Ok, at least the fake Windows XP SP3. According to Microsoft’s plan, we won’t see any service pack for Windows XP anytime soon, or at least not before it launches its Windows Vista.
But someone at thehotfix.net is kind enough to collect 100+ hotfix pack of many of the Windows XP SP3 fixes up for download. This of course is not an official Microsoft release, but it has gained enough popularity to enter download sites like Softpedia and Majorgeek.
Microsoft is aware of this and they want you to stay away from it. Mike Brannigan of Microsoft has recently posted a warning at its Windows XP newsgroup to warn users of the fake service pack. According to him,
You would be well advised to stay clear of this FAKE SP3 package.
It is NOT suitable for testing as it is NOT SP3.If is just a collection of hotfixes and other updates we have released. It
will not update your Windows XP system to SP3
It also contains a number of private ” hotfixes that are usually only issued
to users with a specific identifiable problem. The hotfixes are not as
rigorously tested at public released ones this is why we ask you to call PSS
to get them so we can track you and provide further assistance such as new
versions of the fixes etc as they become available. Just installing all the
“privates” on your PC may make you machine LESS stable and will also put you
out of support from Microsoft or an OEM as you are installing incorrectly
issued private hotfixes.Frankly this “package” should be avoid and you should continue to use
Windows Update and the download site to get the most up-to-date and
correctly issued Microsoft fixes and patches.Anyone who installs this thinking they are getting SP3 (even as a preview)
is being grossly mislead and is posing a significant potentially non
recoverable risk to their PC and data.
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