Tech Talk

[here]

FYI...

- http://www.techarp.com/showarticle.aspx?artno=521&pgno=0
20-03-2008 - "...Due to the changes in language releases and Windows XP SP3 RTM's release, here's the updated schedule.
1. Chinese (Simplified), English, French, German, Japanese, Korean, and Spanish...
Second half of April 2008
2. Arabic, Chinese (Hong Kong), Chinese (Traditional), Czech, Danish, Dutch, Finnish, Greek, Hebrew, Hungarian, Italian, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese (Brazilian), Portuguese (Portugal), Russian, Swedish, and Turkish...
Approximately 21 days after Wave 1 RTM
With the exception of Windows XP Media Center Edition and Windows XP Tablet Edition, Windows XP Service Pack 3 will be released in both standalone and integrated formats. It will be available in both CD and DVD formats, except for the Japanese language version which will only be in DVD format..."

- http://www.microsoft.com/windows/lifecycle/servicepacks.mspx
Last Updated: October 15, 2007
"...SP3 for Windows XP (Home and Professional) is currently planned for 1H CY2008. This date is preliminary..."

 

[XPSP3 released to manufacturing]

FYI...

XPSP3 released to manufacturing
- http://preview.tinyurl.com/3nkl3q
April 21, 2008 (Computerworld) - "Microsoft Corp. today finally slapped a "Done" sticker on Windows XP Service Pack 3 and pushed it out the door. The designation of SP3 as RTM, short for "release to manufacturing"..."

(Many "Q&A's" at the URL above.)

Overview of Windows XP SP3 - link to .pdf file here
- http://preview.tinyurl.com/35uwdq
428 K

Windows XP SP3 forum
- http://forums.microsoft.com/TechNet/ShowForum.aspx?ForumID=2010&SiteID=17

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[Network Access Protection]

FYI...

- http://www.informationweek.com/shared/printableArticle.jhtml?articleID=207401041
April 21, 2008 - "...the third and final service pack for its Windows XP operating system and that the update will be available for public download on April 29... The service pack should offer a number of enhancements over the current version of the OS. It includes all updates issued since Windows XP Service Pack 2 was released in 2004, and some new elements. Among them: A feature called Network Access Protection that's borrowed from the newer Windows Vista operating system. NAP automatically validates a computer's health, ensuring that it's free of bugs and viruses before allowing it access to a network. Windows XP SP3 also includes improved "black hole" router detection -- a feature that automatically detects routers that are silently discarding packets. In XP SP3, the feature is turned on by default, according to Microsoft..."

[here]

FYI...

- http://isc.sans.org/diary.html?storyid=4358
Last Updated: 2008-04-29 17:03:11 UTC - "...the Windows Service Pack blocker tool can now block the following service packs from installation...
    * Windows XP Service Pack 3 (valid for 12 months following general availability)
    * Windows Vista Service Pack 1 (valid for 12 months following general availability)
So, if you want to prevent your machines from automatic updates (provided you don't use WSUS), you can download this handy tool from here*..."
* http://preview.tinyurl.com/2uryvq
Windows Service Pack Blocker Tool Kit
Quick Details
File Name:   SPBlockerTools.EXE
Version:   SPBlockerToolKit
Date Published:   12/6/2007
Language:   English
Download Size:   96 KB

 

[MS delays release of XPSP3]

FYI...

MS delays release of XPSP3
- http://preview.tinyurl.com/56vprz
April 29, 2008 (Infoworld) - "Microsoft has delayed the release of a third service pack for Windows XP, blaming a "compatibility issue" between the software and a retail-chain-management application... incompatibilities discovered in the past several days between an application called Microsoft Dynamics RMS and -both- Windows XP SP3 and Windows Vista Service Pack 1 will force the company to hold off on releasing the software. Dynamics RMS is a retail-chain-management software for SMBs. Microsoft said it is putting filtering in place to prevent its Windows Update service from offering both service packs to systems running Microsoft Dynamics RMS. Once that filtering is in place, Microsoft will release Windows XP SP3 to Windows Update and Download Center for users not running the application causing the problem.
The company on Tuesday did not say how long putting in filters would take. Microsoft is recommending that Microsoft Dynamics RMS customers not install Windows XP SP3 or Windows Vista SP1. For more information, those customers should contact Microsoft Customer Support Services, the company said. A fix to the Dynamics RMS problem is being tested and "will be available as soon as that process is complete," Microsoft said. The company did not provide a time frame for completion of the testing..."

[Release notes for Windows XP Service Pack 3]

FYI...

