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**gamefoo21** · May 2, 2008, 12:19 AM

Originally posted by DorXtar View Post

I've installed it on my work computer and now on my home computer. I've actually rolled it out on all the lab computers. No problems yet, just a nice speed boost.

I did a naughty SP day...

SP3 onto the XP on my tower, and SP1 onto my Vista x86 lappy.

They both are a hell of a lot snappier now, I likes it.

/me boots out of XP Pro and back into Vista Ult. x64

**MDC** · May 2, 2008, 09:48 AM

I definitely didn't get any the night I tried installing SP3 at home on the computer my wife an I share. Maybe next time.

On a more serious note, Installing SP3 on one computer at work revealed a hard disk problem (not caused it), and I am trying it out to see if it will work in the images for our notebooks.

**Crisler** · May 2, 2008, 10:50 AM

I am concerned that you equate a good SP update with sex, this is very distrubing. I suggest leaving the basement and finding a live woman, trust me it is much better than any update.

**MDC** · May 2, 2008, 10:52 AM

Originally posted by Crisler View Post

I am concerned that you equate a good SP update with sex, this is very distrubing.

I personally equate it with no sex.

**JonZ** · May 2, 2008, 06:39 PM

I can't have sex because I'm on XP x64

**nextbillgates** · May 2, 2008, 07:08 PM

Originally posted by JonZ View Post

I can't have sex because I'm on XP x64

Same here

**genci88** · May 2, 2008, 09:12 PM

Vista SP1 is better than XP SP3.

**ready2rumbelX** · May 3, 2008, 01:30 PM

XP x64 is based off Server 2003 (correct?) so the service pack isn't compliant...and as far as I know, MS aren't releasing SP3 for XP x64 (yet).

Vista SP1 definitely helps alot. I can attest to the performance and stability gain that's there.

Although, didn't MS retract/halt the final release of SP3 due to problems?

r2rX

**kingofslackerz** · May 3, 2008, 06:22 PM

Just updated and find it to be much slower. Yea, I'm due for a re format, but still notice longer windows boot time and initial opening of programs, such as firefox are much slower.

Plus I gotta figure out how to re-patch my uxtheme.dll so my Visual Styles work again, for some reason can't get it to patch.

**caveman-jim** · May 3, 2008, 06:34 PM

There are theme patches for it now, check MSFN or Neowin forums.

XP x64 and Server 2003 x64 share the same kernel, and so share the same service pack.

AFAIK Server 2003 SP1 and Windows 2005 MCE share the same kernel as well.

**kingofslackerz** · May 3, 2008, 06:42 PM

Originally posted by caveman-jim View Post

There are theme patches for it now, check MSFN or Neowin forums.

XP x64 and Server 2003 x64 share the same kernel, and so share the same service pack.

AFAIK Server 2003 SP1 and Windows 2005 MCE share the same kernel as well.

Ya thanks, I got it. Just needed a replacer for the system file.

Some things do seem quicker after they are chached, but the boot ups are still slow.

**Skynet** · May 3, 2008, 10:48 PM

Originally posted by caveman-jim View Post

AFAIK Server 2003 SP1 and Windows 2005 MCE share the same kernel as well.

Really? I thought XP SP3 can be applied to XP MCE?

Anyway, I don't know what some of you are smoking, but XP SP3 performs essentially the same as SP2. But if you THINK it's faster, that's just as good right?

**ready2rumbelX** · May 4, 2008, 03:03 AM

IIRC, SP3 just adds some new features (some which come with Vista already, correct?)....it doesn't necessarily tweak or speed things up.

And SP3 applies to MCE as well...so I don't think MCE is based of the Server 2003 kernel. MCE is pretty much the standard XP SP2 (x86) with the Media Center application included.

r2rX

**confusedsoul** · May 4, 2008, 09:55 AM

MCE is based on XP Pro with domain support disabled (though it can be added again) and MC installed. Might be a couple of other Pro features disabled as well, but I know its based on XP Pro as I've added domain support at once time. At least this is with MCE 2005

**{0}Salamander{0}** · May 5, 2008, 08:58 AM

Sorry to drag an OS thread down into the topic of "games", but would SP3 affect the performance of which games run at?

The reason I ask is because when I went from XP SP1 to SP2 I had one game in particular which had its performance crippled.

**caveman-jim** · May 5, 2008, 10:16 AM

**Dr. Zhivago** · May 5, 2008, 08:27 PM

SP3 just borked my MCE 2005. I get the dreaded "Component Registration Failure" when trying to start TV or any other feature of MC...

Sigh.

**DorXtar** · May 5, 2008, 09:44 PM

Benchmarks show that sp3 gives a nice performance boost. I dunno what any of yous guys has been seeing in terms of sp3 previews/reviews.

**Skynet** · May 5, 2008, 09:59 PM

Originally posted by DorXtar View Post

Benchmarks show that sp3 gives a nice performance boost. I dunno what any of yous guys has been seeing in terms of sp3 previews/reviews.

What benches.

**{0}Salamander{0}** · May 6, 2008, 07:35 AM

Yes, benchies would be nice.

**warmonger180** · May 7, 2008, 08:37 AM

Originally posted by genci88 View Post

Vista SP1 is better than XP SP3.

**m0unds** · May 12, 2008, 07:04 PM

the only benchmarks i've seen of sp3 were performed well before RTM (nov 07/dec 07/jan 08).

we've deployed sp3 on 20 or so machines in my department. consensus is that they either feel the same or slightly slower. meh.

**Ristogod** · May 12, 2008, 09:39 PM

I've yet to see any real-world tangible performance increases.

