scheduled release date of SP3 to the second half of 2007.
windows - comments - 16.1.2006

Windows XP SP3 Preview No. 5



download - comments - 11.2.2006

Windows XP SP3 On The Horizon

According to Microsoft press release about Unified Access Control and Network Access Protection, Windows XP service pack 3 (SP3) is in development and will be released later this year.
windows - comments - 24.5.2007

Windows XP SP3 Available for Download!

In two weeks too :) Microsoft confirmed officially that Windows XP Service Pack 3 will be made available for download in the next couple of weeks.
windows - comments - 29.8.2007

Windows XP Closes In on SP3

Microsoft's most successful operating system, ever, has inched closer to Service Pack 3. Release Candidate 1 is now available from MSDN and—so I hear—from TechNet. I can only personally confirm MSDN availability.
windows - comments - 4.12.2007

Deploying Windows XP SP3

With a pre-Release Candidate build of Windows XP Service Pack 3 available for download, the imminence of the final version of the refresh is starting to take contour.
windows - comments - 13.12.2007

Windows XP SP3 Upcoming Release to Automatic Updates

Nick MacKechnie: Microsoft is committed to providing quality products to customers. As part of this commitment, we would like to remind you that Windows XP Service Pack 3 (SP3) will be released to Automatic Updates shortly. The third service pack to Windows XP includes the previously released updates and hotfixes to Windows XP, creating a new baseline for servicing.




winbeta.org - 07.07.2008

Microsoft patched critical Windows bug in XP SP3 early

The appearance and disappearance of a Windows XP installation snafu indicates that Microsoft patched a critical vulnerability in XP's still-unfinished Service Pack 3 (SP3) weeks before it fixed any other version of Windows. The glitch, which sent some PCs into an endless round of reboots, was strangely similar to one faced by Vista users in February. Attackers have already tried to exploit that bug, which was patched last Tuesday -- as it turned out, two weeks after the newest build of Windows XP SP3 was released with the flaw fixed.

According to reports from multiple users on a Microsoft support newsgroup, PCs began rebooting immediately after they had been updated to SP3. "I have just updated my pc from xp sp2 to sp3," said a user identified as "yaojinglin" in a message to a SP3 support forum last Thursday. "The installation was successful, but when I reboot my pc after the installation finished, my pc started to reboot again and again."

On the XP SP3 support threads, a Microsoft representative named Shashank Bansal stepped into the rebooting discussion, which was beginning to seem as endless as the rebooting itself. Bansal asked for more information, then offered an explanation: "This issue happens with 3311 build of XP SP3. It happens because KB948590 stops installation of SP3 version of gdi32.dll on the system due to file-version differences."


neowin.net - 15.04.2008

Windows XP SP3 Release Candidate Goes To MSDN

Microsoft made available on December 3 for download the near-final Release Candidate (RC) of Windows XP Service Pack (SP) 3.



The RC is available to all Microsoft Developer Network (MSDN) and TechNet subscribers. This isn't yet a generally available, "public" RC of XP SP3; that is still coming at some future date that Microsoft hasn't disclosed.



Microsoft provided an RC "preview" of XP SP3 to 15,000 testers in mid-November.



Microsoft is still on track to ship the final XP SP3 in the first half of calendar 2008. XP SP3 is a rollup of all previously released XP updates, according to Microsoft, "including security updates, out-of-band releases, and hotfixes."



Lately, Microsoft has been releasing XP SP3 and Vista SP1 builds in lockstep. (The same 15,000 testers that got XP SP3 RC preview also got the Vista SP1 RC preview.) Given that Microsoft told its own employees to expect the company to make the RC of Vista SP1 more broadly available some time this week, it seems logical that the Vista SP1 RC is right around the corner, too.




jcxp.net - 05.12.2007

Windows XP SP3 RC goes to MSDN, TechNet testers

Microsoft made available on December 3 for download the near-final Release Candidate (RC) of Windows XP Service Pack (SP) 3. The RC is available to all Microsoft Developer Network (MSDN) and TechNet subscribers. This isn’t yet a generally available, “public” RC of XP SP3; that is still coming at some future date that Microsoft hasn’t disclosed. Microsoft provided an RC “preview” of XP SP3 to 15,000 testers in mid-November.

