Install SP 3?

[Messerschmitt]

So my windows updater has the SP3 ready for instalation.

Now my question is should I? I just don't want to get more headache with program un-stability, etc. I understood that all the individual packs are covering what SP3 is including.

So?

Thanks

[nitroshift]

I'd say go for it. I've deployed it on more than 3000 machines with only a couple of issues with Realtek onboard sound (installed newer drivers and worked ok afterwards).

[CoffeeFiend]

SP3 works fine. The only real issue I encountered was D-Links wifi drivers that needed to be updated to work with it, but that was a while ago, they must have been fixed since then. Strangely, no issues with Realtek sound on any of them so far (might depend on which actual codec, and drivers used)

[CharlotteTheHarlot]

As others have said, SP3 is proven stable and should be installed if only to reduce the amount of individual updates you will get anyway. Like most folks here I prefer slipstreamed SP3 as the best method, but the standalone single file so-called network install is a good secondary (links here). The third method, doing it the while online, has the most potential for problems naturally since any firewalls and antivirus suites are in their most active states.

SP3 problems have arisen because of the way antivirus utilities modify the computer in order to protect it. I have been kept fairly busy correcting disasters caused by Norton and McAfee suites which to make a long story short, alter persistent ACL ownership of both registry keys and files/folders. (One famous incident is illustrated in this thread and some of the offsite links). IMHO, a live SP3 update is best done offline using the single file, with all antivirus turned as off as is possible (MsConfig or even safe-mode). It still might not work though. In really bad cases McAfee/Norton needs to be uninstalled, then their post-uninstall McAfee/Norton remover is run, then ownership still may need to be retaken through ACL editors like SUBINACL or SETACL! If SP3 does fail, clues may be found in the SVCPACK.LOG file (one of several names I have seen!). However, IME it will not tell you the exact registry key that needs to be fixed.

One way to tell if you are in for such problems is if you are logged in as an Administrator but you still encounter error messages about 'you must be an Administrator to ...'. This is a clue that registry key ACL's have been altered and that installing a major software package (including but not limited to SP3) may be problematic. So to summarize, to increase chances of a flawless SP3 update you need to reduce or eliminate anything else from being run at the same time, this includes antivirus, antispyware and firewalls.

Another type of problem arises when hardware/software breaks after running the SP3 update. Many times this is because the hardware/software depends upon specific versions of files that they stupidly and needlessly placed within the \Windows folder structure which were subsequently replaced during the SP3 update. I have seen this on D-Link equipment (described here). That was/is a widespread example that hopefully taught the programmers at D-Link something about common sense.