Windows XP SP3 final trudges into the torrent

You know the drill. Days before the official consumer release on the 29th, out pops the final version of Windows XP SP3 on torrents, usenet, and warez sites. We haven't confirmed it for ourselves but we've received multiple reports that this final, unmodified version features a legit Volume Licensed Key which handles that pesky WGA check without breaking a sweat. Should you be brave enough to install it then by all means drop us a line in the comments about your experience. Then again, why rush? You'll likely have until 2012 to perform the update.

[Thanks, Chris]

[Eric M. @ Apr 25th 2008 1:50AM]

After the Vista SP1 troubles Microsoft had and the troubles caused by early downloads such as these.. I'm standing clear of this until the final is up.

Plus I'm busy downloading/installing the new Ubuntu. Whoo!

[ethana2 @ Apr 25th 2008 3:12AM]

Let me know if you need any support, I've been using Ubuntu exclusively for a year now.

[jacque @ Apr 25th 2008 8:24AM]

ubuntu is crap.

[Pochi @ Apr 25th 2008 9:30AM]

In Ubuntu's defense, giving it to most Windows bashers usually shuts them up pretty quickly as they come screaming back for their Microsoft fix.

[Kennii @ Apr 25th 2008 1:51AM]

i installed it it's real... hers a pic...

http://i28.tinypic.com/2n6xmcm.png

[helloUser @ Apr 25th 2008 1:53AM]

Photoshopped.

[Max @ Apr 27th 2008 12:32AM]

Uhh, yeah he photoshopped it to hide his CD key and system information, the rest looks legit. I hate how everyone always screams PHOTOSHOPPED!!!!11!!1!!

Loser.

[Jonathan @ Apr 25th 2008 11:58PM]

It might have been a little more believable if it didn't have Kennii in graphics....

Put only a little more believable....

[AJ in the East Bay @ Apr 25th 2008 1:57AM]

Yeah, today's news made me feel better about my chances to skip Vista.

hugs XP

[akira @ Apr 25th 2008 2:09AM]

i just installed ... works like charm

[You Li @ Apr 25th 2008 2:15AM]

I installed it yesterday, it works fine and is the real thing. But honestly I don't notice any improvement over SP2. Maybe I just need to give it some time.

[jhaks @ Apr 25th 2008 3:03PM]

I don't think there will be many performance improvements in SP3; in fact there might not be any performance improvements at all since this is a re-bundle of all the patches since SP2 and a few other patches. If you keep your XP machine patched there probably won't be much change.

[Homeboy @ Apr 25th 2008 2:17AM]

Best...............image.......ever.

[Brent @ Apr 25th 2008 2:54AM]

The coolest thing since sliced velcro?

[Garst @ Apr 25th 2008 5:08AM]

Come on! That image is an obvious fake!




Windows logos never associate with hobbits in the wild!

[slarity @ Apr 25th 2008 10:19AM]

Ya...their with those damn ogre's and that stupid mage!

[wang83113 @ Apr 25th 2008 2:17AM]

I hate WGA

[Pochi @ Apr 25th 2008 9:31AM]

Obtaining your copy of Windows legally might alleviate that anger.

[CosterMonger @ Apr 25th 2008 10:38AM]

@Pochi

I have a bought version, I've never installed WGA, it is evil Microsoft Spyware that invalidates legitimate window XP users. I always check what utter crap Microsoft tries to slide in along side their security patches: automatic downloads, manual installs. Microsoft isn't paying for my and Internet and they aren't paying for my hardware and they have no right to invade my privacy.

I for one will continue using XP until Microsoft streamlines their next OS.

Microsoft will be asking for a swift kick in the pants if they pull XP in June.

[Pochi @ Apr 25th 2008 11:16AM]

"...it is evil Microsoft Spyware that invalidates legitimate window XP users."

lol, dear god...

You make all of your calls from payphones, don't you?

[Mobile Phone Diva @ Apr 29th 2008 5:03AM]

I know it's a late reply, but Pochi, I see where CosterMonger is coming from somewhat. I have all legit copies and MSFT still makes me feel like I did something wrong with that WGA crap!! They should have given us that license key built in to begin with so we don't feel like criminals every time we need to update!!

[Kennii @ Apr 25th 2008 2:20AM]

@homeuser
no its mot photoshopped.

[Slug @ Apr 25th 2008 4:23AM]

Who is homeuser?
Are you speaking to yourself?

[Saturn @ Apr 25th 2008 12:55PM]

i believe he/she was talking with hellouser.

[tjken33 @ Apr 25th 2008 2:31AM]

I've got it installed also. The only difference I noticed is that my laptop seems to connect faster out of standby..

http://i30.tinypic.com/33zfjq1.jpg

[Saad Rabia @ Apr 25th 2008 2:37AM]

It's cool to have a pirated version of XP.

[Einhanderkiller @ Apr 25th 2008 3:21AM]

Everybody's doing it.

[Pochi @ Apr 25th 2008 9:32AM]

I sent your comment to Balmer.

He's gonna dance all over your face, bitch.

[helloUser @ Apr 25th 2008 2:34AM]

someone needs to post a link to the torrent.

