XP SP3 - Are you running it?

itakey

Senior member
Sep 9, 2005
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I am still running SP2, and it seems stable and solid. I've read many horror stories about SP3, is anyone else out there experiencing issues?

I installed SP3 on one of my older machine's and it was running like crap, and it threw off my machine so I haven't updated it on my main machine. There are blogs online and user comments many pages long saying to stay away from SP3.

Anyone say it is good to go, and I should install it. Anyone else think SP3 should be ignored for now?
 

mechBgon

Super Moderator<br>Elite Member
Oct 31, 1999
30,699
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SP3 is working fine on every XP system I've installed it on. I haven't noticed "horror stories" about SP3 here, so I'll just point out that if the system isn't healthy in the first place, installing a Service Pack is not likely to change that. BTW if you were to let yourself be guided by "horror stories," then you definitely wouldn't be using Service Pack 2 ;) The hype machine was going full-swing for a while about how terrible SP2 was :roll:

Also, note that after a certain point, there will be no further security updates for WinXP if you haven't migrated to SP3, and we must be approaching that point soon here, so I suggest you get it installed. Turn off your real-time antivirus protection during installation, so it doesn't interfere.
 

Snapster

Diamond Member
Oct 14, 2001
3,916
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SP3 is more of an update roll-up than a breaking change like SP2 was. If your system is fine with SP2 then it should be fine installing SP3. I've deployed on every work machine here and machines at home/family and nothing has messed up.
 

pcgeek11

Lifer
Jun 12, 2005
22,380
4,999
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corkyg

Elite Member | Peripherals
Super Moderator
Mar 4, 2000
27,370
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106
SP3 has been working perfectly for me for several months on two systems. Upgrade to 7 will come when it is available. Agree with pcgeek11. :)
 

Raduque

Lifer
Aug 22, 2004
13,140
138
106
SP3 is like installing 43 updates from windows update, only instead of downloading and installing each one individually, you're doing it automatically at once.

I'm running SP3 on my every-day used XP MCE box with no issues.
 

Chiefcrowe

Diamond Member
Sep 15, 2008
5,056
199
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Try it and if there are problems then uninstall.

i've installed it at home and on over 50 machines at work with no problems.
someone even powered off in the middle of the install and it was fine after windows removed it due to interruption, and then a reinstall of sp3!!! i was impressed!
 
Dec 10, 2005
28,885
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Installed and then removed to uninstall file (backed that up to an external drive). No problems running SP3 on my laptop or my parents two computers at home.
 

LS8

Golden Member
Jul 24, 2008
1,285
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I have deployed SP3 to literally thousands and thousands of PCs without a problem - maintaining enterprise patching was a responsibility of mine for over a year.