Microsoft is still on track to ship the final XP SP3 in the first half of calendar 2008. XP SP3 is a rollup of all previously released XP updates, according to Microsoft, “including security updates, out-of-band releases, and hotfixes.”

Lately, Microsoft has been releasing XP SP3 and Vista SP1 builds in lockstep. (The same 15,000 testers that got XP SP3 RC preview also got the Vista SP1 RC preview.) Given that Microsoft told its own employees to expect the company to make the RC of Vista SP1 more broadly available some time this week, it seems logical that the Vista SP1 RC is right around the corner, too.


neowin.net - 04.12.2007

Windows XP SP3 RC1 Public Download Available

Windows XP Service Pack 3 (SP3) includes all previously released updates for the operating system. This update also includes a small number of new functionalities, which do not significantly change customers experience with the operating system.



File Size: 336,070 KB



See here for more info.




winbeta.org - 12.12.2007

Windows XP SP3 available for Windows Embedded for Point of Service and WinFLP

This download is a Service Pack 3 (SP3) update for Windows Embedded for Point of Service (WEPOS) and Windows Fundamentals for Legacy PCs (WinFLP). This SP3 update includes all previously released Windows XP security updates, hotfixes, and select out-of-band releases that are applicable to systems running the WEPOS and WinFLP operating systems.




winbeta.org - 08.10.2008

Windows XP SP3 release just around the bend?

Though we expected, or rather hoped; for Windows XP SP3 late last month it seems that it may arrive before May. According to an "internal schedule" obtained over at Engadget, OEMs, volume license, Connect, MSDN and TechNet subscribers will have access to the update on April 21st, while everyone else won't notice it until April 29th when it hits the Microsoft / Windows Update download center. For those who are too busy to download it and install it, they might have to wait until June 10th when it hits the Automatic updates.

For those who don't know; Windows XP SP3 (Service Pack 3) will be the third and last major update for Microsoft's Windows XP operating system. The company released a nearly final beta build of SP3 called Release Candidate 2 Refresh last month to the public. The latest beta version added support for the HD Audio high-definition audio format and fixes for some issues with the Windows Update service. Microsoft to date has said only that it expects to roll out a final version of Windows XP SP3 in the first half of 2008.


jcxp.net - 16.04.2008

Windows XP SP3 Final Available at MajorGeeks

Windows XP Service Pack 3 (SP3) includes all previously released updates for the operating system. This update also includes a small number of new functionalities, which do not significantly change customers experience with the operating system.



Supported Operating Systems: 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; Windows XP Tablet PC Edition.




winbeta.org - 23.04.2008

Despite rumors, Windows XP SP3 still not quite ready

With Windows Vista Service Pack 1 out the door, Microsoft was largely expected to release Windows XP SP3 last week or this week. It didn't, instead making public a refresh build of SP3 Release Candidate 2...
betanews.com - 26.03.2008

Microsoft to push XP SP3 via AutoUpdate July 10

Microsoft is going to release Windows XP Service Pack (SP) 3 via its Automatic Update (AU) service on Thursday July 10, company officials confirmed this week.

The client team has been vague about when it planned to push the latest version of XP to users. "Early summer" and "sometime soon"were favorite comebacks when officials were asked for an AU timeframe for SP3.

Customers who have automatic updates turned on but who don’t want XP SP3 to be downloaded to user desktops this week — for whatever reasons — need to deploy the Microsoft Service Pack blocker toolkit to delay pushed-delivery of SP3.

While Microsoft will begin pushing SP3 tomorrow, not all users will receive it immediatly, as the company will be staggering the rollout.

