Anyone tried XP SP3 yet? How are your games?

[MarkShot]

I am probably going to be on the cutting edge of this one, since I am building a new system for my wife. Doesn't really make sense not to build it with SP3.

Is it really any faster than SP2?

How are your games running?

Thanks.

[Primasprit]

Although you can already download SP3, it's not yet distributed via the automatic update since there are still some problems. As I have no issues at all with my WinXP SP2, I see no reason to bother to install it manually.
I can't imagine it is faster, but of course this is only a guess.

Cheers
Norbert

[Gray_Lensman]

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[Gray_Lensman]

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[arsan]

Mine came in via automatic update just last night... Hence the comment above.

Yep, mine come too this morning...
But i'm kind of scared to install it
Will wait some time before i do.
Besides i had read its mostly a recollection of a hundred of previously issued updates... so i must have most of this already installed...
Really, i don't have any hope it'll make my PC faster... i will be enough if it will not break it!

[Primasprit]

Hm... so maybe it's only delayed in Europe (Germany)? I read that there exist an compatibility problem between SP3 and another MS software.

Anyway, I did not get it till now via automatic update, but once it is offered I guess I will install it.

Cheers
Norbert

[Primasprit]

Ok, forget about everything I said.
After installing another Windows Genuine Advantage tool, SP3 is suddenly offered.
Installing it right now.

[MarkShot]

I didn't want the WU version which is 70Mb or so. So, I downloaded the entire offline version which is 300Mb.

I am not too worried about disasters as I always have the system disk imaged before doing anything like this. So, at worst, I will have to restore the image if it does not go smoothly.

The real problem with an OS SP update (like SP2) is that everything in the OS was recompiled. The potential scope of what it might impact is huge. Even with a lot of testing after installation, a problem could turn up in a few weeks in something rather obscure, but critical. At that point, it becomes a little late to back it out by restoring an image, since there would be too many other things which would also get rolled back; or worse ... by then, the tapes or DVDs have already been recycled.

[MarkShot]

My three machines I will be updating:

One installation from just a few weeks ago.

One installation from 2004 and one installation from 2007.

All on SP2 at the moment.

[MarkShot]

Well, I did do the SP3 upgrade. I was having some weirdness. I am now backing it out by restoring the SP2 image. From there, I will do some more testing and analysis. See if the problem I am having predated SP3. Also, consider other ways to perform the SP3 update.

[MarkShot]

Okay, the problems were a result of SP3.

I am trying to do a WU install instead of an offline install. See if that makes any difference.

Thank G_d for image recovery!

[Gray_Lensman]

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[GShock]

I haven't received yet the auto update but i presume when i receive it, it won't be any worse than SP2.

Perhaps Vista is better?

[MarkShot]

Well, I resolved the erroneous backup errors which I was having. I had to recreate the jobs.

The main inconvience is all the Zone Alarm prompts due to all the changed executables that need to be reauthorized. Oh, well ...

For your particular problem, I would look at the power management options. You want to make sure that your monitor, hard drive, ... never go into standby ...

[Primasprit]

No Vista is not better.

Installed XP SP3 with no issues at all.

Cheers
Norbert

[Korrigan]

Beware:

I've installed Windows SP3 and my PC refuses to boot...

[GShock]

Mark i suggest you to uninstall the Zone Alarm. It's futile. Use Avast instead which is free, better than ZA+NAV as fwall and Antivirus.

Same suggestion for everyone of course.

[arsan]

I use avast since 3 years ago and i´m very happy with it!
But it is no firewal, just av.
Now i just use avast with the windows firewall.
I think i´m too computer challenged to properly understand how to configure a dedicated firewall.
I used Outpost foe some time but had conflicts with other programs. Then i tried with Kerio but was veeery complicated After that i surredered to the windows one...

Oh and thanks for the SP3 advice. Seeing the problems you reports i'm not going to try it for quite some time... maybe until i change my PC next year!

[Pocus]

If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

[Primasprit]

But it's nice to have the fixes for the security holes.

[MarkShot]

If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

Prior to having a permanent Internet connection that was my policy with my PCs. I stayed on DOS 3 for a very long time. But once my systems began to sit on the Internet around the clock (current stats show that an unprotected machine will be infected in as little as 30 seconds), I changed my policy to basically always keeping up with all major security patches, practice defense in depth, and use the "best of breed" collection of various products, ...

[Rafiki]

If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

...for given values of "not broken", that is...