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Probable inclusions?

Windows Genuine Advantage
Windows IE7.
Windows DirectX 9
Windows Media Player 10 (or 11/Windows Media Center ?)
Windows log-on improvements and features that fix current problems with connecting Windows XP computers to various networks ** http://www.pcworld.com/article/id,122871-page,1/article.html?RSS=RSS
Scores of bugfixes *


from: http://www.microsoft-watch.com/content/operating_systems/windows_xp_service_pack_3_not_until_2007.html

\"Last week, Microsoft amended dates that it published to its Lifecycle Web site for the phasing out of support for Windows XP Home Edition. Microsoft was scheduled to end mainstream support for all of its consumer editions of XP by December 30, 2006. Last week, the company changed the consumer XP support-cutoff dates to December 30, 2008.\" (January 16, 2006)



from: http://www.microsoft.com/windows/lifecycle/servicepacks.mspx

SP3 for Windows XP (Professional & Home Edition) is currently planned for 1H CY2008. This date is preliminary.
Service Packs are cumulative, which means that each new service pack contains all of the fixes that are included with previous service packs and any new fixes, and you do not have to install a previous version of a service pack before you install the latest version.

from: http://blogs.zdnet.com/microsoft/?p=54

Microsoft provided the following statement late on October 19 (2006), regarding the timing of XP SP3:

\"As we have previously confirmed, we will be releasing another service pack for XP over the course of the (XP) product lifecycle. We are now tentatively targeting the first half of 2008 forrelease. Right now our priority is Windows Vista — we\'ll have more information to share about the next service pack for XP after Windows Vista ships.\"

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* from http://www.thehotfix.net/sp3_2.php

