Forum Discussion

mr__ed's avatar
mr__ed
Explorer
Feb 11, 2015

windows xp3

Hello. I recently repaired my older Toshiba laptop by re-installing the XP OS , using the repair CD that came withthe PC. The installation includes SP2 but I'd like to add SP3. I can't download from Microsoft since they don't support XP any more.Are any of you aware of a download site for this service pack? My searching hasn't turned anything up. Thanks.
  • APT's avatar
    APT
    Explorer
    Feb 20, 2015
    If you just need a browser, you might want to install Chrome OS or Ubuntu which will run much faster than Windows XP SP3.
  • 2012Coleman's avatar
    2012Coleman
    Explorer II
    Feb 18, 2015
    Ductape wrote:
    Why bother with updates on an older machine that is stable? Turn them off. Just keep antivirus product current if online.
    Antivirus doesn't protect against threats from using an outdated MS Office suite. Just ask the banking industry.

    Good luck.
  • magicbus's avatar
    magicbus
    Explorer II
    Feb 18, 2015
    It's my opinion that people who resurrect an old PC are doing it for sport or education and not to hold their entire life's work. They already proved they can reload XP and they can always do it again. They might find the option of security updates worth any potential inconvenience. Apparently some folks find this stressful but those same folks probably wouldn't be resurrecting an XP machine anyway.

    Dave
  • Gdetrailer's avatar
    Gdetrailer
    Explorer III
    Feb 17, 2015
    magicbus wrote:
    I'm not sure blurry fonts is catastrophic, but if you don't like the latest update just do a system restore. No different than it has been for a decade.

    Dave


    “blurry” fonts is only the most recent blunder with the WEPOS updates.. This one simply brings it up to at least 6 currently KNOWN RECENT patches which have broken something on an otherwise perfectly functional copy of the OS..

    So, it is YOUR “opinion” that it is far safer to blindly automatically install random bits of code which are NOT officially supported for YOUR CONSUMER system which has the POTENTIAL of corrupting more than the fonts..



    While this latest blunder can be reversed, all it would take is ONE untested update with a fatal flaw that corrupts other needed system files and your system will no longer be bootable..

    MS WILL NOT SUPPORT YOUR DECISION NOR HAVE SYMPATHY and tell you to pound salt if you call them for help.. so repairing the mess is all up to the person who decided it is better to install patches that were not for your version of the OS..
  • Ductape's avatar
    Ductape
    Explorer
    Feb 17, 2015
    Why bother with updates on an older machine that is stable? Turn them off. Just keep antivirus product current if online.
  • magicbus's avatar
    magicbus
    Explorer II
    Feb 17, 2015
    I'm not sure blurry fonts is catastrophic, but if you don't like the latest update just do a system restore. No different than it has been for a decade.

    Dave
  • Gdetrailer's avatar
    Gdetrailer
    Explorer III
    Feb 16, 2015
    8.1 Van wrote:
    Windows XP Registry Hack Enables Security Updates:The Tech Guy 1092


    Microsoft ended support for Windows XP on April 8, 2014.

    This is not the end of the world for people still using Windows XP but Windows XP users need to be extra careful to stay safe and secure on the Internet.

    Here are my 5 suggestions for Windows XP users –

    Do not use Internet Explorer, use an alternate browser, for example Firefox.
    Use an antivirus, for example Avast!
    Keep your software up to date, for example install updates to Flash.
    Be extra careful of clicking on links in email or on web sites.
    Keep a backup of your important data.


    Safer computing with Windows XP after Microsoft ends support


    :R



    READ HERE

    KB3013455 breaks font rendering on XP/FLP/WEPOS/POS2009

    https://support.microsoft.com/kb/3013455

    After you install security update 3013455, you may notice some text quality degradation in certain scenarios. The problem only occurs on systems that are running Windows Vista SP2 or Windows Server 2003 SP2. Microsoft is researching this problem and will post more information in this article when the information becomes available."

    This also impacts Windows XP, FLP, WEPOS, POS Ready 2009, and Server 2008 (the last 3 are still supported by MS until 2019)

    Causes font display/smoothing/substitution corruption in IE/Chrome/Firefox/other apps.

    Do not install this update if you value smoothly rendered readable fonts on any above mentioned OS. Uninstall this update for the same.

    FYI, this is the 5th or 6th released iteration of Win32K.sys on XPSP3 based Windows as of the last 6-12 months that is plagued with obvious significant QA issues.

    Perhaps they need to move these Kernel patches to the "Optional" section of Windows/Microsoft Update (with a popup dialog box warning at install time "WARNING: This update has had limited QA testing and will break functionality of your Windows installation!") considering how problematic they have been.

    Use the Registry hack that 8.1 Van linked AT YOUR OWN RISK...
  • 8_1_Van's avatar
    8_1_Van
    Explorer
    Feb 16, 2015
    Windows XP Registry Hack Enables Security Updates:The Tech Guy 1092


    Microsoft ended support for Windows XP on April 8, 2014.

    This is not the end of the world for people still using Windows XP but Windows XP users need to be extra careful to stay safe and secure on the Internet.

    Here are my 5 suggestions for Windows XP users –

    Do not use Internet Explorer, use an alternate browser, for example Firefox.
    Use an antivirus, for example Avast!
    Keep your software up to date, for example install updates to Flash.
    Be extra careful of clicking on links in email or on web sites.
    Keep a backup of your important data.


    Safer computing with Windows XP after Microsoft ends support
  • mr__ed's avatar
    mr__ed
    Explorer
    Feb 15, 2015
    OK. I've downloaded and installed SP3. Went without a` hitch. My old PC is now running like the day I first bought it.My new laptop runs Win8.1, which I like, but it's been fun fixing up my XP machine.
  • Gdetrailer's avatar
    Gdetrailer
    Explorer III
    Feb 12, 2015
    magicbus wrote:
    mileshuff wrote:
    ...A simple registry change in XP will fool Windows Update into thinking you have a POS version of XP. Continued new updates are then available as usual.
    Looks like it works. here is a clean way of doing just that without mucking with regedit.

    Creating simple registry file to enable XP3 security updates

    Dave


    Care needs to be taken when making this change.

    Not ALL the "POS" update files will work and nor are they "tested" by MS so install them AT YOUR OWN RISK..

    These update files are intended for "Embeded" products like POS systems, Kisoks any any industrial application in which a PC is integrated into the machine.. Embeded "products" licensing requires the manufacturer of that product to only install the necessary PARTS of the OS to make the product operate..

    The manufacturer of that product is supposed to review AND TEST the updates before applying them which is typically done with a test system off line..

    YOU typically do not have the luxury of pretesting and YOU have to take a gamble that it will not cause your system to not function..

    There has been a recent update which goofs up your text by making the size nearly unreadable..

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