Windows XP Service Pack 3 (SP3) Beta (Build 3205) Details Emerge
Posted By: Arcane ElitistWindows XP Service Pack 3 (SP3) Beta (Build 3205) Details Emerge
Shortly after Build 3205 of Service Pack 3 for Windows XP was distributed to tier-one Windows Server 2008 and Windows Vista SP1 beta testers, so were its details to the public, details of which have been long awaited by lovers of XP and haters of Vista.
Service packs have traditionally been compilations of all fixes, enhancements, etc., public and private, which came to be after the operating system reached gold status. While this still holds true, a new trend has emerged in which all-new features are included as well. Whether one prefers or dislikes change, Windows XP SP3 will provide it.
Most of the new features to appear in XP SP3 made their debut in Windows Vista. The highlights are as follows:
- Network Access Protection modules and policies will be included in XP SP3, after having received a warm welcome by users of Vista.
- New Windows Product Activation model that makes it unnecessary to enter a product key during setup anymore for those who buy copies of XP with SP3 slipstreamed or do the slipstreaming themselves. XP still has to be activated, though.
- New Microsoft Kernel Mode Cryptographic Module that provides access to multiple cryptographic algorithms. This feature is also available for use in kernel-mode drivers and services.
- New “Black Hole Router” detection that makes possible for Windows XP with Service Pack 3 to not only detect but protect against rogue routers discarding data.
Build 3205 has the same filename of build 3180, windowsxp-kb936929-sp3-x86-enu.exe, which was leaked to the Internet over a month ago. However, these releases are absolutely not identical. Build 3205 is 334.2 megabytes in size and has a CRC of 56e08837 and MD5 of c8c24ec004332198c47b9ac2b3d400f7. Standalone installers are available in English, Japanese, and German at this time. Windows XP Service Pack 3 is compatible with all versions of Windows XP x86, including Home, Professional, Media Center, Embedded, Start, and Fundamentals editions. Users of Windows XP Professional x64, 64-bit Windows XP, will probably receive some new goodies too if and when the 64-bit edition of SP3’s equivalent debuts.
SP3 build 3205 presently includes 1,073 patches on top of all of the patches from XP’s previous service packs. 114 are said to be security related while the remainder and majority deal with bugs, improvements to the kernel-mode driver, reliability and performance updates.
It has been said that Microsoft’s crown achievement thus far has been Windows 2000 Service Pack 4. Perhaps Service Pack 3 for Windows XP will take that crown for those believing Windows 2000 to still hold it.
Sources:
Windows XP SP3 Beta (Build 3205) Released – Analysis Included
Windows XP SP3 Specifics Revealed
