Windows XP Service Pack 3 officially on Microsoft servers this morning. If you wondering from Windows Update, it should be sometime soon. Windows XP Service Pack 3 available for various languages and all for 32-bit systems only.

Windows XP Service Pack 3 English
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What you get in Windows XP Service Pack 3?

Windows XP Service Pack 3 isn’t really bringing much to the table in terms of new functionality. In fact, the majority of updates included in SP3 have been available as per-item hotfixes and updates for XP. However, there are also four new features being back-ported from Vista to XP.

New Features in XP SP3

• Network Access Protection (NAP): A new system in Vista and Windows Server 2008, this feature sets system “health” requirements to validate a computer’s health before it allows that computer to connect to yours.

• “Black Hole” Router Detection: This new feature detects when your router is silently losing or discarding packets and is intended to protect from such problems.

• Product Activation Not Required on Installation: Like Vista, you can now install XP without first providing a valid product key. Windows will prompt for a product key after installation, though, if you want to take advantage of Windows Genuine Advantage.

• Kernel Mode Cryptographic Module: In a nutshell, this Vista back-port makes it easier to encrypt data through a single algorithm. Enjoy that one!

• Aside from these Vista back-port features, other new features include more descriptive security options that better explain your security settings and improved administrator security.

Previously Released Features

The majority of updates in SP3 were already available in one form or another via hotfixes or installations, but unless you’re a system administrator, there’s a good chance that they will still be new to your computer. Here the updates that might mean something to the general user.

• Wi-Fi Protected Access 2 (WPA2): Provides support for WPA2, the latest wireless security protocol.
• Peer Name Resolution: It’s not sexy, but this minor update allows SP3 computers to communicate with Vista programs that use the Peer Name Resolutions Protocol (PNRP).
• MMC 3.0: This is a framework to help simplify system management tasks in XP. You can learn more about it here.

For a fuller rundown of every new feature, you can grab the XP SP3 overview from Microsoft as a PDF.

Fixing a Minor SP3 Annoyance

Windows XP Service Pack 3 update disabled the address bar option for the Windows taskbar—a feature removed “due to legal restrictions.” If you fall in the same boat, you can still get your address bar back.

Source [Ars Technica] [gHacks]

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