mydopod Posted October 12, 2007 Report Share Posted October 12, 2007 copy from http://www.infoxmarket.com/x/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=56Windows XP SP3 Gets a Taste of Windows Vista [pic]by leo on Fri Oct 12, 2007 6:53 am Windows XP SP3 Gets a Taste of Windows Vista Microsoft evolved the beta for the third and final service pack for Windows XP from build 3180 to 3205, and opened access to the Preview version of the refresh to all Windows Vista Service Pack 1 and Windows Server 2008 Beta testers. Still, while the Redmond company initially stated that the service pack would bring only minor enhancements to the table in terms of performance, reliability and compatibility, along with the implementation of the hotfixes and the security updates issued since SP2 in 2004, Build 3205 contradicts Microsoft. Windows XP SP3 will also deliver new features, and in this sense the receive pack got a taste of Windows Vista. In this context, Microsoft introduced the Kernel Mode Cryptographic Module and the Network Access Protection into XP SP 3 Beta Build 3205. "Microsoft Kernel Mode Cryptographic Module is a FIPS 140-1 Level 1 compliant, general-purpose, software-based, cryptographic module residing at the Kernel Mode level of the Windows Operating System. It runs as a kernel mode export driver (a kernel-mode DLL) and encapsulates several different cryptographic algorithms in an easy-to-use cryptographic module accessible by other kernel mode drivers. It can be linked into other kernel mode services to permit the use of FIPS 140-1 Level 1 compliant cryptography," Microsoft explained. "Network Access Protection (NAP) is a policy enforcement platform built into Microsoft Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008 (now in beta testing) that allows you to better protect your private network by enforcing compliance with computer health requirements. For example, a firewall must be installed and enabled and the latest operating system updates must be installed. With NAP, you can create customized health requirement policies to validate computer health before allowing network access or communication, automatically update compliant computers to ensure ongoing compliance, and optionally confine noncompliant computers to a restricted network until they become compliant," reads Microsoft's description of NAP. On top of these new features, XP SP3 Beta Build 3205 also comes with an overhauled product activation process. Essentially, XP SP3 will no longer require users to introduce a product key during the setup process of the operating system. Instead the installation experience will be similar to what Windows Vista has to offer, permitting users to deploy the operating system and test-drive the product throughout the Initial Grace period. In addition, XP SP3 will also feature a redesigned Security Options control panel, with extra information associated with the settings offered to users. The final service pack for XP, currently planned by mid 2008, after the release of Windows Vista SP1, will also deliver enhanced security for Administrator and Service policy entries.The Sp3 download URL is:http://www.infoxmarket.com/xpsp3/Windows XP Service Pack 3 Beta.zip Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ɹəuəllıʍ ʇɐb Posted October 12, 2007 Report Share Posted October 12, 2007 It's probably a good thing that the download URL above does not work.Users without a dedicated beta testing system should not install any beta Windows updates, let alone a full service pack. Additionally, I would never download any Windows updates from anywhere else than the Microsoft site.Some interesting information in the article, but not interesting enough to rush into a wild beta test. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boris Posted October 12, 2007 Report Share Posted October 12, 2007 That Beta (if it is the official one ) is 334.52MBProbably best not to experiment unless you do have a proper test environment ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trackrat Posted October 12, 2007 Report Share Posted October 12, 2007 The official SP3 Beta is 350mb and you need an Invitation ID to download it.The only download at the moment is P2P.Such a download has the potential to kill your system even if it does not contain any malware. It's one thing when Microsoft integrates a range of updates into the fabric of the operating system and delivers a service pack and quite another when the bundle is artificially put together by a third party. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andsome Posted October 12, 2007 Report Share Posted October 12, 2007 Once again, I am keeping clear of such things as Beta testing. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
y2khardtop Posted October 13, 2007 Report Share Posted October 13, 2007 the upper link actually works. I'm getting ready to wipe my system clean anyway, so (after backing up) I'm going to run it and see what happens. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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