- http://isc.sans.org/diary.html?storyid=4387
Last Updated: 2008-05-06 20:10:06 UTC - "Microsoft, it appears, has just released Windows XP Service Pack 3*. For the most part, it is a bundle of all the updates since Service Pack 2, but there are some key differences. 
First, the big gotcha:
- If you are an IE 6 user, SP3 will simply updated your IE 6 installation.  You will continue to be able to upgrade to IE 7 as an option.
- If you are an IE 7 user, it will update your IE 7 installation.  HOWEVER, you will NOT be able to go back to IE 6 after applying this service back.
- If you are an IE 8 (beta) user, you will need to uninstall IE 8, apply the service pack, and then reinstall IE 8.
This link** has a list of all the Knowledge Base articles that this service pack addresses. Some of the bigger notes is that it does retrofit some of the Vista functionality into XP, namely in the area of Network Access Protection, Black Hole Router Detection, enhanced security for administrator and service policy entries (basically some better default settings) and a kernel mode crypto driver.  Additionally, some of the "optional" updates released since SP2 will be installed with SP3 (MMC 3.0, MXSXML6, WPA2 support, etc). The good news is that TechNet provides installation media that can be used to slipstream install the service pack so workstations can be updated off the net."

Windows XP SP3 Network Installation Package for IT Professionals and Developers
* http://preview.tinyurl.com/6k9zo3
316.4 MB
"...Note: Customers running Microsoft Dynamics Retail Management System (RMS) are advised to install a hotfix for a Microsoft Dynamics RMS issue -prior- to installing Windows XP SP3. http://support.microsoft.com/kb/951937
DO NOT CLICK DOWNLOAD IF YOU ARE UPDATING JUST ONE COMPUTER: A smaller, more appropriate download is now available on Windows Update..."

Release notes for Windows XP Service Pack 3
** http://support.microsoft.com/kb/936929
Last Review: May 6, 2008
Revision: 5.0...

 

[XP SP3 crashes AMD machines]

FYI...

XP SP3 crashes AMD machines
- http://www.theinquirer.net/gb/inquirer/news/2008/05/09/xp-sp3-crashes-amd-machines
9 May 2008 - "...Windows XP, Service Pack 3, is giving owners of machines with AMD hardware headaches aplenty it seems. The problems, which first arose just one day after the push, have been causing lots of noise on Microsoft support sites and angry user bogs. One user reported, "I just installed Windows XP SP3 and after completing the processes and when the system reboots, the system cannot proceed to load the Windows. It just displays the flash screen of Windows then after it reboots again." Angry users have also reported that, after the installation, it is not even possible to boot in safe mode, usually the last resort before setting up a repeated forehead/screen interface... there appears to be two separate problems. One affects only AMD-equipped PCs sold by Hewlett-Packard. "The problem is that HP, apparently along with other OEMs, deploys the same image to Intel-based computers that they do to AMD-based computers," said Johansson. "Because the image for both Intel and AMD is the same all have the intelppm.sys driver installed and running. That driver provides power management on Intel-based computers. On an AMD-based computer, amdk8.sys provides the same functionality." There's a whole bunch of other info and some useful fixes for those of you stuck in the dreaded loop of death over on Jesper's Bog*."
* http://preview.tinyurl.com/6zs52d
(MSinfluentials.com/blogs/jesper)

 

[here]

FYI...

- http://www.channelregister.co.uk/2008/05/13/xp_sp3_microsoft_blames_oems/
13 May 2008 - "...the endless reboot cock-up reported by many XP customers after installing SP3 was not a new issue... the snafu, in part, relates to original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) – understood to include the world’s biggest computer vendor Hewlett-Packard – loading the wrong "Sysprepped" XP image on to machines with non-Intel chipsets... AMD has responded to our request for comment – perhaps unsurprisingly, it sang from the same hymn sheet as Microsoft on the service pack blunder:
“The problem is the result of applying a non-AMD processor Windows operating system image to AMD processor-based PCs; this is a configuration issue only and not an HP platform, AMD processor, or operating system issue,” it said. However, the chip maker also reckons that Microsoft is working on a fix that should be available in the next few days..."

 

[XP SP3 Upgrade Utility for systems with AMD processors]

HP - AMD - XPSP3...

XP SP3 Upgrade Utility for systems with AMD processors
- http://preview.tinyurl.com/4g2b6y
Release Date: 2008-05-14 - Version: 1.0 (HP Customer Care)
Description: Microsoft Windows XP SP3 Upgrade Utility prevents continuous system restarts or "Stop: 0x0000007E" errors after upgrading to Windows XP SP3 on systems with AMD processors.
Fixes: Prevents a condition from occurring that causes continuous system restarts or "Stop: 0x0000007E" errors after upgrading to Microsoft Windows XP Service Pack 3 on systems with an AMD processor.
Example: "A problem has been detected and Windows has been shut down to prevent damage to your computer..."

