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XP SP3

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by wesley.chin

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As we all know, MS is retiring XP, and SP3 is the last SP, from what MS has indicated. What are disadvantages to having SP3 vs. just staying with SP2?

10 replies

by thechas

Microsoft has a policy of not providing security updates for older service pack versions after about 6 months from the release of the latest service pack.

Thus, your risk for not updating is that eventually the latest security patches will not install on your system.

This has already happened for the original release of XP (gold) and for SP1.

Chas

by wesley.chin

That is what I had heard at one time too. At the same time, it seems like MS plans to eventually phase out XP just like it did with 98. Given that, would MS even provide security updates for XP?

by thumbsup2

After all, they still provide occasional security patches for Win2K. If I'm not mistaken, they published something on their web site stating they would provide security updates until the year 2010 for XP. Maybe it was longer? I can't remember now.

by p.j.hutchison

The biggest advantage of SP3 over SP2 is that if you do not need to install all the patches released since October 2004 and you get all the security updates included with SP2 as well.
As for disadvantages, I cannot think of any ...

by kenone

If your running AMD Athlon processor you may never boot your system again, other than that . . .

by ---tk---

I have two XP athlon systems, one with XP Pro, and the other has XP Media Center edition. Both have SP3, and I haven't had any issues (yet)... ha, I guess its time for a back up...

by willcomp

MS will continue security updates for XP until April, 2014.

I strongly advise following MS recommendations prior to installing SP3.
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/950717

The problem with AMD CPUs that I'm aware of has to do with sysprep images prepared on an Intel CPU PC. That XP will never boot again when SP3 is installed on an AMD CPU is a misrepresentation of a known problem with a fix.

I've installed SP3 on several PCs (both Intel and AMD based) without any problems. I routinely disable all non MS services and startup items prior to installing SPs.

by larryd4

Retiring?? Man the state's gonna be ticked, with half of their 6000 PCs still on Win2K and the other half on XP now what are we gonna do for support!

Oh well, lets chuck em all and go Ubuntu!

GRIN ;)

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