First of all, this is sort of a “Zero Value” service pack. The benefits are questionable and the downside, as with all other Micro$oft service packs is the potential for an unbootable computer. If you have a Hewlett Packard machine, do NOT install this service pack. There is a known incompatibility with SP3 and machines running AMD chips that were imaged using an Intel-based machine. It’s easy enough to work around this (if you plan in advance) but a major hassle if you don’t…
Also, as usual, the version you download from Micro$oft’s Windows Update site doesn’t remotely resemble the Full Version installed from CD (the only way we do it), so don’t say you weren’t warned…
If you really want to know everything there is to know about this process, you can read this PC World Article for the whole story.