906681 - A user can log on to a Windows XP-based computer by using a user name and a password, even though the \"Smart card is required for interactive logon\" user account property is set
892346 - You cannot drag or copy files to the CD drive on a computer that is running Windows Server 2003 with Service Pack 1, Windows XP with Service Pack 1, or Windows XP with Service Pack 2
901017 - Download - Vulnerability in the Microsoft Collaboration Data Objects could allow code execution (Windows)
898781 - FIX: You experience slow performance or a program stops responding when the program calls a COM method and the MIDL defines an [out] pointer to pointer argument
901122 - The network interface on a multifunction, composite USB device does not work in Windows XP
896427 - You cannot view the contents of a subfolder on a network share in Windows XP after you install the security bulletin MS-05-11 redirector update
307154 - The Default Beep sound is played instead of the Low Battery Alarm sound or the Critical Battery Alarm sound on a Windows XP-based computer
816045 - Group Policies may not apply because of network ICMP policies
887186 - Logon process takes an unexpectedly long time to complete in Windows XP Service Pack 2
319740 - MFC applications leak GDI objects on computers that are running Windows XP
890582 - CPU utilization reaches 100 percent when you run programs after you install Windows XP Service Pack 2
905905 - Hotfix rollup package for Identity Manager and Profile Manager in Connected Services Framework
893366 - The Japanese IME may stop responding when you shift focus from one window to another window in Windows XP or in Windows 2000
894395 - The IME Composition window or the IME Candidate window remains visible even after that window loses focus when you use Japanese IME on a computer that is running Windows XP or Windows 2000
870997 - Windows XP and Windows 2000 clients that share a single organizational unit stop responding or spontaneously restart
896256 - Computers that are running Windows XP Service Pack 2 and that are equipped with multiple processors that support processor power management features may experience decreased performance
883523 - Your CD-RW drive is not recognized as a rewritable drive in Windows XP Service Pack 2 or in Windows XP Tablet PC Edition 2005
888111 - Universal Audio Architecture (UAA) High Definition Audio class driver version 1.0a available for Windows XP, Windows Server 2003, and Windows 2000
885626 - Download - Your computer stops responding when you restart to complete the installation of Windows XP Service Pack 2 or Windows XP Tablet PC Edition 2005
886716 - Download - Transcoding as MPEG-2 in Adobe Premiere Pro may cause the program or Windows XP Service Pack 2 to stop responding
904706 - Download - MS05-050: Vulnerability in DirectShow could allow remote code execution
895181 - Download - FIX: You may experience a color smearing or bleeding effect when you play MPEG4 videos in Windows Media Player 9 or 10
890737 - You receive a \"No mapping between account names and security IDs was done\" error when you edit and then save a Group Policy object in Windows XP Professional
888656 - Download - FIX: Update to enable DirectX Video Acceleration (DXVA) of Windows Media Video content in Windows Media Player 10
892313 - Download - FIX: Updates for Windows Media Player 9 Series and for Windows Media Player 10
900725 - Download - MS05-049: Vulnerabilities in the Windows shell could allow for remote code execution
901017 - Download - Vulnerability in the Microsoft Collaboration Data Objects could allow code execution (Windows)
906569 - Download - The 906569 update adds the Tools tab to the System Configuration utility in Windows XP Service Pack 2
907245 - Download - MS05-048: Vulnerability in the Microsoft Collaboration Data Objects could allow code execution
902400 - Download - MS05-051: Vulnerabilities in MS DTC and COM+ could allow remote code execution
899589 - Download - MS05-046: Vulnerability in the Client Service for NetWare could allow remote code execution
896626 - Download - Windows XP TV tuner program stops responding or displays corrupted video
905414 - Download - MS05-045: Vulnerability in Network Connection Manager could allow denial of service
904710 - WinINet ignores the policies that you set when you create a custom administrative template file in Windows XP with Service Pack 2
901377 - The printer display panel does not display the complete document name if the document name is a Multi-Byte Character Set string
899418 - Programs may not be able to make a telephone connection after you disconnect and then reconnect a serial cable in Windows XP with Service Pack 2
896360 - If a 16-bit PC Card is removed and replaced with another 16-Bit PC Card while Windows XP is in standby or hibernation, the new PC Card may not be correctly recognized when you resume the computer
898458 - Download - MS05-031: Vulnerability in step-by-step interactive training could allow remote code execution
905749 - Download - MS05-047: Vulnerability in Plug and Play could allow remote code execution and local elevation of privilege
890927 - A Windows XP-based computer may stop responding when you disconnect a mobile device
891122 - Download - Update for Windows Media Digital Rights Management-enabled players
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I don\'t want to have to download all of this again if I ever have to reinstall my XP SP1 system.
I\'ve already downloaded SP2 and saved it to CD-R.

Providing there is a service pack,
Will the SP3 install options will be selectable?
or
One upgrade fits all?

How will we know what it's going to be like until it's released? Or am I missing something? What's the big deal?

As long as SP3 cures my performance issues, I'll be happy, if not, well, it's bugs don't wind me up with SP2. I suppose we'll see how much the service pack does for us.

Exactly. Why so freaking long?

My guess is there's lots of political issues to be decided like whether to make the updates available as a download (for the ungenuine).

Of course there's the natural corporate reluctance to do anything that would hurt the bottom line, like support obsolete products.

I've heard that XP sp3 will make XP undesirable to use, forcing a migration to vista, but that's just heresay.

I am on dialup and I will have to download at least 75 MB of updates
to my new XP Pro Service Pack 2b installation.

Apparently there is no bundle of subsequent hot-fixes available on disc.

I connect at 48K and can get 18-19 MB per hour.

My plan is to
1) Install and update AVG.
2) Then record the used size of the C:\ drive.
3) Download and install a selected subset of over 50 cirtical patches and "enhancments"
4) Install DVD authoring software
5) Delete the generated extra system restore rollback files
6) Record the size of the patched system
7) Save an image of the system onto a DVD so I can restore from it.

Is there a free application that I can use to create a system restore disc on a bootable DVD?
If there is none, then a recommendation of the best app for the money.

If my OS ever becomes deactivated, then a restore from the DVD disc image would reactivate it, correct?

