Xp Service Pack 3 Being Pushed Down Via Auto Update

[shanenin]

Today Microsoft started distributing XP SP3 via automatic updates. This article says the update process is smart and will check for know bad configurations and not install it. I wonder if it is able to check for this configuration. Time will tell. Maybe the computer repair business will be booming.

[isteve]

I'm almost positive that problem has been fixed.

[blim]

Ewww. Remembering very Scary SP2. Thanks for the warning, Shanenin. I've kept up with all the updates and not interested in SP3.

Liz

[shanenin]

Ewww. Remembering very Scary SP2. Thanks for the warning, Shanenin. I've kept up with all the updates and not interested in SP3.

Liz

Make sure your automatic update settings are set to "download updates for me, but let me choose when to install them". Then the next time you get a notice of newly downloaded updates via your system tray notification, you can choose "custom install", then uncheck "Service Pack 3"

[bozodog]

I've had SP3 loaded since I built this new computer. Never a problem.

[Pete_C]

Today Microsoft started distributing XP SP3 via automatic updates. This article says the update process is smart and will check for know bad configurations and not install it. I wonder if it is able to check for this configuration. Time will tell. Maybe the computer repair business will be booming.

Remember that support of the OS is based on the release date of the Service pack.

SP2 is nearing its end of mainstream support; so it is logical to push SP3 .

Secondly there are some serious issues security wise which need addressing and SP3 gives a unified starting point.

Why have multiple versions of patches one for XP no service packs, one for SP1, one for SP2 and another for SP3; especially since the older versions (no service pack and SP1) are no longer supported ?

They try to accommodate those who refuse to change as long as possible (such as prolonging Outlook Express access to hotmail even though that format has flaws which are addressed by the upgrade to windows live mail handling of hotmail) but sooner or later the impact on security and internet traffic of unpatched machines becomes critical and they need to force the update .

Virus, trojan , and other malware authors are well aware of the holes patched in updates and exploit them very soon after they are patched. Hence unpatched machines represent a very large problem on the internet.

[shanenin]

I agree fully(although I still like to complain). I am not putting down sp3. I was just curious if "automatic update" is able to determine if a computer was impropelry loaded by the manufacturer and not apply the update.

[Pete_C]

I agree fully(although I still like to complain). I am not putting down sp3. I was just curious if "automatic update" is able to determine if a computer was impropelry loaded by the manufacturer and not apply the update.

My bet is that once the issue was identified, they had a hotfix available which should already have been pushed to affected computers by windows update.