Microsoft has postponed and temporarily halted the distribution of SP3 a couple of times this year because of compatibility and performance problems.


jcxp.net - 10.07.2008

XP SP3 Goes on Automatic Updates This Thursday

Although a Microsoft manager had mentioned that XP SP3 would arrive "shortly" to Automatic Updates on Monday, the timetable became specific as the company quietly said today it would release the upgrade on Thursday at 10 a.m. PDT. Microsoft will add Windows XP Service Pack 3 (SP3) to Windows Update at that time, and trigger its automatic download and installation for users who have left the operating system's update service at its default "Automatic (recommended)" setting.

" Updated applicability rules and updated metadata to target the update to Automatic Update channel, " read a Microsoft support document revised Tuesday after the company unveiled its monthly security patches . " The Automatic Update change will be published at 10:00 A.M. on July 10. " Microsoft delayed the distribution of Windows XP SP3 twice this spring, but the July 10 date seems firm; it was included in the cumulative list of all updates available via Windows Server Update Services (WSUS), the server-side update tool many businesses use, as well as via the client-side Windows Update (WU) and Microsoft Update Web-based services. A Microsoft spokeswoman, however, was not able to immediately confirm that July 10 will, in fact, be XP SP3's automatic update debut.


neowin.net - 09.07.2008

Windows XP SP3 Testing Continues

Windows Vista Service Pack SP1 is done, but Microsoft's other major Windows service pack, Windows XP SP3, continues to wind its way through the testing process.

On February 7, Microsoft delivered a new test build of XP SP3 to its inner circle of 15,000 pre-selected testers, company officials said. The newest test build is labeled as XP SP3 Release Candidate RC2.

Microsoft's statement (sent to me via e-mail on February 8):

"Yesterday, we released Windows XP SP3 RC 2 to private beta testers. This release catches the build up on previously released hotfixes and responds to critical feedback from previous betas. We are targeting 1H 2008 for the release of XP SP3 RTM, though our timing will always be based on customer feedback as a first priority."

The RC2 build of XP SP3 follows the XP SP3 RC1 Refresh 2 build Microsoft provided to the same 15,000 testers in late January.

I asked Microsoft this week if there was any truth to a post circulating that claimed the company has decided to release the final XP SP3 bits in mid-March. A spokeswoman said the company's official word on XP SP3 availability, as some time in the first half of 2008, is all that will be said on the planned release date.


jcxp.net - 09.02.2008

Microsoft continues to warn of IE8 lock-in for XP SP3 users

Last year when Microsoft launched Internet Explorer 8 Beta 2, Jane Maliouta announced that consumers using Windows XP SP3 would be locked-in with the IE8 if they had installed the IE8 beta prior to upgrading to SP3. Microsoft again yesterday issued that same warning to it's consumers. If you are still one of the millions of users on Windows XP with SP3 installed, Microsoft has provided crucial steps to follow if you're ready to upgrade to IE8 RC1. You can obtain IE8 RC1 from the links on this page. To see if you're one of the people who will have IE8 locked in, follow these steps. Is your computer running Windows XP SP3?

Read full story.....
neowin.net - 27.01.2009

MS08-030 Re-released for Windows XP SP2 and SP3

Christopher Budd: I wanted to let folks know that weve just re-released MS08-030. This is to let you know theres a new version of this security update available for Windows XP SP2 and SP3 customers and to encourage them to deploy these new updates. There are no new updates for the other versions of Windows discussed in the bulletin.



After we released MS08-030 we learned that the security updates for Windows XP SP2 and SP3 might not have been fully protecting against the issues discussed in that bulletin. As soon as we learned of that possibility, we mobilized our Software Security Incident Response Process (SSIRP) to investigate the issue.



