User manual MICROSOFT WINDOWS XP PROFESSIONAL OVERVIEW OF WINDOWS XP SERVICE PACK 3

[. . . ] 3 What Is In Service Pack 3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Previously Released Functionality New and Enhanced Functionality 5 6 Deploying Windows XP SP3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Introduction Microsoft works to continually improve the performance, security, and stability of the Windows operating system. [. . . ] System administrators must choose to install each of these updates, however. Previously Released Functionality Functionality Management MMC 3. 0 Description MMC 3. 0 is a framework that unifies and simplifies day-to-day system management tasks in Windows by providing common navigation, menus, toolbars, and workflow across diverse tools. Microsoft Knowledge Base article 907265 describes this functionality in detail. MSXML6 provides better reliability, security, and conformance with the XML 1. 0 and XML Schema 1. 0 W3C Recommendations. Windows Installer 3. 1 is a minor update to Windows Installer 3. 0, which Microsoft released in September 2004. Additionally, Windows Installer 3. 1 addresses some issues that Microsoft found in Windows Installer 3. 0. BITS 2. 5 is required by Microsoft System Center Configuration Manager 2007 and Windows LiveTM OneCareTM. If you use BITS to transfer data, the new features also improve flexibility. This update helps simplify the creation and maintenance of IPSec filters, reducing the number of filters that are required for a server and domain isolation deployment. The Simple Policy Update removes the requirement for explicit network infrastructure permit filters and introduces enhanced fallback to clear behavior. Microsoft Knowledge Base article 914841 describes this previously released update in more detail. DIMS make it possible for users who log on to any domain-joined computer to silently access all of their certificates and private keys for applications and services. This update enables Windows XP SP3­based programs that use PNRP to communicate with Windows Vista programs that use PNRP. Microsoft Knowledge Base article 920342 describes this previously released update. Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) used for communication between the Terminal Server and the Terminal Server Client. This update better facilitates communication MDAC MSI Networking MSXML6 Microsoft Windows Installer 3. 1 v2 (3. 1. 4000. 2435) Background Intelligent Transfer Service (BITS) 2. 5 IPSec Simple Policy Update for Windows Server 2003 and Windows XP Digital Identity Management Service (DIMS) Peer Name Resolution Protocol (PNRP) 2. 1 Remote Desktop Protocol 6. 1 Functionality Description between machines running Windows XP and Windows Vista. Knowledge base article 951616 describes RDP 6. 1. Wi-Fi Protected Access 2 (WPA2) This update to Windows XP provides support for WPA2, the latest standards-based wireless security solution derived from the IEEE 802. 11i standard. Microsoft Knowledge Base article 893357 describes this update. New and Enhanced Functionality Table describes some of the more significant changes in Windows XP SP3. With few exceptions, Microsoft is not adding new features or functionality from newer versions of Windows to Windows XP through SP3. As noted earlier, one exception is the addition of NAP to Windows XP to help organizations running Windows XP to take advantage of new features in Windows Server 2008. For a list of Knowledge Base articles that Windows XP SP3 addresses, see Knowledge Base article 936929. New and Enhanced Functionality Functionality "Black Hole" Router Detection Description Windows XP SP3 includes improvements to black hole router detection (detecting routers that are silently discarding packets), turning it on by default. [. . . ] XP SP2 crypto modules Rsaenh. dll/Dssenh. dll/Fips. sys had been certified according to FIPS 140-1 specifications. The Federal Information Processing Standard (FIPS) 140-1 standard has been replaced by FIPS 140-2, and these modules have been validated and certified according to this standard. For more information, see the Microsoft Kernel Mode Cryptographic Module. Microsoft Cryptographic Module Functionality Windows Product Activation Description 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. [. . . ]