| Windows
Service Pack 3 [SP3] - Final Release |
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| Windows XP is maturing.
First came Service Pack 1 (SP1), then SP2 and
now a few years later it's time for SP3. Since
Vista hit the shelves almost a year ago, XP has
been rolling along in the background, quietly
taking care of business on the majority of
desktops in use today. The release of Service
Pack 3 (SP3) will undoubtedly draw some renewed
attention to XP. The final version has now
arrived, at least to MSDN and TechNet
subscribers, so the slipstreaming questions have
begun and systems are being updated. As always,
make sure you have full tested backups of all
your systems and data before you do any
experimenting.I know from experience and
reader feedback, expectations are always high
when a new service pack is released. Experience
has also taught me that those expectations are
seldom met. There is nothing spectacular about
SP3. You aren't going to load it up and be
instantly blown away by new features or
performance. That's not what a service pack is
intended to accomplish. As Microsoft states in
the whitepaper PDF file at
Windows XP Service Pack 3 Overview: |
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Windows® XP Service
Pack 3 (SP3) includes all previously
released updates for the operating system,
in addition to a small number of new
functionalities that will not significantly
change customers’ experience with the
operating system. |
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| Each time
a new service pack is released, the subject of
slipstreaming the new service pack into previous
versions is raised in an effort to cut down on the
number of required updates on clean installations
and reinstalls. This is especially true with SP3 for
two reasons; the length of time since XP2 was
released and the large number of interim updates
between SP2 and SP3. Anybody that has reinstalled XP
w/SP2 cringes at the number of updates that are
required to bring it up to date. |
| With that thought in mind,
it's once again time to go through the steps to
successfully integrate or slipstream Service
Pack 3 into previous releases of Windows XP. If
you already have a functioning, reasonably clean
system install that isn't causing any problems
you really don't have any need to bother with a
slipstreamed CD. Under that scenario it's much
easier [and quicker] to simply have SP3
installed via Windows Update. For those that are
constantly tinkering with the system and
reinstalling from older XP releases, it's an
essential item to keep you sane. |
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|
Slipstreamed Windows XP CD Using SP3 |
Burning the Windows XP/SP3
Slipstreamed CD
w/Roxio Easy Media Creator 9 |
Burning the Windows XP/SP3
Slipstreamed CD
w/ NERO Burning ROM 8 |
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|
A Few
Notes Pertaining to SP3 RC1 for XP |
|
April 25, 2008 - The notes in this
section pertained to the Release
Candidate 1 of SP3, not the final
release version. I'm leaving them
here until I have the time to check
them out against the final release
version at which time I'll update
the findings and remove any
incorrect information. |
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- In order to
install SP3 RC1 it's necessary to have XP w/SP1
already installed. If you try and install SP3 to
a Gold installation it will return a Service
Pack 3 Setup Error as shown below.
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- If SP1 or SP1a is
installed you can upgrade directly to SP3 RC1
using the standalone SP3 installer. If SP3 RC1
is uninstalled using Add/Remove Programs you
will be returned to XP w/SP1.
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- If SP2 is installed you can upgrade directly
to SP3 RC1 using the standalone SP3
installer. If SP3 RC1 is uninstalled using
Add/Remove Programs you will be returned to
XP w/SP2.
|
- If you slipstream SP3 RC1 into a Gold
edition of XP it will install correctly. The
serial number must be entered at the time of
installation.
|
- If you slipstream SP3 RC1 into a SP1 or SP1a
edition of XP it will install correctly. The
serial number must be entered at the time of
installation. [See Note]
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- If you slipstream SP3 RC1 into a SP2 edition
of XP it will install correctly. Serial
number entry may be deferred at time of
installation.
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| Note: I have been told
by some readers they have been able to defer
serial number entry using XP/SP1 and XP/SP1a
as the basis for the slipstreamed CD. I
haven't found that to be the case based on a
number of slipstreamed test CD's. I'd like
to hear your experiences using XP/SP1 and
XP/SP1 as the basis for the slipstreamed CD.
