Why Install SP3

If your XP SP2 is fully updated, SP3 doesn't offer any additional security. Neither does it offer any additional features. There are differences but you won't notice them.

If you regard the "success/failure ratio" of installing SP3, "success" outweighs "failure" by a huge factor.

If you install SP3, you can delete approximately half a gig of $NtUninstallKBxxxxxx$ folders (for those updates that by installing SP3 are removed from "Add/Remove "). SP3 itself requires space but the net is a win.

If you do a fresh installation, adding SP3 will releave you of the task of installing a lot (100 ... ... 200 ... ...) of updates. The best way is to slipstream SP3 into a XP SP2 CD.

Christer

 

Arie has already done that so I just provide the link:

Slipstreaming Windows XP Service Pack 3 and Create Bootable CD

Note that you need a Windows XP SP2 CD, not just a CD with SP2 for Windows XP (clear as mud ... ...)!

Christer

 

With a XP SP1 CD, you need to do it in two steps.

First slipstream SP2, next slipstream SP3.

The normal procedure is to burn the CD after slipstreaming but I don't know if that is necessary or of you can slipstream SP3 directly after SP2 without the "intermediate" burning to CD. (I don't know but I think you can.)

Christer

 

I'm fairly sure you can - Arie posted to that effect some time ago in response to a similar query.

 

Sorry, but I have to disagree here. SP3 includes these new features:

• Network Access Protection. Announced a few years ago, this feature allows Windows XP machines to interact with the NAP feature in Windows Server 2008.
• Product Key-less install. As with Windows Vista, new Windows XP with SP3 installs can proceed without entering a product key during Setup.
• Kernel Mode Cryptographics Module. A new kernel module that "encapsulates several different cryptographic algorithms," according to Microsoft.
• "Black hole" router detection. Windows XP gains the ability to ignore network routers that incorrectly drop certain kinds of network packets

 

Okey, the "word" has been to the effect that SP3 is basically an "update rollup ". This is the first "simple to understand" information I read that says otherwise.

Christer