Becomes deactivated? When the heck would that happen? You cannot get your OS deactivated, as far as I know. There are only two possible cases: Your OS isn't activated, or is. It cannot be 'deactivated'

EDIT: Although you can intentionally induce this state to change to another key

If you make too many hardware changes I've heard that you must reenter a key.

I haven't had that problem,
but if hardware changes can trigger the security,
then a software glitch or cosmic ray might as well.

After XP support is a thing of the past I may still want to use the computer.

I still boot my 8-bit Ataris now and then.

Where's "Preferred game controller setting ignored" on that list? Because even Dark Basic knows that the wrong controller is fed through Windows.

Used WinXP Pro since it came out. Had the first, never the second.
It a bit of a pain to have to call and get a new number, but nothing too bad.

erm.. don't quote me on this.. but I've seen SP2 go on a dodgy version of XP SP1 and it turned off all MS support, updates, firewalls, and I swear it also seemed to nobble the 3rd party firewall, Zone Alarm! I'm sure it all happened by accident

forgive me for asking, but when will it be released? I couldn't be arsed to read through all that text, especially on a PC

Windows XP Service Pack 3: Not Until 2007

The Clock Is Ticking on XP Home Edition
but
Microsoft Quietly Extends Support Life for XP Products

After outcry around the revelation that Microsoft was due to phase out all support for Windows XP Home Edition by the end of 2006, it seems that the Redmondians have relented. In an updated note,
Microsoft has added a caveat to its Windows lifecycle chart, noting that the company now plans to continue to provide mainstream support for all of its XP products (Home, professional, Embedded, Media Center and Tablet Editions) for two years after the next version of each product is released. For XP Home, that will likely mean that mainstream support will be extended through 2008. Ditto for XP Professional, which also should get a longer grace period for Extended (paid) Support as a result, probably through 2013, we're betting.
--------------------------------------------------------------------

The Wilderbeast, my best guess is November 2007.

XP mainstream support ends in 2 years 2 weeks on 4/14/2009

However it looks like the CRITICAL updates will be provided through 4/8/2014 (7 years and 1 week).
I am confident that I will be able to use XP until a suitable replacement OS is available.

Is there a free application that I can use to create a system restore disc on a bootable DVD?

If my OS ever becomes deactivated, then a restore from the DVD disc image would reactivate it, correct?

Answering my own question, correct.
So as long as my hardware lasts, I won't have to depend on Microsoft for reactivation.

http://www.microsoft.com/windows/lifecycle/servicepacks.mspx

from http://www.windowsitpro.com/Articles/ArticleID/95725/95725.html

And What About Windows XP Service Pack 3?
And while I'm ranting a bit, let's dredge up Windows XP Service Pack 3, which was delayed from 2005 to 2006 to 2007 and now to 2008. If you were looking for any glimpse into the mind of Microsoft, this is it: The company has completely abandoned Windows XP, and it has absolutely no plans to ever ship an XP SP3. My guess is that Microsoft will do what it did with the final Windows 2000 Service Pack: Claim years later that it's no longer needed and just ship a final security patch roll-up. This is the worst kiss-off to any Microsoft product I've ever seen, and you'd think the company would show a little more respect to its best-selling OS of all time. But the reality is, Microsoft is looking ahead to new revenue and not behind to money that's already in the bank. And though hundreds of millions of people will be running XP for years to come, despite Microsoft's best efforts at selling them a later Windows version, the company has absolutely no plans to actually support those customers. This flies in the face of its publicly-stated life cycle support plans. And it really freaks me out. It should freak you out as well.

http://blogs.zdnet.com/microsoft/?p=54
http://blogs.zdnet.com/microsoft/?p=376
http://blogs.zdnet.com/microsoft/?p=351

Why does that freak you out? You are creating some kind of conspiracy in your head that is actually a common business practice. Obviously Microsoft wants to push everyone out of XP and into Vista, as it's in theirs and their shareholder's best interests.

Paul Thurrott is the man to answer that.

Email address: thurrott@windowsitpro.com