It's certainly possible I am doing something
wrong and would like to correct any
inaccurate information. |
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| Windows Service Pack
Blocker Tool Kit |
| As big a believer as I am
in making sure a system is up to date with
Service Packs and other updates, I'm an equally
big believer that absolutely no updates of any
kind should be introduced into a system without
the users permission. This is especially
relevant now with Service Pack 3 for XP being
released in the near future. In spite of the
folly of doing so, I know that many users, if
not the majority, have Windows Update set to
automatically download and install updates, and
that will include Service Pack 3. That's
just giving Microsoft carte blanche to install
whatever they deem necessary on your system. I'm
simply not comfortable allowing that to happen,
and I know a lot of users feel the same way.
Theoretically you can set Windows Update so you
are prompted before updates are downloaded and
then be prompted again before they are
installed, but after the 2007 incident where the
Windows Update settings were ignored and an
update installed in spite of user preferences, I
simply don't have any faith my preferences will
be respected. |
| That
brings us to the
Windows Service Pack Blocker Tool Kit, a
blocking tool available for organizations that would
like to temporarily prevent installation of Service
Pack updates through Windows Update. The blocker
tool will not prevent SP3 from being installed via
CD/DVD or the stand-alone download package of SP3,
but it does prevent it from being installed via
Windows Update. The only caveat I'm aware of is the
tool is only valid for 12 months following the
general availability of Windows XP Service Pack 3.
More info and full description
available
here. |
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| The End of Support for
Windows XP Service Pack 1 and 1a |
| In
addition to today being "Patch Tuesday", it's
also the day that Microsoft officially pulls the
plug on support for Service Pack 1 and Service
Pack 1a for Windows XP. If you're unsure what
version of XP you're running, go to Start and
right click the My Computer icon and select
Properties. The version will be displayed
in the System section of the property sheet. If
you want to continue receiving critical security
updates and patches, update to SP2 that was
released on September 17, 2004. |
| I've heard a lot of
grumbling about this move and how it will
negatively impact users that still haven't
updated past SP1 or SP1a, something along the
lines of Microsoft throwing those people that
haven't updated to the wolves. Quite frankly, I
think that's a bunch of bull. There has been
more than adequate time for everyone to make the
move to SP2, and it isn't like this has been
some well kept secret that was sprung on
unsuspecting users. On the
Microsoft Support Lifecycle page it clearly
states: |
| Service
Pack Support Policy |
- When a service pack is released, Microsoft
will provide 12 months of support for the
previous service pack
|
- Support may be extended to 24 months for
those service packs when Microsoft believes
customers will need additional time for
testing and deployment
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- Microsoft will announce support timelines
for a previous service pack when the new
service pack is released
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- When support for a product ends, support of
the service packs for that product will also
end. The product’s support lifecycle
supersedes the service pack support policy
|
| Do the math and you'll
find that users that haven't updated to SP2 have
essentially been handed a gift by how long the
support for SP1 and SP1a have dragged on when it
could have been ended much earlier. Look at the
Lifecycle Supported Service Packs page and
it lists the dates for every Service Pack and
when the support expires. |
| The
bottom line is update the system to SP2. You
have software that won't run on SP2? Get rid of
it and find a replacement that will, complain to
the company until they update their product, or
switch to a different operating system. Nothing
lasts forever and I for one am glad to see the
resources being expended on extended support and
backward compatibility issues coming to an end.
The whining will continue for months as exploits
are developed for those refusing to update. I
just hope Microsoft has the backbone to stick to
their guns and move forward to a SP3 for XP and
concentrate on making Vista a secure
environment. The choice is yours. Think
carefully. |
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| Secure Browsing with
Virtual Machines |
If
you've been doing much reading on any of the
tech oriented sites recently you have
undoubtedly seen the huge number of articles
devoted to safe internet browsing practices. All
of a sudden it has become 'fashionable' to use
virtual machines for browsing and a host of
other functions. Some of the journalists have
been treating this concept as if it is something
new. The reality is that virtual machines have
been around a long time and are widely used by
developers and beta testers.
What does using a virtual
machine for browsing have to do with security?
