WindowsXP SP3 and Windows Genuine (Dis)Advantage

godzilla525

I was just reading Microsoft's XP SP3 overview and there are some changes to how Windows will install if you slipstream SP3.

Windows Product Activation:

As in Windows Server 2003 SP2 and Windows Vista, users can now
complete operating system installation without providing a product key
during a full, integrated installation of Windows XP SP3. The operating
system will prompt the user for a product key later as part of Genuine
Advantage.

As with previous service packs, no product key is requested or required
when installing Windows XP SP3 using the update package available
through Microsoft Update.

Note: The Windows Product Activation changes in Windows XP SP3 are
not related to the Windows Vista Key Management Service (KMS). This
update affects only new operating system installations from integrated
source media. This update affects the installation media only and is not a
change to how activation works in Windows XP.

Well there goes the neighborhood. It looks like I'll be continuing to use the slipstream SP2 disc I made (primarily to avoid 48-bit LBA issues).

It also seems logical that if you install SP3 separately you will also get the 'disadvantage' whether you like it or not.

Ubuntu and Debian keep looking better everyday...if I could ever get it unstuck from 800x600, but that's for another discussion.

kryyst

Maybe I'm not reading the same article as you - but what's the problem? If you copy is legit there is no issue. It doesn't prompt you for the key until everything is setup and done on a new install. On an upgrade install if your system has passed Genuine Advantage it doesn't bug you at all for a serial doing an SP3 upgrade.

primesuspect

Yeah, I'm not getting what's wrong with that - it's slightly easier to install now because you don't have to input a key during installation, only the first time you go to download any updates. This is exactly in line with Vista, and is one of the few things I really like over XP and said "Gee, I wish they had done that with XP!"- and now they did

GHoosdum

WGA has never been a problem for me with the OS. I also like the idea of not having to enter a key during installation.

I have experienced WGA-related issues when browsing for tech solutions on the MS website using Firefox with NoScript turned on. Often, it won't display the solution to, for instance, an Office issue unless I let it run an ActiveX control that verifies that a legal version of office is installed on my machine. I have to change my normal browsing habits and use IE in these cases, and it pisses me off. Even though it comes in the guise of WGA, I realize it's completely unrelated to the SP3 WGA inclusion, this thread just gave me a chance to vent about it.

godzilla525

I guess part of the problem is I'm used to a LEGITIMATE corporate no-activation version of XP that doesn't phone home to Microsoft (probably the most useful thing I got from college). It's more of an irritant that could potentially become a problem if MS decides to shut off this particular Volume License Key. (WGA runs as a service that phones home every two weeks from what I understand)

There are stories floating around about people having their legitimate copies of Windows hosed because of WGA failures at Microsoft's end. ..and I don't want to turn this anything-goes version into one that's going to sit there and pout if I have to reconfigure hardware to recover data due to some hardware failure (which I've had to do in the past).

At the very least, I'm glad I kept the OS partition small so I could image the partition easily to DVD before installing SP3.

I could be totally wrong on this (and I hope I am). Microsoft does have a unique way of explaining how their software works without actually conveying any meaningful information.

kryyst

Yes problems happen but they are the rarity and usually there is another reason why - like a corporate key got publicly leaked and so they blocked it. You are reading to much into it and have very little (approaches Zero%) to worry about.

Your-Amish-Daddy

And lucky me, I've got an SVK copy from TSTC (Or TSTU, depends on when you went.) But I'm thinking of getting Vista soon since I'll be dropping a DX10 card in my machine..

Leonardo

I cannot get the latest WGA (through Windows Updates) to install on three of my XP computers, all of which are fully legal.

Garg

I'm just not a fan of nannyware. Windows Automatic Updates recently tried to slip in WGA again, even though I've turned it down before and clicked "don't ask me to install this software again."

Leonardo

I'll just continue using Windiz Update since I can't figure out how to get Windows Update working again.

Byron172

Sorry if I have been hiding under a rock, but does this mean there is now a "Service Pack 3" for XP. If so how & where can I get it. I do a lot of clean installations for people and would love to be able to skip the whole process of updating from SP2 through to current updates.

Your-Amish-Daddy

It's not out yet.

Zuntar

So, what would be possibility of someone using a non legit copy of XP w/ SP3 slipstreamed and just manually downloading the key updates to their system?

BTW All three of my licenses are legit and pass WGA.

Thrax

If it's anything like Vista, your install will tank after 30 days.