**Dr. Zhivago** · May 13, 2008, 03:52 PM

So, I got SP3 working on my MCE 2005 install. Didn't have to format. I did have to remove SP3, then remove all the installs of .Net, WMP 11, Hotfixes and Rollups for MCE 2005 specifically. Then, reinstall SP3, then .Net versions 1.1, 2.0 and all related Service Packs for that and then the Rollup Updates for MCE 2005. Quite the PITA and should not have been necessary. But, that was the only way it would work.

Slipstreaming SP3 into Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005 is not supported.

Service Pack 3 does contain updates to the operating system components of Windows XP Media Center Edition (MCE) and Windows XP Tablet PC Edition, and security updates for .NET Framework version 1.0, which is included in these Windows XP SKUs. It does not include update rollups for the Windows Media Center application in Windows XP MCE 2005. SP3 also omits security updates for Windows Media Player 10, although the player is included in Windows XP MCE 2005.

Seems like they dropped the ball for MCE 2005 and maybe they ought to be more up front about what OS's SP3 actually works on.

**DorXtar** · May 13, 2008, 09:01 PM

I contend that people experiencing sp3 install problems have buggy xp installs to begin with.

The only problem I've encountered so far is an increase of EvE crashing on me.

**confusedsoul** · May 14, 2008, 09:22 AM

Originally posted by Dr. Zhivago View Post

So, I got SP3 working on my MCE 2005 install. Didn't have to format. I did have to remove SP3, then remove all the installs of .Net, WMP 11, Hotfixes and Rollups for MCE 2005 specifically. Then, reinstall SP3, then .Net versions 1.1, 2.0 and all related Service Packs for that and then the Rollup Updates for MCE 2005. Quite the PITA and should not have been necessary. But, that was the only way it would work.

Slipstreaming SP3 into Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005 is not supported.

Service Pack 3 does contain updates to the operating system components of Windows XP Media Center Edition (MCE) and Windows XP Tablet PC Edition, and security updates for .NET Framework version 1.0, which is included in these Windows XP SKUs. It does not include update rollups for the Windows Media Center application in Windows XP MCE 2005. SP3 also omits security updates for Windows Media Player 10, although the player is included in Windows XP MCE 2005.

Seems like they dropped the ball for MCE 2005 and maybe they ought to be more up front about what OS's SP3 actually works on.

Interesting, I didn't have to do that. So much for trying to slipstream though according to what you posted.

**Dr. Zhivago** · May 14, 2008, 01:47 PM

There's a whole bunch of posts on the net about SP3 not playing nice with MCE 2005. I believe earlier versions of MCE are unaffected.

**confusedsoul** · May 14, 2008, 02:23 PM

Well I have 2005 and everything appears to be working a-ok. MC is a little slow and jittery, but working.

**Dr. Zhivago** · May 14, 2008, 03:15 PM

Was it slow and jittery before SP3? Does the ZOOM feature work correctly? Is the Program Guide downloading updates? Does your Internet Time update correctly?

**confusedsoul** · May 14, 2008, 03:16 PM

Originally posted by Dr. Zhivago View Post

Was it slow and jittery before SP3? Does the ZOOM feature work correctly? Is the Program Guide downloading updates? Does your Internet Time update correctly?

I don't use it all that much and I don't use it for TV, so that could be why I haven't noticed anything. Nevermind, its not jittery anymore. Much smoother this last time I accessed it.

**Dr. Zhivago** · May 14, 2008, 03:17 PM

Oh. Some help you are.

**confusedsoul** · May 14, 2008, 03:19 PM

Originally posted by Dr. Zhivago View Post

Oh. Some help you are.

Weeeeeeeeeelll yes

**Hidavi** · May 16, 2008, 12:22 PM

SP3 doesn't work with AVG anti-virus.

**VW_Factor** · May 16, 2008, 12:58 PM

Ive experienced no slow downs. Bootup time is a bit longer, but that is merely a slight annoyance. Otherwise, just about everything Ive done since its been installed has been a bit peppier and quicker.

**DorXtar** · Jun 1, 2008, 11:30 AM

Ok. I think I figured out the problem with sp3. After like 2 weeks of grappling with problems (switching mobos, buying new crap, pretty much like 4-5 complete overhauls), I think I figured out what was wrong. After installing windows fresh, I didn't install all of the critical updates that normally install from windows update. I applied sp3 to the fresh install (after drivers of course), and when I went to check on what updates I was missing, all of the 90+ critical updates weren't there anymore. So sp3 really takes the place of all of those other (hotfixes?) updates.

Granted, I attribute my much nicer performance to a new HDD, new mobo and new RAM, but I'd like to think my problems with sp3 are over.

**SteadVéx** · Jun 1, 2008, 01:55 PM

Installed sp3 on a PIII latop with 128mb of ram, runs perfect....quite impressed, although didn't try sp2 so nothing to compare with, but last time i tried installing xp on a machine with 128 mb of ram (since sp1) its been very slow going

**Shadowless** · Jun 7, 2008, 07:32 PM

Been rolling out SP3 on every re-format and new deployment I do at work since three days after it came out. Very impressed.

**phial** · Jun 14, 2008, 09:07 AM

Originally posted by genci88 View Post

Vista SP1 is better than XP SP3.

XP SP3 is better than Vista SP1.

In seriousness it does run very well. Installed it on both the desktops we have here (the other is a celery D 360 @ 3.8ghz with a gig of ram on my old 4coredual-vsta board) and they are both 100% stable and definitely feel quicker overall.

**Razeus** · Jun 14, 2008, 03:56 PM

Up and running on my MacBook with Boot Camp and it's flawless. No problems here.

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Windows XP SP3 is the sex

Windows XP SP3 is the sex

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