It's no secret that Internet Explorer has been
plagued with many security vulnerabilities. The
appearance of alternative browsers such as
Firefox and Opera have helped with secure
browsing and gained in popularity, but even that
alone isn't enough to protect against spyware,
adware, and malware being introduced into the
system. Enter the virtual machine, an operating
system that runs within an operating system.
With this technology you can effectively isolate
certain functions to a virtual machine dedicated
to a specific purpose. When the task is
completed, reset the virtual machine to a
pristine state that eliminates all the recent
activity. That eliminates the primary operating
system from being compromised by internet
activity since it and the virtual machines are
separate entities.
I mentioned above this
technology has been around for quite some time,
so why is it just now becoming popular? First of
all, it isn't free if you want to create your
own virtual machines and run them on your
system. You have to buy the application to
create your own virtual machines. However, the
virtual machine landscape changed dramatically a
few months ago when VMware introduced the free
VMware Player. As you might guess from the
word 'Player' in the name of the product, you
still can't create your own virtual machines
with the VMware Player, but here is what it is
possible to do as quoted directly from VMware's
website. [
More ] |
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|
Microsoft Update |
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| Most users of Windows
operating systems are familiar with Windows
Update. For those that might not be familiar,
Microsoft states in the Help and Support Center,
"Windows Update scans your computer for outdated
system files and lets you replace them with the
most recent versions." While Windows Update is
still alive, well, and available to help users
keep their systems currently updated, there is
now a new option for updating not only the XP
system files and applications, but other
Microsoft products as well. It's called
Microsoft Update and is available for
installation from the Windows Update page. Links
to an overview, installation, and usage are
available below. |
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Microsoft Update
//
Microsoft Update - Installing
//
Microsoft Update - Usage |
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| Spyware
and Adware Threats |
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| Every week I read article
after article talking about spyware and how to
combat this ever increasing threat. Some users
have a lot more trouble with spyware and adware
than others. I suppose we could spend a lot of
time analyzing how the spyware and adware is
introduced onto the system, but I honestly
believe it would be an exercise in futility.
Users are users are users, and even if .....
[
Read Full Article ] |
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Reminder
-- Rather than clutter up the main page of the
site with numerous SP2 knowledge base articles
that may or may not be applicable to everyone,
just click on the letter " S " in the Index area
above and scroll down to the Service Pack 2
category and the latest information is
available. There is also the
Service Pack 2 Articles page where I archive
the old SP2 articles that once were front page
news. I also suggest visiting the forum where
there is always a lot of discussion and help
available regarding SP2 issues.
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Slipstreamed Windows XP CD Using SP2 |
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| Whenever a new version of
a service pack for XP is released I always run
it through the slipstreaming procedure to see if
everything works as expected. Service Pack 2
(SP2) is the latest release so it was time for
another round of testing. For those of you that
have a copy of SP2 and want to give it a try the
procedure I used is
here. I experienced absolutely no problems
with the procedure based on an original Gold
Edition XP Professional CD. The slipstreamed CD
booted and installed perfectly to a freshly
formatted hard drive. Instructions are included
for both Roxio and Nero CD burning software. |
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| Thoughts on Changing Browsers |
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| What is really interesting is a
controversy regarding Download.Ject trojan and browsers; the
program used to access and navigate the internet. It all
revolves around the fact that only users of Internet
Explorer were susceptible to this vulnerability. When the
general consensus is that 95% of all users accessing the
internet are using Internet Explorer, that turns this
vulnerability into a big deal and stirred a lot of
journalists and security folks to call for users to switch
to a different browser. One that isn't susceptible to
Download.Ject and hopefully resistant to new malicious code
that's sure to follow this outbreak. [
Read Full Article ] |
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| Hard Drive Partitioning |
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| Remember that old Radio Shack TRS-80
computer that sat on your desk? One of the rituals that went
with ownership was popping a tape into the cassette deck to
load a program, all the while hoping the tape didn't get
stretched or chewed up before the process completed. Later
on hard drives made an appearance, but back in those early
days a hard drive was a luxury, and a very expensive luxury
at that when you start computing the cost per megabyte of
early drives. Today, we rarely give much thought to the hard
drive. In one way it's good they have become inexpensive and
so reliable they seldom fail. On the other hand, because
they are so reliable, we tend to ignore hard drives and
overlook ways to make them more useful and efficient. A
modified or advanced partitioning scheme isn't essential to
the operation of a personal computer, but if you're a
tweaker or organizational fanatic (I admit it, I am, on both
counts) then partitioning affords a wealth of customization
and organizational opportunities. The article on
partitioning hard drives in XP begins
here. |
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| Slipstreaming - Worthwhile or a Waste
of Time? |
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| I was recently asked if slipstreaming
is as viable today as it was back when SP1 for XP was first
released. The question took me by surprise as I'd not really
given it any thought. My initial inclination was to say yes,
but after mulling it over while updating the section on
Slipstreaming XP I'm inclined to change my 'yes' answer
to a less enthusiastic 'maybe' response. [
Read Full Article ] |
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Group Policy for Windows XP
Professional |
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| At
one time Group Policy was the exclusive territory of those
that deal with servers and Active Directory, but with the
arrival of XP Professional more users are discovering Group
Policy can be useful in managing computers on a small work
or home network. Even if you have a single, stand alone
computer with multiple users, Group Policy can be put to
good use. |
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Change Text on the Start Button
For Windows XP Home and Professional Versions
|
Very Important - See
notes at end of article before using this procedure !
