Service Pack 3

Support for WinXP will end in April 2014 but existing support is for only XP SP3.

I have just had to reload windows and my disk contains Win XP SP2. There is a link to SP 3 at microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=24 but it says that for the update of single computer use the Auto Updates. This creates the problem that when you only have SP2 you cannot use Auto Update to get SP3 because SP2 is no longer supported!

How can I get the single computer version of SP3 so I can update from SP2?

 

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows-xp/help/setup/install-windows-xp
http://www.windowsxphome.windowsreinstall.com/sp2installxpcdoldhdd/indexfullpage.htm
http://aumha.net/viewtopic.php?f=62&t=44636
Clean installs of XP sites

Courtesy of Tricky 300

If you were already at service pack 1, 1A or 2, you can install SP3, but before you do, read this article…
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/950717
…and if your PC is an HP Pavilion, Presario or Media Center and has an AMD processor you need to install this patch before installing SP3…
http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/softwareDownloadIndex?cc=uk&lc=en&dlc=en&softwareitem=pv-60484-2
Install SP3 by downloading and running from...
http://www.microsoft.com/download/en/details.aspx?displaylang=en&id=24
…again, you can ignore the text that says that it is for network installations and also ignore the text advising Windows/Microsoft Update if only updating one PC.
Then try and get up to date with Windows Updates via the Start menu.


as stated above ignore it being not for a single pc and install it anyway.

the best way to install is download to a flashdrive then install on your desktop, that way your pc is not online and subject to infection if you do not have an antivirus installed yet.

 

I have followed the instructions and have now installed SP3 - HOWEVER, not everything went well! I read and followed the instructions about uninstalling IE8 and reverting to IE6. BUT when I then went to download SP3 I could not get access because I was on IE6!!


This experience has been something of a Catch 22 scenario throughout:
1.you cannot download SP3 automatically or manually when you have SP2 because SP2 is no longer supported - couldn't that update still have been made available!
2.you have to download a file which MS say you should not download;
3.you are advised not to install SP3 when you have already installed IE8;
4.if you try to access the download using IE6 you can't get access to that page!

Luckily I could download SP3 etc from my other computer using Windows 7 etc, save it to disc, then install it on the other computer from the disc. MS could have made this easier.

Thanks for the help

 

that is why I included some clean install sites for next time. When I know that I am going to reinstall, I have my drivers, all my data, mse, and its definitions, and I used to install sp3 manually, the IT version, but I made a slipstreamed cd with sp3 so now I do not need to install separately.

The reason being to install ie 8 after sp3 is, if you have to uninstall ie8 for any reason, then you have to uninstall sp3 also, before you can uninstall ie8.

So, always install sp3 first, then ie8, when you download sp3, you can also get IE 8 and install it manually without having to go through windows updates.

Easier to make a slipstreamed cd with sp3 and there are even a few less updates to get from Microsoft updates when you start off with sp3 slipstreamed.
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the end of support means that no new security updates will be issued, you will still be able to download all the updates from Microsoft download center and even from Microsoft updates if you ever have to reinstall again.

Make yourself a list of things to have to reinstall and keep the downloads you need on a flash drive.

you can even make a cd with all the downloads so you can install from the cd .

The sp3 download for IT developers is a larger size than the one that was offered from windows updates, that is why it states not to use it, but since updates will not work without sp3, everyone downloads the IT one.

 

To all in this thread:

HOW TO DOWNLOAD SP3 FOR XP
http://www.computing.net/howtos/sho...ervice-pack-3-sp3-after-april-8-2014/916.html

sp3 is no longer carried at the microsoft download center