Download: sp37394.exe (1.85M)

.

[XPSP3 chokes On ISP versions Of IE7]

FYI...

XPSP3 chokes On ISP versions Of IE7
- http://www.informationweek.com/shared/printableArticle.jhtml?articleID=207801330
May 20, 2008 - "Private label versions of Microsoft's Internet Explorer 7 browser, including those provided to customers by Internet Service Providers Comcast and Qwest, are prone to crash during installation on computers running Windows XP SP3 because they tend to be outdated, Microsoft is warning. The problem generally occurs when a so-called "branded" version of IE7 is installed for the first time on a computer that's running XP SP3, said Microsoft program manager Jane Maliouta, in a blog post. "The reason is that the IE7 package you are trying to install uses old IE7 files," said Maliouta. The trouble? Some ISPs are still distributing versions of IE7 that don't contain updates designed to make the browser compatible with Windows XP SP3. Specifically, XP3 runs a version of an essential dynamic-link library file called XMLLite.dll that's not compatible with versions of IE7 released prior to October..."
* http://preview.tinyurl.com/6rwwf8
May 12, 2008 (blogs.msdn.com)

 

[false positives]

FYI...

XP SP3 triggers false positives in security apps
- http://windowssecrets.com/comp/080522#story1
2008-05-22 - "Installing Windows XP Service Pack 3 can cause your anti-malware programs to report the presence of Trojans and keyloggers that aren't there. The false positives have blocked important system files in some cases, and in others they have misled users into reinstalling XP... Comments on a PC Tools forum* confirm customer reports that the company's Spyware Doctor program generates a false positive on systems with Windows XP SP3. Similarly, at least one site claims that Symantec's Norton Internet Security software identifies a common system file as a keylogger. ReviewSaurus reports** that XP SP3 causes Norton Internet Security to identify ctfmon.exe as a keylogger (a kind of malware that records your keystrokes to capture passwords and other important data). In reality, the ctfmon.exe file in your Windows\System32 folder is a Microsoft system file that enables alternative input methods such as speech, tablet, or on-screen keyboard. A spokesperson for Symantec was not immediately available for comment..."

* http://www.pctools.com/forum/showthread.php?t=51766&page=3

** http://www.reviewsaurus.com/tips-tricks/windows-xp-sp3-service-pack-3-install-problems/

.

[Norton software conflicts with XPSP3]

FYI...

Norton software conflicts with XPSP3
- http://windowssecrets.com/comp/080529#patch0
2008-05-29 - "Antivirus software from Symantec Corp. may cause the installation of Service Pack 3 for XP to corrupt the Windows Registry by adding unnecessary keys.
Symantec advises users to disable the SymProtect security feature of its products before applying XP SP3.
A Registry fix is needed by the latest XP patch..."

(More detail at the URL above.)

 

[XPSP3 replaced the up-to-date flash.ocx...]

FYI...

XPSP3 replaced the up-to-date flash.ocx...
- http://isc.sans.org/diary.html?storyid=4513
Last Updated: 2008-06-02 19:18:05 UTC - "It appears that XPSP3 installs an older vulnerable version of the flash player...
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/Bulletin/MS06-069.mspx
Why was this Bulletin revised on May 13, 2008?
This bulletin was revised to add Windows XP Service Pack 3 as affected software..."
> Latest v9,0,124,0 - http://www.adobe.com/go/getflashplayer

Other references noting the problem:

- http://preview.tinyurl.com/5cz4wt
June 01, 2008 9:38 PM (Donna's SecurityFlash)

Ref: http://www.dozleng.com/updates/index.php?showtopic=18354&st=0&p=80908&#entry80908

 

[Upgrading to XPSP3 or Vista SP1]

XPSP3 / Norton fix:

Per Reese Anschultz / Symantec:
- http://www.castlecops.com/p1096158-.html#1096158
Jun 05, 2008 - "Symantec has made the registry cleanup tool available. Go to the following page and download it from there. The page is for Norton Internet Security 2008 but the tool works regardless of the product that you actually have installed."
> http://preview.tinyurl.com/6fgjqz
FAQ: Upgrading to XPSP3 or Vista SP1 with your Norton 2008 product installed

.

[PCpitstop XPSP3 review]

FYI...

PCpitstop XPSP3 review:
- http://preview.tinyurl.com/4y7zqc
May 25, 2008 - Windows XP SP3 Issues and Fixes Continued