Contains SP2 and Ad-aware Cautions |
- Are you tired of looking at the word 'start' on that green
button at the lower left of your desktop? Maybe it's time
for a change; something a bit more personal. Here are the
instructions on how to customize the Start button text. |
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| Common Solutions |
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| After thousands of e-mails asking for help with XP system
problems, a number of patterns and recurring themes have
developed that apply to a large majority of the help
requests. The
Common Solutions page lists items that are frequently
part of the solution, and in many cases are the entire
solution. |
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| Modify the Windows
Boot Screen |
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| Two or three times a week I get an e-mail asking if it's
possible to modify the Windows boot screen; the black screen
that says Microsoft Home or Professional and has the
scrolling green or blue bars. There are many sites that
offer customized boot screens for download, but it's
unlikely you'll find one specifically tailored to your
personal situation. For the price of a couple of free
downloads and some of your time you can alter the default
boot screen to reflect your personal taste. The instructions
are
here. |
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| U.S. and Canadian customers can get the Windows XP
Professional and Office XP Desktop Deployment Customer
Toolkit for free
while quantities last. Managing desktop deployments
can be challenging. That's why there's Windows XP and Office
XP. Deploying Windows XP Professional and Office XP helps
you achieve greater productivity, enhanced desktop security,
and improved reliability. This toolkit contains tools,
resources, and articles to help make your desktop
deployments easier than ever before. For additional
information and to order the free toolkit, go to
Windows XP Professional and Office XP Desktop Deployment
Customer Toolkit CD. |
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| Disable Messenger
Service |
| Spammers are at it again, using the Messenger Service (not
Microsoft Messenger) to send pop up spam to networked
computers using open port scanning software. Instructions on
eliminating this nuisance are
here. |
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| Windows Update
Troubleshooter |
| "When
I try to install or download from Windows Update it never
finishes. What should I do?" Each day I get a new crop of messages
related to Windows Update. Microsoft has put together the
Windows Update Troubleshooter that answers the majority
of issues revolving around Windows Update. Read through it
and more than likely the solution has already been
addressed. |
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| Applying Detail
View to Windows Explorer |
| There are five choices for viewing folders and files in
Windows Explorer. The Windows XP default is Tiles view, but
anyone that has been around previous versions of Windows
will probably find it very unsatisfactory, especially if you
do any serious work in Explorer. Take a look at
Applying Detail View to Windows Explorer for an
alternative to Tiles view. |
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| Restore Previous
Activation Status |
| Circumstances arise where you'll need to reinstall Windows
XP on your machine when no hardware changes have been made.
Rather than go through the reactivation process,
create a floppy disk to back up the activation status
file. Once XP has been reinstalled the floppy can be used to
restore the previous activation status. |
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| Restore Show
Desktop Icon to Quick Launch |
| If the Show Desktop icon has been deleted from Quick Launch,
the procedure detailed
here will recreate the missing icon. |
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