Our investigation found that while the other security updates were providing protections for the issues discussed in the bulletin, the Windows XP SP2 and SP3 updates were not.




winbeta.org - 19.06.2008

Windows XP SP3 moves closer to completion

Beta testers have received access to a release candidate of Windows XP Service Pack 3, but general consumers still have a long wait until they'll see SP3 available for download...
betanews.com - 20.11.2007

Windows XP Service Pack 3 Overview

Windows® XP Service Pack 3 (SP3) includes all previously released updates for the operating system. This update also includes a small number of new functionalities, which do not significantly change customers experience with the operating system. This white paper summarizes what is new in Windows XP SP3.




winbeta.org - 04.12.2007

Is Microsoft Playing Games With XP SP3?

Call it a Hamlet moment for the PC industry, filled with political intrigue and machinations worthy of the great Shakespeare play: to wait for XP SP3 or move to Vista now that Microsoft has released Vista SP1? Or in other words: "To XP, or not to XP?" That is the question.

It's a question that is burning up the blogosphere with some speculating that Microsoft has delayed XP SP3, a long awaited release that could boost the performance of XP, to get more users to adopt Vista, a potential cash cow for Microsoft and PC makers given the operating system's robust hardware refresh requirements.

With many in the blogosphere speculating that Microsoft could release the final version of XP SP3 this week, Microsoft late Tuesday snuffed out all hope that users would see the service pack, originally slated for release in 2006, any time soon.


Read full story.....
neowin.net - 26.03.2008

Windows XP SP3 Now Available on Windows Update and Microsoft Download Center

Microsoft Update Team: Windows XP Service Pack 3 (SP3) is now available on Windows Update (and the Microsoft Download Center)!



If you'd like to install it via WU today, you'll need to visit the Windows Update website. To do this, go to Windows Update and perform an express or custom install, make sure you see the service pack selected, and proceed with the install. After it downloads, you'll see a series of screens and you'll be asked to make a few clicks before the install will begin.



If you're not in a rush, we recommend you use Automatic Updates to install Windows XP SP3. It provides the best experience because the download will happen in the background. We're planning to begin automatically distributing Windows XP SP3 over AU sometime in the next few months.




winbeta.org - 07.05.2008

Microsoft to fix first critical hole in Windows 7 on Tuesday

Microsoft confirmed on Wednesday that the company plans to push out a security fix for a critical security hole in Windows 7 next Tuesday. Microsoft officials posted an advanced security bulletin today that confirms Windows XP will have 6 critical holes patched, Windows Vista 5 critical holes and Windows 7 only one. Microsoft's critical rating is the highest out of all definitions used by the company, described as "a vulnerability whose exploitation could allow the propagation of an Internet worm without user action." Microsoft will ship a total of 13 updates on Tuesday, eight of them marked as critical. Previously the company released a record of 12 updates in both February 2007 and October 2008.

Read full story.....
neowin.net - 09.10.2009

Microsoft To Release XP SP3 Next Week

Now that Windows Vista service pack 1 has been released, all eyes have shifted to Microsoft's plans for Windows XP service pack 3, the final package of updates for the trusty OS. And, according to at least one source, Microsoft will roll out XP SP3 next Monday. As of Wednesday afternoon Pacific time, the BitTorrent search engine Mininova listed a 568.73 MB Windows XP Professional SP3 5503 file available for download. The file, which had 112 seeds and 417 leeches, had been downloaded 2083 times since it was posted Tuesday, according to the listing.

According to the file description notes, Microsoft will release the final version of XP SP3 on March 24, but the 5503 test build passes all Windows Genuine Advantage checks and is able to download Windows updates that previous XP SP3 builds weren't able to, which suggests that it could, in fact, be the final RTM build. When Microsoft released Vista SP1 in February, the final RTM code was identical to the Vista SP1 Release Candidate (RC) 1 Refresh 2 test build that was released to a group of 15,000 testers two weeks earlier.

A Microsoft spokesperson, perhaps weary from the months-long barrage of Vista SP1 related inquiries, said the final version of XP SP3 is still on target to be released the first half of calendar year 2008, and the XP SP3 5503 build was a minor interim build released to address one specific issue for a subset of private beta testers.


neowin.net - 21.03.2008