Last month we told you that it was possible to download Windows Vista SP1 by altering your Windows registry settings. Now it looks like a new registry hack is making the rounds. This one will let Windows XP users download Service Pack 3 for Microsoft's older, but generally more stable operating system.Both the Vista and XP service packs aren't scheduled for wide release until early next year. In other words, downloading a pre-release copy might really not be the best idea. Sure, it'd be nice to grab a software update intended to improve your system's reliability and security. But since these updates are still in beta testing, you could wind up causing more problems than you solve.
That said, it looks like the registry hack is pretty straightforward. Just download a patch, look for Windows Updates, download them and reboot your computer into glorious SP3 bliss. And by bliss, we mean a few new features like a new Windows Product Activation module, a Network Access Protection module (ported from Vista), and cryptographic algorithm support in the kernel. We know, it all sounds so glamorous.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
11-23-2007 @ 4:22PM
brian said...
you spelled Windows in the title wrong and you missed the "a" out of Vista on the 11th line.
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11-23-2007 @ 8:14PM
Mark said...
Shouldn't that have been "spelt" not "spelled" ?
An' teh staart ov the centunce should have been a capitul shorely?
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11-23-2007 @ 8:15PM
xxdesmus said...
They VERY specifically mentioned to all beta testers NOT to leak this registry tweak out. Sometimes the stupidity of people still amazes me. This isn't a public release for a reason.
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11-23-2007 @ 8:15PM
skim said...
>>2. Shouldn't that have been "spelt" not "spelled" ?
"Spelled" is correct.
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11-24-2007 @ 5:04PM
Dr Rumble said...
As much as I think it's terrible English, answers.com lists "spelt" as "A past tense and a past participle of spell." "Spelt" does show up with that glaring red line under the Firefox spell checker however.
Oh, and (K,X)Ubuntu 4-EVA.
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11-24-2007 @ 5:04PM
michael said...
"I spelt this wrong"
I too get the red underline by the IE7 Pro spell checker.
Besides, 'spelled' sounds completely all right.
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11-24-2007 @ 5:07PM
Arghh said...
One more off-topic comment:
spell
verb (past and past participle spelled or chiefly Brit. spelt)
(...)
(Concise Oxford English Dictionary)
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11-24-2007 @ 5:07PM
bruceS said...
Spelling shenanigans aside, downloading a service pack this far in advance of the release seems like a really bad idea. REALLY BAD.
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11-24-2007 @ 9:11PM
Mark said...
Spelt? That is not even a word. It's spelled.
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11-25-2007 @ 5:51PM
jfjb said...
did you mean "smelled" ?
Sure smell weird, this announcement from the maker of a soon-to-be-forgotten OS version of the past millenium.
Or should I say Meal Hey Knee Ohm?
I stink, I know.
So does M$ Vist. A.
:-)
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11-25-2007 @ 5:52PM
spellfairy said...
Actually spelt is a word but has nothing to do with spell. Spelt is a grain like wheat popular in Europe.
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11-26-2007 @ 9:44AM
jfjb said...
well, well, well... doesn't this show the real interest people attach to the current subject of the matter, testing Windows XP SP3? :-))
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11-26-2007 @ 6:15PM
briantw said...
You didn't start your sentence with a capital letter.
12-03-2007 @ 11:33AM
Mayur said...
Oh.
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1-13-2008 @ 11:02PM
dragon said...
O.K. Is this a spelling competition, or a flame about sp3?
sp3 is a small cummulative update for the XP operating system. As a few people have pointed out, the sp3 is really in a beta state and should only be expected to work like any other microsoft product. since XP is finally ready to be released and in good Microsoft fasion they have made it an O.K. Operating system right at the end of it's life. A rush to get an extra set of security flaws is a bit of a waste of time. If anyone wants to have a moan about my spelling carry on, as I can't spell for S**T. L8rz PPL. :)
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1-26-2008 @ 9:00AM
Infonote said...
Does this hack work for the new XP3 Build?
I have been using XPSP3 for a while now without any problems.
Thanks.
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2-07-2008 @ 7:06AM
rohit said...
Can I Download Windows XP SP3
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