[Hague @ Apr 25th 2008 2:41AM]

Someone needs to learn how to use the internets!

[Jack @ Apr 25th 2008 3:49AM]

google is your friend....
also so is isohunt....

[Einhanderkiller @ Apr 27th 2008 2:22AM]

I'm not your friend, buddy!

[grant @ Apr 25th 2008 2:41AM]

Yeah I'll just wait.

This reminded me to check for updates on my old XP computer and I couldn't find the update thing in the Control Panel, guess I've been using Vista too long. :D

P.S. I saw the Automatic Update settings, it's not the same.

[Sean @ Apr 25th 2008 2:50AM]

it was out on Wed, available from MSDN.

[senyl @ Apr 25th 2008 9:50AM]

Yeah, I got it off of MSDN and installed it yesterday. So far, so good

[dBs @ Apr 25th 2008 2:52AM]

Do all the Microsoft logos in Middle Earth have Snoopy feet?

[Thomas Ricker @ Apr 25th 2008 2:59AM]

I can't believe you picked up on that!

Nevertheless it's true, Charles Schulz is Morgoth.

thomas

[devnate @ Apr 25th 2008 3:34AM]

No, those are totally Smurf's.

[test @ Apr 25th 2008 2:53AM]

Go on UseNext and search:

Microsoft Windows XP Service Pack 3 RTM Build 5512

Have you installed subinacl.exe? If not download and install subinacl.exe.

Run:

cd /d "%ProgramFiles%\Windows Resource Kits\Tools"
subinacl /subkeyreg HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE /grant=administrators=f /grant=system=f
subinacl /subkeyreg HKEY_CURRENT_USER /grant=administrators=f /grant=system=f
subinacl /subkeyreg HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT /grant=administrators=f /grant=system=f
subinacl /subdirectories %SystemDrive% /grant=administrators=f /grant=system=f
subinacl /subdirectories %windir%*.* /grant=administrators=f /grant=system=f
secedit /configure /cfg %windir%\inf\defltbase.inf /db defltbase.sdb /verbose

Start the installation of SP3

[Matthew Johnston @ Apr 25th 2008 4:02AM]

is all of that really necessary? wouldn't Microsoft be smart enough to make the pack..you know, self installing without all of that reg hacking?

[Paul @ Apr 25th 2008 10:24AM]

That is NOT SP3. The file is a .exe containing WinXP-Ultimate.iso dated 06/10/2007.

[JAmerican @ Apr 25th 2008 8:07AM]

Yea, I think this guy just wants you to F*** up your PC. I installed it without any reg hacking.

[John @ Apr 25th 2008 8:56AM]

C:\> erase *.*

[Backlin @ Apr 25th 2008 9:12AM]

All of those false values make me cringe.

[PG @ Apr 25th 2008 11:19AM]

Please ban this guy, he is trying to make you set ACL permissions on your registry at HKEY_LOCAL, HKEY_USER and HKEY_ROOT = basically making you and the administrator account from being able to access, read or write to the entire windows registry. He also does this to the windows and windows system directory. This will kill your ability to boot windows.

[Mr. Spork @ Apr 25th 2008 11:40PM]

Um, that means grant FULL access, not grant FALSE access. This is the procedure for fixing issues stemming from the system not having sufficient access to system files and registry keys. Here, if you don't believe me, this is part of the procedure for fixing an AVG installation issue I was once having and I followed similar instructions to fix it. Did not forfeit my ability to boot or work with registry keys or system files.

http://forum.grisoft.cz/freeforum/read.php?2,118110,page=2,backpage=2,sv=

[Mr. Spork @ Apr 25th 2008 11:53PM]

And here's some more examples:

subinacl /subkeyreg "HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\MIME\Database\Content Type\application/x-shockwave-flash" /grant=administrators=f

subinacl /subkeyreg HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{D4304BCF-B8E9-4B35-BEA0-DC5B522670C2} /grant=system=f

That's just a snippet from the reset_minimal.cmd file found at:

http://kb.adobe.com/selfservice/viewContent.do?externalId=fb1634cb

Along with instructions for fixing flash player installation instructions. In the above examples, the first line is granting administrators full access and the second one is granting the system full control. test's instructions just grant full control to both the system and administrators and it does it to a much broader set of keys than the adobe instructions. This is because adobe is being specific, and is proving a .cmd file to handle it and people like test and the poster on Grisoft's forums are just being simplistic. No malice anywhere here, really there's no reason why administrators and the system shouldn't have full access control to the registry branches and folders specified above.

Those of you who voted test down based solely on the erroneous statements regarding the malicious intent of his subinacl commands should do just a few seconds of research before clicking the vote down button.

[Nick @ Apr 25th 2008 8:00AM]

I Updated vista to SP1 and it has not much improvement,
so I'm going to install the new Ubuntu first and let SP3 wait a few days.

[PenguinHacker @ Apr 25th 2008 2:58AM]

@tjken33
Beast Edition is the best version I have used. Use it under Parallels with Leopard and it's not bad.
All the love to eXPerience, you da Man!

I almost for got F%ck M$

is a way of life.

[Jon Doe. @ Apr 25th 2008 3:04AM]

Yes fuck MS...yet you still use their wares...oh the irony.