I’m on dialup and downloading Windows XP SP3 will take hours, if it
even manages to complete without dropping the connection. I was able to
get a CD for SP2, but I can’t see that option for SP3. What can I
do?
Wait.
As I write this, while there are reports that XP SP3 is starting to
appear in Windows Automatic Updates, the Microsoft web site has almost
no information on it.
Here’s what I expect will happen, and what I think you should wait
for, with updated links now available:
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Update As expected, Microsoft has made the network install, and an Windows XP Service Pack 3 – Windows XP Service Pack 3 How to replace Microsoft |
At some point Windows XP SP3 will be covered on Microsoft’s web
site, specifically in the Windows XP section. There, at some point, you’ll find
information and download links for SP3. (Be careful not to confuse Office SP3 with Windows SP3 – they’re
two very different things.)
One of the things I’m counting on finding there is called the
“Network Install” of SP3. That’s typically a single, large download that
you can save to your machine, and then use to apply SP3 on as many
machines with Windows XP as you like. Download once, install many
times. The Network Install is perfect for small businesses and people
like me who have half a dozen machines running Windows XP.
businesses and people like me who have half a dozen machines running
Windows XP.”
Again, as I write this, the network install isn’t available yet,
though I hope it will be soon.
Naturally, you can burn the Network Install to a CD to take it from
machine to machine, or as the name implies, you can simply install it
over your local area network.
In the past Microsoft has made actual physical CDs available for
service packs. There is a rumor – and I must stress it’s only a
rumor – that they don’t plan to for SP3. If that’s their plan,
I personally expect them to change their minds after some amount of
consumer backlash. As you’ve pointed out, downloading SP3 over a dialup
connection is a problem; a big problem.
If they don’t, or you don’t want to wait, the Network Install can
come to the rescue. Get yourself to a location with broadband speeds
and download the Network Install. Burn it to a CD, bring it home (or
wherever) and you’re good to go.
In the worst case, ask a trusted friend to do so for you, and get it
to you somehow. (Just take care that it’s the correct version for you –
at a minimum that will probably mean selecting the correct language,
but may involve other specifics that we won’t know until the Network
Install becomes available.)
But until it’s available, my advice is to continue to wait. In fact,
even when it becomes available, my advice for many is to wait a while
anyway.
(I’ll update this article when I find that the Network Install has
been made available.)
You can find the network install here Leo:
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyId=5B33B5A8-5E76-401F-BE08-1E1555D4F3D4&displaylang=en
I had been waiting for it myself.
Robert…
Or you can pre-order the SP3 CD from Microsoft by calling 1-800-360-7561 (Mon-Fri, 5a-7p PDT.) Cost is around $10 depending on the shipping and handling and they estimate shipping will start at the end of this month (May 08.)
Thanks for the info. Leo. I’m not an IT Professional or Developer but I have three computers than will need SP3. Do I want the Windows XP SP3 Network Installation Package for IT Professionals and Developers download or something different? I do plan to wait a while before installing as I’m not keen to be their guinea pig.
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Network install is where I’d send you. 🙂 They call it for
“professionals and developers” but really it’s for anyone
who wants to download once and install multiple times.
Leo
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SP3 down loaded on my notebook, by my auto update program.
Update to my 5/8/08 post. I ordered the SP3 CD and MS said it probably won’t ship until early 6/08. I took a chance and downloaded SP3 from the Windows Update site. With DSL it took right at 45 minutes and added about a half a gig to my hard drive (even after doing a disk cleanup and getting rid of all the temp files it created.) Installation went without so much as a hiccup and, maybe it’s my imagination but, start time and web page download times seem to be just a tad faster. It’s been almost a week since I installed SP3 and everything (knock on wood, crossed-fingers, burning white candles, etc) is fine.
One more thing. I strongly suggest doing a defrag after installing SP3. My files were scattered all over the hard drive. Defrag usually takes 20 minutes but it took twice that long the first time after installing SP3. All is back to normal and my last defrag earlier today was right at 20 minutes again.
As with the SP2 hotfixes/updates, etc., I downloaded SP3, saving it to a temporary file, to be put on CD for later use if needed. Of all the updates that are, or were, available, only about 5 or so I had to downloaded directly from Microsoft. All the others I downloaded and put on CD. What I did was get the knowledge base (KB) article number from the MS updates. I then closed the updates and GOOGLE’d the article number. I looked for the support.microsoft.com or http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security … URL to download the related fact sheet and download the update, fix, patch, whatever. I use Internet Download Manager (IDM) to assist me in downloading and saving to temp file. Afterwards, I would put all this “stuff” on CD for later use and also, install them manually to my computer (Windows XP Home – now with SP3). Feel free to email me if you have any question.
I down loaded SP3 for windows XP to day and my anti virus would not let me get my Outlook Express.So I am going to wait now to see if anybody else has problems.
Downloaded, run. Opening screen says, ‘What to know before installing service pack 3.’ Click on that..only to find:
More information about installing Service Pack 2
How long will it take to install Service Pack 2?
..and..
Where can I get more information about Service Pack 2?
How hilarious is that?
It doesn’t lend just a tad of caution about the whole process, does it? (spoken tongue-in-cheekly).
This morning, July 7, 2008, I contacted Microsoft’s customer service online and was going to order an xpsp3 cd to be shipped to my home but then noticed the price of shipping. WOW!!! I need 2-cd’s in xpsp3 and 2-cd’s in vista sp1 since I am in the computer repair business and will need them when rebuilding damaged hard drives. Microsoft wanted $5.99 for each cd shipped. Their customer service told me that they could put all the cd’s in one package but I’d still be charged $5.99 shipping for each cd. What a ripoff!! And then I also had to pay $3.99 for each cd too plus tax. So, my total for ordering 4 cd’s was 4 x $3.99 = $15.96 plus sales tax of 7% = $17.07 total plus 4 x 5.99 shipping cost of $23.96 for a grand total of $41.03 for buying 4 service pack copies. Another ripoff! I recall ordering xpsp2 on several cd’s a few years ago and was charged for shipping only which was about $4.00 total. Microsoft must think everyone is rich!
I am on a somewhat slow satellite net connection, so I will try to get the download once for my 3 machine home network, all on XP. I am surprised that none of my machines have been offered SP3 through Windows Update. I allow just about all updates, however I do choose to download or not on every one to save time downloading stuff for MS software I don’t have like OE. It is now July 15th, and I am wondering if I should pursue SP3?
I suggest everyone to simply Google “Windows XP SP3 Problems” and then make up your own mind if you should install SP3.
But here’s something no one has mentioned.
I ordered the CD and the label clearly states it is “Microsoft Windows XP SP3.” However, when I click on the link, “What you should know before installing SP3,” all the information there relates to SP2 (TWO), not SP3.
No wonder so many folks are having problems with SP3 if Microsoft can’t even match up installation instructions with the proper CD.
I have a Dell Dimension 3000 system and i would like a window xp sp3 cd to install on my system. Can’t it be download from any site and install it cause i don’t have a burner.
27-Aug-2009
im doing it now and its working perfectly cheers LEO using this site for everything now!!! thanks