XP SP3 Download and ISO Image

Windows XP Service Pack 3 Network Installation Package for IT Professionals and Developers

Windows XP Service Pack 3 Network - ISO-9660 CD Image File

Some observations: SP3 EXE is about 340MB, ISO is 570MB. Install took almost 25 minutes on my HP 1.8Ghz with 1GB memory. Cleaned and optimized the registry. I shut down everything I possibly could before starting the install. I did see a message about checking Product key so I suspect this will not install on illegal copies of XP (Yeah!). Took 12 minutes from start to update of first file. Lots of pre stuff. Blue progress bar stuck at about 50% and didn't move until about 10 seconds before it was done. One reboot, had two Command Prompt windows open for about 10 seconds then they closed. So far all is well. Everything is running as before. Will I be able to run the Recovery Console from my SP2 CD now that SP3 is installed? I will not be able to do a Repair Install with my SP2 XP CD. Did SP3 update the C:\I386 directory tree during install? Anyone know if Autostreamer and/or Nlite will slipstream SP3 like they did SP2?

Anyone know if Autostreamer and/or Nlite will slipstream SP3 like they did SP2?

I am sure it will happen soon - if not some tutorials from elsewhere.

I did the slipstream with nlite a week ago, it went well as did a clean install that repair disk will have to take the place of the recovery console I am afraid repair disk and sfc /scannow won't be such a last resort option anymore

I have upgraded several PCs now, so far, with no problems noted. However, I must note these machines were all keep up to date to begin with, and since XP3 is most a roll-up of previous updates, I am not anticipating many issues - especially since there is not big issues with new drivers for SP3 as there were for SP2.

What about my other question?

Did SP3 update the C:\I386 directory tree during install? If so, the sfc /scannow will work correctly. If not, it will be putting SP2 files back over SP3 files when you run it.

I am seeing many sp3.cab files dated 4/14/08 - so it looks good.

I also was worried about using SFC as I have not yet slipstreamed SP3 into my installation discs (however will do so shortly) After having installed SP3 (only on my test machine so far!) I ran SFC and yes it did ask fro the disc and yes it did accept my slipstreamed SP2 Win XP installation disc, so my fears were unfounded………Perhaps I was just lucky…………. I will "damage" a few other Protected Files on my test machine and see if SFC can fix them !.

My admin install of sp3 put a ServicePackFiles folder in the windows directory 569MB
Inside it is i386 folder, 561MB and a ServicePackCache folder


Will SFC use that folder? If not what is it for?

Good question. I had previously put the I386 directory in the root of C: then zapped the registry entries to use it instead of asking me to put the CD in. I just checked and those settings are still there, unchanged:

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Setup]

"SourcePath"="C:\\"
"ServicePackSourcePath"="C:\\"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion]

"SourcePath"="C:\\"

I checked C:\I386 and none of the files were updated. ntldr does not match what is currently in C: for instance.

Digerati, are you saying your C:\I386 directory tree did get updated? If so, wonder why mine didn't????? Discriminations I tell ya!

There is another location the Windows File protection service uses and that is the I386 folder in C:\WINDOWS\ServicePackFiles When you install a service pack, like SP1. Any new system drivers are cached in this location too.

all is well my source paths are good, I just better not put in xpsp2 disk till i get it slipped

c:\windows\ServicePackFiles

I slipstreamed SP3 with my SP2 XP Pro CD today using nLite, no problems. Have not tried installing with it yet but teh slipstream went okay. I did download the latest version of nLite first though. Anyone know is Autostreamer works with SP3?