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BEWARE! - SP3 is now an automatic update

Discussion in 'Windows XP' started by ackerberg, 2008/08/17.

  1. 2008/08/17
    ackerberg

    ackerberg Inactive Thread Starter

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    Today, Windows update informed me about installing SP3. If you are not careful, it will instsall behind your back. Can someone please point me to the SP3 filter from MS that will prevent SP3 from installing for 1 year?
     
  2. 2008/08/17
    WhitPhil

    WhitPhil Inactive

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  4. 2008/08/17
    PeteC

    PeteC SuperGeek Staff

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  5. 2008/08/17
    ackerberg

    ackerberg Inactive Thread Starter

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    Hi Pete,
    I have 2 computers with AMD processors and I did install the MS fix to prevent constant restarting. However, I would like the option to uninstall IE7 which would be lost unless I uninstalled it before SP3 and then reinstalled it. IE7 is a big program, I do not know what would happen with my favorites and preferences and I don't believe the advantages for SP3 are that great. Do you think they are?
     
  6. 2008/08/17
    PeteC

    PeteC SuperGeek Staff

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    If you uninstall IE7 and roll back to IE6 you should lose none of your settings or preferences.

    My main desktop is powered by an AMD - I had no issues and did not need any patches - not that the patch was available when the RC's and betas were about. Basically, AFAIK the AMD problem was more specific to HP OEM's - mine is self assembled.
    On the face of it SP3 is a rollup of all the updates issued since SP2 and the few enhancements are not noticed - or used, by the average user as they are network based. However I noted when installing SP3 that a large number of .dll's were replaced, so maybe there is more to it than meets the eye. A 10% speed increase with SP3 was noted by some testers - I would not be specific about %'s, but my box seems a little faster.

    Bottom line is that you are no less secure running SP2 fully patched than you are running SP3. However it is likely at some time in the future that MS will only offer updates to SP3 based systems in line with the current situation in which SP2 must be installed to have the facility to update.
     
  7. 2008/08/17
    ackerberg

    ackerberg Inactive Thread Starter

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    Thanks Pete. My 2 desktops are OEM HP's, not self-assembled with AMD's.
    I agree with you that at some future date SP3 may be required to get security updates, and when MS threatened to cut off those with SP1, I took the big step and installed SP2 with no adverse affects a few years after SP2 was available. I will probably have to do the same with SP3 but since everything is working well at this point with my 2 laptops and 2 desktops, I would rather wait.
    You know that old line: "Don't fix it if it isn't broke" - I am a firm believer based on bad experiences with a TV set, which I started to fix when a TV blackout had nothing to do with my TV set :) I was able to get it back together and it still worked!
     
  8. 2008/08/17
    ackerberg

    ackerberg Inactive Thread Starter

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    BTW, where are the MS updates stored before they are installed? I have my computer set to download but inform me before any installation can take place. It is possible that SP3 is already downloaded.
     
  9. 2008/08/17
    PeteC

    PeteC SuperGeek Staff

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    I really don't know, in a temporary file somewhere in C:\Windows, but the yellow shield in the notification area should pop up if there are downloads waiting to be installed, that is, if your update settings are anything other than automatic.
     

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