Straight up.

I did nothing.

Windows Update.

The install creates a Restore Point and it is always uninstallable as well.

You may also have to run the Windows Validation first and in my case it loaded a new Windows Installer version.

Download was @ 25 mnutes on DSL 6. Install was @ 10 minutes.

Similar to SP2 time wise.

I've done it on about a dozen systems so - with no problems. And I "went straight into it" - did not disable any thing. I rarely do - after all, if I had it download and install automatically, it would not disable anything.

I just did my main system - which is unique from the other I did in that this PC is using 1066 RDRAM, RAID drives and dual monitor setup, and finally XP Pro - up to this point, all had been Home.

Other than the fact it took nearly 35 minutes - almost 15 minutes longer, it still went well, with Comodo only yelling at me once.

So far - all upgrades have gone smoothly.

The "Tech News Sites" report some issues of Boot Failure with some AMD systems.

Safe Mode/ System Restore appears the best option if anyone comes across this issue.

I found this partial thread on another site I read and I post it basically for the humor but it also makes some valid points in general.

Of course in my own opinion and my own sense of humor.

Given the huge number of people on Windows and the small number of complaints, I would call SP3 a success.

--------------------



KEEP YOUR RATIONALITY TO YOURSELF!
We're bashing Microsoft here!

Let me counter-balance: I run three thousand computers on a bus lan and after the sp3 update half the computers started flashing blue screens and brainwashing me to kill puppies, the other half were flashing red and brainwashing me to kill babies.

It's insane! Trust me! Windows XP SP3 is the devil! SP2 on the other hand is awesome and Microsoft is evil and wants to take over the world which is why they released sp3!

(note: Vista will continue to suck until its successor is released in which case Vista will start being awesome and Vista 2 will suck)


---------------------



I'm just holding out for SP4. I just wish they weren't discontinuing SP2 so soon.


---------------------



I've never experienced a blue screen on xp before. Maybe I don't have flaky hardware drivers.


---------------------



NO! YOURE LYING! DAMN YOU! I just told you about the puppy killing bsods! You must be a kool-aid drinking Microsoft fanboy! Steve Jobs told me about you people!

Ok maybe I'm taking it a little too far.


---------------------



I drink whiskey, but that's beside the point.


---------------------



00000000000000xbaaa!!!!!

and

00000000000000xAaaa!!!!!

So BACK OFF!

B.S.


-------------------------



sorry to hear about the puppies you should try linux


-------------------------


Just to clarify... are you implying Linux only brainwashes it's users into killing babies?

To XP SP3 users (and also to all users with Flash Player)

Please update your Flash Player!

It has been reported that the up-to-date flash.ocx (this is the flash player activex component) has been replaced with old version AFTER installing Service Pack 3 of Windows XP.

You can find the report here:

http://www.d-a-l.com/help/general-in...ayer-flaw.html

Your To Do:

Users should make sure that their flash.ocx is the current version. You can run Secunia Software Inspector online or using the Secunia PSI to check what version of flash.ocx you got AFTER you've installed XP SP3.

You can also try to determine what version of Flash Player you have by going to "About Flash Player". You should see:


You have version 9,0,124,0 installed (Note: this is currently the lastest version of Flash Player).


You can right-click also the flash.ocx located in System32\Macromed folder and check what version you got after installing SP3 of XP.

Finally, a traditional Windows/Microsoft basher gives credit (blame!) where due. Brian Livingston is not your normal Windows basher - he does his research first - then bashes when deserved.

There have been a lot of problems reported with XPSP3 with many so called journalists and IT experts immediately putting the blame on Microsoft. See my rant about PCWorld's irresponsible reporting here (skip down to the paragraph starting with, "Those with complaints scream the loudest...").

Now many folks are reporting problems with Symantec's AV products not behaving properly and Brian Livington reports here,

The problems with XP SP3 include AMD-based Hewlett-Packard desktop computers constantly rebooting and Symantec antivirus products developing strange behaviors. It makes me wonder which executives at HP and Symantec were supposed to test these companies' products during the months-long beta releases of SP3.

That's a story for another day.

Hear, Hear! Brian!

We've been using it for a while now without any hiccups whatsoever across a range of systems.

When tested, SP3 was a better performer than SP2 too which is why we initially moved.

Win Xp sp3 has a lot of problems so i deleted it and went back to service pack 2 maybe some will have no problems with sp3 but i have and my father to. There again it might have been something wrong with my computer. Anyway i dont have Service pack 3 on my computer now. Im may it again i dont know. My computer has no problems now.

Hmm... I'll hold off SP3 till I find out if it works with my VTP 8.1 lol