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Windows Service Pack 3 Is Imminent
By John F | April 18, 2008
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The beta version of Service pack 3 for XP is out now. The official release date for XP SP3 is rumoured to be made available via Windows Update on April 29 2008. This final service pack update for XP will offer security updates rather than anything else. There will be no cosmetic changes although a slight increase in the operating speed of up to 10% has been reported.
You can download SP3 now if you wish. Click this link and follow the instructions in the overview PDF file. I don’t recommend this way of getting SP3. I’d suggest waiting for the service pack update to be made available via Windows Update on 29th April 2008 [tbc]. This update will have been tested more vigorously than the beta version.
Windows XP Service Pack 3 won’t include any major new features. However it will include four new features that will improve the operating system’s reliability and security.
They are:
Network Access Protection compatibility. This feature allows Windows XP machines to interact with the NAP feature in Windows Server 2008. This functionality is built into the RTM version of Windows Vista as well.
Product Key-less install option. As with Windows Vista, new 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 algorithm. XP gains the ability to ignore network routers that incorrectly drop certain kinds of network packets. This, too, is a feature of Windows Vista.
To find out more on what the above means then go to the Microsoft XP SP3 overview page.
It has been four years since XP SP2 was released, so this final service pack update is overdue. XP, in general will not be supported past the middle part of 2009, so I hope that the service pack 1 release for Vista works out well and irons most of the issues with Vista.
I have become used to XP as service pack two did correct most of the issues, and the thought of upgrading to Vista in the state it’s in at the moment really makes we seriously think about trying out a Linux operating system when XP is defunct.
I remember when Windows 98 was no longer supported as I was still using it as XP was in the similar position to how Vista is now. So I suppose being patient and waiting for Microsoft to ‘fix’ Vista will be case of déjà vu. Ah the circle of life/operating systems!
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