Filed under: OS Updates, Windows, Microsoft
Grab Windows XP SP3 a little early
by Brad Linder Apr 28th 2008 at 2:00PM
Microsoft released SP3 to manufacturers last week, and shortly after that, you could find the service pack on a variety of BitTorrent sites. But we've always been a bit wary of downloading something as important as an operating system update from BitTorrent. There's always a chance you're really downloading a trojan packed up to look like a service pack installer.
Note that the full installer weighs in at just over 300MB. If you wait to get SP3 through Windows update, there's a good chance your download will be significantly smaller since you probably already have some of the updates included in SP3 on your PC. The service pack includes a number of features and hotfixes that Microsoft has already released to SP2 customers.
The link above provides a download link for the English version of SP3. If you're looking for Chinese, German, French, Russian, or Japanese download links, GHacks has you covered.
In related news, Microsoft says it absolutely, positively has no plans to keep selling Windows XP after June 30th, despite recent comments from Steve Ballmer that seemed to indicate the company might reconsider. Meanwhile, Dell plans to continue offering Windows XP for a few more years by selling customers Windows Vista licenses and then giving them the option to downgrade to XP.
So, just how good at time waster games are you? Think you've got the stuff? Well, The World's Hardest Game 2.0 doesn't think you do.
Yes, amazingly, it's possible to have a sequel to a game called "The World's Hardest Game". It doesn't seem logically possible, since if the first one was actually the world's hardest, how could another one come along and share the moniker? It made me doubt the name in the first place. That is, until I tried the game.
The mechanics of the game are very simple. You are a small red square, ...
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Todd said 2:20PM on 4-28-2008
"...Steve Ballmer indicated the company might consider continuing to offer XP for years to come...".
"Meanwhile, Dell plans to continue offering Windows XP for a few more years by selling customers Windows Vista licenses and then giving them the option to downgrade to XP."
So is this proof enough that Vista is the biggest new product failure, EVER, in the history of commerce?
Reply
Mysterius said 11:01PM on 4-28-2008
Short answer: No.
But I assume you're not actually being serious.
Webslinger said 2:28PM on 4-28-2008
are there any visual differences for the update?
Reply
Gardiner Westbound said 3:41PM on 4-28-2008
The download produces an error message one of the files contained in it is not a Microsoft file and quits.
Reply
nidx said 8:09PM on 4-28-2008
Thanks a lot this will help me a LOT on new xp setups as a tech
Reply
Deluxo said 11:01PM on 4-28-2008
Just rand the SP3 update, everything appears to work fine.
Reply
david l baritell said 2:37PM on 4-29-2008
HI: I PUT IN XP-SP3 AND I TO REFORMAT THE COMPUTER . SO BEWARE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! DAVE
Reply
Ryan Adams said 4:33PM on 4-30-2008
SP3 will remove the IE icon from your desktop. If you want it back, read the simple hack here: http://personal.ryantadams.com/2008/04/30/restore-the-internet-explorer-desktop-icon-in-windows-xp-sp3/
Reply